Gibbs uses Twitter to fight over small-business legislation

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs got into a Twitter war with journalist Stephen Hayes Thursday after the Weekly Standard contributor suggested the small-business aid bill stalled in the Senate would not improve businesses’ hiring. 

The two battled back and forth through a series of Twitter messages that lasted at least two hours.

“In conversations w/small biz owners, they’ll give you dozens of reasons they’re not hiring. Never had anyone mention small biz aid bill,” Hayes said in a Thursday tweet.

“ATTN @stephenfhayes,” Gibbs fired back. His tweet linked to an article from USA Today reporting that some business owners were delaying hiring and purchasing to wait out a vote on the bill, which was expected earlier this summer.

Hayes, a contributor to Fox News, quickly responded, saying “Ask small business owners across the country if they’d rather have across-the-bd tax cuts or gov-backed loans @PressSec.” 

He followed with a series of tweets, citing a National Federation of Independent Business report that stated that poor sales, rather than an inability to access credit, was their “top problem.” 

Hayes went on to quote the report:

” ‘Small bus owner responses make clear that the Admin and Cong nvr understood and still do not understand Main Street’s problem’

“Admin and Cong “knowingly initiated major destabilizing, policy changes in a deep, destabilizing recession.”

Gibbs responded
after a long pause.

“The facts @stephenfhayes there would be ZERO capital gains on small business investment, expand tax cuts for new equip investments,” he said. 

Hayes continued to quote the report, prompting another response from Gibbs.

“So you oppose cutting taxes on and increasing loans available to small businesses?!” he said.

Hayes responded with, “No, @PressSec, I’m for tax cuts (cap gains, payroll, income) so that small biz owners can spend their own $$ rather than seek loans from gov.”

“The proposal cuts their taxes and helps them get loans through community banks,” Gibbs replied. “But all we ever get is no…”

“But @PressSec, raising taxes on high-income earners disproportionately affects small biz owners and that’s coming on Jan 1,” Hayes said. “… Even Pres Obama acknowledged that raising taxes in a recession “is the last thing you want to do.”

As of 5:15, the two were still debating. You can read the rest on their feeds, @PressSec and @StephenFHayes.