Begich on Board with Bernie!
Yesterday, Bernie Sanders distinguished himself and became the hero of frustrated Americans who think that the current plan to deal with the Bush tax cuts fell far short of what it could have been. Bernie Sanders found the spine of the Democratic Party.
Sanders (VT-I) spent eight and a half hours standing at the podium, his voice eventually getting tired, leaning on his hands toward the end, not reading the phone book, but speaking eloquently, passionately, sincerely on behalf of the people, and against the deal struck between the President and congressional Republicans.
Sanders was aided in his marathon, by several Senators who took turns presiding as he spoke. One of them was Senator Mark Begich. Sanders’ live audience was small, but his national audience was, as he would phrase it – yooge.
The other Senators lending a hand presiding were Daniel Inouye of Hawaii, and Kirstin Gillibrand of New York.
“It’s not just standing there forever,” Sanders said. “It’s trying to make the points that you want to make, and I made them. I made them time and time again. And I just think that the American people have now got to stand up and tell the Senate that when we have a huge national debt, it is insane to be giving huge tax breaks to the people who don’t need it, the wealthiest people in this country.”
Sanders stated that he plans to continue fighting on this issue next week, but he may not hold the floor for as long.
Sanders is not the lone wolf on this issue. A letter signed by eight Senate Democrats addressed to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid expressed their desire to amend the deal to protect social security and renegotiate the tax cap for the wealthy and restore tax rates for incomes over $1million to previous levels. The signers of the letter are not the only ones who are complaining bitterly about the way the White House has handled this issue, but they lead the pack on principle and their conviction and bold statement on behalf of the American people should be applauded.
Who are these Democrats with a spine?
Senator Mark Begich, Alaska 202-224-3004 (YEAH!)
Here is the entire text of the letter:
“The tax package announced by President Obama and Congressional Republicans includes some important provisions that we strongly support, but also a deeply misguided allocation of resources at a time that the United States does not have resources to waste.
“The Senate, however, can make it better. We ask that you ensure an opportunity for the Senate to vote on an amendment that will give the American people a clear choice whether they would prefer to give bonus tax cuts to the very wealthiest among us, as the package currently proposes, or to use these resources to strengthen Social Security.
“Success in America should rightly be celebrated, but the very wealthy do not need bonus tax cuts and America cannot afford to give them. As you know, the agreement would require American taxpayers to borrow over $50 billion in order to give, on average, $100,000 in additional annual tax cuts to people earning over $1 million per year. These bonus tax cuts are on top of the $43,000 per year that millionaires will receive in tax cuts on their first million dollars of income. The Congressional Budget Office ranked these tax cuts dead last in terms of effectiveness in boosting economic growth and job creation. In a time of urgent national needs and long-term deficits, we believe the country has higher priorities than these huge tax cuts for the very wealthy.
“Specifically, we propose to amend the package to restore tax rates on income over $1 million per year to the Clinton-era rates, and to dedicate the resulting revenues to shoring up the Social Security trust fund. The President’s National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform noted that in 2037, Social Security will exhaust its trust fund and be unable to pay full benefits, and consequently proposed a number of benefit cuts for seniors. Improving Social Security’s finances is, in our opinion, a more important national priority than directing tens of billions of dollars in taxpayer money to a relative handful of families.
“We have grave misgivings about the recent tax agreement. We hope that the Senate can improve on it. We look forward to working with you to ensure a vote on our amendment to strengthen Social Security in lieu of bonus tax cuts for people who are doing quite well.”
Many of us write or call our congressional representatives to complain, or we just mumble to ourselves. We don’t often write or call them to say thank you, but those on the list above, and Senator Bernie Sanders deserve our gratitude. THIS is what Democrats should be doing.
Each name above is linked to their website. Each website has a contact page where you can send an email. Your homework for the weekend is to encourage those whove taken a stand for YOU. They are fighting the good fight, and just as Sanders needs the troops behind him, so do these senators need US.
It is a constant frustration for many Democrats to watch our elected leaders back down, cave in, and barter away the principles that were the basis for our votes for them in the first place. I couldn’t be prouder that someone I voted for has taken up the charge on this issue, and I plan to tell him so.
In the fallow burned field of Democratic hopes, we are watching something grow. So get out there and water the damn thing!
Bernie is my senator and we love him here in Vermont. He has put together an interesting coalition of voters and interest groups because he cares, works hard, does not flip-flop and spends as little time as possible in Washington.
How did Senator Begich vote? Just asking.
Watching the Senate vote right now to move Tax Cut Deal forward.Vote now is 56-6.60 Aye votes needed..Not looking good at this point.Have to keep jamming the phone lines,emails and faxes.
We need more time and debate.Corporate media called it a done deal too soon and in my opinion too many people quit trying too soon.
