Political Quotes

“Mr. President, over the last week or so I have outlined, here and in a letter to the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, a seven-part plan to reduce the deficit in ways that do not overburden American working families or damage economic growth. In my letter and in three previous speeches on the Senate floor, I have pointed out that revenues, and not just spending cuts, are necessary if we are to achieve significant deficit reduction. And I have discussed four proposals for restoring revenues: combating offshore tax havens; ending the corporate stock option loophole; and ending loopholes for hedge fund managers and derivatives traders. Today I want to discuss three additional changes to our tax system that will make it more efficient and more equitable. We should make two tax rate changes: ending the unsustainable Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, and restoring capital gains tax rates to something approaching the rates in place under President Reagan. Also, we should replace the IRS's antiquated tax lien system. These proposals, combined with the other points of my plan, could reduce the deficit on the order of $1 trillion over the next 10 years. Now, some of my colleagues may balk at the notion of reversing years of tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans. But I believe if we take off our ideological blinders, if we look at facts--hard, stubborn facts--the need for these reforms is clear.…”