Ron Wyden: “America can do better than making a policeman walking the beat pay a higher Federal tax rate than someone who makes…”

“America can do better than making a policeman walking the beat pay a higher Federal tax rate than someone who makes their money on capital gains and dividends. Unfortunately, the Advisory Panel on Federal Tax Reform today sent to the President a recommendation that will widen the gap between our middle class workers and the fortunate few. I am a Democrat who believes in markets, I believe in wealth creation, I believe in entrepreneurship, but I also believe in what Henry Ford said. He, of course, was the great industrialist. He made it clear that he wanted to make money and he wanted to do well but he said: For me to make money, my workers have to have enough money to be able to buy my cars. What concerns me tonight is that the middle class, the folks who are hurting, have gotten short shrift once again from the special advisory panel on tax reform. These are the folks, the middle class folks, who are walking an economic tightrope, balancing their medical bills against their energy bills, trying to set aside money to save for retirement and health. They are the ones who deserve a break. I heard mention tonight that Democrats, Senators on my side of the aisle, were not interested in cutting taxes.…”