Conservatives slam Republican plan to automatically raise taxes

Washington DC — Conservative groups and lawmakers are lining up against a proposal by Senate Republicans to impose automatic tax increases on millions of Americans — if their sweeping tax package doesn’t grow the economy and raise tax revenues as much as projected.

The opposition comes as the tax package cleared a key procedural vote in the Senate on Wednesday. The Senate voted 52-48 to start debating the bill.

Wednesday’s vote potentially could pave the way for the Senate to pass the package later this week. The Senate could start voting on amendments Thursday evening.

Opposition to the tax “trigger” could doom a delicately negotiated proposal aimed at mollifying deficit hawks who worry that tax cuts for businesses and individuals could add trillions to the mounting national debt.

Tucking a potential tax increase into the tax cut bill isn’t sitting well with conservatives. “Automatic tax increases are a special level of insanity,” said Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz. “I don’t think it survives.”

Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, called the proposal “a uniquely bad idea,” especially if revenues fall short because of an unforeseen slowdown in the economy.

Rep. Mark Sanford, R-S.C., said the threat of an automatic tax increase would make businesses reluctant to invest. “If businesses or individuals have no ability to plan on a rate, it makes an investment decision, for instance, very, very difficult,” Sanford said.