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Politics : WHO IS RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT IN 2004 -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: American Spirit who wrote (4796)	9/15/2003 11:00:44 PM
From: stockman_scott	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 10965

<<...Two new features on Wesley Clark will be coming from The Atlantic Monthly and The New Republic. Unfortunately, I believe they will be print only (grumble). And a quick note from the bottom of an article on Dean states that Steven Spielberg held a non-fundraising luncheon party in honor of the General. Very interesting...>> wesleyclarkweblog.com

To: American Spirit who wrote (4796)	9/16/2003 2:54:25 PM
From: Tadsamillionaire	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 10965

Today, John Kerry pledged to close corporate loopholes to help provide tax relief to middle class families. As President, Kerry has pledged to repeal the tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans but he believes that we should keep the middle class tax cuts that Democrats fought for in 2001 and 2003. He strongly disagrees with Democrats who want to repeal these tax cuts, which would cost many middle-class families with two children nearly $2,000. WorldCom and other corporate scandals have made life more difficult for middle-class families. Because of WorldCom’s mismanagement and the corruption of its executives, Americans have lost jobs, lost savings, lost hope. Iowans lost more than $2 billion in their 401K’s from the corruption at WorldCom and other such scandal-ridden corporations. But despite WorldCom’s status as a corporate criminal, the Bush Administration has been tripping over itself to provide the company more government contracts. WorldCom received $122 million in contracts in 2000 when George Bush was elected – to $772 million today. That’s an increase of more than 600 percent. As President, Kerry will crack down on dishonest companies and close corporate tax loopholes in order to pay for tax relief to the middle class. PROTECT AND EXPAND MIDDLE-CLASS TAX CUTS The pressure on middle-class families is mounting. Today’s two-income family earns 75 percent more than its single-income counterpart a generation ago, but actually has less to spend due to soaring housing costs, day care, college tuition, and health care. The average middle-class family can no longer buy a home unless both parents work. This year more children will live through their parents’ bankruptcy than their parents’ divorce. Some Democrats want to eliminate all 2001 tax breaks – including those that provide relief to the middle-class. Repealing the tax cuts for the middle class would hurt those who have borne the brunt of the Bush bust, making it even harder for them to make ends meet. John Kerry has pledged to repeal George W. Bush’s special tax breaks that go to the wealthiest Americans. DON’T RAISE MIDDLE CLASS TAXES Unlike some in his party, John Kerry won’t raise taxes on working people. Repealing all the tax cuts for the middle class would mean that a family of four – with two parents working hard on the job and at home – would have to pay $2,000 more a year in taxes. Keep the Full Child Tax Credit: Raising children is expensive and many working families are struggling to make ends meet. The child tax credit provides benefits to 306,000 Iowa households. John Kerry fought to expand the child credit and worked to make the credit partially refundable. Kerry supported a further expansion of the child tax credit that could have provided benefits to an additional 66,000 children in Iowa, but the proposal was eliminated by Bush and the House Republicans in a secret midnight deal. Don’t Reinstate the Marriage Penalty: John Kerry will not repeal the reduction of the marriage penalty, which benefits 402,000 married couples in Iowa. Accelerate the 10-Percent Bracket Expansion: John Kerry will not repeal the expansion of the 10-percent bracket. This expansion benefits 749,000 married couples and single tax filers in Iowa. EXPAND TAX CUTS TO MIDDLE CLASS College Opportunity Tax Credit: Kerry’s “College Opportunity Tax Credit” will make four years of college affordable for all Americans. He will provide a credit for each and every year of college on the first $4,000 paid in tuition – the typical tuition and fees for public college tuition. The credit will provide 100% of the first $1000 and 50% on the rest. It will also make this credit refundable so that it helps the most vulnerable students. Tax Cuts to Make Health Care More Affordable: John Kerry’s plan allows people to buy into the same health plan Members of Congress today. · Refundable Tax Credits for Small Businesses to Purchase Health Care Coverage. Kerry’s plan will provide tax credits for up to 50 percent of coverage to small businesses and their employees to help subsidize the cost of health insurance. This credit is especially crucial for small businesses, as they have traditionally fared worse in the marketplace from an inability to sufficiently spread risk. The premium rebate and access to the Congressional plan will save small businesses at least 15 percent. · Laid Off Workers Will Receive Tax Credits To Make Coverage Affordable. John Kerry believes that when you lose your job you shouldn't lose your health care. That is why he is proposing a 75 percent tax credit to assure workers can keep their health insurance between jobs. · Tax Credits to Make Coverage Affordable for 55 to 65. Americans aged 55 to 65 have the hardest time affording health care coverage. John Kerry's plan will give this population access to an affordable group plan to assure they have access to affordable coverage and will provide a tax credit to make this coverage more affordable. CLOSE CORPORATE LOOPHOLES Restore Investor Confidence With Strong Enforcement by the Securities and Exchange Commission: John Kerry will fund strong budgets and assure strong enforcement by the SEC. Stop Corporations From Keeping Bank Accounts in Countries like Bermuda to Avoid Paying Taxes. John Kerry believes that American companies should not be allowed to set up virtual headquarters in foreign countries that are hardly more than mailboxes just to avoid paying U.S. taxes. Assure Corporations Account for Disparities on the Books. A recent Joint Committee on Taxation report found that Enron claimed a $2.3 billion in profit between 1996 and 1999 in reports to its investors, while reporting a $3 billion tax loss to the IRS. John Kerry believes corporations should have to account these kinds of disparities. Stop Giving Government Contracts to Corporations Breaking the Rules. The Federal government should not give lucrative contracts to companies that have a record of accounting fraud – like WorldCom – or are moving offshore. End Unfair Protections for CEOs. Executives should not be walking away with millions of dollars in salaries and benefits while their workers are laid off their companies are defaulting on loans. Kerry would tighten the laws that allow corporations to take advantage of tax deductions for performance based executive pay – even when executives do nothing to improve productivity. johnkerry.com