Tuesday, December 18, 2012

An Open Letter to New York's Senators and Representative Nadler


Honorable Senator Schumer, Senator Gillibrand and Representative Nadler,

I write to you as a donor and a voter requesting that you do not pass legislation that purports “solve” the “fiscal cliff” crisis.  As my Grandmother would say, the proposed deal is a bunch of hooey.  And I am only speaking now of what President Obama has proposed, I am sure after the Republicans get through with it, it will stink even worse.

            I like President Obama and voted for him, but his “negotiating” abilities are just about equal to my ability poop golden eggs.  The “grand bargain” I am reading thePresident proposed (and the Republicans have yet to modify it) is much worse that allow the automatic tax increases and cuts to go into effect.

            The President is set to make permanent the Bush Tax Cuts for everyone making less than $400,000.  Why?  Don’t get me wrong, I like paying less taxes too, but if you want a government you have to pay for it.  Was life so intolerable under the Clinton Tax Code?  (If you share this with other members of Congress, please note that the previous question was meant rhetorically.)

            And the payroll tax holiday will end.  Just so you understand, everyone’s taxes will go up January 1st then.  So two of you are going to get complaints anyway, why not suck it up and take all of them.  (Not you Senator Schumer, you care more about Wall Street financiers than the other 99.9% of the states voters, but we all know that about you already.)  Of course Capital Gains go up from 15% to 20% - gee thanks.  That doesn’t help most people at all, but I am sure Senator Schumer will see a big boost from that.

As an aside - Senator Gillibrand or Representative Nadler, perhaps you can explain to me why we have to tax hedge fund managers lower than everyone else.  I mean, they use the same infrastructure as the rest of us.  I see their taxis running down to the Financial District on public streets and everything – and heaven knows we send more police to Wall Street and the Upper East side to protect them than are sent to us poor slobs in Hells Kitchen – whose homes only cost $1.6 million.  Obviously those Hedge Fund Managers matter more to elected officials than poor people do, but then why don’t they pay the same taxes?  Oh right, I forgot, campaign donations.  My bad.

            As for the cuts.  The budget cut side is even more asinine.  Of the $800 Billion in budget cuts, 1/8th would come from Defense cuts.  If you do nothing, ½ the budget cuts come from defense.  So your grand bargain ensures less cuts to defense.  Why?  How much money do we have to spend on defense?

$400 Billion would come from health care spending – because, damn, who cares about sick peopleThat, by the way, is NOT a rhetorical question.  We are seriously letting thousands of people get sicker and/or die so that we can spend more than the next 13 countries in the world instead of only the next 11?


The Grand Bargain would ensure $100 Billion in cuts from defense over 10 years instead of $600 Billion over ten years.  I think we can afford $60 Billion in cuts a year.  But hey - what do I know.

            If I was stupid, I would be perplexed at how anyone might approve such a thing.  But I am not stupid.  I see where Senator Schumer’s donations come from, so I know he is already a lost cause.  However, he is technically my voice in the Senate – hey, if I made millions he might actually be my voice – so I feel I have to at least try to contact him.  But Senator Gillibrand, you are an intelligent person that has yet to be fully corrupted by the Senate, I implore you to say no to a lousy deal.  As for Representative Nadler, Sir, I am sure you will object to this with full throat and I thank you for it.

With Deep Respect
Scott Mitchell
Voter and Contributor although Senator Schumer probable lists me as an * after the “real” donors - as in:
* - Various contributors of less than $10,000 that we let the Democratic Committee contact