Subject: Listening to no one but themselves
Subject: Listening to no one but themselves
ICYMI – at the same time Senate Republicans are holding unemployment benefits hostage for millions of struggling Americans, all 42 of them have now signed a letter promising to block legislation on any matter until Congress passes more tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires, without paying for them in any way.
Well said, National Journal – well said …
“REPEAT AFTER ME. For months, GOP leaders in the House and Senate have stuck to the script on the Bush tax cuts: Extend them all, the American people are behind us. One of the reasons they haven’t forced an extension compromise with Democrats yet is that, in fact, the American people aren’t behind them. That’s even after months of hearing Republicans warn of a coming tax hike. Nearly every poll shows between a third and a little less than half of voters want to extend tax cuts for the rich — and the numbers haven’t moved much since summer.”
Poll after poll shows the American people are not at all behind Republicans on their crash course towards exploding the deficit by $700 billion to give millionaires like Paris Hilton more Bush tax breaks that didn’t create jobs.
The public is also not behind Republicans when it comes to holding hostage unemployment benefits for 2 million struggling Americans and jeopardizing 900,000 more jobs in the process.
Leading economics aren’t behind them:
“EPI President Lawrence Mishel and Harvard University economist Lawrence Katz gathered the signatures of 33 prominent economists—including five recipients of the Nobel Prize in Economics and five past Chairs of the Council of Economic Advisors—who warn that letting the Emergency Unemployment Compensation program expire will weaken the economy.”
Millionaires are speaking out against them:
“[D]ozens of America’s wealthiest taxpayers—including hedge fund legend Michael Steinhardt, super trial lawyer Guy Saperstein, and Ben Cohen of Ben & Jerry’s fame” have banded together to urge President Obama to raise taxes for people in their bracket. The “Patriotic Millionaires for Fiscal Strenth” launched a Web site Thursday that includes the signature of more than 40 very wealthy Americans who believe “fiscal responsibility should begin with those who can best afford it.”
Not even their friends on Wall Street are behind them:
“Goldman Sachs analyst Alec Phillips estimated that if UI were allowed to expire it would shave half a percentage point from [GDP].”
Not listening to anyone but themselves, Senate Republicans are willing to put virtually anything at risk to give more tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans. They’re willing to put middle class tax cuts at risk. They’re willing to put the economy at risk. They’re willing to put job growth at risk. They’re willing to put unemployment insurance for millions at risk in the middle of the holiday season. They’re willing increase the deficit by $700 billion, putting at risk the nation’s long term economic health.
For Republicans to be willing to put so much at risk to get tax cuts for the rich, shouldn’t there be some kind of potential reward for middle-class Americans who Republicans are asking to make all the sacrifices? There certainly should be, but there isn’t….
CBBP: “CBO Ranks Extending Tax Cuts as Least Effective Stimulus Option”
_____________________________________________
Jeremy J. Funk
Communications Director, Americans United for Change
Office: 202.470.5878
Cell: 605.366.3654
[email protected]
www.AmericansUnitedforChange.org
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