Senate Dems Call It ‘Terrible,’ ‘Frustrating,’ Say It’s ‘Not Going To Fly’

• SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV): “None of us agree with every part of it.” (Sen. Reid, Press Briefing, 9/20/11)

• SEN. JIM WEBB (D-VA): “Terrible.” “‘Terrible,’ Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) told POLITICO when asked about the president’s ideas for how to pay for the $450 billion price tag. ‘We shouldn’t increase taxes on ordinary income. … There are other ways to get there.’” (“Hill Dems Pick Apart Obama Jobs Plan,” Politico, 9/14/11)

• SEN. BARBARA MIKULSKI (D-MD): “I disagree with the president.” “Senator Barbara Mikulski, a Maryland Democrat whose state includes some of the wealthiest counties in the U.S., said she didn’t support the health-care tax. ‘I disagree with the president,’ she said.” (“Obama Plan To Tax Health Benefits Stirs Democratic Opposition,” Bloomberg, 9/14/11)

• SEN. MARK BEGICH (D-AK): “Frustrating … There’s an unfairness to it.” “Democratic Sen. Mark Begich, from the oil-rich state of Alaska, said it was ‘frustrating’ to see the president single out the oil industry after calling on the congressional supercommittee in last week’s address to Congress to find savings. ‘When you start singling out certain industries, there’s an unfairness to it,’ he said in an interview. ‘On the pay-fors, I have a problem.’” (“Hill Dems Pick Apart Obama Jobs Plan,” Politico, 9/14/11)

• SEN. MARY LANDRIEU (D-LA): “…not going to fly.” “‘That offset is not going to fly, and he should know that,’ said Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu from the energy-producing Louisiana, referring to Obama’s elimination of oil and gas subsidies. ‘Maybe it’s just for his election, which I hope isn’t the case.’” (“Hill Dems Pick Apart Obama Jobs Plan,” Politico, 9/14/11)

• SEN. JOE MANCHIN (D-WV): “I have serious questions about the level of spending that President Obama has proposed, as well as the actual effectiveness some of these policies will have when it comes to creating jobs…” (“Manchin’s Strategy For Surviving 2012 In A Red State: Bash President Obama,” The Hill, 9/14/11)

• “‘If spending money solved our crises, we would be okay,’ Manchin said. ‘When the President first spoke to Congress, I had some serious reservations. After we did a breakdown on the numbers, I was even more skeptical. At $450 billion, it is a tremendous cost, with a doubtful return on investment.’ Manchin said he worries that the bill includes ideas that have been tried before and failed, at tremendous cost to taxpayers.” (“Manchin Has Reservations On Obama’s Jobs Bill,” Williamson Daily News [WV] 9/18/11)

• SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA): “I don’t think anybody expects it to pass en bloc.” “‘I don’t think anybody expects it to pass en bloc,’ Kerry told reporters Tuesday afternoon after the Senate Democrats’ weekly policy luncheon. ‘So, the issue is going to be what, if any, parts of it might be cherry-picked. And really that depends a lot on the overall mix of the negotiation.’” (“Obama Jobs Proposal Won’t Pass In One Piece, Kerry Says,” Washington Post, 9/13/11)

• SEN. JOE LIEBERMAN (ID-CT): “I wouldn’t do anything to raise taxes in the foreseeable future because that’ll stifle the recovery.” (Sean Hannity Radio Show, 9/20/11)

• SEN. JON TESTER (D-MT): “‘…against the president’s proposal,’ Tester spokesman Aaron Murphy says.” (“HOH Scores The Montana Money Quote,” Roll Call, 9/21/11)

Job-Creators Signal That The Obama-Kaine Tax Hikes Would Be A Job-Killer

• US Chamber: Targeting Proven Small Business Job Creators Is Not The Way To Drive Economic or Job Growth.  “… real tax reform is different than simply subjecting businesses to tax increases,” says Caroline Harris, U.S. Chamber chief tax counsel. “Raising $1.5 trillion in new taxes will not produce economic growth or prosperity … small businesses already pay more than their fair share of federal tax revenue, Harris says. “Targeting proven job creators is not the way to drive job or economic growth.” (U.S. Chamber, 9/20/11)

• NFIB: The President’s Proposal Sends A Bad Message To Job Creators. “New tax increases on America’s biggest job creators are the last thing this economy needs to get back on track. At least 75 percent of small businesses file taxes on business income at the individual rate, and reinvest those earnings to grow the business and hire workers. With small businesses still struggling to recover and grow, this plan sends a bad message to job creators.” (Press Release, 9/19/11)

• NAM: Raising Taxes On Small Business Would Be A Devastating Blow.  “President Obama’s call for tax increases on small businesses, individuals and investors is a poison pill for our economy. The bottom line is that manufacturers need policies that enable them to hire more workers, make capital investments and expand their businesses. More than 70 percent of manufacturers operate as S-corporations and pay income tax at the individual rate, so higher taxes on these job creators would be a devastating blow. The President’s proposal is short-sighted; we should not attempt to solve our nation’s fiscal ills on the backs of businesses striving to expand and add jobs.” (Press Release, 9/19/11)

• Business Roundtable: The Uncertainty Created By The Threat Of Even Higher Taxes Helps Neither Job Creation Nor Growth. “With the current, anemic economic conditions, the unemployment rate will remain consistently high and tax receipts will remain low unless the focus shifts to long-term policies and economic growth,’ Engler said. ‘The uncertainty created by the threat of even higher taxes helps neither job creation nor growth.” (Press Release, 9/19/11)