NRCC targets Democrats on spending and 'fiscal cliff'

The National Republican Congressional Committee continued its offense on the "fiscal cliff" on Friday, launching releases in the districts of 56 House Democrats that warn the Democrats are pursuing what they call a "blank check" and could go off the "cliff" to get it.

“Jim Matheson’s [D-Utah] party is ready for tax hikes go into effect that would fall heavily on small-business owners and destroy millions of jobs,” says NRCC Communications Director Paul Lindsay in the release sent to Matheson's district. “Like others in his party, is he willing to go off the fiscal cliff to scare Americans into funding his blank check spending spree."

It's a continuation of the NRCC's efforts, which started earlier this week, to target Democrats on the spending aspect of the fiscal cliff negotiations.

While Democrats have accused Republicans of refusing to budge on letting tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans expire, to the detriment of the middle class, Republicans have shot back with charges that Democrats have shown no willingness to curb reckless spending and are "willing to sacrifice the health of the economy," as the release puts it, to continue spending.