Agricultural News
NCBA Lobbyist Sees No Chance for Tax Reform After Tuesday's Election Results
Fri, 09 Nov 2012 11:24:37 CST
The general elections have come and gone and Colin Woodall, lead lobbyist for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, says the outcome hasn't changed a thing.
"I think it's summed up by this: billions of dollars were spent to get the exact same thing we've basically had for two years. That's what it boils down to. Even though we're going to see some new faces, party control didn't change that much. So I think the exact same dynamic we've been dealing with for the past two years is what's going to lead us into those first two years of this next Congress and the next administration of President Obama.
"Unfortunately, for us, it means we can't expect much in the way of real reform on things like taxes and the endangered species act."
He said there is a lot of concern that the Obama victory means the EPA will have free rein.
"That's our top concern: will this be the chainsaw kind of situation that we had feared where Lisa Jackson of the EPA especially just starts pulling out one regulation after another? You know, it's been pretty quiet this year out of the EPA and I think that was a function of the election. And I think we'll start seeing a lot of these new regulations start coming out here in December and they'll have four more years to continue to push those down our throat."
On the tax front, Woodall said he thinks the best that can be hoped for is a continuation of current policies.
"Our hope is that we just maintain what we have right now and get an extension of it-hopefully a four-year extension of it. As I said, real tax reform isn't going to happen with President Obama in the White House."
Woodall said it appears the only way to get an extension of current tax policies for most Americans is if the Republicans will agree to tax increases on those making more than $250,000 per year. Otherwise, he said, the country will go over the "fiscal cliff" come December 31.
"Estate tax is the number one issue for NCBA this year. We had really hoped for full repeal-at least an attempt for full repeal-in the next Congress. There's absolutely no way that's happening whatsoever. So, for us, it's a matter of trying to get extended what we have right now."
The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Network- but is also a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR below for today's show- and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.
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