We make it; they take it  National | And unless the GOP gets
tough, they'll take more  Issue: "Smoking guns," March 6, 1999
In the aftermath of the impeachment and trial of Bill Clinton,
the Republican congressional "leadership" promised to get back
to business and pass a puny 10 percent across-the-board tax cut.
Emerging from a meeting with the president, Senate Majority
Leader Trent Lott and House Speaker Dennis Hastert seemed to be
engaging in tax cut equivalency, no longer seeing the 10 percent
reduction as sacrosanct but one of many proposals "on the
table." Sensing capitulation, House Minority Leader Dick
Gephardt said he might throw in a minimum wage increase as a
price for agreeing to his own proposal of "targeted" tax cuts.
Mr. Hastert, who told the publication Roll Call he wants to
emulate the style of former and perpetual House Minority Leader
Bob Michel, said of the 10 percent tax cut: "Our enthusiasm is
tempered by the reality of how hard it is to get it all done."
Blame those nasty moderate Rep