Brown In Lock-step With Bush-Cheney On Wall Street Regulation, Tax Cuts For Wealthy, Opposition To Healthcare Reform

Press Release

Saying that "the stakes of this election could not be higher" Martha Coakley today highlighted her record of standing up and fighting for the people of Massachusetts and reiterated her belief that our Commonwealth cannot take a step backward by returning to the failed policies of George W. Bush and Dick Cheney. Republican Scott Brown is in lock-step with Bush and Cheney on nearly every issue including his opposition to further regulate Wall Street, his support of tax cuts for the wealthy, and his obstruction of meaningful health care reform.

During this campaign, Brown has shifted to the right on multiple issues to align himself with the extreme right-wing groups tied to his campaign that have funneled hundreds of thousands of dollars to support him.

"On January 19, voters can choose to elect a Senator who has fought for them and will continue to get results for them in the United States Senate, or they can vote for my opponent who represents a sharp return to the failed policies of George W. Bush and Dick Cheney," Coakley said. "On nearly every issue, from his refusal to regulate Wall Street to his support of tax cuts for the wealthy to his opposition to health care reform, Scott Brown will be a return to those same failed policies that led us into the mess."

"As Senator, I will work to move us forward based on the values that matter to all of us," Coakley added. "I will stand up and protect working families, not the privileged few. I will stand up for the rights of workers and make sure they earn a fair wage for a day's work. And I will carry forth the vision of Ted Kennedy that health care should be a right for all Americans, regardless of their income or background, not a privilege."

The economic collapse that began during the Bush-Cheney administration has seen more than 7.2 million Americans lose their jobs as of December 2009, and a projected 7.1 million foreclosures across the nation. The Bush tax cuts for the wealthy in 2001 and 2003 also contributed to the trillions in debt that our country now finds itself in.

Among the Bush-Cheney policies that Brown supports includes:

Opposes further regulation of Wall Street

Bush-Cheney. Actively pursued policies of deregulation.

In the eight years of his presidency, George W. Bush actively pursued policies of deregulation which helped cause the biggest financial and economic meltdown since the Great Depression. Many experts say the administration should have done more to curb excesses in the housing market, and much more to police Wall Street. The Bush Administration largely avoided regulation of banks and mortgage brokers, leaving much of that work to the Federal Reserve.

Brown: "We Already Have Plenty Of Regulations."

Talking about regulations on businesses in an interview on WBUR with Bob Oaks, Brown said, "I'm in favor of good regulations, but we already have plenty of regulations, what we need is the enforcement tools and the enforcement agencies to do their jobs."

Supports tax cuts for the wealthy

Bush-Cheney. Tax cuts disproportionately benefited the wealthy.

A majority of the tax cuts imposed by the Bush-Cheney administration benefited the wealthiest 2% (those making more than $250,000), helping lead to a doubling of the national debt (by more than $5 trillion) under their watch.

Brown. Lockstep with Bush-Cheney tax cuts.

Would vote to extend the Bush-Cheney tax cuts, including for the wealthiest 2% of Americans.

Against reform to provide quality, affordable health care for all Americans

Bush-Cheney. By end of administration, 1 in 3 Americans under 65 had no health insurance.

"One out of three Americans under 65 was without health insurance at some point during 2007 and 2008," according to a report released earlier this year. "The study, commissioned by the consumer health advocacy group Families USA, found 86.7 million Americans were uninsured at one point during the past two years." Among the report's key findings were that, "[n]early three out of four uninsured Americans were without health insurance for at least six months" [CNN, 3/4/09]

Brown. Opposed to national health care reform. Proposed regressive health care legislation.

Brown is opposed to national health care reform that would provide coverage to more than 30 million Americans who currently have no coverage, reduce health care costs for families and businesses, and reduce our national deficit by more than $100 billion. He also has filed regressive legislation that would allow the removal of previously mandated coverage for critical health care for women and seniors, including mammograms, minimum maternity stays for new mothers, cancer screenings, and hospice care for seniors.

Source