Denny Hastert in Against the Tide, by Lincoln Chafee

On Tax Reform: Across-the-board $1.6 trillion tax cut is bad public policy

In 2001, the Bush-Cheney agenda was quickly becoming reality. Its centerpiece was an unprecedented $1.6 trillion tax cut. The magnitude of the cut caught even House Speaker Dennis Hastert by surprise. That may have accounted for his candor, at a December 14, 2000, press conference, when he said that an across-the-board cut of historic proportions was too much; it would be bad public policy. No one would be able to fully understand the consequences of such a complex bill. He wanted to break the cuts down into their many parts and carefully consider one at a time. He was quickly silenced and brought into line.

This was the first big fight the president sparked in the Congress.

Source: Against the Tide, by Sen. Lincoln Chafee, p. 53-54 Apr 1, 2008

The above quotations are from Against the Tide How a Compliant Congress Empowered a Reckless President by Lincoln Chafee. Click here for other excerpts from Against the Tide How a Compliant Congress Empowered a Reckless President by Lincoln Chafee. Click here for other excerpts by Denny Hastert. Click here for other excerpts by other Governors.
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Page last updated: Dec 12, 2018