Someone needs to remind Republican Speaker of the House John Boehner and his Party that they lost the election in November. On Monday, House Republicans presented their proposal to avoid the so-called fiscal cliff and – as you’d expect – it’s a giant kick in the gut to working Americans. The Republican proposal extends the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest 2% of Americans and reverses the automatic defense cuts, which could cut into the profits of war profiteers in Virginia.
But Republicans argue their plan still achieves trillions in savings over the next ten years by closing unspecified tax loopholes and by slashing spending on insurance programs like Social Security and Medicare as well as public healthcare programs and other social welfare programs for working people. The Republican proposal also raises the eligibility age for Medicare two years from 65 to 67, which poll after poll has shown a large majority of Americans opposing. Altogether, not a single dime is asked of the wealthy in America, while seniors, the sick, the poor, and the young are asked to make sacrifices.
The White House has already rejected the Republican proposal saying it, “does not meet the test of balance.” This issue should have been settled after the election, but Republicans still won’t budge and the American people know it. That’s why a new Washington Post poll shows that by a margin of 53% to 27%, the nation will blame Republicans more than President Obama if Congress takes us over the cliff.
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