With the news that Obama has cut a “deal” with Washington Republicans to give them exactly what the want continue to demonstrate the great benefits (to Republicans) of his brand of “bipartisanship,” Vermont Representative Peter Welch is not in a mood to play good soldier. Although there may not be much he can do, it should please those that feel he may play along with leadership too much to see that this crosses the line for him. He is circulating a to-the-point letter refusing to be any part of the deal, and with any luck, he’ll get a share of his comrades to sign on.
In the letter he highlights, not simply the wrong-headedness (and the wrongness) of such a capitulation, but also the dumbness of it, as if we could actually expect that the latest Obama retreat will result in a cooperative GOP caucus.
You need to stand up to bullies, or they just keep being bullies. This may not amount to much in the end (and it may be the latest sign of how much easier it is to be a tough guy when you’re in – or headed to – the minority), but it matters. The more this stuff gets said, the more it has the opportunity to resonate nationally, and lead to a turnaround in 2012.
Dear Madam Speaker,
We oppose acceding to Republican demands to extend the Bush tax cuts to millionaires and billionaires for two reasons.
First, it is fiscally irresponsible. Adding $700 billion to our national debt, as this proposal would do, handcuffs our ability to offer a balanced plan to achieve fiscal stability without a punishing effect on our current commitments, including Social Security and Medicare.
Second, it is grossly unfair. This proposal will hurt, not help, the majority of Americans in the middle class and those working hard to get there. Even as Republicans seek to add $700 billion to our national debt, they oppose extending unemployment benefits to workers and resist COLA increases to seniors.
Without a doubt, the very same people who support this addition to our debt will oppose raising the debt ceiling to pay for it.
We support extending tax cuts in full to 98 percent of American taxpayers, as the President initially proposed. He should not back down. Nor should we.
Sincerely,
PETER WELCH
Member of Congress
Reportedly the deal involves a 13-month extension of UI. So people who are hurting will be helped, as will the economy through stimulus.
If our position is that we should spend money now to deal with the economic/jobs issue and the deficit can wait, then maybe we should suck it up and be happy that we’re getting something incredibly important in trade for a temporary (as opposed to permanent the GOP wants) extension of cuts for everybody, even the filthy rich.
TPM again:
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) claims he will join a filibuster of the plan if and when it hits the Senate floor.
Get in touch with our congressional delegation and let them know you oppose this capitulation.
Peter Welch:
Contact: http://www.house.gov/formwelch…
Vermont Office
• 30 Main Street • Third Floor, Suite 350 • Burlington, VT 05401 • Phone: (802) 652-2450 or (888) 605-7270 •
Washington D.C. Office
• 1404 Longworth House Office Building • Washington, DC 20515 • Phone: (202) 225-4115
Bernie Sanders:
Official website: http://sanders.senate.gov/
Address:
332 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-5141
Fax: 202-228-0776
Patrick Leahy:
Official website: http://leahy.senate.gov/
Address:
433 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-4242
Fax: 202-224-3479
Everyone keeps throwing around the $700 billion figure. It’s a ten year figure. The proposal is a two year proposal. Throwing around the $700 billion figure without saying “over ten years” is misleading. Adding the words “which this proposal would do” is just plain inaccurate.