GBW press release

This morning, I received this press release from Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite's office concerning their use of the word "foreign" instead of the word "territory" for citizens living in Puerto Rico. After all the comments, pro and con, this response by Congresswoman Brown-Waite should fully explain her point of view:

Congresswoman Fights with Facts, Not Angry Slurs and Name-Calling

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – U.S. Representative Ginny Brown-Waite (FL-05) today released the following statement about the media generated controversy surrounding her opposition to sending federal income tax rebate checks to territorial citizens that do not pay federal income taxes.

“When I was elected to Congress, I was elected to represent the 5th District, the interests of Florida, and to be a fiscal conservative. The important issue here is whether or not people who do not pay federal income taxes should get tax rebate checks as part of the economic stimulus package. Those who are personally attacking me are just seeking to mask the fact that territorial residents will be getting rebate checks from federal income taxes they never paid.

“I read the statements from Central Florida Democrat Party leaders today and am deeply disappointed that they engaged in the kind of race baiting politics we have come to expect from their Party. Apparently when fiscal conservatives have facts on their side, like I do here, the only way to defeat them is to attack us personally. Whether it is Bill Clinton in South Carolina, Hillary Clinton in California or frequent Democratic congressional candidate Charlie Stuart in Central Florida today, we are seeing Democrats sink to new levels in desperation to capture Latino votes in Florida. Orlando area Democrat leaders have taken a detailed policy discussion and turned it into a personal attack. Perhaps they realized that they cannot win on the issues, so they have resorted to name calling and demagoguery.

“The facts are that I have already issued a clarification that using the word territorial would have been a better choice of words; case closed. But the original issue of my press release stands unchallenged. Is it fair or fiscally responsible to give tax rebate checks to folks who have not paid into the federal income tax system? My 5th District residents, and most Americans, would answer no.

“Some might ask where the idea for this enormous federal income tax transfer originated. One of the Democrat leaders in the House, Rep. Jose Serrano of New York, issued a press release claiming credit for inserting this mammoth earmark into an economic stimulus bill. Rep. Serrano’s earmark is the type of backroom deal that the American public has rejected time and again. They want legislation to be debated out in the open, not tucked in at the last minute with little or no discussion. This is yet another example of Democrat leadership failing to live up to their promises of being an ethical and open Congress.

“By attacking me personally, instead of debating the issue of taxation and rebates, I believe some individuals are trying to shift media focus away from the billion dollar earmark that Rep. Serrano has inserted in the legislation. By calling me names they hope to draw attention away from what amounts to an enormous transfer payment to the government of Puerto Rico, not to its residents; this is a direct transfer payment to territorial governments disguised as tax rebates.

“Furthermore, instead of taking real action to strengthen the economy, the Democrats proposed a package that would give tax “rebates” to folks who have not paid into the federal income tax system. It is not a rebate if people have not paid taxes in the first place.

“My constituents overwhelmingly want a fiscally conservative economic growth package that makes the tax cuts permanent, cuts the corporate tax rate, currently the highest in the world, and includes a stimulus for our seniors and veterans. Anything else is a job half done.”