GOP lawmaker: Dems telling GOP to raise taxes or 'go to hell'

Rep. Paul Broun (R-Ga.) said Tuesday that Democrats are adopting a take-it-or-leave-it position in the tax debate that will only lead to a tougher job-creation environment if they are successful.

"Democrats have basically told Republicans to either raise taxes, or go to hell," Broun said. "Forcing us to choose between hurting families and small businesses or going off the fiscal cliff is not only counter-productive — it simply doesn't make sense for righting our nation's fiscal crisis."

Democrats, including President Obama, have said they will not accept a "fiscal cliff" deal that does not include increased taxes on people earning $250,000 a year or more. In contrast, Republicans have said Democrats need to concede to real cuts to federal spending, and argue that tax hikes won't have a huge impact on curbing the deficit.

"The Democrats' math just doesn't add up; there is no way to tax our way out of this mess," Broun said. "Even if they attempt to tax every millionaire and billionaire in America at 100 percent of their earnings, it still won't even begin to put a dent in the deficit our federal government is currently running."

Broun added that Obama is purposefully trying to get people to focus on taxes in order to shift attention away from "how his tax-and-spend policies kill jobs and hurt small businesses."

Several Republicans have given a cool reception to a plan from Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) that would reduce tax deductions for the wealthy. Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) said today he opposes it, and that the tax hikes would "destroy American jobs."

---