Feeney Urges Both Parties to Get their Heads out of the Sand

President Bush Celebrates $100 Million Porker for Institute of Peace &
Speaker Pelosi Passes Largest Tax Increase in American History
Feeney Urges Both Parties to Get their Heads out of the Sand

(Washington, DC) - Tom Feeney (R-Oviedo) today expressed his outright frustration with both parties as President Bush attends a groundbreaking ceremony for a $100 million earmark for the U.S. Institute of Peace. This porker was slipped into a spending bill without a sponsor name and without debate. Meanwhile, Speaker Pelosi passed the largest tax increase in American history as hardworking middle-class families face pain at the pump. Floridians will face, on average, a $3,040 tax increase - at minimum.

"Leaders from both parties today once again proved how out of touch they are with hardworking middle-class families. As President Bush attends a ceremony for a $100 million porker for the Institute for Peace, American taxpayers are crying out for transparency in their government. As Speaker Pelosi passes the largest tax increase in American history, struggling families rebalance their budgets as they continue to face pain at the pump.

"Only in Washington would bureaucrats spend $100 million to build a ridiculous U.S. Institute of Peace and pass the largest tax increase in American history while Florida families are struggling. Both parties need to pull their heads out the sand and listen to the cries from hardworking Americans," said Feeney.

The $100 million earmark was included in 2004 in the omnibus spending bill. According to the website, the headquarters facility, "will consist of a training center for professional conflict managers, conference space for public and private meetings, office space for USIP staff, and the 20,000 square foot Public Education Center. The PEC will use state-of-the art multimedia exhibits and hands-on exercises to highlight the challenges of contemporary international conflict and techniques for their management by peaceful means."

The Democrats' fiscally irresponsible budget includes a massive, broad-based, job-killing $683 billion tax increase. For instance, a family of four with two children that earns $50,000 annually would have to pay an additional $2,155 in taxes under the Democrat plan. This represents a 191percent increase in that family’s tax bill. Additionally expect to see:


· The return of the marriage penalty, so that some married couples pay more taxes than if they had filed separately as singles;

· Parents lose out, as the child tax credit is cut in half;

· A dramatic reduction of tax incentives for small businesses;

· And higher tax rates on seniors and working Americans investing for the future.


Investor’s Business Daily, 6/4/08: "Make no mistake: This tax hike is gargantuan. … On average, 116 million taxpayers will see a jump of $1,800 in their annual tax bill. Some 48 million married couples - the heart of the middle class that Democrats say they want to help - will be slapped with an average increase of $3,007. Even the elderly will take a hit - $2,181 on average. … Quite a week's work for one Congress."

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