Nothing New In Democrat Party's "New Direction"

Democrats Outline a Platform for the Fall

By KATE ZERNIKE
Published: June 17, 2006

WASHINGTON, June 16 — Declaring their party "ready for this election," Democratic leaders in Congress on Friday announced the platform they hope to use to regain the majority in November.

Their plan, presented at a news conference, included promises to raise the minimum wage, make college tuition tax deductible, eliminate subsidies for oil and gas companies, negotiate lower drug prices for the prescription plan passed last year, increase stem cell research and restore a pay-as-you-go policy for federal budgets.

They noted that Congress had not increased the minimum wage, now at $5.15, since 1997, a fact that Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, the House Democratic leader, declared "immoral." Their proposal to raise it to $7.25, they said, would benefit seven million workers. They rejected the argument that such a raise would shrink the economy, noting that jobs increased after the last raise.

The Democratic leaders also pledged a 25 percent reduction in oil use by 2020, largely by developing fuel alternatives in the United States. "We want to send our energy money to the Midwest, not the Middle East," Ms. Pelosi said.

Over and over, the leaders contrasted Republican priorities — which they deemed "the wrong direction" — with their own — "a new direction." Under Republican rule, they said, health care, college and gas costs have risen faster than incomes.

The "New" Democrat plan is truly "Much Ado About Nothing." The only "surprise" in this plan is that it fails even to mention the Iraq War. The Democrats still are the party of stale, old, failed ideas. This is naught but a case of cosmetic surgery when the Democrat Party is in dire need of emergency brain surgery.

Their plan? Raise taxes, spend more money. What's new about that?

Raise the minimum wage? Name a time when they haven't advocated that.

Reduce Oil Consumption? Great! How, by raising gasoline taxes? If you like paying $3.00/gal, you'll love paying $4.50/gal.

Lower Student Loan Rates? Raise taxes, spend more money, create another new entitlement.

Eliminate Subsidies for Oil and Gas Companies? Reduce exploration, raise prices for gasoline, heating oil, and natural gas.

Wonderful! In one fell swoop the Democrats are going to drive the economy into another recession while raising our cost of living. Jobs will disappear in droves. Corporations will increase their offshore outsourcing. We will be paying more for automobiles, more for gasoline, more for education, more for the products that Americans use everyday.

Sure makes me want to vote Democrat...NOT!

Full Story: Democrat Recipe for Economic Disaster

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