Senator John Sununu Held to Account as Recession Looms
http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Mike Brunelle, 603-289-5395
DATE: January 22nd, 2008
As Thousands of New Hampshire Families Brace for an Economic Recession, NH State Reps, Struggling Manchester Workers Spotlight Sen. John Sununu's Record of Rubberstamping President's Disastrous Economic Policies
From Tax Cuts for the Rich to Opposing Boosts to Minimum Wage and Heating Assistance to Cutting Blank Checks for Endless War in Iraq - Sen. John Sununu Put Loyalty to Bush Ahead of Struggling NH Families Every Step of the Way
Manchester, NH - In the face of grim forecasts from several leading economists including former Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan of a full blown U.S. economic recession in 2008, New Hampshire State Representatives and struggling Manchester residents gathered today to give credit where credit is due by highlighting U.S. Senator John Sununu's record of enabling the President's disastrous economic policies - polices that led the country down a path of rising unemployment, a mortgage crisis, record high heating oil prices, the largest increase in inflation in 17 years, gas prices hovering around $3 a gallon, a weak dollar, the $167 billion budget deficit, and a $9.2 trillion national debt. Manchester Reps. Mike Brunelle, Mike Reuschel and Pat Long were joined by Glinda Allen of the Minority Health Coalition, as well as Pauline Hawoth (part-time employee of the Manchester School district; lunch services) and Mark Choate, an unemployed engineer who was laid off in June 2007 and lost his home in September - putting a face on the ordinary New Hampshire folks hit hardest by the upside-down Bush-Sununu economic policies. *See below for Senator Sununu's voting record putting loyalty to Bush ahead of NH's working families.
"Senator Sununu's record in Congress is one of an anti-Robin Hood: someone who votes to give huge tax breaks to the people that need them least, while at the same time voting against any meaningful efforts in Congress that would help struggling low and middle class workers a chance to get ahead," said Rep. Mike Brunelle of Manchester. "Whether it was opposing the first boost to minimum wage in a decade, or providing home heating assistance, or legislation to fix the broken system for forming unions so that more Americans can bargain for better pay, better benefits and retirement security -- Senator Sununu has stood with President Bush over struggling middle class families at every turn. And the Senator must now be held to account for enabling this President's disastrous economic policies that led our nation down a path towards the economic instability it finds itself in today."
"For far too long, Senator John E Sununu has continued to support the failed economic policies of George W Bush. This has directly impacted New Hampshire in a negative way--and we must hold him accountable," said Rep. Pat Long.
"Be it voting against the minimum wage increase, home heating assistance, or giving the president a blank check for the failed War in Iraq, Senator Sununu has proved he is willing to put politics before people," Rep. Mike Reuschel. "This kind of destructive support of destructive public policy is the reason why so many people have lost faith their government."
"I am here today because we need to hold Senator John Sununu accountable for continuing to vote against the working families of New Hampshire," said Glinda Allen of the Minority Health Coalition. "In my role at the Minority Health Coalition, I have seen first hand the injustice of President Bush's economic policies. Everyday, I work with disadvantaged members of our community-many of whom are struggling to make ends meat because health care and energy costs are too high, and wages are too low. One man has continually stood in the way of making progress for the working families of New Hampshire: Senator John Sununu.
"All boats should rise with the tide, not just the yachts, Senator Sununu," added Brunelle. "Sununu has embraced Bush's failed trickle-down, "voodoo" economic policies that gives huge tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans and peanuts for the middle class Americans who really need relief. The former employers at the paper mill that just closed in Berlin, New Hampshire are still waiting for that "trickle-down" effect to make its way down to them."
Brunelle added: "Just one example of Sununu's misguided priorities: In May 2006 - despite a $10 billion a month war raging on in Iraq -- Sununu voted for Bush's $70 billion tax break package that was estimated to only save middle income Americans $20 each while the top tenth of 1 percent (whose average income is $5.3 million) would save $82,415. The reason we're in serious economic turmoil today is thanks in no small part to the nearly one trillion dollars Bush put on the Americans credit card to police an endless civil war in Iraq. Sununu wants to continue spending 10 billion a month we don't have in Iraq, which has already had dramatic short term economic consequences and will have even worse long term consequences for our grandchildren who will end up footing the bill."
