Ten years ago George W. Bush signed a bill to cut taxes that was so controversial at the time that it included a provision to expire in ten years. It was regarded by many as too costly and likely to produce massive deficits. Ten years later the worst fears of the critics were borne out and the nation is struggling under its largest debt burden in history.
Somehow Republicans are still defending those tax cuts and demanding that they be extended. Democrats have conceded to extend them for 98% of the American people excluding only income over $250,000. But that isn’t enough for the GOP. They are presently holding the cuts for the vast majority hostage on behalf of the wealthy 2%. It is an unconscionable and irresponsible position that reveals their inflexibility and greed.
Congressman Alan Grayson took to the floor of the House last week to address this issue and delivered a brilliant and damning critique that explains what’s behind the Republican obstructionism.
Grayson: [Y]ou have to wonder why they persist in this mania, this obsession of theirs that we need to have tax cuts for the rich when the economy is flat on its back and unemployment is almost 10%. I think I have the answer. The answer turns out to be very simple.
They want tax cuts for the rich because they want a tax cut for themselves. What do I mean by that? Let’s take a look at the people who are really in charge, the ones who actually run the Republican party.
With that Rep. Grayson ran through a list of wealthy right-wing media hogs who will benefit handsomely from the positions they are taking on taxes:
| Greedy Bastard | Annual Income | Tax Benefit |
| Rush Limbaugh | $58,700,000 | $2,700,000 |
| Glenn Beck | $33,000,000 | $1,500,000 |
| Sean Hannity | $22,000,000 | $1,000,000 |
| Bill O’Reilly | $20,000,000 | $914,000 |
| Sarah Palin | $14,000,000 | $638,000 |
| Newt Gingrich | $5,000,000 | $250,000 |
| George W. Bush | $4,200,000 | $187,000 |
These are just some of the more prominent beneficiaries of the Republican plan to give $700 Billion to the richest people in America. The Republicans, who can’t bring themselves to extend unemployment benefits while the unemployment rate is nearing 10%, have no problem with helping those poor millionaires and billionaires to struggle through these tough times. And it is no coincidence that many of the rightist advocates of this millionaire giveaway are wealthy television and radio stars or politicians themselves.
This is one of those times when words like greedy, selfish, and even shameless, simply do not suffice. But Rep. Grayson has provided as good an explanation for what is happening this week in Congress as any I’ve heard.
