Mike Levin: “this bill is a test whose side are you on: The 300 million Americans who will be alive in the year 2009 or the 7,500…”

“this bill is a test whose side are you on: The 300 million Americans who will be alive in the year 2009 or the 7,500 families whose estates would be taxed according to 2009 law and figures. That is a Joint Tax Committee statement. It is 300 million versus 7,500 families. This is not a compromise. This is a sellout, a sellout of 300 million people. It is at a time that you will not even bring up a minimum-wage bill. At a time when middle-income families are under pressure. I read from The Economist, not a very liberal magazine: In the late 1990s everybody shared in this boom, but after 2000 something changed. After you adjust for inflation, the wages of the typical American worker have risen less than 1 percent since 2000. In the previous 5 years, they rose over 6 percent. Yes, there is class warfare by you on 300 million Americans, not on the family farmer, the small business person. Under our approach, 99- plus of people with estates would not be taxed at all. Essentially, you are saying to 300 million, you pay the $800 billion the cost of this bill in the full 10 years. That is the accurate figure. This bill is irresponsible fiscally, and it is immoral in terms of values. Let us have a resounding ``no'' vote on this irresponsible legislation.”