Louise Slaughter: “let me first say something about the rising standard of living in America. We have lost over a million manufacturing…”

“let me first say something about the rising standard of living in America. We have lost over a million manufacturing jobs that were paying good wages with good futures, and many people employed in those jobs, lucky enough to find a second job, found on average they are making $9,000 less a year, plus little or no benefits. There is no way in the world that can ever translate out to other than a falling of the standard of living in America. Sure, it is better for the guy who retired from Exxon with $400 million, but we are not in that class in Rochester. Mr. Speaker, leadership is about choices. When this Republican leadership allows a bill to be debated on this House floor, they are in effect telling the American people that this is the most important challenge we face in America today. Why? Because they have chosen this over everything else. I can tell you with certainty that if Democrats controlled the agenda in the House we would make different choices. Instead of passing yet another tax cut bill that benefits millionaires, billionaires and giant corporations, Democrats would be voting to raise the minimum wage. We would be leading the way to fix our broken health care system, or creating a comprehensive, consumer friendly energy policy. Today, Democrats would be passing legislation that would ensure a degree of accountability, transparency, integrity and competence in this government, all of which have been missing far too long.…”