Biden: “[Republicans] seem to think that the problem in America today is that working families aren’t paying enough”
PENNSYLVANIA — During a speech at the AFL-CIO Quadrennial Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia today, President Biden laid out what Republican control could mean for Americans across the country – increased taxes for working people, lower taxes for the ultra-wealthy, and putting Medicare and Social Security in danger every five years. President Biden also highlighted how working people and unions have built the American economy, and how Democrats are pushing to continue growing the economy from the middle out and the bottom up while tackling inflation and lowering costs.
WATCH PRESIDENT BIDEN’S SPEECH HERE
Key highlights from President Biden’s remarks:
“Republicans have it all backwards. Their plan literally calls for increasing taxes on middle class and working people and cutting taxes on corporations and wealthy Americans. And I’m not talking about punishing anyone. Just pay your fair share. It’s a matter of decency, it’s a matter of dignity. It’s a matter of fiscal responsibility.
“Look, I believe in bipartisanship, but I have no illusions about this Republican party, the MAGA party. I’ve been able to bring some Republicans along on parts of my plan. But the fact is, Republicans in Congress are still in the grip of the ultra-MAGA agenda.
“They still refuse to consider changing any part of the Trump tax cuts, which delivered massive windfalls to billionaires and others, and they weren’t paid for. They still refuse to consider a minimum corporate tax of 15%…they seem to think that the problem in America today is that working families aren’t paying enough. Congressional Republican Senator Rick Scott of Florida – as my mother would say, god love him – he laid out a plan…it says, this is just one of their ideas, ‘all federal legislation sunsets in 5 years. If the law is worth keeping, Congress could pass it again.’
“Now guess what that is? Social Security. Not a joke. Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid. Not a joke. Every five years it’d be put on the chopping block, every five years. And if it’s not reinstated, by a vote in the Senate of 60 or more, guess what? It automatically goes out of existence, that’s what they’re proposing…think about that.
“Social Security, you paid for your whole life. Medicare. Medicaid. Not a joke. Really, ask yourself, how well are you going to sleep at night knowing that every 5 years, Ted Cruz and the other ultra-MAGA Republicans are gonna vote on whether you’ll have Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid? It’s unlikely they’ll be able to wipe it out, but do any one of you doubt for a second they’ll find ways to cut benefits and programs in order to keep anything going? That’s what this is about. They’ve always wanted to cut Social Security. They’ve always wanted to cut Medicare. They’ve always wanted to cut Medicaid.
“But if you have to start from scratch? The gentleman from Wisconsin, Senator Ron Johnson, is back at it again, trying to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, including its protections for preexisting conditions. 100,000 million people have preexisting conditions. The only reason the insurance company has to cover it is because of that law, and they’re never going to stop going after it. So now, the plan that Senator Scott is trying to walk back, but it’s clear the last thing they want to see is workers empowered in this country.
“The bottom line is this: I truly believe we’ve made extraordinary progress by laying a new foundation for our economy, which becomes clear once global inflation begins to recede. There’s so much at stake, but the truth is I’ve never been more optimistic about America than I am today.”
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