GOP Senator George Voinovich Will Vote Against Any Extension Of Bush Tax Cuts

[Joanne98]

Retiring Sen. George Voinovich (R-Ohio) has broken ground in the Senate by becoming the first to announce that he won't support any extension of the Bush tax cuts -- for middle-class families or the wealthy -- on the grounds that it fails to address serious tax reform or take any real steps toward fiscal austerity.

The Washington Post reports:

"As I look at my experience, I believe that if this thing goes through and we extend it, we will kick this thing down the road," Voinovich said in an interview after addressing an Aspen Institute roundtable in Washington. "It's completely irresponsible."
Democrats are currently engaged in a last-minute battle to reject the extension of the Bush tax cuts for the top two percent of income earners, but some have suggested that the White House is already in the final stages of mapping out a package that would allow for a temporary across-the-board extension of the cuts in return for GOP support on the reauthorization of unemployment benefits.

Voinovich appears to be the only Republican senator to vocalize -- and certainly to act upon -- his worries that the GOP's insistence on the continuation of such broad tax cuts runs counter to the party's desires to slash spending, balance budgets and tackle the debt. Analysis of the cost of extending the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy alone has run at around $700 billion over the next decade, while the cost of a complete extension would rack up a nearly $4 trillion tab.

"The American people should know that a lot of the reduction of their taxes is borrowed money from China," he said, according to the Post. "You've got to pay for it. You've got to pay for it. You've got to pay for it."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/06/george-voinovich-bush-tax-cuts_n_792741.html

[msongs]

1. the un-obama nt

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. Perhaps he found his conscience at last?

[MindandSoul]

3. I hope at least 60 senators, both Dems and Reps vote NO!

[FedUpWithIt All]

4. Voinovich stands alone in good esteem in my estimation of his party.

He can be a bit of an enigma

[TwilightGardener]

5. But is he also against unemployment benefits?

[realisticphish]

6. as much as I hate saying it

I would rather have him as a governor again, then have Kasich

[slay]

7. A Republican senator doing what ALL Dem senators should be doing

in opposing what is - Tax Cuts For Millionaires - while using the middle class and unemployeed as pawns. That's class warfare - Dems need to fight this!

[AllyCat]

8. Is this what happens when they aren't running again? They tell it like it is?

Thank you Mr. Voinovich. Wish you could convince others before you go.

[wiggs]

9. Has has always run hot and cold. He cried on the senate floor over the

committee recommendation to get John Bolton through as UN Ambassador...a truly horrible nomination. Then as I remember he ended up voting for him (failed though...got a recess appointment anyway).