"In the face of a major economic downturn, it's time for Senator Sununu to get his priorities straight - to abandon this President's upside priorities and stand up for the thousands of struggling Manchester families who will be hit hardest this year," added Brunelle.
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SENATOR RUBBERSTAMP
The Sununu Record of Enabling Disastrous Bush Economic Policies That Have Led to the Major Economic Downturn - a Record of Helping the Rich get Richer and a Record of Standing in the Way of a Level Playing Field for America's Struggling Middle Class Working Families.
Sununu Opposed First Boost to Minimum Wage in a Decade
Sununu Voted Against Raising The Minimum Wage To $7.25. Sununu voted against an amendment to increase the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 over 26 months. The amendment would have provided minimum wage workers their first pay increase in over seven years. Since the last increase, the value of the minimum wage has dropped by over 20%. But the Senate has voted to increase its own pay seven times. [S. 256, Vote #26, 3/7/05]
Sununu Voted Against A Clean Minimum Wage Bill. Sununu voted against a bill that would increase the minimum wage to $7.25 per hour over two years. Motion rejected 54-43: R 5-43; D 47-0; I 2-0. [Senate Vote #23, HR 2, 1/24/07]
Sununu Voted To Raise His Own Salary. Senator Sununu voted to kill a Feingold amendment that would bar the cost of living adjustment for members of Congress in fiscal 2004. It would increase Congress's Pay by 2.2%. The amendment was killed 60-34. [Vote #406, 10/23/03]
Sununu Voted Against Home Heating Assistance
Sununu Voted Against Legislation That Would Provide Home Heating Assistance. Sununu voted against passage of the 2007 Supplemental which would have provided home heating assistance to needy families. [HR 1591, Vote #126, 3/29/07; Senator Reed Press Release, 3/22/07]
Sununu Voted Against A Conference Report That Would Provide Home Heating Relief. Sununu voted against the 2007 Supplemental conference report. The legislation would have provided home heating assistance for those in need. [HR1591, Vote # 147, 4/26/07]
Sununu Rubberstamped 2001 Bush Tax Cuts for the Rich
Sununu Voted For 2001 Bush Tax Cuts That Gave Most Benefits To The Rich. In 2001, Sununu voted for the final, $1.35 trillion tax cut package. Under the final agreement, the typical tax cut for the median income taxpayer would be $600 a year. For the 78 million taxpayers in the lowest 60 percent of the income scale, the tax cut would average $347 a year. In contrast, at the top of the income scale the average tax cut would be $53,000 annually--virtually identical to the $54,000 annual tax cut proposed by the President. As a result of the plan, after-tax income was estimated to rise about three times as much among the top one percent of families as among those in the middle class, and more than seven times faster among the top one percent of families than among the bottom 20 percent of families. [Vote 149, 5/26/01; Citizens for Tax Justice, 5/26/01; CBPP, 5/26/01]
Sununu Voted to Make the Bush Tax Cuts Permanent. In April 2002, Sununu voted to permanently extend the Bush tax cuts, many of which were set to expire in 2010. This included the income tax rate cut, marriage penalty relief and the estate tax repeal. The motion passed 229-198. [Vote 103, 4/18/02]
In 2002, Sununu Promised to Oppose Any Effort to Limit Bush Tax Cuts. According to the Nashua Telegraph, Sununu promised to oppose any efforts to postpone or limit Bush's ten-year tax cut plan. [Nashua Telegraph, 10/22/02]
...And the 2003 Bush Tax Cuts for the Rich
Sununu Cast Crucial Vote for Bush's Final 2003 Tax Cut Package. In May 2003, Sununu cast a crucial vote to approve the final version of President Bush's $330 billion tax cut plan, which passed 50-50 with Vice President Cheney breaking the tie. Democrats, who were largely shut out of negotiations over the bill, said the bill would put the government deeper into debt. The bill benefited taxpayers with income from investments, lowering taxes on capital gains and stock dividends to 15% Previously, investors paid as much as 38.6% tax on dividends and 20% on capital gains. The bill also accelerated the 2001 income tax cuts. [Pioneer Press, 5/24/03; Vote 196, 5/23/03; AP, 5/23/03]
