Elise Stefanik will do a dress rehearsal this weekend for the role she’s seeking as a puppet for John Boehner and the far right wing. The far right wing and the special interests have chosen Stefanik to give the weekly Republican address on Saturday and tell the whole nation about her plans to rubberstamp their agenda that stacks the deck in their favor by shifting the burden onto hardworking middle class families. This comes just a week after Speaker Boehner traveled to the North Country to raise campaign cash for Stefanik and should be no surprise given that Stefanik has dedicated her whole career to crafting and peddling the far right’s reckless agenda.
Here are a few of John Boehner’s reckless agenda items we expect Stefanik to be selling:
- Put the interests of corporations and multi-millionaires ahead of the middle class.
- Shift the tax burden onto middle class families and seniors.
- End the Medicare guarantee for seniors.
- Cut Pell grants for college students.
- Slash funding for public education.
- Deny women equal pay for equal work.
- Allow women be charged more for health care.
“This weekend Elise Stefanik will literally audition for the part she’s seeking as a puppet for John Boehner and the far ring wing,” said Marc Brumer of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “The far right wing and the special interests have chosen Stefanik to tell the whole nation about her plans to rubberstamp their agenda that stacks the deck in their favor and ultra-wealthy by shifting the burden onto hardworking middle class families and seniors. This should be no surprise though given that Stefanik has dedicated her whole career to crafting and peddling the far right wing’s reckless agenda.”
BACKGROUND:
Stefanik to Give Republican Weekly Address. In October 2014, Speaker John Boehner announced that he had selected Elise Stefanik to give the weekly Republican address, just one week after coming to the North County to headline a fundraiser for her campaign. [Auburn Citizen, 10/2/14]
Republicans Budget Proposal Would “Reduce Taxes for the Wealthy.” “House Republicans will revive Rep. Paul Ryan’s lightning-rod proposals to slash the federal safety net, beef up military spending and reduce taxes for the wealthy in a budget unveiled Tuesday — an election-year calling card that Democrats are poised to use against the GOP.” [Los Angeles Times, 4/01/14]
Republican Budget Would Cut Corporate Tax Rate by 10 Percent. “That plan would collapse the current seven individual tax brackets into two and lower the top individual rate from 39.6 percent to 25 percent. The corporate rate would also be slashed to 25 percent, from its current 35 percent.” [The Hill, 4/01/14]
Republican Budget Would Protect $45 Billion in Subsidies for Big Oil. “His budget would also protect $45 billion in tax subsidies over 10 years to oil companies, the top five of which are already reaping $93 billion in profits from 2013 alone.” [Center for American Progress,4/01/14]
AARP: Republican Budget Would Remove the Medicare Guarantee. “Chairman Ryan’s proposed budget fails to address the high costs of health care and instead shifts costs onto seniors and future retirees. Repealing the benefits of the Affordable Care Act ignores the progress we’ve made to improve access to health care and protect against discrimination based on age, gender or medical history. Removing the Medicare guarantee of affordable health coverage for older Americans by implementing a premium support system and asking seniors and future retirees to pay more is not the right direction.” [AARP Press Release, 4/01/14]
Republican Budget “Would Cut Funding to Pell Grants” and Cap Grant Awards. It would cut funding to Pell Grants by imposing a maximum income eligibility cap, ending funding for less than half-time students and capping the maximum award to $5,730. [Time Magazine,4/01/14]
House Democrats: Republican Budget Would Cut $89 Billion from K-12 Education. In 2014, House Democrats on the budget committee reported that the Republican Budget would cut $89 billion from K-12 education through 2024, including $28 billion from the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and $35 billion from Title 1. [House Democrats on the Budget Committee, 4/07/14]
House Republicans Voted Repeatedly Against Considering the Paycheck Fairness Act. In 2013 and 2014, House Republicans voted 4 times against considering the Paycheck Fairness Act. [H Res 146, Vote #97, 4/11/13; H Res 198, Vote #132, 5/07/13; H Res 544, Vote #169, 4/08/14; H Res 494, Vote #465, 7/30/14]
House Republicans Have Voted 54 Times on the Affordable Care Act. “Republicans are reminding voters that since they took control of the House in 2011, they’ve voted 54 times to undo, revamp or tweak the law.” [Washington Post, 3/21/14]