Yesterday a vote was held in the House extending the Bush-era tax cuts to everyone making under $250,00 (and, remember, giving people who make over that amount a break on their first $250,000 of income). This is what President Obama has been promising to do since he ran for President. Only three Republicans voted to extend tax cuts for the middle class. THREE. If you voted for a Republican for Congress, this is what you voted for.
After the vote Speaker of the House-elect John Boehner called the vote "chicken crap." If you voted for a Republican for Congress, this is what you voted for.
The Republicans just sent the President a letter stating that they will vote against all non-budget Democratic-sponsored legislation unless they get their tax cuts for the wealthy. If you voted fora Republican for Congress, this is what you voted for.
The Republicans are holding out for a tax cut for all income earners, including millionaires and billionaires, even though there have been many prominent wealthy people -- such as Bill Gates and Warren Buffett -- who have asked Congress to let the tax cuts for the wealthiest people expire. (Remember, these cuts were created under the Bush administration because the Clinton administration left a big budget surplus, and the idea was to return the extra money back to the people. Anybody remember that?) If you voted for a Republican for Congress, this is what you voted for.
There was much angst over the $700 billion TARP bailout, and many people gave this as the reason why they were going to vote Republican this year. However, all but $20-some billion of that has been paid back. On the other hand, if we extend the Bush-era tax cuts to people who make over $1 million a year, guess how much will have to be borrowed? $700 billion! If you voted for a Republican for Congress, this is what you voted for.
The Republicans don't want to extend unemployment benefits for people who are out of work in the toughest economy since the Great Depression. They are willing to hold those people who are unemployed hostage in order for them to get their tax cuts for millionaires and above. If you voted for a Republican for Congress, this is what you voted for.
The Republicans say they want to cut spending. There is NO meaningful way to cut spending save to cut Social Security, Medicare and defense spending. Obviously the first two benefit the lower and middle classes most. John Boehner has already said he would like to see the retirement age for Social Security moved to 70, which means that older people would work longer (or to be forced to retire with less than full benefits) so they can have their tax cuts for the wealthy. The longer older people work the harder it will be for younger people to find jobs, thereby increasing the unemployment rate. If you voted for a Republican for Congress, this is what you voted for.
The Republicans voted to get rid of earmarks. Now, there are some earmarks, such as the Bridge to Nowhere, for instance, where it would be appropriate not to spend federal taxpayer money. But doing away with all earmarks is a purely symbolic vote on the Republicans' part. In a federal budget the size of ours, earmarks are less than 1% of that budget. Not all earmarks are equal, and some public projects will now not get done (affecting, ahem, the unemployment rate, anybody?) because the Republicans have made this ridiculous vote happen. If you voted for a Republican for Congress, this is what you voted for.
Why would anybody in their right mind -- well, unless you're wealthy and looking out after your own self-interest instead of the good of the country, say -- vote for these people? Why would anyone in the middle class vote Republican, completely against their own interests? I don't get it. Can anyone give me one bill that the Republicans have brought up that takes the side of the lower and middle classes against the wealthy? Or small business vs. big corporations? Any at all? I'll wait...
The Republicans seem to think they have some kind of mandate out of this election. Yes, they won a lot of seats in the House, although they failed to win the Senate (due in no small part to Sarah Palin-endorsed wackos on the ballot), but let's get real about what happened in November. Young people and minorities just do not turn out to vote in mid-term elections. Who turns out to vote? Older white voters. And older white voters tend to vote Republican. So strap yourself in, Boehner, I think you're in for a rocky ride 'long about November of 2012!
A big shout-out to Nancy Pelosi, who has shown incredible courage in her tenure as Speaker in forcing votes like the one that happened yesterday, as well as getting health care through (although I do have my issues with what was in there due to Republican tinkering),. She has done this even though she knew there was a possibility that by doing so she would no longer be Speaker in 2011. Now President Obama needs to show the same kind of spine.
