Aircraft groups more generous to Republicans

Top Republicans on Capitol Hill have been adamant that they will not accept any tax increases in a deficit-reduction deal that would lead to an increase in the $14.3 trillion debt ceiling, something the Treasury Department says must be done by Aug. 2.

With that in mind, President Obama and other Democrats have termed GOP lawmakers unreasonable for not being open to ending tax breaks for corporate jet owners, the oil-and-gas industry and other sectors in any agreement. 

{mosads}The corporate jet proposal under discussion would reportedly force companies with jets to write that expense off over seven years, like commercial airlines. Companies can currently write a jet off over five years. 

But as Bloomberg reports, changing that rule would actually not do that much to rein in deficits, bringing in roughly $3 billion over a decade. 

In its new report, MapLight also found that General Aviation Manufacturers Association and the National Business Aviation Association, two supporters of the current rules for corporate jets, also contributed more to Republicans in recent years — though not by much.

The two groups gave $245,000 to Republicans during the first decade of the 2000s, compared to $225,000 to Democrats.