Damn straight:
In a letter on this week, a group of Democratic senators urged President Trump to take executive action on the issue of off-shoring jobs — specifically call center jobs.
The letter, provided to ThinkProgress on Tuesday, was signed by Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) along with nine of his Democratic colleagues, Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-MI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Heidie Heitkamp (D-ND), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), and Jon Tester (D-MT).
“By issuing an Executive Order, you can take an immediate step to prevent federal government contracts from being awarded to companies that offshore U.S. call center jobs by utilizing call centers in foreign countries. Taxpayer funds should go to companies that hire American workers,” the senators wrote.
A number of the senators who signed Tuesday’s letter also wrote Trump last year with the same concerns. After recent reports revealed call center jobs remain at risk of being shipped overseas, they said they thought it best to reiterate their initial demands.
Casey, who has also big opponent of the GOP tax scam, also introduced this bill:
The provisions of the new tax reform law, sometimes called the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, are mostly in play for individual taxpayers for the current tax year (though some, like the repeal of the tax-favored treatment of alimony and the elimination of Obamacare individual mandate, won't kick in until next year). But not everyone is happy with that result. While tax-favored provisions for the self-employed remain on tap, those for workers were largely eliminated. In response, Sen. Bob Casey, Jr., (D-PA) has introduced S.2718, the Tax Fairness for Workers Act.
The short version of the bill reads as follows:
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow workers an above-the-line deduction for union dues and expenses and to allow a miscellaneous itemized deduction for workers for all unreimbursed expenses incurred in the trade or business of being an employee.
Though it's relatively brief by Congressional standards, the bill tackles a few issues. Let me break them down for you.
For the 2017 tax year, union dues and expenses were deductible on Schedule A as miscellaneous deductions subject to the 2% floor. That means that they, along with other miscellaneous job-related expenses, were deductible to the extent that they exceeded 2% of your adjusted gross income (AGI). Here's an example: Let's say that your AGI in 2017 was $50,000 and your job-related expenses totaled $3,000 for that year. For the 2017 tax year, you could have deducted $2,000 of those expenses. That's because 2% of $50,000 is $1,000, and expenses over that amount ($3,000 less $1,000 = $2,000) would have been deductible.
The picture looks different this year. Unreimbursed job expenses and miscellaneous deductions subject to the 2% floor have been eliminated for the tax years 2018 through 2025. Those expenses include those that you incur in your job for which you are not reimbursed, like tools and supplies; required uniforms not suitable for ordinary wear; dues and subscriptions; and job search expenses. They also include unreimbursed travel and mileage, as well as the home office deduction
You can see what Schedule A might look like in 2018 with those changes - and more - here.
Under Sen. Casey's proposal, tax breaks for unreimbursed job expenses would be reinstated, with a twist. Under the bill, most unreimbursed job expenses would continue to be deductible as miscellaneous deductions on Schedule A. However, the provisions of Sen. Casey's bill would also elevate union dues and expenses to an above-the-line deduction.
Casey faces Trump’s “Political Godfather” Rep. Lou Barletta (R. PA) this year and Barletta is already up with an attack ad:
The 30-second features Barletta discussing Casey salary while in office then asks “can you name one thing Casey’s done?”
“Bob Casey’s been in office so long he’s collected three million bucks, that’s like winning the lottery,” Barletta says.
“Bob Casey has been a career politician for 22 years, but can anyone really say what Casey has done for Pennsylvania? For eight years, Casey rubber-stamped Barack Obama’s liberal agenda, and now he is obstructing President Trump. It took Casey more than six years to pass his first law and 12 years to pass four. Making $3 million off the taxpayers while accomplishing nothing has been like winning the lottery for Bob Casey,” Barletta’s spokesman David Jackson said in a release announcing the ad.
Casey’s campaign took issue with many of the assertions in the ad.
“Congressman Lou Barletta’s ad is as hypocritical as it is dishonest. Congressman Barletta has run for office a dozen times over the last 23 years and taken nearly $2 million in government salary since getting elected two decades ago,” Casey’s spokesperson Max Steele said.
Casey’s campaign pointed to the claim he has only passed four bills while in the Senate.
“Senator Casey has passed more than 40 pieces of legislation, including landmark laws to combat sexual assault on college campuses and help Americans with disabilities. Most recently, he worked with Senator Toomey to pass into law legislation to honor our fallen first responders by helping their children pay for college. Pennsylvanians will see the Congressman’s attacks for what they are: the desperate spin of a desperate candidate,” Steele said.
Even the conservative-leaning Pittsburgh Tribune-Review has highlighted Casey’s record as an effective legislator:
Pennsylvania's soft-spoken senior senator isn't known for flash or strident rhetoric, but after nearly 12 years in the U.S. Senate, Bob Casey Jr. quietly points to a record that might argue those qualities aren't necessary for success.
In an hourlong interview with the Tribune-Review editorial board, Casey, who is seeking his third term this fall, pointed to bill after bill that he has shepherded through the Senate — 26 as lead sponsor and another 14 as lead Democrat.
They include the Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act, a bill to expand the Gettysburg National Military Park and the 21st Century Veterans Benefits Delivery Act.
Like others, the 57-year-old Scranton Democrat who previously served two terms as Pennsylvania auditor general and another as state treasurer, is confounded by the partisan gridlock that grips Washington.
Let’s stick it to Barletta and Trump and help Casey clobber him this year and continue to stand up for workers and jobs. Click here to donate and get involved with Casey’s re-election campaign.
Let’s also thank Casey’s Senate colleagues who are up for re-election for looking for American jobs. Click below to donate and get involved with these Democrats campaigns:
Tammy Baldwin
Sherrod Brown
Joe Donnelly
Heidi Heitkamp
Jon Tester
Claire McCaskill
Debbie Stabenow