MEMORANDUM
Fr: Democratic Leader's Press Office
Dt: November 4, 2011
Re: Will Republicans Listen to Grover Norquist or the American People?
Democrats are listening to America's entrepreneurs, small business owners and local leaders on how best to create jobs and strengthen our economy.
From Gallup Poll:
Americans put the most trust in the ideas and opinions of small-business owners (79 percent) and local business leaders (74 percent) on how best to create jobs.
Democrats remain committed to a deficit reduction plan that is big, bold, and balanced -- that places job creation and small businesses at the center and where all Americans pay their fair share. The GOP Leadership has so far refused this balanced approach, sticking instead to Grover Norquist-approved talking points instead of solutions.
With just three weeks to go before the Supercommittee must present its deficit reduction proposals to Congress, people have noticed…
From Quinnipiac Poll:
By a 10-point margin, more Americans would blame Congressional Republicans rather than President Obama and Congressional Democrats if the Supercommittee fails. (46 percent to 36 percent) [11/3]
"…those familiar with the meetings say they have made almost no headway, given the refusal of Boehner and other GOP leaders to accept tax increases except through economic growth." [Washington Post, 11/1]
"Only one side, in fact, seems to be trying — the Democrats…it already seems clear that nothing is more important to them [Congressional Republicans] than protecting corporations and the wealthy from tax increases: not the Pentagon, not homeland security, not education, and not the country's economic health." [New York Times Editorial, 10/31]
"Republicans are refusing to raise taxes to help reduce federal deficits. Most GOP lawmakers have signed an anti-tax pledge from conservative activist Grover Norquist's Americans for Tax Reform and are hesitant to be targeted by his group in the 2012 election…The Democrats' "balanced approach" got an assist from the fiscal hawks Tuesday when Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), the panel's co-chairwoman, asked the experts for a show of hands if they agreed that both revenue and taxes should be in the mix. All four of the budget experts, including two former Republican senators, raised their hands." [LA Times, 11/2]
It is clear that Republicans—who have been in control of the House for more than 300 days without producing a jobs agenda—are just ignoring America's priorities. It's time for GOP to get back to work.