Sununu Said All of Bush's Tax Cuts Should be Permanent. In May 2003, Sununu argued that all of the Bush tax cuts should have been permanent and accused Democrats that warned of record deficits of hypocrisy. Sununu said, "I happen to believe it should all be permanent. I think the idea of sun setting reforms--having them temporary--one, it messes up people's planning and investment, and it doesn't achieve the intended behavioral aspects..." [CNN, Capital Gang, 5/5/03]
Sununu Believed Bush's Tax Cuts Were Too Small. In March 2003, Sununu was asked about the size of the Bush tax cuts and if they should be cut down due to the expected supplemental funding request to pay for the Iraq war. Sununu said, "Is it a big package? Relatively speaking, not at all. It represents less than 2 1/2 percent of our nation's revenue collections over the next 10 years." [NPR, Market Place, 3/13/03]
Sununu Voted Against A Compromise To Halve New Tax Cuts to $350 Billion. In March 2003, Sununu voted against a compromise measure to cut new Bush tax cuts in half, to $350 billion. The amendment was at the center of a debate between purists - those against any tax cut at all - and those seeking to do something to trim the size of the tax cut while preserving its intent to help the economy. The purists argued that cutting taxes was irresponsible, especially because the White House had not let Congress know how much it would seek in emergency supplemental spending to pay for the war in Iraq, a cost expected to range between $65 billion and $100 billion. [Vote 76, 3/21/03; Newsday, 3/22/03]
...And the 2006 Bush Tax Cuts for the Rich
Sununu Voted Three Times for Bush's 2006 Tax Cuts That Cost $60-$70 Billion. In November 2005, Sununu voted for the initial Senate version of the 2006 tax cuts which then cost $60 billion. In February 2006, Sununu voted for the revised version of the tax reconciliation bill which by then included $70 billion in tax cuts. Finally, in May 2006, Sununu voted for final passage of the $70 billion package that extended the 15% rate on capital gains and dividends through 2010 and protected taxpayers from the AMT in 2006. It was estimated that the bill only saved middle income Americans $20 each while the top tenth of 1 percent (whose average income is $5.3 million) would save $82,415. [Vote 118, 5/11/06; Vote 10, 2/2/06; Vote 347, 11/18/05; National Journal's CongressDaily, 5/12/06; Democratic Policy Committee, 9/26/06 New York Times, 5/5/06; Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 5/11/06; The Hill, 9/28/06; CQ Today, 2/2/06;; Knight Ridder, 11/19/05]
Sununu Rejected $58 Billion Middle-Class Tax Cut Alternative. In November 2005, Sununu voted against a $58 billion tax cut package that would have extended expiring tax cuts, including the research and development credit and college tuition deduction, and granted alternative minimum tax relief to working families. "For those who say they care about fiscal responsibility, for those who say they are concerned about the explosion of deficits and debt, here is a chance to prove it," Senator Kent Conrad said of his tax plan. "Here is a chance to vote for this amendment that will extend the tax provisions that are expiring this year for next year's taxes, and to pay for it by closing abusive tax shelters." [Vote 330, 11/17/05; Conrad Press Release, 11/17/05]
Miscellaneous Irresponsible Tax Votes
Sununu Supported Trillion-Dollar Permanent Estate Tax Repeal. In June 2006, Sununu voted to permanently repeal the estate tax. According to the Joint Committee on Taxation, the repeal would cost $386.5 billion between 2007 and 2016. It would cost about $1 trillion over the first decade in which its costs would be fully felt (2012-2021). Without this bill, the estate tax was set to expire in 2010 after being gradually reduced since 2001; in 2011, though, it will go back to its original level. The estate tax affects less than 1% of families nationwide. Critics referred to the proposed repeal as the "Paris Hilton tax break." This was at least the fourth time that Sununu voted to make the estate tax repeal permanent. [Vote 164, 6/8/06; Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 6/9/06; USA Today, 6/9/06; New York Times, 6/9/06; Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 6/9/06; Vote 28, 2/13/03; Vote 401, 9/19/02; Vote 219, 6/6/02]
