Democrats Cave, Middle Class Loses

I'm literally sick to my stomach over the Senate passing the so-called Compromise Budget Bill.  Those who voted for this bill have no spine, no conscience, and have sold us down the river.  This is just the beginning of the end, as it gives so much momentum to the Republicans.  President Obama is sadly mistaken in thinking it won't be business as usual for the Party of No going forward.  God help our country.  See below for some background.

From an email from Senator Bernie Sanders:  "At a time when we have a $13.7 trillion national debt and the most unfair distribution of income in the industrialized world, why are we giving huge tax breaks to millionaires and billionaires? Is there no end to their greed? And does anyone really believe that this will only be a two-year agreement with no future extensions?


Why should we be significantly lowering rates on the estate tax when it applies only to the very, very richest people in this country, the top 0.3 percent? The richest 1 percent already owns more wealth than the bottom 90 percent. Isn't that enough?

With the American people deeply worried about the future of Social Security, why are we diverting $112 billion from the Social Security trust fund in order to provide a 'payroll tax holiday?' Why is a Democratic president adopting this position, which has long been held by Republicans who want to eventually destroy Social Security by choking off its funds? With the Republicans coming to power in the House in a few weeks, why should anyone not think that this 'one-year' diversion will be made long-term or permanent? According to one major senior citizen organization, this action could be the beginning of the end for Social Security – the most successful anti-poverty program in the history of the United States."

Here is a list of Senators who voted against the giveaway, and for whom we should all be proud:

NAYs ---19


Bingaman (D-NM)     Coburn (R-OK)     DeMint (R-SC)

Dorgan (D-ND)         Ensign (R-NV)       Feingold (D-WI)

Gillibrand (D-NY)    Hagan (D-NC)        Harkin (D-IA)

Lautenberg (D-NJ)     Leahy (D-VT)         Levin (D-MI)

Merkley (D-OR)        Sanders (I-VT)       Sessions (R-AL)

Udall (D-CO)            Udall (D-NM)         Voinovich (R-OH)

Wyden (D-OR)

Here's a commentary on those Senators who really couldn't give a crap about the middle class, and who should be ashamed:
Senators who want to start balancing the budget, but only if the wealthy are protected, would vote for the compromise and for the Coburn amendment, but against the Sanders amendment. 41 senators voted that way, 37 Republicans and 4 Democrats: (Alexander (R-TN) Lugar (R-IN) Barrasso (R-WY) McCain (R-AZ) Bayh (D-IN) Enzi (R-WY) McCaskill (D-MO) Bennett (R-UT) Graham (R-SC) McConnell (R-KY) Bond (R-MO) Grassley (R-IA) Murkowski (R-AK) Brown (R-MA) Gregg (R-NH) Risch (R-ID) Brownback (R-KS) Roberts (R-KS) Bunning (R-KY) Hatch (R-UT) Burr (R-NC) Hutchison (R-TX) Shelby (R-AL) Chambliss (R-GA) Inhofe (R-OK) Snowe (R-ME) Isakson (R-GA) Tester (D-MT) Cochran (R-MS) Johanns (R-NE) Thune (R-SD) Collins (R-ME) Kirk (R-IL) Vitter (R-LA) Corker (R-TN) Kyl (R-AZ) Cornyn (R-TX) LeMieux (R-FL) Wicker (R-MS) Crapo (R-ID) Lincoln (D-AR))


By the way, California Senators Feinstein and Boxer both voted for the compromise.  I suppose their reason is to support their President.  Too bad we don't have people like Senator Bernie Sanders in our state.