Mike Pence thinks it's unconscionable!.... unconscionable I tell you that the Democrats went home without voting on whether they'd allow for the extension of the Bush tax cuts for the rich or not. After the way his party has obstructed anything the Democrats have tried to do to help small businesses and to get Americans back to work, for him to come crying to Greta with this WATB rant of his is downright laughable. One thing both Pence and his cohort John Boehner have down pat is this little drama queen routine of theirs where they run to Fox and stomp their feet and clutch their pearls every time they don't get their way.
If Republicans cared one iota about job creation they wouldn't be voting against bills that closed tax loopholes for companies that ship jobs overseas. This is also the same hypocrite that claimed the stimulus bill didn't create any jobs but was hailing the success of an Indiana jobs fair which included businesses that were receiving funding from the Recovery Act. As Rachel said about them back in February, they're just not embarrassed.
GRETA VAN SUSTEREN: Tonight: Well, it's official! No one knows. We don't know and you don't know. You have no idea what your taxes are going to be come January 1. So where are the deciders? Well, they're getting out of Washington so fast, their heads are spinning. Yes, Congress is adjourning, blowing off a vote on extending the Bush tax cuts until after the midterms.
Republican congressman Mike Pence joins us live. Good evening, sir. And I guess you're...
REP. MIKE PENCE: Hi, Greta.
VAN SUSTEREN: ... one of the few still left in town. Everyone's heading for the hills before -- so we get no vote. We have no idea what our taxes are come January 1.
PENCE: Yes, it really is unconscionable, Greta. Congress is going to finish up in a couple hours. But earlier today, they actually passed -- the Democrats passed by one vote an adjournment motion that's going to allow members of Congress to head home to work on saving their jobs without doing a thing to protect the jobs of millions of Americans that are going to be facing higher taxes in January of next year.
It just -- Republicans fought it. It's amazing, 39 Democrats actually voted with Republicans against adjourning. And we have dozens of Democrats who said they're willing to support extending all the current tax relief, but that's not what they're doing. We're going to adjourn Congress so folks can go home to campaign with having done nothing to ensure that Americans won't face a tax increase in January!
VAN SUSTEREN: Democrats say it's your party's fault, that the Republicans were never going to take it up in the Senate and that it's your fault.
PENCE: Well, I don't know how it's our fault. Republicans have made it very, very clear that we believe that the last thing you want to do in the worst economy in the last 25 years is raise taxes on anybody, and we've been calling for a full extension of all the current tax relief for every American.
But look, you know, the American people aren't very interested in the blame game and the finger-pointing between the House, the Senate Republicans and Democrats.
What they'd like to see is the bipartisan majority just down the hallway that wants to extend all the tax cuts to get an up-or-down vote. But when the gavel falls tonight, members of Congress are literally going to, as I said, adjourn the Congress to go home so they can work to save their jobs with not having lifted a finger to protect the jobs of millions of Americans from taxes and a tax increase in January.
VAN SUSTEREN: Well, the 39 Democrats that voted with the Republicans not to adjourn until this issue is considered, do you think they got a pass from their party so that they -- when they go home, they can at last explain why their party, which controls the scheduling of the votes, voted as it did, say, basically, I didn't do it?
PENCE: Well, you know, I never speculate on motives. I assume good faith. I appreciate the 39 Democrats that stood up and opposed an adjournment resolution today. But again, I think it passed by one vote, their adjournment resolution did. And this is just -- this is -- in this tough economy, families are hurting. Small businesses and family farmers are struggling. We ought to recognize that the bipartisan consensus in the
Congress today is to extend all the current tax relief to make sure no American sees a tax increase in January.
And unfortunately, that bipartisan consensus was silenced today by one vote. Folks are going to go home. And to me, what's going on here is the Democrat majority is putting their politics ahead of your job, and the American people deserve to know that.
VAN SUSTEREN: All right, you say you that don't assign a motive. But it's sort of interesting, The New York Times was highly critical of the Democratic Party for not calling a vote, referring to them as timid, lacking in conviction, although they do agree with President Obama -- what President Obama. He wants raised on those who make $250,000 or more a year.
PENCE: Right.
VAN SUSTEREN: You won't assign a motive, but the mere fact that the motion for adjournment passes by one vote looks to me...
PENCE: One vote.
VAN SUSTEREN: ... like they sat around and -- you know, they made sure that not everybody had to vote for it. They decided who did and who didn't because what are the odds that it passes by one?
PENCE: Yes. You know, like -- like -- you know, I saw your show last night. That's where I learned about The New York Times editorial. And I don't agree with The New York Times. I believe we should extend all the current tax relief, make sure no American, no small business sees a hike in January next year.
But at least -- you got to give them credit for telling the Democrats, Hey, you know, step up, man-up, take a vote. If you think -- if you think a tax increase in January is the way to go, then take the vote. But what we've done here is seen the Democrat majority literally just punt. And they're going -- they're putting politics ahead of prosperity, and I think the American people are going to see through it. I think a lot of members of Congress are going to get off the airplane tomorrow, and I think they're going to get an earful from their constituents, who are going to say, What are you doing here when you've done nothing to prevent a tax increase in January from taking effect?
VAN SUSTEREN: Well, one person said to me rather flip about Congress, Dude, they left us, meaning that, you know, got out of town. Obviously, they haven't yet left, but it's going to -- it's imminent. If there were flights tonight, they'd all be getting on the flights tonight, but without doing the vote. And it's sort of interesting. You have The New York Times angry. You got the Republicans mad. This may not be the time, though, to alienate the American voters. This may be bad timing.
PENCE: Well, and this may not -- this may not be over, Greta. Look, you know, Speaker Pelosi called us back about a week into the August recess, and if they head out of town tonight without having done anything to prevent a tax increase on every American in January, then doggone it, I know it's political season and I know people have schedules, but we ought to get the Congress back here next week or the week after that and we ought to take a vote and give certainty to working families, small businesses and family farms that there's going to be no tax increase in January.
VAN SUSTEREN: Congressman, thank you, sir.
PENCE: Thank you, Greta.