Senator Levin from Michigan was on CSPAN Saturday.He said he does not support tax cuts for the wealthy.He supports extending unemployment benefits.He thinks that congress should stay in session until the end of the year if necessary to fix this tax cut deal.
I have been calling,emailing and signing petitions for 2 weeks.On Friday when I called Levin’s office he had no position so I’m pretty excited that he made this statement on Saturday..His staff person said they had been receiving a lot of calls on the issue.I think that this proves that People Power can make a difference..
Senator Sanders did a great job, I was only able to listen to the last two hours, but they were mighty fine hours. He is awesome.
Love that cartoon. Grateful for sprouting seeds.
I saw Senator Begich on C-Span with some othes right after the tax cut vote last weekend. The United States of America NEEDS TO ELECT more people like Mr. Begich to Congress. He was fabulous and the Senate needs to recognize they have a real jewel with this newest Senator from Alaska – I have spent an entire week promoting Senator Begich as the most underknown senator who should become of the GREAT LEADERS in America for the 21st Century.
Thank you, Alaskans, for electing this terrific person to the United States Senate.
We have a similar man here in Tennessee – Greg Rabidoux, who unfortunately, could NOT beat Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) in the House – please pity us for having to suffer Miss Marsha – she is a complete and total SHILL and has about as much knowledge as the Snowbilly Grifter – you will recognize her – she is ONE of the blondes on Faux Noise – that is where she spends her time – not working for Tennessee – working for Faux Noise and the Rethuggery Obstructionist Party of Teabagging Fewls – she had NOT A SINGLE SINGLE in the District for her re-election and the 20% unemployed, uninsured, RURAL FEWLS voted her retention. Pathetic.
*single SIGN, sorry.
Happy dances to the nine with spines.
Gratitude has been applied.
Thank you, AKM. Unlike faux, you inform.
It is nice to have a Senator who’s not an embarrassment.
Good on you Mark—Just good on you!
I called Mark’s office yesterday, when Bernie was about three hours into it. Talked to a nice staffer, he didn’t really commit, but I could read between the lines—MARK was onboard.
Off and on all day I received encouraging emails to contact Murkowski. I try to explain, that I went that route with her and her staff, for quite a period of time, on health care. In my opinion based in experience with her, there really is no chance that she is going to alter her dogmatic right wing swing.
Posters here and elsewhere said that voting for her was a vote for “Miller Lite”. Absolutely true, but who wanted to listen?
Anyway, I’m getting a little long in the tooth to not recognize when I’m “pissing into the wind”. Reasoning with her is just that. I’ll let you young progressives show me how someone like Lisa can be converted away from her corporate magnate ideology. Good luck.
I agree with you. Murkowski thinks her bread is buttered with oil interests. I sent a “Yahoo” to Senator Begich, and followed up with this one (slightly edited for posting here), to Lisa. I bet I get another smug email telling me why she ignored what I had to say.
‘Honorable Senator Murkowski,
I just wrote a letter to Senator Begich thanking him for his support of an amendment to the tax bill which has generated so much public controversy recently, and applauded him for signing the letter to Harry Reid calling for changes. I find it unconscionable that the Republicans and some Democrats feel that the those in the highest tax brackets should not have to bear the financial burden of, among other things, engaging in wars overseas. Without a draft, and even with one, the burdens of fighting such a war fall unequally on those in lower income brackets. Now the Republicans think that after nearly destroying the American, and indeed the world economy, they should not share the burden of paying for our military engagements either with their dollars or their lives. This is the same group of men and women who are quick to incite public anger and tempt violence, even against our own citizens, in the name of fighting terrorism here and abroad. The cynicism of the current Republican leadership frankly frightens and sickens me. I do not support tax relief for the wealthy as back-door economic stimulus. I do not support tax relief for the wealthy because the “captains of industry” will then invest in the American economy. I do not support tax relief for the wealthy because they are systematically raping our economy and taking money and jobs overseas, and redistributing wealth in a most brazen manner. My son will be heading back overseas in April, leaving his young family behind again. His first tour was an extended tour as his unit became part of the “surge” in Diyala province. He returned home to a ravaged economy, and limited job prospects. Though he has served his obligation and then some, he staggers under student loan payments taken on with the hope that there would be a payoff at some reasonable point in the future. By this I mean that after returning to the U.S., and working full time, he finished a masters degree in his limited evening hours, despite being a new father. My daughter, who is also completing her master’s degree, has just finished serving a year as an Americorps volunteer. Both these young people believed in their country and in public service. Both stagger under student loan obligations they fear they will never be able to pay off, and which constrain their job, housing and life options now. My son HAS to stay in the military to keep current on his bills–he can not find comparable pay that would cover his student debt in the civilian workforce. And so, he’ll be leaving again in April. My daughter, who has lived and worked all over the world, now fills out application after application unsuccessfully, competing with all the other young men and women who are trying to gain a foothold in the workforce. If young people with limited incomes and worse job prospects can carry their share of the load, why can’t the wealthiest of Americans participate in one of the most fundamental of American responsibilities? As they say, “Freedom is not free”. But apparently for now, if you are a wealthy American, it just might be.’
