Republicans do what they do best - sneak tax breaks for special interests
As per the Republican trend of placing riders on Military Bills, the Washington Post reports that On Military Bill, Add-Ons Add Up
In a little-noticed House Ways and Means Committee session yesterday, Republican lawmakers packed a military bill with tax breaks for makers of bows and arrows, foreigners who bet on U.S. horse races and other special interests.
The four-hour session turned an innocuous measure providing tax relief for U.S. troops into a magnet for House members' pet provisions. Democrats loudly protested, and at least one prominent Republican asked his colleagues to refrain from inflating the bill's cost.
In a bill which started out as tax relief for men and women in active serve [an admirable cause], the following was inserted:
The four-hour session turned an innocuous measure providing tax relief for U.S. troops into a magnet for House members' pet provisions. Democrats loudly protested, and at least one prominent Republican asked his colleagues to refrain from inflating the bill's cost.
- Ranchers could defer paying taxes on livestock sold because of a drought's impact - Rep. Scott McInnis (R-Colo.)
- Tax break for fishing tackle-box producers with a provision repealing a 10 percent excise tax on tackle and utility boxes - Rep. Gerald C. Weller (R-Ill.)
- Tax cuts for timber farmers who sell their land - Rep. Mac Collins (R-Ga.)
- Special tax treatment for a blend of diesel fuel and water - Rep. Rob Portman (R-Ohio)
- Tax breaks for foreigners betting outside the US on American horse races - Rep. Jim McCrery (R-La.)
- Foreign bow and arrow companies would pay the same excise tax as do U.S. companies - Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI)
- The remove the taxes imposed on lighter, nonhunting bows - Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI)
Trackback Pings
TrackBack URL for this entry,
Comments
Post a comment
This is the permanent home of Republicans do what they do best - sneak tax breaks for special interests. I wrote this post at 11:47 on February 28, 2003. This post is part of grubbykid.com, a weblog. If you liked this entry, why don't you read some other posts such as Muschamp reviews - badly - the Diller+Scofido exhibition or Pyrotechnics don't kill people. Song lyrics about fire kill people? Or you could go to the site archives or return home. All are good choices.
