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Candidate Notes on 01-CPC2

 


01-CPC2 on Feb 8, 2001

The Problem

President Bush argues that upper income people pay a larger share of the taxes, therefore they should get a larger tax cut. We disagree. These people have significantly benefited from the economic boom of the 1990s, while those in the bottom range of incomes have received little benefit. It’s these folks that we must help. President Bush’s plan is “Reaganomics” revisited and it’s fiscally irresponsible. Despite spending $1.6 trillion or more, the President’s tax plan gives little to nothing for those with little income. In fact, anyone below 140% of the poverty line, will get a zero tax cut.

The Solution

The Progressive Caucus believes that tax relief must flow to those who need it the most, the working class and people with limited incomes. We have endorsed an idea called the American People’s Dividend. We’ll give a dividend to every American, because every American is an equal shareholder in America. We estimate the total cost to be about $900 billion

over 10 years. The plan will give to every person about a $300 refundable tax credit. A married couple with 3 children will receive $1500, $300 for each member of the family. This plan is simple, easy to administer, and progressive. The plan could provide an economic stimulus since it would put money in people’s pockets immediately. Unlike the Bush proposal, which reserves 40% of the tax benefits for the wealthiest 1% of the population, our proposal gives the wealthiest 1% exactly 1% of the tax relief. This makes the bulk of tax relief available for the bulk of the population. The American People’s Dividend is payable every year the federal budget is in surplus.
Comparison of Progressive Tax Plan & Bush’s Plan
The WealthyThe Low Income
Progressive Caucus American Peoples Dividend$300$300
President Bush’s Tax Cuts$$46,000$0

Participating counts on VoteMatch question 11.



Democrats participating in 01-CPC2

Neil Abercrombie s1aHawaii Democrat
Tammy Baldwin s1aWisconsin Democrat
Xavier Becerra s1aCalifornia Democrat
David Bonior s1aMichigan Democrat
Corrine Brown s1aFlorida Democrat
Sherrod Brown s1aOH Democratic challenger, U.S. Rep.
Michael Capuano s1aMassachusetts Democrat
Julia Carson s1aIndiana Democrat
William Lacy Clay s1aMissouri Democrat
John Conyers s1aMichigan Democrat
Danny Davis s1aIllinois Democrat
Peter Defazio s1aOregon Democrat
Rosa DeLauro s1aConnecticut Democrat
Lane Evans s1aIllinois Democrat
Eni Faleomavaega s1aSamoa Democrat
Sam Farr s1aCalifornia Democrat
Chaka Fattah s1aPennsylvania Democrat
Bob Filner s1aCalifornia Democrat
Barney Frank s1aMassachusetts Democrat
Luis Gutierrez s1aIllinois Democrat
Earl Hilliard s1aAlabama Democrat
Maurice Hinchey s1aNew York Dem./Ind./Lib./Working-Fam.
Jesse Louis Jackson s1aIllinois Democrat
Stephanie Tubbs Jones s1aOhio Democrat
Marcy Kaptur s1aOhio Democrat
Dennis Kucinich s1aOhio Democrat
Tom Lantos s1aCalifornia Democrat
Barbara Lee s1aCalifornia Democrat
Sheila Jackson Lee s1aTexas Democrat
John Lewis s1aGeorgia Democrat
Jim McDermott s1aWashington Democrat
Jim McGovern s1aMassachusetts Democrat
Cynthia McKinney s1aGeorgia Democrat
Carrie Meek s1aFlorida Democrat (retired 2002)
George Miller s1aCalifornia Democrat
Patsy Mink s1aHawaii Democrat
Jerrold Nadler s1aNew York Dem./Lib./Working-Families
Eleanor Holmes Norton s1aDistrict of Columbia Democrat
John Olver s1aMassachusetts Democrat
Major Owens s1aNew York Democrat/Working-Families
Ed Pastor s1aArizona Democrat
Donald Payne s1aNew Jersey Democrat
Nancy Pelosi s1aCalifornia Democrat
Jan Schakowsky s1aIllinois Democrat
Jose Serrano s1aNew York Democrat/Liberal
Hilda Solis s1aCalifornia Democrat
Pete Stark s1aCalifornia Democrat
Bennie Thompson s1aMississippi Democrat
John Tierney s1aMassachusetts Democrat
Tom Udall s1aNew Mexico Democrat
Nydia Velazquez s1aNew York Democrat/Working-Families
Maxine Waters s1aCalifornia Democrat
Mel Watt s1aNorth Carolina Democrat
Henry Waxman s1aCalifornia Democrat
Paul Wellstone s1aMN Democrat Senator (Former)
Lynn Woolsey s1aCalifornia Democrat



Republicans participating in 01-CPC2



Independents participating in 01-CPC2

Bernie Sanders s1aVermont Independent



Total recorded by OnTheIssues:

Democrats: 56
Republicans: 0
Independents: 1