This is a wonderful letter but you are correct that you are likely to get another one of those endless “what you have to understand here … ” smug responses .
My very best wishes to your young people.
I am on the edge of old age and find it bizarre that so many folks are willing to close their eyes to what the “American Dream ” is becoming for those who are young adults now in favor of more of the same claptrap which got us into the messes we are in .
Mine has been luckier than many but it’s merely been luck and he knows it.
If we alienate yours and /or mine we have failed miserably to carry what is best about this grand experiment in democracy forward…
3 words mark raise my taxes !
I went to Begich’s site to give him a thumbs up via email, yet, I was required to give a phone number when posting. I don’t give my landline phone number, nor cellphone number to any but a very small group of friends. I changed my number multiple times because we would get political calls and robocalls and we don’t wish to take part in those sorts of calls.
I do appreciate having a moderate Democrat in office in Alaska but I won’t give out my personal info to tell him so. I called a politician once to express gratitude for his service and ended up with unwanted phone calls from poll takers.
It is possible to send a snail mail letter to the Senator. No phone number required, and I’m sure it will be just as appreciated.
I know what you mean. I don’t mind giving my email address and zip code. However, I have ended up with a lot of extra phone calls, so they must be finding me even though I’ve taken that information off and I’m on the Do Not Call list. There are times I’ve wanted to contact various Senators and Congressmen and have not because they asked too much information.
I put in a fake number when I get asked. I figure if they want me, they can email.
If you have a google email account (gmail) then you can sign up for google voice. Get a google voice number to use for your phone number to give to people you don’t want to sell or give your number out for robocalls or telemarketing. It can serve as a voice mail account. There is another internet phone service but I can’t remember the name of it of the top of my head.
You can friend Mark on Facebook, and post on his wall, or
you can e-mail to Mark_begich@begich.senate.gov.
You don’t have to go through the website.
Bernie is awesome. He got a ton of facts and data into the congressional record so it will be easy for historians, and maybe even the MSM, to reference and research.
Of all the may things that bother me about this bill, I think the thing the I am most angry about, is Obama refereing to the 2% payroll tax deduction.
Which is a true statement. But –
it is intentionally, knowingly deceptive. It is as good as a lie. Because it is not a reduction in income tax, it is a 2% decrease in the Social Security withholding. So calling it a “payroll” tax reduction is true, but most people, when they think of payroll and tax, think of income tax.
Obama has now fired the first shot for the Republicans in their war against Social Security. Which is, also too, the only fully funded part of the budget. If anything there should be a 2% increase in SS deductions so SS will be there in 20to 30 years.
Bloggers and commenters need to keep hammering that 2% SS cut home till everybody in the MSM is telling the whole truth about that reduction so that people realize this is an attack on SS perpetrated by the WH.
I am so with you on that.
Nice to know my comment to Sen Mark helped.
Sent a letter to Sherrod Brown from Ohio! Glad we have him.
Wrote a special thank you to Senator Sanders…
OK-watered em all…
watching to see what grows 🙂
yeah! Go Mark and Bernie.
This one works better for Senator Franken…
http://franken.senate.gov/?p=home
done, done done!
done, done…
3 more to go…
this is fun!
Thank You Senator Begich for speaking up for the people. The only question I have is about the list above. Where is Senator Feingold’s name? He lost his re-election bid. Is that why he is not on the list? He is a senator now- wouldn’t he be able to support this action- does he not support it?
I noticed that too, and am curious.
Done, done, done!!!!
Loving writing appreciative notes…
What a change!
Oh my.
I’m so pround to be a Alaskan.
Did I mention, that back in the day, I disco danced with Mark?…
LOL
you did?!!!
crazy small town this state is…
Cool…..!
LOL! While I never discoed with Barbara Boxer, I can say I’m proud to be a Californian today. That’s something that, until the November elections, I hadn’t been able to say all that often in several years. No, that doesn’t mean I’m unpatriotic. It means I thought my elected officials frequently were self absorbed twits.
I shook his hand once at a fundraiser.
But the most important thing to me was when he found fraud and impropriety in the management of the Alaska Student Loan funds – got some money back for me. I knew there was fraud but I just couldn’t identify it exactly – and the fund administrators were good at obfuscating.
Anyway, Begich was on the audit committee and sent the letter proving my point (even though I did not initiate the audit).