Sununu Voted To Raise Debt Limit At Least Six Times to Nearly $9 Trillion. When Bush and Sununu joined each other in Washington the debt limit was $5.95 trillion. Since 2001, Sununu has voted to raise the debt limit six times bringing the limit to $8.965 Trillion a 50 percent increase. [Vote 54, 3/16/06; Vote 76, 3/17/05; Vote 213, 11/17/04; Vote 57, 3/11/04; Vote 202, 5/23/03; Vote 279, 6/27/02; AP, 3/16/06; Chicago Tribune, 3/17/06]
Sununu Voted Six Times Against Restoring PAYGO Rules. In March 2006, Sununu voted against restoring pay-as-you-go rules that would require and 60-vote majority to enact new tax cuts or new spending on entitlements without showing how to pay for them. "For those who say they are fiscally responsible, here is your chance," said Sen. Kent Conrad, senior Democrat on the Budget Committee. "You are going to be able to prove with one vote whether you are serious about doing something about these runaway debts and runaway deficits or whether it is all talk." This was the sixth time since joining the Senate that Sununu voted against restoring PAYGO rules. [Vote 38, 3/14/06; Star Tribune, 3/16/06; New York Times, 3/15/06; Vote 53, 3/16/05; Vote 283, 11/3/05; Vote 340, 11/17/05; Vote 38, 3/10/04; Vote 200, 5/23/03]
Sununu Voted Make it Easier to Make Costly Tax Cuts Without Having to Find Ways to Pay for it. In March 2005, Sununu voted against an amendment struck language in the resolution that gave reconciliation protection to tax cuts. The amendment would have forced the Senate to pay for any new tax cuts either through spending cuts or other taxes or the new tax cut would have faced a sixty vote margin to pass. Supporters argued that it would have provided a way to make tax cuts while still being fiscally responsible. [Vote 59, 3/17/05; Congressional Record, 3/17/05]
Sununu Enabled Continued Trillion Dollar, Endless War in Iraq
Sununu voted against debate of a bill requiring redeployment of troops. Sununu voted against debate of an amendment that would require the withdrawal U.S. troops from Iraq except for limited missions by March 31, 2008. The Levin amendment would commence redeployment of U.S. troops from Iraq by October 1, 2007, and require full withdrawal within 180 days, but allow the president to waive the second requirement. [HR 1495, Vote #167, 5/16/07]
Sununu voted against the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Bill. Senator Sununu sided with Bush and voted against the emergency supplemental appropriations bill that provided funding for the troops in Iraq as well as a plan for withdrawal. Sununu voted nay. [H.R.1591, Vote # 126, 3/29/07, passed 51-47]
Sununu sided with Bush and voted against bringing the troops home from Iraq. Senator Sununu voted to strike language that would impose a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq. Sununu voted yea. [S.Amdt. 643 to H.R. 1591, Vote # 116, 3/27/07, failed 48-50]
Sununu voted against bringing our troops home. Senator Sununu voted against the passage of the joint resolution that would establish a more limited mission for U.S. forces in Iraq and set a non-binding goal of withdrawing most combat troops by March 2008. Sununu voted nay. [S.J.Res. 9, Vote # 75, 3/15/07, failed 48-50]
Sununu Blocked Debate on Bush's Escalation Plan in Senate, Used Filibuster. On February 5, 2007, Senator Sununu voted to block debate on a resolution opposing Bush's escalation of the Iraq war by sending over 21,000 additional troops there. The resolution which the Republicans blocked debate on was a bipartisan one authored mostly by Republican Senator John Warner. [Vote #44, 2/5/07; New York Times, 2/6/07]
Sununu voted against redeployment of American troops out of Iraq in 2006. Senator Sununu voted against the Levin-Reed Amendment, which urged the Administration to begin a phased redeployment of American troops out of Iraq in 2006. Sununu voted nay. [S. Amdt. 4320 to C.R. 6090-6091, Vote #182, 6/22/06, failed 39-60]
