Washington—Citing a need for "fiscal equity" and a need for all Americans to engage in a dialogue about the future of the country, Senator Bill Bradley (D-NJ) announced today that he will vote against passage of the Republican Budget Reconciliation Bill.
"I have always supported a balanced budget and on many specific occasions I have voted to achieve it in different ways.
This bill dramatically changes the role of government and it has been accomplished without real dialogue with the American people.
As a result, it is not the American people's vision of what our federal budget should be. It does not reflect their values," Bradley said.
"It ensures that only a minority will reap the benefits of future growth. It is a dream bill for the special interests, lobbyists, the wealthy and corporate America. It is a real-life nightmare for hard-working middle-class America," he continued.
"The decisions we make today will affect all Americans well into the next century. There is no question that our budget must be balanced. However, true fiscal responsibility comes from everyone, rich and poor alike, sharing the burdens and benefits equally. It is not found in tax breaks for the rich and increased burdens for the middle class," Bradley said.
In an attempt to protect working families, Bradley offered an amendment that would have restored $40 billion to the Earned Income Tax Credit program, which provides a practical alternative to keep working families off welfare. The amendment was defeated.
"I cannot support a bill that increases taxes on hard-working families that make less than $30,000 per year," Bradley said. "These families were promised a tax break in 1993, but this bill asks them to pay more so that those in the highest tax brackets can pay even less."
The cuts slated for the EITC will increase taxes on 17 million working Americans by the year 2002. In New Jersey, more than 500,000 workers, 13.1 percent of New Jersey taxpayers, will face increased taxes.
In addition to its hits against America's working people, Bradley attacked the Republican bill's cuts in Medicare and Medicaid, cuts that he said will be devastating to New Jerseyans.
"The Medicare and Medicaid cuts in this bill are going to really hurt New Jersey. The cuts will result in higher state taxes, less service, and greater needs," Bradley said. "These are not phantom cuts aimed at no one in particular. We are denying care to our parents, children and grandparents. We are hurting our loved ones." The reconciliation package also contained provisions that will strip away environmental protections. The bill includes legislation that opens up federal lands to oil drilling, and fails to secure fair prices for U.S. resources such as gold, silver and oil.
"The environmental elements of this bill are a ripoff and a real danger to our society," Bradley said. "They sacrifice long-term prosperity and environmental protection for short-term budgetary gains by selling America's crown jewels—often at fire-sale prices."
The Senate did remove a provision opposed by Bradley that placed a $4 billion tax on state-collected child support. The provision would have collected a 10% tax on child support payments. "As we continue this budget process, it is my hope that good sense will prevail. We must avoid a potential paralysis which would only serve to convince the American people that politicians in Washington cannot govern effectively," Bradley said.
Georgia's New Gingrich raised a real issue when he attacked New York for expecting Federal dollars for welfare and Medicaid to help it in what he called its "overspending way"—but he got it completely backwards. As the Mayor, the Governor, and as our Senior Senator have pointed out, New York City and State has sent 25 billion more to Washington than we get back. While Newt's Georgia gets a billion more from Washington every year, than it contributed in tax dollars.
For 124 years after the United States Constitution was ratified, the Congress did not have the power to "lay and collect taxes on incomes...without apportionment among the several states." The 16th Amendment in 1913 was passed to allow Washington to raise funds to help disadvantaged and underdeveloped states, mostly in the south and west to become part of modern America. At the turn of the century, New York and other urban centers used their tax dollars to economically develop the south and west— to help build our nation.
Today, with the dislocations and demands of a post-industrial economy, the situation is reversed. Urban society needs the help of Washington to bring it into the new information age.
Washington, instead of offering the same economic help it offered the South and West, has put out a contract on urban America.
The right-wing led Congress not only does not offer us preference, or at least parity in the distribution of tax dollars returned, but actually discriminates against New York from getting its fair share.
By any standards of fairness, and, in fact, with a "conservative" appreciation of the wisdom of the Founding Fathers, New York and other changing urban industrial centers should not be penalized for continuing to be the nation's money-makers.
