Representative Peter DeFazio, from Oregon’s 4th District, bravely faced down President Obama and the Republican Party yesterday. He wants a better deal for the American people and he’s willing to stick his neck out to get it.
DeFazio introduced a resolution yesterday to bring the GOP’s tax plan to a grinding halt. In a raucous meeting, the House Democratic Caucus rejected Obama’s comproÂmise with the GOP, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she would not bring the bill to the floor for a vote without changes.
DeFazio, in a telephone interview with The Register-Guard, said he was just trying to help the president keep his campaign promise of ending tax cuts on those whose income exceeds $250,000.
“We’re trying to give the president the opportunity to reclaim what he ran on,†DeFazio said.
DeFazio scoffed at the threat from Republicans that they would block the extension of unemployment benefits if the Bush tax cuts weren’t extended for two years. “They’re going to cut off unemployment benefits before Christmas? That’s a big bluff. If you are going to cut off benefits, hey, make my day. We’ll savage you,†he said.
The Bush Administration tax cuts are set to end by the end of this year, which means the extension needs to be approved by December 31st. This lame duck Congress is run by Democrats and they ain’t havin’ it, even at the urging of a Democratic President.
DeFazio, a native of Needham, Massachusetts, worked as a gerontologist before he took elected office. It’s safe to say he’s kicking it old school now.