Frank Lautenberg: “we are here now deciding what kind of a country America might be in the future--whether it will be a place we can look…”

“we are here now deciding what kind of a country America might be in the future--whether it will be a place we can look back at and remember when everybody had a chance at success. It is hard to believe that when we look at the vote we just had. It confirmed where the Republicans are on the issue of whether middle- class families should get a tax break. The Republican answer, was no. The answer they gave on the middle-class families tax break was: Absolutely no. No, no, no. To the struggling single parent who wants to provide for their family, works hard every day, the Republicans said no way. To the recent college graduate trying to start a career but having trouble paying back college loans, paying rent, paying living costs, the Republicans said no. To the working couple, a family with a couple of kids who needs some help in this tough economy, the Republicans said no. No, no, no. The Republicans refuse to help them because their mission is to shield the wealthy from paying their fair share of our country's obligations. Across our country, Americans are watching Republicans in this Congress and wondering what they are going to do to supply encouragement and hope for people who need it.…”