MDP Blasts Michigan GOP Congressmen Amash, Walberg, and McCotter for Voting to Raise Taxes on the Middle Class

From Michigan Democratic Party

LANSING – Michigan Democratic Party Chair Mark Brewer issued the following statement after Michigan Republican Congressmen Justin Amash (MI-3), Tim Walberg (MI-7), and Thad McCotter (MI-11) voted “no” on extending the payroll tax cut which will save the average family around $1,500 per year.

“This ‘no’ vote by these three Republican Congressmen is irresponsible and puts our economic recovery at risk. This tax cut extension was a bipartisan agreement that will benefit millions of working families throughout the country. Instead of voting to cut taxes for middle class families, Congressmen Amash, Walberg, and McCotter voted to raise them.

“They’re not representing their constituents nor the people of Michigan. Congressmen Amash, Walberg, and McCotter should be ashamed of themselves for this vote and the voters will hold them accountable at the polls in November.”

Walberg Attacking Minimum Wage, Overtime for Workers

From Michigan Democratic Party

Attack is Congressman’s Latest Against Middle-Class Workers

LANSING – Republican Michigan Congressman Tim Walberg (MI-7) continues his assault against the middle-class – this time attacking the minimum wage and overtime benefits for workers.

Walberg is the Chairman of the House Workforce Protections Subcommittee and recently held a hearing at which he questioned the Fair Labor Standards Act which guarantees a minimum wage and overtime for workers. Walberg claims the federal law stands “in the way of progress.” Abolishing or weakening the law would have dire consequences for workers who could see their pay and benefits drastically decrease.

“This is nothing more than another Republican attack on the middle-class,” Michigan Democratic Party Chair Mark Brewer said. “If it were up to Republicans, they would turn our wages into those seen in China and India. This isn’t a race to the bottom despite the best efforts of Republicans.”

“Middle-class families continue to be assaulted by the GOP,” added Brewer. “Whether it’s unfair tax increases, cuts to public education and public safety, or the elimination of Medicare, Republicans will stop at nothing to dismantle the middle-class. Tim Walberg should focus his time on ending subsidies for oil companies and eliminating obscene bonuses for Wall Street CEOs instead of attacking middle-class workers.”

Republican politicians display stunning hypocrisy on health care insurance reform

By Communications guru/The Conservative media

Americans United for Change is calling out U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, on his hypocrisy of saying repealing the historic health care insurance reform law is his “top priority,” yet he has no problem accepting his own government-subsidized health plan. In response to Upton’s declaration earlier this week that his “top priority will be full repeal” of the Affordable Care Act, progressive issue-advocacy group Americans United for Change challenged the incoming Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee to practice what he preaches and start by dropping his own government subsidized health plan. It only seems fair considering that repealing health reform would effectively deny thousands of Michigan families access to the same kind of quality, affordable health care choices Upton enjoys as a Member of Congress.

“You first, Congressman,” said Tom McMahon, Executive Director, Americans United for Change. “If Fred Upton insists on going down this path towards denying thousands of Michigan families access to quality, affordable health care, shouldn’t he start with his own family and forgo his government subsidized health plan?”

The Republican hypocrisy on this issue has been stunning, like that of U.S. Rep.-elect Andy Harris, R-MD. Harris, another fervent proponent of repealing the Affordable Care Act, recently made national headlines when he brazenly complained to his colleagues that his congressional health benefits weren’t kicking in soon enough for his liking. It would be funny if it weren’t so hypocritical. It has led Americans United for Change to launch a radio and Facebook ad campaign in Maryland calling on Harris to “Drop It or Stop It.” But Upton is just one of many GOP hypocrites.

“If Congressman Upton had his way and the new health law were repealed, the insurance companies would go right back to dropping people’s coverage when they get sick, young adults under 26 would be kicked off their parents’ plans, insurance companies could go back to imposing lifetime limits on care and denying care to those with “pre-existing conditions”, and seniors would again have to fear falling into the “doughnut hole” prescription coverage gap,” McMahon said. “Why does Congressman Upton want to put the big insurance companies back in charge?”

But we also have another stunning example of hypocrisy right here in Michigan with extremist Republican Congressman-elect Tim Walberg, R-Tipton. Blogging for Michigan revealed that the Lenawee County extremist will opt out of federal health-care coverage. But Walberg, conveniently, forgets to tell you that he already receives lifetime government-subsidized health care insurance because of the 16 years in spent in the Michigan House.

Congressman-Elect Tim Walberg Calls For Government Shutdown If Obama Doesn’t Follow His Mandate

By Lee Fang Tim Walberg (R-goat humping dumbass), a proud birther who has threatened to impeach President Obama, won his election over Rep. Mark Shauer (D-MI) earlier this week. Shortly after his victory speech, Walberg spoke with the Jackson Citizen Patriot to outline his agenda. “(Voters) are repudiating what is going on by politicians in general, and more specifically, this administration,” he said. If President Obama does not follow the Republican “mandate,” Walberg made clear that he will force a government shut down:

He said Republicans can work together to get things done with the Obama administration, but that will be up to the president. If Obama, like then-President Bill Clinton did after the 1994 midterms, responds to the mandate from voters and understands he can’t disregard it, then he thinks Obama will do well. “If he doesn’t, he will shut government down,” Walberg said.

While Walberg’s threat is extreme, he is not the only Republican politician proposing a government shutdown. Newt Gingrich, architect of the government shutdown in the ’90s, has pledged that the new Republican Congress will close the government as a political tactic to force through their right-wing policies. Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA)

told a Republican audience recently that a government shut down — including a closure of the Veterans Administration — would be one of the goals of the new GOP caucus. As Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) and other leading Republicans have made clear, they will force a “show down” with Obama by holding general government funding bills hostage until health reform is repealed.

Joe "You Lie" Wilson to stump Oct. 2 in Jackson

By TODD SPANGLER

WASHINGTON — Former U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg of Tipton is bringing South Carolina’s Joe Wilson — the Republican congressman who started a stir by shouting “You lie!” during President Barack Obama’s speech to Congress this month — to Michigan.

Walberg, a one-term Republican who was beaten in his re-election bid by Battle Creek Democrat Mark Schauer, announced the event on his campaign Web site, saying Wilson will be at the Commonwealth Conference Center in Jackson for a fund-raiser on Oct. 2.

It costs $150 for two tickets and a photo with Wilson at 7:30 a.m., or $20 a person to get into the 8 a.m. gathering. For more details, go to www.walbergforcongress.com.

Wilson apologized for his outburst — which came during a speech on health care to a joint session of Congress on Sept. 9 — and Obama accepted the apology. But it hasn't hurt Wilson’s popularity among many conservatives. On Walberg’s Web site under Wilson’s name, it says, “Stand for Truth.”

Wilson shouted, “You lie!” after the president said health care reform would not cover illegal immigrants. Critics have said that without plain language denying illegal immigrants entry into a public option health plan and federally mandated health care exchanges, it would effectively cover them — even though, the legislation clearly states they would not be eligible for federal premium subsidies.

A bill being debated in the Senate Finance Committee says that illegal immigrants would not be able to take part in the exchanges, and it excludes the public option entirely.

Sarah Blaney, Schauer’s spokeswoman, had this to say about the Walberg event: “By embracing his former colleague, Tim Walberg has made it clear that he embraces what is wrong with Washington and is not serious about fixing our broken health care system. If you are the company you keep, then Tim Walberg stands with Joe Wilson and the obstructionists.”