Ike Skelton's vote yesterday to adjourn Congress may have as well of been a vote to raise your taxes. As you know, the Bush tax cuts are set to expire at the end of the year, and Skelton would rather run home and claim he cares about the people in Missouri's 4th District rather than show he cares about the people and the economy by ensuring debate begins to prevent these huge tax hikes.
Skelton's republican opponent Vicky Hartzler has something to say about display of bad judgement:
Congressman Ike Skelton has again demonstrated his loyalty to ultra-liberal House Speaker Nancy Pelosi by giving her the Missouri 4th Congressional District vote as the U.S. House voted 210-209 to adjourn without extending the Bush-era tax cuts. If Congress fails to return to address the tax cut issue in a "lame duck" session after the November election the tax rates of Missourians and other Americans will rise dramatically.
Congressman Skelton refused to stand with residents of the 4th District as he cast the deciding vote on an issue whose outcome was determined by the slimmest of margins. Mr. Skelton and the Democrat-controlled Congress have failed us again. It's unconscionable that the U.S. House would vote to go home without taking a stand to protect Americans by extending these important tax cuts that literally allow some middle- and lower-income Missourians to feed their families. 39 Democrats voted with the people to extend the tax cuts but Mr. Skelton chose to side with Nancy Pelosi and against the interests of 4th District Missourians who cannot afford to see their taxes increase in the new year.
The Wall Street Journal estimates failure to extend the tax cuts could result in a married couple with an annual adjusted gross income of $80,000 paying an additional $2,200 in taxes. A married couple earning $160,000 could see its tax burden rise by $5,500. I'm very disappointed that Congressman Skelton has failed to use the 4th District's precious vote to protect the interests of its taxpayers and has instead cast his lot with Nancy Pelosi and other liberals who would place an added burden on families already struggling to get by.
Congressman Skelton's deciding vote to adjourn not only puts taxpayers in jeopardy, it means Congress is wrapping up its work without passing a budget. This is poor leadership - pure and simple. We need new representation in the 4th district. I would vote to extend all the tax cuts in this dismal economy, and I believe enacting a budget is the most basic duty of every federal legislator no matter the circumstances. Join me in calling for Mr. Skelton to answer in public for these votes.
It's time to send Skelton on his way to retirement. He is out of touch with the needs of western Missouri.
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