Sununu voted against redeploying troops out of Iraq. Senator Sununu voted against an amendment that would require the president to begin redeploying U.S. troops from Iraq this year and to complete the withdrawal by July 1, 2007, according to a schedule coordinated with the Iraqi government. It would stipulate that only the minimal number of forces needed to train Iraqi security forces, launch targeted counterterrorism attacks and protect the forces could remain in Iraq. [S 2766, S Amdt 4442, Vote #181, 6/22/06]
Sununu Voted Against Holding The President Accountable For A Plan To Bring Troops Safely Out of Iraq. Senator Sununu voted against an amendment which would have held the Bush Administration accountable by requiring it to submit a plan for Iraq estimated withdrawal dates for U.S. troops. Sununu voted nay. [S. Amdt. 2519 to S. 1042, Vote #322, 11/15/2005, failed 40-58]
Anti-Labor Votes
Sununu Voted Against Bill to Fix Broken System for Forming Unions. Sununu voted against allowing a vote on the Employee Free Choice Act - a bill that would help fix a broken system for forming unions and bargaining for better pay, improved benefits and retirement security. The bill would have amended the National Labor Relations Act to establish an efficient system to enable employees to form, join, or assist labor organizations, to provide for mandatory injunctions for unfair labor practices during organizing efforts, and for other purposes. Motion Rejected 51-48. [Senate Vote #227, HR 800, 6/26/07]
Sununu Voted Against An Amendment That Limited Exploitation. Sununu rejected an amendment that would have provided more resources to limit exploitation by employers and expand enforcement of labor protections for all workers. [S.AMDT.4106, Vote #141, 5/23/06]
Sununu Voted Against Increasing Unemployment Insurance. Sununu voted against increasing spending on unemployment insurance by $16.3 billion in 2003 and 2004 by reducing the Bush tax cuts. The amendment would have doubled the UI benefits to a 26 week period and it would have expanded the benefits to include part-time and low-wage workers. [SCR 23, Vote #85, 3/25/03]
Sununu Voted Against Requiring U.S. Companies To Invest Foreign Profits In United States. Sununu voted against S. Amendment 3117 to SB 1637, which would have "Republicans also defeated an amendment by Senator John Breaux, Democrat of Louisiana, that would have forced companies to actually invest in the United States any of the foreign profits they bring back into the country during the tax holiday. To encourage companies to reinvest that money in the United States, the Senate bill would give them one year to bring back those profits, which would be taxed at a rate of only 5 percent rather than the standard 35 percent corporate rate." [New York Times, Andrews, 5/6/04; Vote #81, 5/5/04]
Sununu's Labor Scorecard
Labor Group | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
Service Employees International Union | NA | NA | NA | 0% | 16% | 0% | 8% | 0% | 0% | 13% |
Teamsters | 0% | 0% | NA | 0% | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers | NA | NA | NA | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 20% | 12% |
International Brotherhood of Boilermakers | 17% | NA | 0% | NA | 0% | 25% | 0% | 0% | 33% | 20% |
AFL-CIO | 0% | NA | 0% | 10% | 0% | 13% | 0% | 0% | 17% | 13% |
American Federation of Government Employees | 21% | 7% | NA | 0% | 0% | 0% | 11% | 11% | 8% | NA |
United Auto Workers | 0% | 17% | 0% | 0% | 8% | 0% | 25% | 0% | 7% | 0% |
AFSCME | 13% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
International Association of Fire Fighters | NA | NA | 11% | 11% | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
[Project Vote Smart, accessed 1/17/08]
The Bush-Sununu Economy | WHEN BUSH STARTED | NOW |
College Tuition[i]
|
$11,380 |
$14,629 |
Gas prices[ii]
|
$1.37 |
$3.09 |
Unemployment Rates[iii]
|
4.2 % |
5 % |
Uninsured Americans |
39 Million |
47 million |
Home Heating Oil Prices[iv]
|
$1.40 |
$3.39 |
Crude Oil Prices Per Barrel[v]
|
$29.59 |
$94.77 |
Median Household Income
|
$49,163 |
$48, 023 |
Budget: Deficit/Surplus
|
$236 Billion Surplus |
$167 Billion Deficit |
National Debt
|
$5.7 Trillion |
$9.2 Trillion |
Consumer Credit Debt
|
$7.65 Trillion |
$12.8 Trillion |