Groups argue taxes, debt-ceiling at local Hurt office

The debt-ceiling debate flared up outside Rep. Robert Hurt’s local office Thursday while the first-term Republican continued to reject the idea of tax increases.

In an interview, Hurt, R-Chatham, said tax increases are a “non-starter” in the GOP-controlled House, insisting that the deficit problem is caused by too much spending. Talking about raising taxes, Hurt said, represents a “total failure of leadership.”

“If that’s really what they think is going to solve the future problems of this nation and get us on a sustainable course, I just reject it,” Hurt said.

Congress has been given an Aug. 2 deadline to raise the $14.3 trillion national debt limit or face default on the nation’s obligations. Negotiators from both parties are trying to reach a deal that would raise the limit while cutting trillions in spending, but a bargain has proven elusive thus far.

The high-stakes fight in Washington played out Thursday on a smaller scale on a sidewalk on West Rio Road near Hurt’s office. A group of about six people turned out to urge Hurt to abandon hard-line positions, move toward compromise and vote to raise the debt limit. A borderline shouting match broke out when the demonstration was crashed by a much larger band of tea partiers and Republicans that showed up to support Hurt.

Dolores Dwyer, a freelance editor from Albemarle County, said she organized the “ad-hoc” committee to voice concern about the economic consequences if the U.S. were to default on its obligations, and to urge Hurt to move toward a compromise.

“You can’t go to Washington with a rigid position and never move off of it,” Dwyer said. “Otherwise, government won’t work.”

Dwyer praised the “Gang of Six” plan, a bipartisan effort that has emerged from the Senate, which would reduce the deficit by almost $4 trillion over a decade through a mixture of cuts and tax increases.

“It’s got everything for everybody, some things that people do want and some things that people don’t want … And that’s compromise and that’s the way you get something done,” Dwyer said. “So we understand that the deficit definitely has to be reduced and everybody’s in favor of that. You can’t take a meat axe to it, but you can do it significantly and that’s what that package seems to represent.”

The first group hoisted signs saying “Tell Rep. Hurt don’t make default your fault.” Just as TV cameras started rolling, a group of 15 to 20 conservative demonstrators, many associated with the Jefferson Area Tea Party, rushed down a hill toward them.

Tea partier Steve Peters approached the group, holding what he called a “tip jar,” asking attendees to make contributions to support the “increased spending” they want to see.

“Nobody’s willing to pay for it here. They’ve got a rally, they want to increase spending. But they don’t want to put their money where their mouth is,” Peters said. “They always want someone else to put up the money up on their behalf.”

“Write a check!” shouted Don Woodsmall. “If I see a charity, I write a check. I don’t wait for you to write a check, I give my money to solve social problems where it does some good. The problem is, the government makes the problem worse.”

A few members of the first group responded before Dwyer pulled them away, telling them not to argue.

“You should be taxed extra because, as Republicans, you created the deficit,” said county resident Jim Joyner.

Rachel Schoenewald, the chairwoman of the Albemarle County Republican Committee, was also among the Hurt supporters.

“We want to make sure that everyone understood that Robert does have a lot of support here in Charlottesville for the work he’s been doing in Washington,” said Schoenewald.

Asked whether she’s concerned about what might happen on Aug. 2 if there’s no deal, Schoenewald declined to answer.

“I don’t have a comment on that,” she said.

Hurt said he appreciates any and all input from constituents and welcomes people stopping by to express their views.

The consequences of blowing the debt deadline are very real, Hurt said, and should give everyone cause for concern, but allowing more debt without getting a handle on spending would be the “greatest mistake.”

“There is nothing I think that would be more devastating for the future than if we did that without having these spending controls,” Hurt said. “We’ve got to get it right.”

Hurt said Republicans have already offered a compromise to President Obama by agreeing to raise the debt limit in exchange for “modest short-term” cuts and spending restraints going forward.

Hurt said the debt limit could be raised in no time if President Obama and the Democratic Senate would embrace the Cut, Cap and Balance Act, which passed the House Tuesday by a vote of 234-190. The bill would cut spending by $111 billion in fiscal 2012, cap future spending as a percentage of GDP and require the Congress to pass a balanced-budget amendment before raising the debt limit. Obama has threatened to veto the bill and it faces an uncertain future in the Senate.

“I call on President Obama,” said Hurt. “He could solve this problem this afternoon if he would work to adopt the compromise that we’ve offered, and that is Cut, Cap and Balance. I call on Sen. [Mark] Warner and Sen. [Jim] Webb, please display leadership. Let’s step up to the plate.”