WASHINGTON Traficant backs business tax-cut bill

Lawmakers split along party lines regarding the impact on the domestic steel industry.
By CHRIS SHOTT
STATES NEWS SERVICE
WASHINGTON -- As House members engaged in party-line wrangling over ways to kick-start the slumping economy, U.S. Rep. James A. Traficant, Jr. lashed out at fellow Democrats, blaming them for & quot;unraveling & quot; the bipartisan spirit that's largely permeated Capitol Hill since the Sept. 11 attacks.
& quot;Let it go, & quot; Traficant said. & quot;Let it go with this class warfare business because it hurts America. This is an important bill. It is as important as any we've dealt with that deals with terrorism. & quot;
The 10-year, $160 billion package backed by Republicans and the White House favors new and accelerated tax cuts, mostly targeted to corporations to trigger an economic recovery.
The House narrowly passed the measure 216-214. Traficant of Poland, D-17th, was one of only three Democrats to vote for approval.
What was argued: Many Democrats argued the plan focuses too much on tax breaks for wealthy companies and offers little help to low- and middle-income families or those who lost their jobs after Sept. 11.
They want to increase federal spending on such things as highway, railroad and school construction to create jobs, while extending unemployment benefits to boost consumer spending.
Traficant argued Wednesday's debate wasn't about the bill, but rather & quot;about who's going to be in control of the House of Representatives. & quot;
& quot;This is not a time -- when America is under attack -- to decide, through politics, which party's going to control, & quot; Traficant continued. & quot;Now's the time to provide that stimulus and incentivize our corporations, our companies, our employers.
"Because I'll tell you what, folks, without an employer, there's not an employee. Without a corporation, they're not doing any work. & quot;
Traficant also took a direct stab at Democrats, following one lawmaker's suggestion that the Republicans' plan would further drain from what had been a Social Security surplus.
& quot;The Democrats want to talk about Social Security, & quot; he said. & quot;Let's look at 50 years of Democrat leadership where those Social Security problems were manifested. & quot;
Steel argument: Pro-steel lawmakers split along party lines on the issue of whether the Republicans' plan would provide relief for the beleaguered U.S. steel industry.
Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, for one, blasted the plan for its lack of direct aid for steelmakers. & quot;If we're talking about saving industries, why isn't the steel industry in the bill for economic stimulus? & quot; the Shaker Heights Democrat said.
Phil English of Erie, R-21st, countered that criticism, arguing that under the plan, many steelmakers would be reimbursed for the amount of corporate alternative-minimum taxes they paid over the past 15 years.