So, in addition to population reapportionment, we need to do a reapportionment of the way in which the revenue from the Federal income taxes is allocated among the states, to more closely correspond to the real needs of the United States— particularly the citizens of New York. - S.P.
Upset in East Harlem
Proclaiming "East Harlem is free at last," Liberal Party candidate Francisco Diaz claimed victory in the 68AD special election held March 14. The election was held to fill the seat held for 20 years by Angelo Del Toro, who died earlier this year.
With 99% of election districts reporting, Diaz had 59%, or about 5,100 votes, compared with 35%, or 3,000 votes, for Democratic Party candidate William Del Toro. George Espada, the Republican-Conservative candidate, received 520 votes, 6%.
New York City daily newspapers called the Diaz victory over Del Toro, whom many considered to be a shoo-in, "the end of a political dynasty."
Diaz, who has served as district manager of Community Board 11, used his strong ties in East Harlem to mobilize the community for change.
The Diaz campaign ran a strong vote-pulling operation. They ran a highly visible race, including knocking on doors, making phone calls and effectively using community leaders to call on voters to go to the polls to end the 20-year Del Toro family stranglehold on East Harlem.
Del Toro was considered the frontrunner and had hoped to continue in his late brother's footsteps. He was hurt by having served time in prison for bribery and perjury and by running what many considered a lackluster campaign.
"History was made in El Barrio tonight," Diaz said in claiming victory. "This is the first time in the history of this district that a candidate running on the Liberal line defeated a candidate running on the Democratic line."
The buzz around the political community was about how the Liberal Party has once again shown how it can win an election against entrenched political interest. The Party is becoming known as the agent for change. -A.P. & R.S.
Bill Bradley is the senior U.S. Senator from New Jersey. A Democrat, he was elected to his third term in 1990. From the day he arrived in the Senate in 1979, Bradley has devoted himself to building a more secure future for Americans by creating a strong and growing economy, providing new educational opportunities, and bridging the gaps between people of different races and nations. He serves on the Senate Finance Committee, the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and the Special Committee on Aging.
Before his successful Senate race in 1978, Bill Bradley had achieve distinction in academics and athletics. He was born on July 28, 1943, in Crystal City, Missouri, the son of Warren and Susan Bradley. In 1965, he graduated from Princeton University with honors in American history. He was awarded a Rhodes scholarship to Oxford University, where he earned a graduate degree after studying politics, philosophy, and economics.
As an undergrate, Bradley was a three-time basketball All-American and won the Sullivan Award as the country's outstanding amateur athlete. In 1964, he was captain of the U.S. basketball team that won the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics.
After returning from Oxford in 1967, Bradley joined the New York Knicks and played professional basketball for ten years. In 1970 and 1973, the Knicks won the National Basketball Association championship with Bradley as a starting forward. Bradley's book about his decade with the Knicks, "Life On the Run," was published in 1976.
Bradley served in the Air Force Reserve from 1967 to 1978, attaining the rank of first lieutenant.
Bradley's second book, "The Fair Tax," was published in 1982 and helped popularized the idea that eventually became the Tax Reform Act of 1986.
Bill Bradley and Ernestine Schlant were married in 1994. Ernestine Schlant Bradley is a professor of German and Comparative Literature at Montclair State College. The Bradleys have one daughter, Theresa Anne, and Mrs. Bradley has an adult daughter from a previous marriage. The family lives in Montclair, New Jersey.
In the first few days of February, Dorothy Kaufman passed away after a prolonged illness. She helped start the Liberal Party in 1944 and, in October of last year, sat at the Founders' Table at our 50th anniversary dinner. Dorothy was the first person I saw at the Liberal Party headquarters on 46th Street in the early '60s when I was finally granted an audience by the late Ben Davidson, our first executive director. Dorothy was his executive office manager and even Ben would say, "the do-er of everything that got done there." She played a part in decades of city and state history. Her sometimes acerbic, but always practical, brevity was a welcome contract to such audiences. Generations of Liberal will miss her. - S.P.