WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Suzan DelBene released the following statement regarding her vote today on the bipartisan budget proposal to protect our nation’s economic recovery and provides tax relief for working families:
“While not the perfect deal, Congress was able to finally come together with a bipartisan proposal that prevents the most damaging consequences of the fiscal cliff from hitting millions of American families and small businesses.
“Today’s deal saves over 98 percent of Americans from seeing their income taxes go up, extends tax credits for working families and unemployment benefits for millions of people looking for work. It provides greater economic certainty for families and businesses and will help our economy grow. It also is a first step towards getting our overall fiscal house in order.
“What’s today’s deal thankfully does not do is make harmful, draconian, across the board cuts which could have stalled our fragile economic recovery and hurt millions of working families, veterans and seniors who count on critical services.
“But there is still much work to do. I still firmly believe the only way we will build a foundation for long-term economic growth is by taking a balanced approach to our budget that includes comprehensive tax reform and reigning in our spending to reduce our deficit.
“So while we have prevented the worst from happening, we must re-double our efforts in the 113th Congress to address our long-term budget issues and passing policies that help working families, spur job growth and ensure economic opportunity for all.”
Democrat Suzan DelBene, of Medina, was elected in November to represent Washington's new 1st District, which stretches from Redmond and Woodinville to the Canadian border and includes both tech-savvy suburbs and large expanses of farmland.
--Source: Suzan DelBene
It sounds like she might not have read the whole bill. It raises the FICA tax 2% on more then 77% of taxpayers and adds $41 in new spending to our deficit for every $1 in new taxes.
The payroll tax issue is a scam. Given all the talk about lack of funding for Soc. Sec. in the future, why on earth would they cut funds that go to Soc. Sec.? Because they want to turn it into a welfare program, and when they go for means testing for Soc Sec, then those who have contributed into Soc Sec over the years and who have "assets" will not get back from Soc Sec what they deserve. Soc. Sec. was never designed to be a welfare program, but this is what the our leaders, mainly the Dems, want to do. We are moving from a relatively fluid, multi-class society (poor, middle, rich), to a two-class system (poor and rich). The American middle class is being slowly destroyed, with it's wealth redistributed and jobs taken. Neither party is preventing this, and both are actually causing it to happen. Cut military spending and wasteful gov't programs.
Total taxation on U.S. citizens is at a 60-year low, yet we demand ever more services, and don't complain when rampant waste and fraud occurs in many government programs, the worst of which being the "defense" establishment. It is time we grew up and faced the fact that government services cost money, and if we wish to improve people's lots, we need to be willing to pay our taxes.
As Mr. Snow pointed out, Congresswoman DelBene has been in office. I find it interesting that you did not know that. Ed
The Payroll Tax Cuts were being reimbursed with IOUs from the general fund, therfore adding to the federal deficit and jeopardizing Social Security in the long run. Social Security was devised to be separate from the general fund just to avoid that very situation. I don't mind a tax break but it should come as part of the tax code and not be risking Social Security.