TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Obama, Pelosi May Butt Heads On Central Issues

ADVERTISEMENT

The Associated Press

Published: January 19, 2009

WASHINGTON - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi appears to differ from Barack Obama on at least two issues - tax increases and investigating the Bush administration.

The speaker said Sunday she wants Congress to consider repealing President George W. Bush's tax cuts on those who make more than $250,000 well before they expire at the end of 2010. Obama had promised to repeal the tax cuts as well during the presidential campaign, but he has since backed off that pledge, signaling he would be willing to let them expire.

"We had campaigned in saying what the Republican Congressional Budget Office told us: Nothing contributed more to the budget deficit than the tax cuts for the wealthiest people in America," Pelosi said in an interview broadcast Sunday.

"I don't want them to wait two years to expire. Because they have to prove their worth to me as to how they grow the economy, how they create jobs."

Lawrence Summers, Obama's choice for director of the National Economic Council, signaled again Sunday that repealing the Bush tax cuts would not be a priority.

"Our overall focus is going to be on increasing spending," Summers said in a broadcast interview. "Beyond that, there's going to be a substantial tax cut for the American people."

Republicans disputed the House speaker's assertion about tax cuts and the deficit.

"There is no CBO report that says tax cuts for the wealthiest are the biggest contributor to the deficit," said Don Stewart, spokesman for Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. "Though we agree that Congress must carefully pursue ways to strengthen our economy, raising taxes won't grow jobs."

A spokeswoman for House Republican leader John Boehner of Ohio said Pelosi's assertion was "flat wrong."

"Congressional Democrats need to understand that the best way to get our deficits under control is to confront spending," spokeswoman Antonia Ferrier said.

Pelosi appeared on "Fox News Sunday." Summers was interviewed on CBS' "Face the Nation."

OBAMA AND PELOSI

WHERE THEY AGREE

Despite their differences on Bush's high-earner wage cuts, President-elect Barack Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi agree on the need to address the soaring cost of entitlements such as Social Security and Medicare.

•Obama announced last week that he would convene a "fiscal responsibility summit" in February to focus on long-term problems with the economy and the skyrocketing costs of benefit programs such as Social Security and Medicare, a move Pelosi supports.

•Pelosi said everything, except eliminating Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, should be on the table.

WHERE THEY DISAGREE

The two Democrats have divergent views on an investigation into whether the Bush administration broke the law when it fired a group of federal prosecutors. House Democrats last week recommended a criminal investigation to determine whether administration officials broke the law in the name of national security. Along with the fired prosecutors, the report cited interrogation of foreign detainees, warrantless wiretaps, retribution against critics and manipulation of intelligence.

•Pelosi said she wants the investigation: "I think that we have to learn from the past, and we cannot let the politicizing of, for example, the Justice Department, go unreviewed"

•Obama is more cautious, saying he wants to look to the future, not the past.

The Associated Press

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT