A great story in today's
Cincinnati Post. The Post historically endorses Republican candidates, but I have to give them credit for addressing Jim Bunning's irresponsibility.
Government watchdog groups are blasting U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning over a budget amendment that critics say would increase the national deficit, give billions of dollars in tax cuts to well-to-do seniors and cause Medicare to run out of money four years earlier than projected.
...A survey conducted seven years ago by the Federal Reserve Board concluded that the average income of those who would get a tax cut under the Bunning plan was $96,300.
Those same beneficiaries had average financial assets of $607,000 and an average net worth of nearly $1.1 million.
Furthermore, some analysts say that, with the passage of the Bunning amendment, the Senate's final budget plan would increase the federal deficit by $217 billion over five years.
(emphasis added)
More below the fold...
It's ridiculous that this is even being considered. I guess the Senate Republicans think it's more important to give tax breaks to millionaires than to reduce
the deficit, or address
Medicare's solvency, or
secure our ports.
Below are the members of the Senate Finance Committee. If you're a constituent, please contact your senator and let them know that you oppose the Bunning tax cut plan.
Republicans
CHARLES GRASSLEY, IA
ORRIN G. HATCH, UT
TRENT LOTT, MS
OLYMPIA J. SNOWE, ME
JON KYL, AZ
CRAIG THOMAS, WY
RICK SANTORUM, PA
BILL FRIST, TN
GORDON SMITH, OR
JIM BUNNING, KY
MIKE CRAPO, ID
Democrats
MAX BAUCUS, MT
JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER IV, WV
KENT CONRAD, ND
JAMES M. JEFFORDS, VT
JEFF BINGAMAN, NM
JOHN F. KERRY, MA
BLANCHE L. LINCOLN, AR
RON WYDEN, OR
CHARLES E. SCHUMER, NY