This Friday, a series of harmful, across-the-board cuts (known
as the sequester) are scheduled to take place unless Congress takes action.
Although the President has offered a balanced approach to
solving our nation’s economic problems –one that includes a combination of
spending cuts AND revenue increases – Republican leaders are continuing their
refusal to compromise, even if it sends our nation into default.
But if history tells us anything, it’s that we cannot cut our
way to prosperity. After
all, as we learned in the 1990s, nothing grows the economy faster than a strong
middle-class.
When
the middle-class goes, so goes the nation.
We need to stop
fighting the same battles and ask Republican leaders to start
putting the nation ahead of politics. How?
By quickly accepting programs that work, regardless of which party proposed it.
EX #1) Stimulus: Although Republicans are vehemently opposed
to any increase in government spending, almost all House members (including “budget-aficionado”
Congressman Paul Ryan) begged for federal stimulus dollars in their states
after learning how important they were to stimulate weak economies.
EX #2) Obamacare: Although Republicans voted over 30 times to
repeal the law and campaigned vigorously against it, many (including Florida
Governor Rick Scott and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie) are reversing their
oppositions after realizing how important the law is to curb healthcare costs.
EX #3) Reducing our Deficit: Time
and time again, the President has proven his ability to compromise, sometimes even
angering some in his own base. When he argued for a Stimulus –which Republicans
have traditionally agreed to – they all voted against it. When he argued for
the Individual Mandate in Healthcare –which was a Republican idea in the first
place – they all voted against it. And when he tries to reduce our deficit in a
responsible manner, Republicans signed a tax pledge that benefited only the
wealthiest few.
The President has already made
important and targeted spending cuts via entitlement savings in
Healthcare, Medicare, and Student Loans (which the CBO estimates will reduce
spending over $2 trillion over 10 years).
The President has already passed the largest tax cuts in
history with the American Recovery and Investment Act (ie. the first stimulus).
And unlike the Bush-era tax cuts that benefited the wealthiest few, the Obama
tax cuts were successfully targeted at working and middle-class families. Furthermore,
he passed the payroll tax cuts that put an additional $1000 in the pockets of
middle-class families, extended unemployment benefits to those who need
assistance, and lowered the costs of living for all Americans by saving the
U.S. Auto-Industry and passing Wall Street reform, Student Loan reform, and Healthcare
reform.
All he is asking for, in return, is to close tax loopholes
that grant breaks to the wealthiest individuals, especially when these breaks
come at the expense of the middle-class.
"If Congress allows this meat cleaver
approach to take place, it will jeopardize our military readiness, it will
eviscerate job-creating investments in education and energy and medical
research. It won't consider whether we're cutting some bloated program that has
outlived its usefulness or a vital service that Americans depend on every
single day,” (President Obama).
Call
your representatives TODAY and tell House Republicans to take action.
