House Speaker John Boehner slammed President Obama’s jobs proposal Thursday, telling a crowd of supporters that the proposal is little more than “gimmickry.”
“When it comes to producing savings to reach its $1.5 trillion deficit reduction target, the Joint Select Committee has only one option: spending cuts and entitlement reform,” Mr. Boeher said, according to prepared remarks in an address to the Economic Club of Washington.
In a high-profile speech, Mr. Boehner called on a special congressional debt committee to consider tax reforms that would close loopholes but not raise rates as part of its bid to cut the U.S. deficit. Mr. Boehner also confirmed that Republicans will oppose any attempt to increase taxes. A number of House Republicans have already said that they do not support many elements of Mr. Obama’s $447 billion jobs package and will not back the tax increases he has proposed to pay for it.
“Tax increases…are not a viable option,” Mr. Boehner said.
The Ohio Republican’s speech comes as President Obama seeks congressional approval for his $447 billion jobs package, much of which will be largely paid for by increasing taxes on wealthy families. At the same time, a congressional committee has begun its work for ways to reduce the deficit by at least $1.2 trillion.
Speaking Thursday, Mr. Boehner urged lawmakers to enact policies aimed at creating jobs and lowering the nation’s rate of unemployment, which remains above 9 percent.
“Job creators in America are essentially on strike,” Mr. Boehner said. “The problem is not confusion about the policies. . .the problem is the policies.”
Traveling to Ohio earlier in the week, Mr. Obama ratcheted up the pressure on Mr. Boehner. Speaking in Cincinnati, Mr. Boehner’s hometown, Mr. Obama called on congressional lawmakers to support his proposal.
“We’ve got to decide what our priorities are,” Mr. Obama said. “Do you want to keep tax loopholes for big oil companies? Or do you want to have money to pay for renovations at schools like Fort Hayes?”
Mr. Boehner’s Thursday speech was largely viewed as a chance for a Republican rebuttal to Mr. Obama’s address to a joint session of Congress earlier this month. Mr. Obama used the address to present his plan for creating jobs.
