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Wednesday, December 08, 2010

Sen. Sanders: Republicans Morally Bankrupt

President Obama is right about one thing -- Republicans in Congress are holding the middle class hostage.

We have a $13.8 trillion national debt, a collapsing middle class and the most unequal distribution of wealth of any major country. With all this in mind, Republicans in Congress say they will block tax cuts to the middle class and block unemployment benefits to more than two million families unless the President gives huge tax cuts to millionaires and billionaires.

Their behavior is morally bankrupt. It is reprehensible.

But instead of challenging the Republicans for their absurd demands and their outrageous tactics, the President gave them virtually everything they wanted.

I cannot and will not support this deal. I will do everything I can to uphold the promise made to the American people to end the Bush tax cuts for the rich.

Join me and my friends at Democracy for America today and sign our pledge calling on Congress to reject this deal.

One of the most underreported parts of this deal is a cut to the Social Security payroll tax. In just one year, over $120 billion of revenue will be cut from Social Security under the President's compromise plan, weakening the program and virtually guaranteeing benefit cuts in the future.

Make no mistake about it. Social Security has not added one dime to the national debt and this cut will only embolden Republican attempts to privatize the program and increase the age of retirement. Social Security is a vital safety net for all Americans and a cornerstone of our commitment to protect the middle class.

We are not alone in standing against this compromise. Republicans are holding the middle class hostage and the American people know it. I come from a small state and yesterday my office received more than 1,000 calls on this issue, with over 90% of them in opposition to this deal.

Last night, thousands of Democracy For America (DFA) members joined me on DFA Live where we had a lively discussion on this issue. One thing was clear to me during that call -- DFA members nationwide want Democrats to stop this deal and fight for the middle class, working people, senior citizens and the unemployed while making sure that millionaires and billionaires are not given massive tax breaks.

Make sure Congress gets the message -- Join the fight now and sign the petition opposing this so-called "compromise."

Thank you,
Bernie Sanders
U.S. Senator

Another item that really bothers me about this deal is how Barack Obama spoke about changing the way business is done in Washington DC. Yet this deal, which originally sprang over the fight to let the Bush tax cuts expire while keeping the same level of taxation for the middle-class, jumped from a $120 billion cost to $900 billion under his direction, and yet more Democrats and Republicans want to add even more costs to the deal. This isn't business as usual - it's worse. -- L. Kaye

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

You whine all year how the republicans won't work with Obamanation and the democrats. Now when they work together and reach a compromise, you bitch and moan about that.

Lou Kaye said...

Is that what you call that? Compromise? Bipartisanshp or cooperation? In stand alone bills, the republicans (and Paul Ryan) showed their true colors when they voted "no" on extending unemployment comp and against maintaining the same tax rates for the working poor and middle classes apparently because ...the democrats did not offer them anything in return to abandon their so-called principles? But they're willing to abandon those principles in exchange for hundreds of billions in perks for wealthy elites? Need I say more? It's immoral and disgusting.

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