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Statement by CWA President Morton Bahr on Sen. Daschle's fight to win real relief for unemployed Ame
Washington, D.C. – The Communications Workers of America commends Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle for standing firm for real relief for our nation's unemployed families and fighting against an agenda of big tax giveaways that will do our economy little good in this recession.
Our nation needs unemployment and job training assistance for jobless Americans, including realistic health care coverage, and targeted tax relief to businesses to create new jobs, improve investment and get the economy moving again.
Instead, the Bush administration and House Republicans pressed for a holiday present for corporations, a fat tax break and givebacks disguised as a stimulus package. Sen. Daschle said no to this scheme, and he, along with other supporters in Congress, are right on the mark.
Relief for working families has never been a priority of this administration or the Republican-controlled House. When the airline industry was bailed out to the tune of $15 billion, jobless workers were ignored, with vague promises that their concerns would be taken up later.
But later never came. Instead, House Republicans, supported by the Bush White House, drafted an economic plan built on the old GOP wish list: a capital gains tax cut, elimination of the corporate alternative minimum tax that would provide billion-dollar-returns to some of our most profitable companies; and another round of individual tax rate cuts, in addition to the $1.6 trillion package passed last spring.
When the dust cleared, all the compromises that House Republican leaders claimed to have made were revealed as empty rhetoric. The "compromise" bill still spends more than $211 billion in tax cuts – 63 percent going to corporations – over the next five years; it provides $16 billion in tax refunds to corporations; and includes another individual tax break for wealthy families. It provides just superficial relief to jobless workers and raises real concern about growing deficits and the financial integrity of programs such as Social Security.
At least 1.2 million Americans are now unemployed; some 700,000 lost their jobs in October and November alone. Members of CWA are among them, working in the telecommunications industry that has been hit by layoffs.
Some in Congress have speculated that perhaps it would have been better to pass an economic program that at least constituted "half a loaf." The trouble is, working people would have received only crumbs under the Bush Administration House Republican proposal. Senator Daschle did his job, and we're proud to continue to work with him on an agenda that benefits all Americans.
Our nation needs unemployment and job training assistance for jobless Americans, including realistic health care coverage, and targeted tax relief to businesses to create new jobs, improve investment and get the economy moving again.
Instead, the Bush administration and House Republicans pressed for a holiday present for corporations, a fat tax break and givebacks disguised as a stimulus package. Sen. Daschle said no to this scheme, and he, along with other supporters in Congress, are right on the mark.
Relief for working families has never been a priority of this administration or the Republican-controlled House. When the airline industry was bailed out to the tune of $15 billion, jobless workers were ignored, with vague promises that their concerns would be taken up later.
But later never came. Instead, House Republicans, supported by the Bush White House, drafted an economic plan built on the old GOP wish list: a capital gains tax cut, elimination of the corporate alternative minimum tax that would provide billion-dollar-returns to some of our most profitable companies; and another round of individual tax rate cuts, in addition to the $1.6 trillion package passed last spring.
When the dust cleared, all the compromises that House Republican leaders claimed to have made were revealed as empty rhetoric. The "compromise" bill still spends more than $211 billion in tax cuts – 63 percent going to corporations – over the next five years; it provides $16 billion in tax refunds to corporations; and includes another individual tax break for wealthy families. It provides just superficial relief to jobless workers and raises real concern about growing deficits and the financial integrity of programs such as Social Security.
At least 1.2 million Americans are now unemployed; some 700,000 lost their jobs in October and November alone. Members of CWA are among them, working in the telecommunications industry that has been hit by layoffs.
Some in Congress have speculated that perhaps it would have been better to pass an economic program that at least constituted "half a loaf." The trouble is, working people would have received only crumbs under the Bush Administration House Republican proposal. Senator Daschle did his job, and we're proud to continue to work with him on an agenda that benefits all Americans.