McConnell: Democrats' call for ending tax loopholes is 'poll-tested gimmick'

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Democrats' calls for ending tax loopholes was a “poll-tested gimmick.”

McConnell criticized Democrats for not suggesting spending cuts and instead proposing revenue increases through eliminating tax loopholes as a way to reduce the deficit.

“If you were to listen to the Democrats, you’d think all of our ills could be solved by raising taxes on private jets or energy companies,” McConnell said on the Senate floor Monday. “These aren’t real solutions, Mr. President. They’re poll-tested gimmicks.

“Just take the tax hike on so-called ‘corporate jets.’ It wouldn’t raise enough revenue to offset one week of the decade-long sequester it’s meant to offset.”

McConnell called on President Obama and Democrats to suggest a way to offset the automatic spending cuts — sequestration — set to take place next month.

“If White House officials want to replace the same sequester that they themselves proposed in 2011, it’s their responsibility to lay out what concrete spending cuts they’d be willing to consider as potential offsets, as House Republicans have," McConnell said. “Every day spent talking about ‘corporate jets’ is a day wasted, and given that the President again missed the deadline to submit a budget on time this year, there’s not much time to spare."

McConnell suggested that lawmakers get to work with the White House immediately since “the clock is ticking,” to replace the sequester.

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