Democrats challenge tax-cut job creation

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WASHINGTON, Sept. 26 (UPI) -- The leader of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee expressed skepticism over the idea that extending Bush-era tax cuts would create jobs.

Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., said Sunday that the tax cuts for high-income Americans, which are a political priority for the Republicans, did little to generate new jobs in the nine years since they were first implemented.

"This story that somehow these (tax) breaks for those at the top create these jobs is just nonsense," Van Hollen said on NBC's "Meet the Press."

Van Hollen also took issue with the notion the tax cuts will benefit primarily small businesses and said they were instead designed to help larger corporations and hedge fund managers. "It turns (out) that only 2 percent of small businesses are affected, and when you look at the definition of small businesses, you find that they are big hedge funds, big Washington lobbying firms," he said.

Republicans, however, were not convinced, Politico reported. Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., said on "Meet the Press" that Congress should hold an immediate vote on the extension of the tax cuts.

"For heaven's sake, let's not raise taxes on job creators," said Pence.