Rep Tom Cole, Lone American Indian in Congress, Weighs in on Fiscal Cliff

Levi Rickert, editor-in-chief in Native Currents. Discussion »

WASHINGTON – Representative Tom Cole, R - Oklahoma, 4th Congressional District, currently the only American Indian in Congress has been making news in the past few days as the lame duck grapples with how to avoid the so-called fiscal cliff.

Rep. Tom Cole – Chickasaw

A member of the Chickasaw Tribe, Representative Cole made headlines when he suggested his Republican colleagues should join with President Obama on a quick fiscal cliff fix by voting to extend the Bush tax-rates for everyone but the highest income earners, so that other issues of the budget can be debated.

His advice was quickly rejected by House Speaker John Boehner, who told reporters, "I disagreed with him…This is not the right approach."

Representative Cole released this comment on the budget talks to the Native News Network late Friday afternoon:

"Unless we act soon, taxes will automatically go up for all taxpayers on December 31st. I believe Congress should act now to approve tax cut extensions for 98 percent of taxpayers, so that the threat of devastating tax hikes will be off the table while we negotiate to cut spending and keep taxes low for the remaining two percent in the upper brackets. I oppose tax increases for any tax bracket, and I believe the best strategy for preventing tax hikes is to make a deal now to keep the majority of tax cuts in place. Taxpayers will be less anxious and fiscal cliff negotiations will be more productive the sooner we lock in tax cuts for those earning under $250,000 per year."

posted December 1, 2012 6:50 am est