2014 Democrats run on this!

[neverforget]

This budget from the House Progressive Caucus is positive and gives something to motivate our base to show up at the polls in November. That's what we need, right? More of our people voting than the other side? It starkly contrasts what the Republicans are running on, Austerity for all but the wealthy, and could put the Republicans on the defensive. Make the Republicans defend their wealthy policies while Democrats have a plan to help people who need it.

It's not perfect, but it's better than what we have now which is???? I'd add immigration to the mix too as a prominent feature. Anybody have anything else they'd add to this budget?

The Back to Work Budget from the Progressive Caucus in the House.

We’re in a jobs crisis that isn’t going away. Millions of hard-working American families are falling behind, and the richest 1 percent is taking home a bigger chunk of our nation’s gains every year. Americans face a choice: we can either cut Medicare benefits to pay for more tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires, or we can close these tax loopholes to invest in jobs. We choose investment. The Back to Work Budget invests in America’s future because the best way to reduce our long-term deficit is to put America back to work. In the first year alone, we create nearly 7 million American jobs and increase GDP by 5.7%. We reduce unemployment to near 5% in three years with a jobs plan that includes repairing our nation’s roads and bridges, and putting the teachers, cops and firefighters who have borne the brunt of our economic downturn back to work. We reduce the deficit by $4.4 trillion by closing tax loopholes and asking the wealthy to pay a fair share. We repeal the arbitrary sequester and the Budget Control Act that are damaging the economy, and strengthen Medicare and Medicaid, which provide high quality, low-cost medical coverage to millions of Americans when they need it most. This is what the country voted for in November. It’s time we side with America’s middle class and invest in their future.


Job Creation

• Infrastructure – substantially increases infrastructure investment to the level the American Society of Civil Engineers says is necessary to close our infrastructure needs gap

• Education – funds school modernizations and rehiring laid-off teachers

• Aid to States – closes the recession-caused gap in state budgets for two years, allowing the rehiring of cops, firefighters, and other public employees

• Making Work Pay – boosts consumer demand by reinstating an expanded tax credit for three years

• Emergency Unemployment Compensation – allows beneficiaries to claim up to 99 weeks of unemployment benefits in high-unemployment states for two years

• Public Works Job Programs and Aid to Distressed Communities – includes job programs such as a Park Improvement Corps, Student Jobs Corps, and Child Care Corps

Fair Individual Tax

• Immediately allows Bush tax cuts to expire for families earning over $250K

• Higher tax rates for millionaires and billionaires (from 45% to 49%)

• Taxes income from investments the same as income from wages

Fair Corporate Tax

• Ends corporate tax bias toward moving jobs and profits overseas

• Enacts a financial transactions tax

• Reduces deductions for corporate jets, meals, and entertainment

Defense

• Returns Pentagon spending to 2006 levels, focusing on modern security needs

Health Care

• No benefit cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, or Social Security

• Reduces health care costs by adopting a public option, negotiating drug prices, and reducing fraud

Environment

• Prices carbon pollution with a rebate to hold low income households harmless

• Eliminates corporate tax subsidies for oil, gas, and coal companies GETTING AMERICANS BACK TO WORK

[Thinkingabout]

1. This is a great platform. Push a jobs bill and make Republicans vote against the bills

Boehner keeps talking about jobs and nothing comes from his party, Democrats know how to create jobs, don't be scared, scare the crap out of Republicans, make them put up or shut up.

On voting, it is going to take all Demi rats voting to get this country back on the right track, encourage every Democratic leaning voter to register and vote. If you live in a state where they have passed voter id, help them get their id. Every vote does count. I worked in a precinct and have noticed a large percentage of black women voting, they are tired of the crappy GOP laws enacted, it is time to stand and fight. The HOP is running around and crying voter fraud but no facts to back up their whining. This lady who is behind "True the Vote" is asking for donations and is putting out information of thousands of voter fraud in every state. She is the fraud, we have to prove her and the GOP we can show ID's and still beat the GOP candidates. It is GOTV plain and simple !!!

[neverforget]

2. Democrats need to be aggressive. If not, we're in for a repeat of 2010.

Ugh.

[Scuba]

3. This is a terrific platform. It the People ever hear about it they'll demand it.

[neverforget]

4. If the Democrats talk about it, will the media report it?

[Scuba]

5. Sure, on page 74 of the Used Cars 4 Sale section. MSNBC will mention it twice.

[Thinkingabout]

6. Or in the section which gets wetcor torn when they throw it.

It is time to move Chris Christie out of the headlines and put something intelligent like this in his place. Free advertising for DNC. Perhaps Big Ed, Chris and Rachel could do wonders.

[spedtr90]

7. That is their 2013 budget. 2014's was just released Wednesday.

Their budgets tend to be ignored by the "liberal media".

The Better Off Budget
summary at http://thinkprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Better-Off-Budget-Executive-Summary-FINAL.pdf

The CPC rightfully challenges the destructive austerity policies of the last years, calling for repeal of the sequester and the wrong-headed Budget Control Act. But it responds to the alarms of the deficit hawks. Wall Street will howl at the tax proposals, but bankers should be pleased at the emphasis on deficits.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-l-borosage/common-sense-takes-courag_b_4948854.html