WHEN WILL WE WAKE UP?

Republicans are for the rich and ONLY the rich.

National Defense Reauthorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011 (H.R.5136; S.3454)

Republicans voted down the Defense Reauthorization bill*—
• because it includes a provision that repeals the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy which bans gay men and women from serving openly in the military.
• because they refuse to pass anything until tax deductions for the rich are passed.

H.R.5136—Vote passed 229-186; 17 not voting.
Dan Boren (D-OK)—Didn’t vote
Tom Cole (R-OK)—No
Mary Fallin (R-OK)—No
Frank Lucas (R-OK)—No
John Sullivan (R-OK)--No

S.3454-- Vote failed 57-40; 3 abstained.
Coburn (R-OK), Nay
Inhofe (R-OK), Nay

*This bill included pay increases for our troops, provides funding for the military and equipment needed for U.S. operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, along with an extension of Tricare coverage for military dependents. For detailed information about the bill, see: http://dpc.senate.gov/dpcdoc.cfm?doc_name=lb-111-2-146

Should the Senate fail to pass a Defense Authorization bill, it will mark the first time in 50 years that the Senate abdicated this responsibility to our troops.


James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2009 (H.R.847; S1334)
(named after a deceased N.Y. Police Department detective who had worked in the toxic plume at ground zero)

Mostly Republicans (Thank you, Tom Cole (R), and Dan Boren (D) for supporting this!) voted against the bill that would help those injured while helping on 9/11—
• because the $7.4 billion price tag was too high.**
• because it “creates a massive new entitlement program, exposes taxpayers to increased litigation and is ‘paid for’ with tax increases and potential job losses.”**
• because it “creates a new entitlement program largely favoring New York at the expense of taxpayers elsewhere in the country.”**
• because it closes a loophole on foreign companies with U.S. subsidiaries.
• because they refuse to pass anything until tax deductions for the rich are passed.

Even though New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) appealed to Republican senators “to do the right thing,” it was voted down. Bloomberg told them, “We cannot wait any longer for action on this legislation. Let us work together, both sides of the aisle, now to ensure that all those who survived the attacks and all those who risked their lives to save others receive the health care they need and they deserve. This is an American obligation.”
House: Vote passed 268-160; 5 abstained
Boren (D-OK)—Aye
Cole (R-OK)—Aye
Fallin (R-OK)—Abstain
Lucas (R-OK)—Nay
Sullivan (R-OK)—Nay

Senate: Motion to Proceed to H.R.847: Vote failed: 57-42; 1 abstained
Coburn (R-OK)—Nay
Inhofe (R-OK)—Nay

** It’s paid for by closing a tax loophole on foreign companies with U.S. subsidiaries



DREAM Act 2010 (H.R. 1751; S.3827)

Republican Senators plan to defeat the DREAM Act when it’s presented to the Senate—
• because “it will encourage further illegal immigration.”
• because they refuse to pass anything until tax deductions for the rich are passed.

12/8/10--House Vote passed 216-198
Boren (D-OK), No
Cole (R-OK), No
Fallin (R-OK), X (didn’t vote)
Lucas (R-OK), No
Sullivan (R-OK), No

A number of military leaders have come out in support of the DREAM Act, including Defense Secretary Robert Gates. "The expansion of the pool of eligible youth that would result from the DREAM Act provides an important opportunity to selectively manage against the highest qualification standards.," Gates wrote in a September letter to senators. "This will result in improved recruitment results and attendant gains in unit manning and military performance."

This has not stopped the GOP (three of whose elder statesmen, Hatch, Lugar, and McCain, once spearheaded its creation) from opposing DREAM on ostensibly logical grounds. It will, the party's argument now goes, encourage further illegal immigration.

Read details about The DREAM Act: http://www.esquire.com/blogs/politics/dream-act-vote-2010-4237483#ixzz17foNdLuu



Seniors Protection Act of 2010 (H.R.5987)
Emergency Senior Citizens Relief Act of 2010 (S.3985)

• because the nation couldn't afford the estimated $14 billion cost of the payment***.
• because they refuse to pass anything until tax deductions for the rich are passed.

This bill would have given senior citizens $250 in lieu of a COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment), which seniors have not received since 2009. More than 58 million retirees, disabled people and surviving family members receive Social Security or Supplemental Security Income checks. The average monthly SS check is $1,072.

House: 254 for passage-153 against passage—Vote failed
Boren (D-OK): Yea
Cole (R-OK): Nay
Fallin (R-OK): Not voting
Lucas (R-OK): Nay
Sullivan (R-OK): Nay
Thank you, Rep. Boren!

Senate (vote to bring bill to floor for vote): 53 for bringing to vote-45 against bringing to vote--Failed
Coburn (R-OK): Nay
Inhofe (R-OK): Nay

***Remember that the tax cut for the wealthy will cost an additional $900 Billion (compared to $14 Billion for this bill.)




The official Republican Party position, as laid out in a letter, and signed by all 42 members of the Senate Republican caucus:

…We write to inform you that we will not agree to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to any legislative item until the Senate has acted to fund the government and we have prevented the tax increase that is currently awaiting all American taxpayers. With little time left in this Congressional session, legislative scheduling should be focused on these critical priorities. While there are other items that might ultimately be worthy of the Senate’s attention, we cannot agree to prioritize any matters above the critical issues of funding the government and preventing a job-killing tax hike.

Republicans are now holding the following hostage until they get tax cuts for the extremely wealthy:
• our sisters, brothers, sons, daughters, spouses and parents who are fighting for our freedom
• 9/11 first responders who risked their lives to save others in a horrible tragedy
• young people wanting to enter our military and colleges who came to America through no fault of their own
• senior citizens who earn an average of $1072 monthly

This is in addition to the middle class Americans whose salaries have been relatively stagnant, the poor whose minimum wages have actually decreased (in current dollars) for decades, and the unemployed who face no jobs and no help. They, too, are being held hostage by fear mongers who refuse to even consider their needs until the rich have been paid—through reduced income taxes, exemptions from estate taxes, additional reductions of capital gains taxes, and reductions in Alternative Minimum Taxes.

Just to help you understand how calculated the tax cuts were originally, read what former Bush spokesman, Dan Bartlett, said about them, “We knew that, politically, once you get [a big tax cut] into law, it becomes almost impossible to remove it. That’s not a bad legacy. The fact that we were able to lay the trap does feel pretty good, to tell you the truth.”