Ed Markey: “last Friday President Bush said, ``I am deeply concerned about consumers. I am deeply concerned about high gas prices.…”

“last Friday President Bush said, ``I am deeply concerned about consumers. I am deeply concerned about high gas prices. To anybody who wants to figure out how to help consumers, pass the tax relief package as quickly as possible.'' Now it all becomes clear. First, President Bush comes out with a tax plan which gives 45 percent of the benefit to the wealthiest 1 percent of all American citizens, those with incomes of $373,000 or more. Next, the vast bulk of every other American, the average American, they only get a grand total of 16 percent of the total tax cut, but he says it should go directly back into the pockets of big oil and gas and electricity companies across the country to pay for people's energy bills. So no tax cut in people's pockets. You all remember Ronald Reagan's trickle-down economics which theorized if you cut taxes for the rich, the benefits would ultimately trickle down to the rest of us. President Bush has brought us a new vision, trickle-up energy economics. Under his politics, even the portion of the tax cut that goes to the less wealthy immediately trickles up to wealthy gas, oil, and electrical power companies. For the 138 million Americans, more than half the Nation who are in the bottom 60 percent income range and have incomes of less than $44,000, the Bush tax cut provides just $256.…”