Subeck and Taylor Unveil Middle Class Tax Cut Legislation

MADISON – Rep. Lisa Subeck (D-Madison) and Rep. Chris Taylor (D-Madison) joined several of their Democratic colleagues today in introducing progressive tax reform legislation that provides substantial, targeted tax relief to middle class families and ensures that millionaires and big corporations pay their fair share. 

The proposed tax cut is specifically targeted to individuals making less than $60,000/year and families making less than $100,000/year.  For example, a family of four making $45,000/year would receive an additional $607 for tax year 2017.  Taylor and Subeck pay for these middle class tax cuts by repealing the largest corporate tax giveaway in Wisconsin history – of which 88 percent goes to Wisconsinites making more than $500,000/year – and instituting a Millionaire’s Tax by creating a fifth tax bracket for Wisconsin’s most wealthy.

“Governor Walker and legislative Republicans have given handout after handout to the rich and powerful,” Taylor remarked.  “To the hard-working families of Wisconsin – we hear you and know you need more money in your pocket.  We are committed to doing everything we can to give you a needed raise and to build an economy that works for you, not just those at the top.”

In Wisconsin, the rich are getting richer while middle income people are having to work harder just to survive.  Over the last three decades, the average incomes for Wisconsin’s top 1 percent has increased by 120 percent, yet the incomes of the remaining 99 percent grew by just 4 percent (Pulling Apart 2016, by the Wisconsin Budget Project and COWS).  Meanwhile, Wisconsin Republicans have created a rigged economic system that leaves low and middle income families behind.  Not only are middle income people paying the largest percentage of their income of any group in state and local taxes (Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy), the number of Wisconsin middle income families is declining (Pew Charitable Trust).

“It is time that legislative Republicans start putting the people they represent first, ahead of big corporations and their wealthy donors. The Republican agenda sacrifices the future of our children by cutting our public schools and UW System, simply to pay for tax breaks for the rich,” said Subeck.  “I traveled around the state talking to middle class working people, and it is abundantly clear they have been harmed by these policies and want an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top.” 

To view a video on our progressive tax reform bill: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBOWnShLrHc

ALEC's Achilles Heel: Unions Help The Middle Class

Last night, I explained that unions were the answer to the hostile corporate takeover that is happening to our state and to our country.

And right on cue, Think Progress confirms this:

The middle class brings home a substantially larger share of aggregate earnings in states that have high rates of union membership than in those where fewer workers are organized, a Center for American Progress Action Fund (CAPAF) analysis of Census data shows. Amid very high and still increasing income inequality, union density appears to offer some buffer for middle-class Americans.

By comparing the share of total income that went to the middle 60 percent of the population in each state to the level of union membership in each state, CAPAF’s David Madland and Keith Miller found that the states with the lowest rates of union membership return below-average shares of income to their middle-class residents. The income figures come from new Census data, and the union density figures come from UnionStats.com. In the ten most-unionized states, the middle class brought home 47.4 percent of total income. In the ten least-unionized states, that income share falls to 46.8 percent.

Given the size of the state income figures at play here, that 0.6 percentage point gap translates to billions of dollars. Madland and Miller note that in Pennsylvania, 0.6 percent of aggregate income for 2012 “would have equaled over $2 billion, or almost $700 per middle-class household.”

The finding shouldn’t surprise anyone. The rise of inequality over the past three decades tracks closely with the decline of union membership. Stronger unions mean stronger advocacy for policies that support workers, not just on the job but with regard to fiscal policy decisions that help set the path for what level of income inequality there will be.

The Political Carnival has more:

As TP points out, and as we have in many posts, as unions get stronger, they increase their ability to stand up for workers. When that happens, not only does it improve work place conditions, but in the long run, income inequality is reduced.

And since the very rich make way more than the rest of us, leveling the playing field benefits the entire country, the health and welfare of more Americans, and the economy.

Unless you like to work in unsafe conditions, get paid poverty level wages, get harassed by management just because they're having a bad day and getting passed up for raises and bonuses because you're not married to the boss' child, there isn't really a valid excuse not to want to be in a union.

Compare/Contrast - Presidential Plans!

Exhibit A is the Mitt Rmoney/Paul rAYN plan:

Get full details of the Mitt and Paul plans to turn around the economy right here! 

Why Thank you for asking. Let us contrast that too President Obama's plane for the middle class!  President Obama's plan is right here:

Look at President Obama's plans in full detail right here!!

There really is no comparison!   

