Florida Republicans Hammer Obama's Proposal to Raise Taxes

On Monday, Republican leaders across Florida condemned President Barack Obamas call to raise taxes on the wealthiest Americans to help combat the deficit.

Creating jobs has to be our top priority, and I just dont see any way that a $1.5 trillion tax hike one that hits small-business owners, investors and entrepreneurs particularly hard will help create one single job. The presidents proposal will never pass the House or the Democratic Senate because people on both sides of the aisle recognize that it will destroy jobs, insisted U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney in a statement released on Monday. I cant think of a better way to ensure a double-dip recession and end any hope for private-sector job creation than by raising taxes by $1.5 trillion.This kind of proposal may win the president some points on the far-left, but it is terrible economic policy.

Instead of pushing this outrageous tax hike, President Obama should work with us on pro-growth tax code reforms, added Rooney.By putting an end to the types of deductions and loopholes that allow companies like GE not to pay any taxes, we can reduce tax rates for everyone and create a tax system that is fair, simple and competitive.

U.S. Rep. Connie Mack echoed his Republican colleagues criticism in a statement issued on Monday afternoon.

"Americans have had enough of President Obama's punitive, liberal tax policy which does little to raise government revenue but gives him the satisfaction of punishing job creators, said Mack. After two years in office, President Obama has yet to tell us which federal programs or wasteful government agencies he would eliminate. Freedom is not growing government."