Washington Senate Debate: on Tax Reform


Joni Ernst: Make tax code fairer, flatter and simpler: but not FairTax

Ernst said she did not actually embrace the FairTax. Braley accused Ernst of wanting to install a 23% flat sales tax, which she firmly denied. "I have not endorsed any tax plan, so I want to make that very clear," she responded. She said that she supports reform if it makes the tax code "fairer, flatter and simpler." Democrats circulated the transcript of a radio interview in the summer of 2013 in which she seemed to say that she backs the controversial tax.
Source: Politico.com e-zine on 2014 Iowa Senate debate Sep 28, 2014

Joni Ernst: Passed the largest tax cut in Iowa history

Ernst's status as the only elected official in the race can be both an asset and a detriment. During the first debate, it was an asset. The state senator from Red Oak highlighted some of her more conservative votes and pointed to Iowa's ability to get things accomplished, like passing the largest tax cut in state history.
Source: Kevin Hall in Iowa Republican on 2014 Iowa Senate debate Oct 24, 2013

Dino Rossi: Repealing Bush tax cut is biggest tax increase in US history

The final Washington US Senate debate featured a sharp disagreement over tax cuts for wealthy Americans. Democrat Patty Murray repeatedly said the country can't afford them. Republican Dino Rossi insisted that if the tax cuts go away, more jobs will be lost.

After the election, Congress plans to reauthorize Bush-era tax cuts. But Democrats want to let expire the break for Americans who make more than $200,000 a year. Murray said, "The top 2% of Americans are costing us a trillion dollars, [and if we do that] we will not have the resources to provide a skilled workforce."

Rossi responded that small business owners are among those who would have to pay the higher tax, saying, "We need to make sure that we don't have the biggest tax increase in American history because quite frankly it's going to kill more jobs. You take money away from the people who are creating jobs, they're going to have less to create jobs with. This is not too hard to figure out. But that's exactly how this works."

Source: KPLU (NPR) coverage of 2010 WA Senate debate Oct 18, 2010

Patty Murray: Bush tax cut for top 2% costs us $2 trillion

The final Washington US Senate debate featured a sharp disagreement over tax cuts for wealthy Americans. Democratic incumbent Patty Murray repeatedly said the country can't afford them. Republican Dino Rossi insisted that if the tax cuts go away, more jobs will be lost.

After the election, Congress plans to reauthorize Bush-era tax cuts. But Democrats want to let expire the break for Americans who make more than $200,000 a year. Murray attacked Rossi for saying he would vote to extend those tax cuts saying, "The top 2% of Americans are costing us a trillion dollars, [and if we do that] we will not have the resources to provide a skilled workforce, or the transportation infrastructure."

Rossi responded that small business owners are among those wh would have to pay the higher tax, saying, "We need to make sure that we don't have the biggest tax increase in American history because quite frankly it's going to kill more jobs."

Source: KPLU (NPR) coverage of 2010 WA Senate debate Oct 18, 2010

Dino Rossi: Extend Bush tax cuts; allow entrepreneurs to be successful

Murray continually hammered Rossi for supporting extension of the Bush-era tax cuts that benefit the wealthy. She said those tax breaks take away revenue that could be used for Social Security and health programs. "If Rossi gets his way and extends the Bush tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans to the tune of almost $1 trillion, there is no way to sustain the programs so important to us," Murray said.

Rossi hammered Murray as a 3-term incumbent who constantly voted for bigger government programs and more government control of business. "You have an 18-year incumbent killing jobs in the state of Washington in vote after vote," Rossi said. "I want to allow entrepreneurs to be successful."

As she has done throughout the campaign, Murray sought to paint Rossi as a friend to Wall Street & big banks. Rossi, a real estate developer, branded Murray as a big-spending liberal. The candidates referred constantly to the fight over extending the 2001 & 2003 tax cuts to individuals making more than $200,000

Source: Associated Press coverage of 2010 WA Senate debate Oct 14, 2010

Patty Murray: Extending Bush tax cuts reduces social & health programs

Murray continually hammered Rossi for supporting extension of the Bush-era tax cuts that benefit the wealthy. She said those tax breaks take away revenue that could be used for Social Security and health programs. "If Rossi gets his way and extends the Bush tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans to the tune of almost $1 trillion, there is no way to sustain the programs so important to us," Murray said.

Rossi hammered Murray as a 3-term incumbent who constantly voted for bigger government programs and more government control of business. "You have an 18-year incumbent killing jobs in the state of Washington in vote after vote," Rossi said. "I want to allow entrepreneurs to be successful."

As she has done throughout the campaign, Murray sought to paint Rossi as a friend to Wall Street & big banks. Rossi, a real estate developer, branded Murray as a big-spending liberal. The candidates referred constantly to the fight over extending the 2001 & 2003 tax cuts to individuals making more than $200,000

Source: Associated Press coverage of 2010 WA Senate debate Oct 14, 2010

Christopher Reed: Lower taxes means increased revenue, via the Laffer curve

A: President Bush’s tax cuts are set to expire. Would you make them permanent?

A: Yes.

Q: Why?

A: Because withdrawing a tax cut is a tax increase and I am not for tax increases.

Q: What about the budget deficit?

A: I would say in alignment with the Laffer curve, lower taxes, increase revenue.

Q: Why have lower taxes?

A: Because of out of control spending in Congress.

Source: Dean Borg, Iowa Public TV. on 2008 Iowa Senate debate Jun 6, 2008

  • The above quotations are from Washington Senate Debates: Patty Murray (D) vs. George Nethercutt (R), October 20, 2004.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Tax Reform.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Patty Murray on Tax Reform.
  • Click here for more quotes by George Nethercutt on Tax Reform.
Candidates and political leaders on Tax Reform:

Retired Senate as of Jan. 2015:
GA:Chambliss(R)
IA:Harkin(D)
MI:Levin(D)
MT:Baucus(D)
NE:Johanns(R)
OK:Coburn(R)
SD:Johnson(D)
WV:Rockefeller(D)

Resigned from 113th House:
AL-1:Jo Bonner(R)
FL-19:Trey Radel(R)
LA-5:Rod Alexander(R)
MA-5:Ed Markey(D)
MO-9:Jo Ann Emerson(R)
NC-12:Melvin Watt(D)
SC-1:Tim Scott(R) 		Retired House to run for Senate or Governor:
AR-4:Tom Cotton(R)
GA-1:Jack Kingston(R)
GA-10:Paul Broun(R)
GA-11:Phil Gingrey(R)
HI-1:Colleen Hanabusa(D)
IA-1:Bruce Braley(D)
LA-6:Bill Cassidy(R)
ME-2:Mike Michaud(D)
MI-14:Gary Peters(D)
MT-0:Steve Daines(R)
OK-5:James Lankford(R)
PA-13:Allyson Schwartz(D)
TX-36:Steve Stockman(R)
WV-2:Shelley Capito(R) 		Retired House as of Jan. 2015:
AL-6:Spencer Bachus(R)
AR-2:Tim Griffin(R)
CA-11:George Miller(D)
CA-25:Howard McKeon(R)
CA-33:Henry Waxman(D)
CA-45:John Campbell(R)
IA-3:Tom Latham(R)
MN-6:Michele Bachmann(R)
NC-6:Howard Coble(R)
NC-7:Mike McIntyre(D)
NJ-3:Jon Runyan(R)
NY-4:Carolyn McCarthy(D)
NY-21:Bill Owens(D)
PA-6:Jim Gerlach(R)
UT-4:Jim Matheson(D)
VA-8:Jim Moran(D)
VA-10:Frank Wolf(R)
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Page last updated: Feb 26, 2019