Business

Boehner calls out Obama: ‘Talk is cheap, actions speak louder than words’

Jeff Poor Media Reporter
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With the new appointment of banker Bill Daley as President Barack Obama’s chief of staff, some have wondered if the White House is attempting to change the perception it is an anti-business administration.

But on Monday night’s “The Kudlow Report” on CNBC, Republican Speaker of the House John Boehner said it was going to take more than just that appointment to convince him the Obama administration has changed its attitude toward the business community.

“I’ve talked to the president a lot over the last couple of months and talked to Mr. Daley a number of times,” Boehner said. “Talk is cheap, actions speak louder than words. I haven’t seen any new actions, yet.”

Boehner even offered some suggestions.

“Send the free-trade agreements to Congress for our consideration,” Boehner said. “Let’s put a real moratorium on new regulations coming out of his administration, which he’s also called for.”

Another pro-business gesture, Boehner said, could come through tax reform, which Obama has hinted at over the past few months. Host Larry Kudlow asked if new Republican House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Rep. Dave Camp of Michigan was up to the task.

“If we want to make America more competitive we’ve got to reform our corporate tax code,” Boehner said. “It’s in the way of job creation in America. Dave Camp is a great chairman. We came to Congress together 21 years ago. He is working on that reform. There’s a number of hearings that are already set up. The administration appears to have some interest in wanting to pursue this and I’m optimistic.”

That tax reform could come this year, Boehner added.

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