Gingrich Urges Tax Cuts to Avoid Recession
Breaking again with President Bush and other budget negotiators, House Minority Whip Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) called Thursday for big tax cuts instead of tax increases to stimulate the economy and avoid a recession.
“My individual belief is that we ought to look at a broad collection of tax cuts,” Gingrich said in a telephone interview from his congressional office in Newnan, Ga. “It’s my individual belief that we ought to look at a fairly wide range of tax cuts that help the American family, that help home buying and that help job creation.”
His comments came roughly two months after Bush broke his “read my lips--no new taxes” campaign pledge and called for higher taxes to help cut the deficit. Gingrich and other Republicans broke with Bush over the tax issue and House Republicans passed a resolution opposing any tax increases.
Gingrich’s comments also came three weeks before the White House-congressional budget talks are scheduled to resume during the first week of September.
Negotiators have given themselves an unofficial deadline of Sept. 10 to reach agreement on a deficit reduction package.
Get the L.A. Times Politics newsletter
Deeply reported insights into legislation, politics and policy from Sacramento, Washington and beyond. In your inbox three times per week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
