In a press briefing last week, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) asserted that he is standing with taxpayers against the spending interests in Washington who want to raise taxes on families and employers. Boehner made his position clear by stating that any increase in tax revenue must be offset by tax cuts.
Speaker Boehner called for Republicans and Democrats to oppose the efforts of Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Senator John McCain (R-Ariz), who want to offset defense spending cuts with revenue raised from closing tax loopholes.
Speaker Boehner advocated that any revenue from closing tax loopholes should be offset by tax cuts, specifically cuts to the corporate and individual income tax rates. Boehner stated that if "we're serious about bringing down rates, both corporate rates and individual rates, closing those loopholes, those special deals and other credits that are in the tax code, needs to come as part of overall tax reform."
The hard line stance that tax loopholes should be closed and those revenues used to offset reductions in the corporate and individual income tax rates, makes it clear that Speaker Boehner is in touch with taxpayers. His stance on overall tax reform is one that should guide other members of Congress going forward.