As Wealth Accelerates Upward, Democracy Deteriorates
Kucinich gave the following speech in Congress on December 8, 2005:
Speaking in opposition to H. Res. 588, which would expedite consideration of H.R. 4297, Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act of 2005, Congressman Kucinich said:
"Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman (Ms. Slaughter) for yielding me this time.
"What the majority is seeking to accomplish here is another transfer of wealth from the great mass of Americans to a privileged few. This bill would raise taxes on 17 million American middle-class families by as much as $640. Millionaires get tax cuts as much as $32,000. People who bet on the market are going to see their taxes cut or reduced, while workers are not going to see that kind of relief because this bill is about a transfer of wealth upwards, a transfer of wealth from the poor and the middle class to the wealthy. More than half of the American taxpayers will get less than $30 out of this so-called tax cut; yet that is what this administration's strategy has been all about.
"There has been no trickle-down benefits from their previous tax cuts of over a trillion dollars. Americans' savings have disappeared, credit cards are maxed out, home equity is exhausted, foreclosures have increased, pension funds are disappearing, health care benefits for many have been cut or eliminated. There are 45 million Americans without health insurance. The wealth in this country is being transferred upward, and as wealth accelerates upward, the quality of our democracy is deteriorating. This bill continues that trend with spending cuts suffered by college students, suffered by senior citizens and children and family farmers.
"My colleague Congressman Lewis asked what would Jesus do. We know his teachings. He said whatever you do for the least of the brethren, you do for the Lord. This bill does not do for the least. It does for those who have the most. There is a transfer of wealth to the great mass of Americans to a few as a matter of policy here. It is tax cuts, it is the war, it is all of the spending that is accomplished by our majority brothers and sisters goes to help those who are wealthy become wealthier. That is not how you can maintain a democracy.
"The tax system is central to making sure that we stay a democracy, and yet what we see here is the beginning of a plutocracy by continuing the acceleration of wealth upwards. We need to take stock and assessment of what these tax policies are doing to undermine people in this country, of what these tax policies are doing to make it impossible for a middle class to survive, of what these tax policies are ignoring in terms of trying to protect America's manufacturers. There are auto workers and steel workers who are looking for a way for businesses, their industries, to survive; and instead we are worrying about accelerating the wealth upward.
"We need to take stock of this. This is not only a fiscal question. It is a moral question, and the arc of our moral fiber here is going to be determined on whether or not we can stand up to this challenge about accelerating the wealth upwards."
Subscribe to this blog's feed