Citizens United has unleashed a torrent of money into our political system, most of it on the Republican side. The most effective weapon these Republican financiers have is to confuse the voter. If they can muddle it up they win.
While I do not believe that candidates should be signing pledges, without a pledge I do not know how they fight the confusion campaign with the limited resources that they will have. So I have laid forth a ten point Pledge to the Middle Class that I wish all Democrats would sign.
Read it and offer suggestions. While there are other things I would like, what I've included are very popular and would be helpful during in the 2012 election. It would be nice in the new era of spending and confusion to point to something and say this is what we will do if you elect a Democratic house, senate and president.
I, _______, pledge to the middle class and those wishing to achieve it, the following steps to strengthen and empower ordinary, hardworking people:
1.) Raise the minimum wage to $9.80 per hour and set it to rise automatically with inflation.
2.) Permanently extend all Bush Tax Cuts for people making less than $250,000 per year.
3.) Repeal Bush Tax Cuts for those making over $250,000 per year to ensure the wealthy are doing their fair share.
4.) Apply a 5.4% surtax on income earned over $500,000 and dedicate these funds in their entirety to infrastructure spending.
5.) Close or end all tax breaks, benefits and incentives for moving jobs overseas.
6.) Prevent any benefit cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security.
7.) Prevent any cuts to Pell Grants and permanently extend low interest rates for student loans.
8.) Move Election Day to the first Saturday after the first Friday in November and make it a National Holiday.
9.) Pass electoral reform requiring states to allow same day registration and a minimum of 15 days of early voting.
10.) Give every United States taxpayer a $50 tax refund in election years to be used exclusively as a donation to a political candidate or party, giving ordinary people a voice in our government.
Signed:___________ Date:_________
Valid Only For 113th Congressional Term