WA Rep. Smith(D) 'Fiscal cliff' deal is bad math

[rsmith6621]

I know Adam and how to get a hold of him anytime of the day. I think he makes some valid points in the piece. Adam is someone who is qualified to be POTUS someday.

http://seattletimes.com/html/dannywestneat/2020068038_danny06.html


OK, Rep. Adam Smith, a Democrat, is hardly new, having been in Congress for eight terms already. He also lives in Bellevue. But redistricting last year means 150,000 Seattle residents now are represented by someone other than their congressman-for-life, Jim McDermott.

snip

Smith voted against the fiscal-cliff deal because it contained the worst of both conservative and liberal excesses.It made permanent 90 percent of the terrible Bush tax cuts, which were temporary before."George W. Bush is the real winner in all this," he said. "Can you believe it? Bush won! In a stopgap measure, we gave him the permanent tax cuts he couldn't get as president."

snip

Oh, and those entitlement programs — Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security? Smith says if we're not willing to pay more — which neither party nor the American people appear to be — then get ready for a cut-a-thon.

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Smith said he supports reversing the Bush tax cuts down to the $100,000 level or lower. Not at once, but over time. Same with any cuts — make them incremental but widely shared, over a 10-year period so as not to disrupt lives or the economy.

[rsmith6621]

1. bumped for the pm crowd