Billy Kennedy: Tax Cuts For The Middle Class/Virginia Foxx: Tax Cuts For The Wealthiest 3%

Earlier today we asked you to consider helping us get our Virginia Foxx ad on TV in northwestern North Carolina. Several people have asked me to contrast Foxx with the Democrat running for the seat she presently occupies, Billy Kennedy, one of the first candidates endorsed by Blue America this year. Rather than go over old ground or republishing one of the half dozen posts we've done on Billy and his campaign, we called him and asked him about how he differs from Foxx on the issue foremost in the minds of ordinary American families-- getting the economy back on its feet again. "Let me get this straight," he started... "if the Republicans have their way, they would take us back to the worst economic policies of the last century by keeping tax cuts for millionaires. I say we just can’t afford it. We have work to do." He sent me this video of his opponent spewing her lies on the floor of the House and asked me to share it today:

Virginia Foxx is great at talking about lowering taxes and controlling government spending, but her rhetoric is just revisionist history. Here are a few of the facts:

• In June 2001, the first of the Republican tax cuts was signed. Three years later, there were 600,000 fewer jobs in our economy.

• The tax cuts at the high end have not produced any jobs. In fact, in Virginia Foxx’s own district, unemployment in Western NC’s 5th district has gone from 5.1% the year Virginia Foxx was elected to 11.2% in 2010. Of the past 12 presidents, the top six in terms of job creation were all Democrats.

• It’s no coincidence that 84 percent of the debt incurred since 1980 has been under Republican Presidents. Republican presidents haven’t balanced a budget in the past 34 years.  

• Congressional Republicans’ plan to permanently extend the millionaires’ tax cuts would add $4 trillion dollars to the deficit over the next ten years, doubling the deficit, and irresponsibly leaving the bill for our grandchildren to pay.

If the tax cuts for millionaires are left to expire, as few as 1-3% of small businesses would be subject to higher taxes, including Rep. Foxx, the wealthiest member of the NC delegation in Congress.  But under her plan the rest of us are left holding the bill. Americans must make tough choices, she’ll say, but the sacrifices won’t be made by her or her wealthy pals.

If Congress keeps coddling the nation's wealthiest few, this will mean an astronomical $830 billion give-away to these millionaires!  We must put an end to the increasing government debt - which has been growing steadily since the 1980’s."

What you don’t get with Virginia Foxx is the complete truth. She will tell you what you want to hear-- even at the expense of the working people she supposedly represents.

There are several ways you can help Billy beat Foxx today. One would be to hit the thermometer and donate to the Blue America ad campaign our PAC is running against Foxx as of today. The other would be to donate directly to Billy's campaign here.