A message from Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin
1 recipientsCC: recipientsYou MoreShow Details FROM: Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin TO:petew4@yahoo.com Message flagged Tuesday, May 31, 2011 11:51 AM



May 31, 2011





Mr. XXXXX
XXXXXX
Portage, Wisconsin 53901



Dear Mr. XXXX:



Thank you for contacting me about the Fiscal Year 2012 budget. It is good to hear from you and I apologize for the delay in my response.



Over the years, tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, spending on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and fallout from the financial crisis have created an unprecedented level of national debt. There is broad consensus that Congress must act now to put in place a budget plan to reduce the deficit and begin to cut our debt in a steady, responsible, and predictable manner. The question before us is not whether to reduce the deficit; it's how to reduce the deficit.



In times of crisis, our proud Wisconsin tradition has been to bring people together and to share responsibility. On April 15, 2011, the Republican majority in the House of Representatives passed a budget plan over my strong opposition that does not reflect our values as a nation. The budget proposal would end the Medicare guarantee for seniors; give tens of billions of dollars in tax subsidies to big oil; protect tax breaks for corporations shipping jobs overseas; slash health support for seniors in nursing homes; cut education for children and raise college costs for nearly 10 million students; and make tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans permanent, adding $1 trillion to the deficit. The proposal directly targets our nation's most vulnerable citizens, while it protects the wealthy and the powerful. This budget does not reflect who we are as Americans and it does not reflect the values that Wisconsin families hold.



According to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, under the Republican budget plan, most elderly Americans would pay more for medical care and receive fewer benefits than they currently do under Medicare. The budget would force seniors to immediately begin paying higher costs for their medications by re-opening the Medicare Part D prescription drug donut hole. And by 2022, seniors would pay over $6,000 more in out-of-pocket medical costs than they would under traditional Medicare. The plan also would increase the Medicare eligibility age from 65 to 67.



The Republican budget also fails to make the strategic investments needed to establish a strong foundation for long-term economic growth. This short-sighted slash and burn approach to infrastructure projects, early childhood education and research programs weakens our ability to compete in the global marketplace.



I believe that deficit reduction is a top priority, but we have to be smart about it. The most effective way to reduce the deficit is to grow the economy and get Americans back to work. Ironically, Republicans have named this budget proposal, "The Path to Prosperity." If you are a millionaire or a big oil company, this is certainly true. But if you are a senior living on a fixed income or a student struggling for ways to pay for college, this is a path to ruin. Students and seniors did not get the country into this fiscal mess, and Congress should not drive them into poverty to get us out.



There is a choice before us. The choice is between responsible cuts, and extreme cuts that endanger our fragile recovery and scapegoat our seniors. I know which one I will fight for. Rest assured that I will oppose any effort to end the guarantee of Medicare and will continue to seek prudent and responsible ways to reduce the federal deficit, put Wisconsinites back to work and lay the foundation for sustained economic growth.



Again, thank you for sharing your views. Your opinion matters to me. If I can be of service to you in any other way, please do not hesitate to let me know. As a security precaution, all mail sent to Congress is first irradiated. This process causes significant delays. To ensure the fastest response, I encourage all constituents who have access to the internet to contact me through my website at http://tammybaldwin.house.gov.


Sincerely,

Tammy Baldwin
Member of Congress

P.S. I regularly send out email updates on federal issues and opportunities. These reports also include regular surveys through which you can express your opinion. If you would like to receive these email updates, you may sign up by visiting my website at: http://baldwin.congressnewsletter.net/ma....

Reply to Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin
Reply to Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin Send

The republicans will get smashed the next election as more of this scare tactic propaganda and fuzzy math is used against them.

would not hit it.

and damn that is one dumb bitch