Middle Class Tax Cut Act--Motion to Proceed--Continued
Floor Speech
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Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I come to the floor today to urge my colleagues to support the extension of tax cuts for 98 percent of workers and 97 percent of small business owners.
This should be a no-brainer. Democrats do not want taxes on our middle-class families to go up, and Republicans claim they want that too. They also say they want these tax cuts extended.
So this should be easy. When 100 Senators agree on a policy, we should be able to pass a bill. But, unfortunately, Republicans are not focused on the 98 percent we agree on. They are preoccupied with the 2 percent we are not. They are prepared to take our country over the edge and into the new year in an effort to prevent millionaires and billionaires from paying a penny more in taxes.
Republicans are so opposed to having the wealthy pay the very same rate they were paying during the Clinton years that if they cannot force through more tax cuts for the rich, they would prefer taxes to go up on middle-class families. They want 98 percent of workers to pay the price if millionaires are asked to pay a penny more. This is unbelievable and a deeply cynical position to take. It does not make any sense.
We have a fundamental difference of opinion between the two parties about the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans that have added trillions of dollars to the deficit and debt.
I am not asking Republicans to set aside their values. It is clear they are deeply committed to putting more money into the pockets of the wealthy. All I am saying is--all Democrats are saying is--we should not let that disagreement on tax cuts for the rich cause taxes to go up for the middle class. We can certainly have a debate about the merits of extending tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires. I am confident Republicans are ready to stand here on the floor and make their case. I am prepared to make mine. But I urge our Republican colleagues now to not play political games with the tax cuts that both sides believe should be extended. Because holding these middle class tax cuts hostage is bad policy, it is bad economics, and, frankly, it is bad politics.
Poll after poll shows the American people support ending the tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans. Republicans know they are in an unsustainable political position. They know they cannot be seen as holding middle-class tax cuts hostage for more tax cuts for the rich.
Last week we saw how they reacted when they got called on that reality: stomping their feet and shaking their fists, trying to muddy the water and change the subject. They do everything but admit it is time for compromise.
In fact, just this morning, the Republican Senator from Pennsylvania gave a speech about his plan for even deeper tax cuts for the rich--down to 28 percent for the wealthiest Americans. It is stunning. While Democrats are fighting for tax cuts for the middle class, Republicans are not only holding them hostage to continue the tax cuts for the rich, they are also scheming for ways to cut taxes for the wealthiest Americans even more. But their rhetoric is not going to fool families and small business owners in America.
I recently heard from a constituent of mine. His name is Rob Robinson. He is from Walla Walla in my home State of Washington. Rob owns a small construction company. He just finished work on the local police department. He said to me, ``I've been a small business owner for over twenty-five years and it's outrageous to me that some members of Congress would hold up middle class tax cuts for the sake of protecting the wealthy from paying their fair share.''
He went on. He said: ``The fact that they justify cutting taxes for the
wealthy by invoking the name of small businesses tells me that they are simply out of touch with the economic reality of the majority of small business owners in this country.''
I heard from another small business owner. His name is Allan Willis. He is from Kennewick, WA. Allan opened his small business, Tri-city Music, in 2008. He wrote to me saying:
I'm like a lot of Main Street small business owners. I open the shop in the morning and close it down at night. I vacuum the carpets and clean the bathrooms. I strive to provide my customers with an incredible level of customer service after the sale. I work hard and am blessed that I make enough to pay my fair share of taxes.
Allan told me:
When Republicans hide behind the name of small business to support their agenda for lower taxes for the rich, they don't speak for me. Let's call it what it is: political identity theft. They are stealing the name of small business as a smokescreen for tax policy that benefits millionaires.
That is a quote from Allan.
I also heard from a constituent of mine named Dallas Baker. Dallas is a Seattle firefighter. He has been on the job for 15 years. He told me he loves serving his community and making a difference. But he said--and I quote--
My daughters and I are all making sacrifices now. We are comfortable but we are losing ground.
If taxes went up for middle-class families like his, it would only get harder.
Rob, Allan, and Dallas are among the 98 percent of workers and 97 percent of small business owners the Democrats' bill would extend our tax cuts for. Those are the people I am fighting for--them and millions across America--middle-class families who have been struggling, who have sacrificed so much, and who should not see their taxes go up.
But my Republican colleagues do not seem to be focused on people such as Rob, Allan, and Dallas. They are much more concerned about the tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, many of whom happen to be their biggest campaign and super PAC donors. They may claim to be here talking for small business owners, but they are not speaking for the small business owners I hear from--not small business owners such as Rob and Allan or the 97 percent who Democrats are here fighting to protect tax cuts for--but fighting for people such as Joseph Craft. He is a coal industry billionaire. Mr. Craft is worth an estimated $1.4 billion, according to Forbes, and Republicans are fighting to cut his taxes. They are fighting for people like Harold Simmons. He made his billions on corporate buyouts. Harold is worth an estimated $9 billion, and Republicans are fighting to cut his taxes too. And they are fighting for people such as Harold Hamm. He is an oil and gas billionaire. He is worth an estimated $11 billion. Republicans are doing everything they can to make sure their taxes do not go up a penny.
The vote on the middle-class tax cut extension is going to be very illuminating. It is going to highlight some stark contrasts and give the American people a clear view into the priorities of our two parties.
Democrats are here focused on the middle class. We want to extend the tax cuts for 98 percent of our workers and 97 percent of small business owners, people such as Rob, Allan, and Dallas, and millions more. But if Republicans do not vote for our tax cut bill, it will demonstrate clearly they do not care about certainty, they do not care about the economy, and they certainly do not care about the middle class.
Rather, they care about extending those tax cuts for the rich above all else and to use every bit of leverage they have to do it, and they are prepared to let taxes go up on every family if they do not get their way. I hope they change their tune.
They say inaction is not an option. Well, here is their chance to act for 98 percent of workers and 97 percent of small business owners. All they have to do is stop playing games and stand with us to pass their bill this week. If they do, I would be happy to have an honest debate about extending the Bush tax cuts for the rich they are so passionate about. If they do not and taxes go up on every American because Republicans insist on protecting and extending the Bush tax cuts for these guys, then they are going to have to explain that to Rob and Allen and Dallas and millions of families and business owners just like them.
I yield the floor.
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