(MYSTIC) - Rob Simmons, candidate for US Senate, made the following statement in reaction to President Obama's statement that he is "agnostic" about raising taxes on families making less than $250,000 per year, reversing an often repeated campaign pledge, and Linda McMahon's troubling statements on the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts that are set to expire next year:
 
"President Obama long ago made clear that his pledge to not raise any tax on the middle class was out the window.  But I am especially troubled that the President is now explicitly threatening to raise middle class income taxes, a move that would be disastrous for millions of families who can't afford it and for the prospects of economic recovery.  More than ever, we need to bring a counter-balance to Democrats' tax and spend agenda.  I am the only candidate in this race with a record of steadfast support for lower taxes - including voting for the 2001 and 2003 federal tax cuts and voting against the Connecticut state income tax in the legislature - and I have signed a pledge to oppose any and all income tax hikes.
 
"Meanwhile, Linda McMahon has demonstrated uncertainty about raising taxes, including saying the Bush tax cuts were 'not successful,' and she refuses to pledge not to raise taxes. At a time when America needs people who will stand strong with taxpayers, the last thing we need is another politician who share's President Obama's ambivalence on middle class tax hikes."
 

FACTS

Bloomberg: "President Barack Obama Said He Is 'Agnostic' About Raising Taxes On Households Making Less Than $250,000 As Part Of A Broad Effort To Rein In The Budget Deficit." "President Barack Obama said he is 'agnostic' about raising taxes on households making less than $250,000 as part of a broad effort to rein in the budget deficit. 'The whole point of it is to make sure that all ideas are on the table,' the president said in the interview with Bloomberg BusinessWeek, which will appear on newsstands Friday. 'So what I want to do is to be completely agnostic, in terms of solutions.'" (Rich Miller, "Obama 'Agnostic' On Deficit Cuts, Won't Prejudge Tax Increases," Bloomberg, 2/11/10)
 
"Obama Repeatedly Vowed During The 2008 Presidential Election Campaign That He Would Not Raise Taxes On Individuals Making Less Than $200,000 And Households Earning Less Than $250,000 A Year." "Obama repeatedly vowed during the 2008 presidential election campaign that he would not raise taxes on individuals making less than $200,000 and households earning less than $250,000 a year. When senior White House economic adviser Lawrence H. Summers and Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner suggested in August that the administration might be open to going back on that pledge, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs quickly reiterated the president's promise." (Rich Miller, "Obama 'Agnostic' On Deficit Cuts, Won't Prejudge Tax Increases," Bloomberg, 2/11/10)
 
The Washington Post Reported Linda McMahon "Didn't Have A Clear Answer On Whether She Would Have Voted For The Bush Tax Cuts Passed Earlier This Decade." "But, although McMahon touted her fiscal conservatives bona fides, she said she would have supported the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), which Simmons has said he would have opposed, and didn't have a clear answer on whether she would have voted for the Bush tax cuts passed earlier this decade." (Chris Cillizza, "Morning Fix: Voters Are Voting In Massachusetts!" The Washington Post's "The Fix" Blog, voices.washingtonpost.com, 12/8/09)
 
Linda McMahon On Tuesday: "The Bush Tax Cuts Were Not Successful." "She told the crowd that one of the reasons 'the Bush tax cuts were not successful' was because spending by the federal government continued to increase by large amounts." (Christopher Keating, "Three GOP Candidates For U.S. Senate Attend Forum In Canton," The Hartford Courant, 2/10/10)
 
By Contrast, Rob Simmons Strongly Supported And Voted For The 2001 And 2003 Bush Tax Cuts. (H. Con. Res. 83, CQ Vote #70: Adopted 222-205: R 218-2; D 3-202; I 1-1, March 28, 2001, Simmons voted Yea; H. Con. Res. 95, CQ Vote #82: Adopted 215-212: R 214-12; D 1-199; I 0-1, March 21, 2003, Simmons voted Yea)
 
The Bush Tax Cuts Were The Largest Tax Cuts In American History. (William Ahern, "Comparing The Kennedy, Reagan And Bush Tax Cuts," The Tax Foundation, taxfoundation.org, 8/24/04)
 
The Tax Cuts Led To 52 Straight Months Of Economic Growth. "The Bush tax cuts, which were opposed by almost all Democrats, have increased tax receipts $785 billion. This is the largest four-year increase in U.S. history and created 52 straight months of job growth since the 2003 tax reductions. In fiscal year 2007, the government has taken in 6.7 percent more than in 2006." (Will Allen, "Bush's Success Can't Be Denied," San Angelo Standard Times, 1/24/08)
 
The Tax Cuts Led To 8 Million New Jobs And Increased Median Household Wealth Of $20,000. "The U.S. economy added 8 million new jobs from mid-2003 to early 2007, and the median household increased its wealth by $20,000 in real terms." (Ryan Dwyer, "Bush Tax Cuts Boosted Federal Revenue," The Washington Times, 2/3/10)
 
Rob Simmons Has Signed The Taxpayer Protection Pledge Not To Support Tax Increases. (Americans For Tax Reform, atr.org, Accessed 2/5/10)
 
Linda McMahon Has Failed To Sign The Pledge. (Americans For Tax Reform, atr.org, Accessed 2/5/10)
 
Americans For Tax Reform: Rob Simmons "A Hero Of The Taxpayer." (Americans For Tax Reform, "Americans For Tax Reform Confident Simmons Would Continue To Fight For Taxpayers In Congress," 9/30/04)
 
Simmons Received A 100% Lifetime Rating From The National Federation Of Independent Business, The Leading Organization For Small And Independent Businesses. "In this case, as business advocate, he demonstrated why he received a 100 percent voting record with NFIB on issues of importance to small business several times during his terms in Congress." (Andrew Markowski, Connecticut Director, National Federation Of Independent Business, Manchester Journal Inquirer, 12/1/09)
 
Simmons Was A Five Time Winner Of The U.S. Chamber Of Commerce's "Spirit Of Enterprise" Award. (U.S. Chamber Of Commerce Website, www.uschamber.com, Accessed 1/12/10)
 
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