Release: Sanders on Obama Budget Speech

[ProSense]

Release: Sanders on Obama Budget Speech

WASHINGTON, April 13 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement today on President Barack Obama’s speech on the budget deficit:

“The very serious deficit crisis that we are in today is the result of the severe recession caused by Wall Street greed, two unpaid-for wars, huge tax breaks for the rich, the bailout of giant banks, and an unfunded Medicare Part D prescription drug program written by the insurance and drug companies.

“Meanwhile, while the wealthiest people in this country and the largest corporations are doing extremely well, the Republicans want more giant tax breaks for the very rich as they move to balance the budget on the backs of the sick, the elderly, the children and by cutting environmental protection and infrastructure. This is morally unacceptable and very bad economics.

“President Obama is right in suggesting that any serious effort toward deficit reduction should require shared sacrifice and that the pain should not simply be felt by working families and the most vulnerable people in our society.

“During the coming weeks I will be working with members of the Senate and the House on a deficit reduction proposal which cuts spending in those areas of government which are wasteful and unnecessary, while at the same time asking the wealthiest people in this country and the most profitable corporations to start paying their fair share of taxes. I am especially interested in ending those loopholes which allow corporations and the wealthy to shelter income in tax havens overseas, costing the U.S. Treasury an estimated $100 billion a year in revenue.”

[polichick]

1. This line is great:

"I am especially interested in ending those loopholes which allow corporations and the wealthy to shelter income in tax havens overseas, costing the U.S. Treasury an estimated $100 billion a year in revenue."

[vaberella]

2. Yeah Obama has been pushing this for years.

Congress hasn't made a damned move on it.

[polichick]

3. Too many corporate whores on both sides - but maybe it'll finally happen.

[flpoljunkie]

6. I'll second that! R's are pushing to bring the money back and tax it at an absurd 5%.

[Tarheel_Dem]

4. I love Bernie's passion, but at the end of the day, you have to be able...

to actually get legislation enacted. Otherwise, the same criticism the president receives, really applies to Bernie as well. Bernie gives a lot of red-meat, fire-in-the-belly speeches, but how much actual legislation has Bernie been able to shepherd through the Senate, and get it to the president's desk? Just asking, because I know Bernie is a DU hero, but is it based on his ability to get things through the Congress, or his ability to say the right things?

[polichick]

5. Bernie is making the crucial point on msnbc right now...

That words are one thing and FIGHT is another - one thing we know for sure, Bernie is willing to fight for what's right.

[Shiver]

7. Kucinich is the same.

DU love shim, but most of what he has is all talk. Where are the people saying 'talk is cheap' and 'actions speak louder than words' when it comes to Dennis?

I love both Bernie and Dennis - Bernie much more than Dennis - but I don't see much from Kucinich besides talk. I'm not familiar enough with Bernie's record when it comes to legislation, but he has that fire and uses it more effectively than Dennis does.

[Tarheel_Dem]

10. Ditto to everything you just said. DK is perhaps the most useless member of

the Democratic caucus, but he's good for appearances on Fox where reality goes to die. :thumbsup:

[eilen]

11. Dennis actually brings it.

He introduces legislation. It's up to You to pressure your representatives to support it and vote for it.

[Scuba]

12. Bingo!!!

[Tarheel_Dem]

13. Not if I don't agree with it. I actually think he's a nut who craves attention

much like Michelle Bachmann.

[MercuryRepeater]

8. looks like Bernie's not primarying anybody

[MNBrewer]

9. I was encouraged by what I heard.

Stick to it, Mr. President, please.

[brentspeak]

14. Not exactly a ringing endorsement of either Obama or his vague speech n/t

[olegramps]

15. Maybe, just maybe Democrats will start being Democrats.

Those who are in the pay of corporations should be exposed for the frauds that they are. This applies to both parties. I can only hope the American citizens wakeup before it is too late to save the nation. It is absolutely necessary to impose significantly higher taxes on the wealthy, close loop holes for the rich and corporations, farm subsidies that were designed to help family farmers that now go to corporations, etc.,etc. ad infinitum.