Wisconsin is going FORWARD With President Obama

I had the ultimate honor in being able to join with thousands of others in welcoming President Obama to Milwaukee on Saturday afternoon. I went with my mom, my dad and my younger brother. We heard from Senator Herb Kohl, Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin and Mayor Tom Barrett, and we were even graced by the attendance of some Packers - Jermichael Finley and Desmond Bishop (I knew it was smart to wear my Packer hoodie!) as well. The weather was great and the rain held out almost until President Obama was done speaking. In fact, this rainbow appeared a few minutes before he took the stage:

I know some media outlets (looking at you TMJ4) want to downplay the numbers in attendance, but I can tell you that when we arrived only a half hour after the doors opened, the line went from the end of the Summerfest grounds, all the way past the art museum. The line grew larger by the minute. People arrived in droves. And they were still arriving hours after we had gotten there. The energy of the crowd was contagious. People came out from all walks of life. All of America was represented. It was amazing.

The President's speech was brilliant. He spoke with us about the necessity of a strong, thriving middle class. He compared his plans to the plans of Mitt Romney, and the differences are incredibly vast. President Obama has been fighting non-stop for the past 4 years, through Republican obstructionism and corporate cash, to set our nation on the right track. He supports the middle class, students, women, small business owners, veterans, the LGBT community, immigrants and DREAMer's, and social security and medicare. A Romney future would be bleak, scary and financially devastating. It would be an all-out oligarchy. Corporations would be writing policy. The middle class would vanish. Schools would crumble. Rights would no longer exist for those who aren't rich. It's very scary.

On our economy, President Obama reminded us that our it grows from the bottom up, not from the top down. Trickle down economics does not work and it's what caused our economy to tank in the first place. He spoke on how cutting taxes for the middle class and small businesses is a MUST and that he would not allow the wealthy and corporations to continue to escape paying their fair share. We are Americans. We all do out part to build our nation stronger. Mitt Romney will bloat a trickle down idea that will cause another financial crash like we saw in 2008.

President Obama reaffirmed his support for women's rights and equality. He supports a women's choice rights, and our rights to fight back against discrimination in the work place. He will continue to support funding for Planned Parenthood, free screenings for breast cancer and the RIGHT of women to obtain birth control. He also discussed his support of the LGBT community in their fight for marriage equality and their rights to fight back against the discrimination they face in school and the workplace. He took Don't Ask, Don't Tell off the books. Mitt Romney would reinstate this discriminatory policy that is destructive to our soldier's livelihood.

Veterans are one of President Obama's most important focuses. He genuinely cares for them. He cares about their futures and their recovery. He talked about how important it is that we rally for veterans and their cause. We can not, and will not leave them behind. He knows that supporting our troops is more than slapping a bumper sticker on your car, and doesn't end when they come home. He's implemented programs that helps them get the physical and mental help they need, as well as finding jobs, education and homes when they return. Remember, Mitt Romney said that he didn't include our military in his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention because he didn't believe it was an issue that was important enough for him to mention. Do we really want someone like that in charge of our national security?

Education and students were also a hot topic for the President. He discussed with us about the need to continue fight for quality and AFFORDABLE education in our country. He stressed the necessity for students to graduate in the fields of math and science so we can compete in a global economy. He wants to ensure that communities have schools that are teaching at a full capacity. He wants to make sure that our tech schools are strong so that Americans looking for work can obtain the skills they need to find good paying jobs. On our environment and energy, President Obama talked about his support for green jobs and clean sources of energy. Wind and solar are necessary to our nation to keep it clean and going for future generations. He stressed the need to end subsidies for oil companies. I couldn't agree on that one more.

I knew I was voting for President Obama again a long time ago, but I know now more than ever that he is the right person for the task. His is proven his leadership. He has our back, and we have his. He will fight endlessly for us to obtain everything that is needed to fulfill the American dream. Education, a clean environment, our economy, our housing, our country, our world, they are safe with President Obama. I know that the Republicans are getting scared about Wisconsin. President Obama is leading Mitt Romney and they are getting worried. I've seen a ramp up of negative ads from Romney, the GOP and his superPACs. They range from Obama being weak on China to lies about the Affordable Care Act. But from what I saw yesterday, Wisconsinites aren't letting themselves be fooled by corporate money. We are standing firm for our President and he has our support. We're fired up and ready to go. We are moving forward with President Obama and Vice President Biden!

Oh, and there were Romney supporters there protesting...all 5 of them.

Mitt Doesn't Get It!

When Mitt rMoney was asked to define middle income he gave the answer you would expect. 

But how does he define "middle-income"? The Republican presidential nominee defined it as income of $200,000 to $250,000 a year.

The problem with that is he is incredibly wrong.  Most Americans do not see $200,000 in 5 years time.  According to the Census Bureau, middle income is just over $50,000/yr.

Mitt should know that number, its about the cost that Mitt had to pay to put a car elevator in one of his many homes, 

Speaking of Mitt's homes here is one of them, of course he thinks $250,000/ yr is poor! 

45 Years of Coincidence

'Nuff said.