Kucinich On President Bush's Trip To Cleveland
The following is a press release from March 10, 2004, by Kucinich's office in Congress
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Kucinich: Bush’s Economic Policies Have Failed Cleveland
Cleveland Area Needs Three Things Bush Administration Has Failed To Deliver On: Jobs, Jobs, Jobs
Cleveland area Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich (D-OH) today released the following statement on President Bush’s visit to Cleveland:
“Today, Cleveland’s economy is worse off than it was three years ago. This Administration’s budget busting and jobless economic policies have been nothing short of a complete failure for our community.
“In the face of soaring budget deficits, an ongoing war costing hundreds of billions of dollars, high long-term unemployment, the continuing gutting of our nation’s manufacturing base, and a sluggish economy, today the President comes to Cleveland to continue to advocate policies of tax cuts to millionaires, the outsourcing of jobs and trade policies that have failed our community.
“Mr. President, the Cleveland area needs three things that your Administration has failed to deliver on: jobs, jobs, jobs. Between January 2001 and January 2004, Ohio has lost 264,700 jobs and over 160,000 manufacturing jobs. Unemployment in Ohio has increased by 46% under this Administration’s watch. Our community needs more than election year rhetoric. Despite rosy claims by the Administration that 2.6 million jobs would be created this year, and average of 300,000 a month, only 21,000 jobs were added nationally in February. This is unacceptable. We must do better.
“All this Administration can offer for our community’s economic woes is a one-size-fits-all failed economic policy of ‘leave no millionaire behind’ tax cuts. Under Bush’s 2004 tax break 2.5 million Ohio taxpayers, or 47%, will get a tax cut of less than $100 this year, while the top 1% of Ohio taxpayers will receive an average tax cut of over $37,000. The real affects of this policy were outlined last week when the Administration’s top economist, Alan Greenspan, told Congress the price of the President’s tax cut will force cuts in Social Security benefits.
“I hope the President’s brief visit to our area will include a tour of the empty factories and bankrupt corporations that are the legacy of his Administration’s economic policies. NAFTA and the outsourcing of jobs have decimated Cleveland’s manufacturing base. Our community will not see real economic growth until we reverse the misguided polices that have allowed this to occur.
“It is clear, that the President’s priorities are out of step with the needs of the Cleveland area community. Cleveland, and our nation, deserve better than the economic policies this Administration has provided. To stimulate our economy takes more than tax cuts to the wealthy. It requires federal spending, progressive tax cuts to people who need the money now, and real efforts to create new high paying jobs.”
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