Sean Hannity Praises Gov. Chris Christie For His Draconian Budget Cuts in New Jersey
Sean Hannity brought on New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie to discuss his great "Republican victory" standing up for the millionaires in his state. Although Christie would not say how many jobs he thought it would create, he explained to Hannity why he thought taking a page right out of Ronald Reagan's play book and following his policy of trickle-down economics was going to mean more jobs for his state.
Somehow Christie and Hannity failed to bring up what parts of the New Jersey budget he was willing to cut to keep those tax cuts for millionaires in place. Imagine that? No mention of the students who walked out to protest his sweeping state aid cuts in education. And no mention of how he doesn't mind raising taxes on senior citizens.
NJ Democrats Try To Override Christie Veto Of Millionaire Tax, Prevent Tax Increase For Seniors:
Late last month, Gov. Chris Christie (R-NJ) followed through on his threat to veto a millionaire’s tax passed by the state legislature. The bill would have implemented a surcharge on income above $1 million, raising $635 million to fund property tax relief for senior citizens and the disabled (among other programs).
New Jersey Democrats are planning to hold a vote to override Christie’s veto today, but lockstep opposition from the state’s Republicans is rendering success unlikely. As the Newark Star-Ledger reported, “Republican leaders have vowed not a single GOP vote will flip.”
The end result of Christie’s veto, if it is not overridden, will be to increase taxes on seniors while cutting them for the wealthy. In fact, according to the state’s nonpartisan Office of Legislative Services, “a retired couple living on a fixed income of $40,000 would see an increase of $1,320 in taxes under the governor’s plan while a family making $1.2 million would receive a tax cut of $11,598.”
As Citizens for Tax Justice added, “there is glaring hypocrisy in Christie using his anti-tax pledge to justify his veto of the millionaire’s tax”.
And no mention of course of how his budget cuts are undermining the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act:
While states face tough decisions in cutting crucial services, some right-wing governors are slashing vital services for more vulnerable constituents while protecting the wealthy ones. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) called for "layoffs of 1,300 state workers, closings of state psychiatric institutions, an $820 million cut in aid to public schools" and a sharp cut in New Jersey Transit. Christie defends the cuts on the middle class, the poor, and schoolchildren as "shared sacrifice and fairness." However, when the state legislature asked for such a "sacrifice" via a tax on residents making over $1 million, Christie vetoed the legislation as an "irresponsible" mistake "of raising taxes on the highest taxed people in the nation." While the tax would've raised $635 million to fund public services for senior citizens and the disabled, his override will "increase taxes on seniors while cutting them for the wealthy." He is also backing a cap on property taxes that would force the state to further slash vital services.
As Ryan McNeely noted this is Why Conservatives Love Chris Christie:
The conservative movement is enamored with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, calling him the next Reagan and suggesting that he run for President in 2012. And in fact, though former Gov. Corzine was very unpopular, Christie managed to pick up the governorship of my home state while maintaining orthodox conservative views — no small feat in a state that went for Barack Obama by over 15 points.
So why do conservatives have Christie-mania? Probably because he puts the interests of multi-millionaires ahead of the well-being of low-income seniors.
Hannity just proved his point during this interview, begging him to think about running for President.
Transcript below the fold.
