Wisconsin Republican Sen. Ron Johnson told The Daily Caller that
House Republicans must go on offense now and pass a spending plan that
funds the government into 2013 or else congressional Democrats will try
raising taxes in the post-election lame duck session of Congress.
“Let’s get out in front of this thing,” Johnson told TheDC. “Let’s do what’s reasonable. Let’s create some certainty.”
In a Thursday phone interview, the Wisconsin legislator argued that Republicans passing a government spending plan now will prevent Democrats from being able to use the threat of another government shutdown at the end of the year to push through tax increases.
Johnson outlined a strategy he and other conservatives are pushing that calls for House Republicans to pass a plan that includes extending Bush-era tax rates for the rest of the year before the August recess, when legislators take a month-long break.
Under this strategy, Republicans in the Senate would then put up a vote on the spending plan passed by the House. This, Johnson said, would make it harder for Democrats to argue the GOP is responsible for an impending government shutdown.
“I think this is something we can win,” Johnson said, adding, “if we get put on defense, we lose.”
Johnson said he fears a scenario where Republicans agree to pass a continuing resolution on government spending that only lasts through the election, leading to the issue having to be tackled in a lame duck session of Congress. He said that would be a “disaster.”
“Let’s get out in front of this thing,” Johnson told TheDC. “Let’s do what’s reasonable. Let’s create some certainty.”
In a Thursday phone interview, the Wisconsin legislator argued that Republicans passing a government spending plan now will prevent Democrats from being able to use the threat of another government shutdown at the end of the year to push through tax increases.
Johnson outlined a strategy he and other conservatives are pushing that calls for House Republicans to pass a plan that includes extending Bush-era tax rates for the rest of the year before the August recess, when legislators take a month-long break.
Under this strategy, Republicans in the Senate would then put up a vote on the spending plan passed by the House. This, Johnson said, would make it harder for Democrats to argue the GOP is responsible for an impending government shutdown.
“I think this is something we can win,” Johnson said, adding, “if we get put on defense, we lose.”
Johnson said he fears a scenario where Republicans agree to pass a continuing resolution on government spending that only lasts through the election, leading to the issue having to be tackled in a lame duck session of Congress. He said that would be a “disaster.”
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