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RECOGNIZED.
VERMONT IS
MADAM PRESIDENT,
I ASK THAT THE QUORUM CALL BE
VITIATED.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
THANK YOU, MADAM
PRESIDENT.
MADAM PRESIDENT, THERE HAS BEEN
A LOT OF DISCUSSION HERE IN THE
SENATE, IN THE HOUSE, AND IN THE
MEDIA ABOUT WHAT THE
SUPERCOMMITTEE IS DOING AND WHAT
THEY SHOULD BE DOING.
AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
UNDERSTAND THAT THE
RESPONSIBILITIES THAT THEY HAVE
IN TERMS OF TRYING TO REDUCE OUR
NATIONAL DEBT AND OUR DEFICIT IS
DIFFICULT, AND I WISH THEM THE
COMING UP WITH A
SOLUTION.
MY HOPE, SIMPLY STATED, IS THAT
THE SUPERCOMMITTEE WILL DO WHAT
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WANT THEM TO
DO.
AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, IN
DEMONSTRATIONS ALL OVER THIS
COUNTRY AND IN POLL AFTER 'AFTER
POLL HAVE MADE IT PRETTY CLEAR
WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE HAPPEN.
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE BECOMING
MORE AND MORE AWARE THAT THERE'S
SOMETHING VERY WRONG IN THIS
COUNTRY WHEN WE HAVE THE MOST
UNEQUAL DISTRIBUTION OF INCOME
AND WEALTH OF ANY MAJOR COUNTRY
ON EARTH, WHEN THE TOP 1% EARNS
MORE INCOME THAN THE BOTTOM 50%,
WHEN IN A RECENT 25-YEAR PERIOD
80% OF ALL NEW INCOME WENT TO
THE TOP 1%, AND WHEN THE GAP
BETWEEN THE VERY RICH AND
EVERYBODY ELSE IS WIDER TODAY
THAN IT HAS EVER BEEN SINCE 1928
1928, THE YEAR BEFORE THE GREAT
DEPRESSION.
AND IF YOU THINK DISTRIBUTION OF
INCOME IN THIS COUNTRY IS
UNFAIR, THEN YOU SHOULD TAKE A
LOOK AT DISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH,
WHICH IS MUCH MORE UNFAIR.
MADAM PRESIDENT, TODAY THE
WEALTHIEST 400 AMERICANS OWN
MORE WEALTH THAN THE BOTTOM HALF
-- HALF OF AMERICA -- 150
MILLION PEOPLE.
400 PEOPLE -- 150 MILLION
AMERICANS.
AND THAT UNBELIEVABLE
INEQUALITY, IN TERMS OF WEALTH,
IS, IN MY VIEW, NOT ONLY MORALLY
ECONOMICS,
AND IT IS NOT SUSTAINABLE.
SO WHEN THE SUPERCOMMITTEE
DELIBERATES AS TO WHERE THEY
SHOULD GO, I THINK ONE DIRECTION
IS VERY CLEAR, AND THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE OF ALL POLITICAL SPECTRUM
SPECTRUMS HAVE MADE THEIR POINT
OF VIEW VERY STRONGLY ON THIS
ISSUE.
WHETHER YOU ARE A DEMOCRAT, AN
INDEPENDENT, OR A REPUBLICAN,
WHAT POLL AFTER POLL AFTER POLL
SHOWS IS THAT WHEN THE
WEALTHIEST PEOPLE IN THIS
COUNTRY ARE BECOMING WEALTHIER,
WHEN, AS WARREN BUFFETT REMINDS
US, THEIR EFFECTIVE, I.E., REAL
TAX RATE, IS THE LOWEST THAT IT
HAS BEEN IN DECADES, YES, THE
WEALTHIEST PEOPLE IN THIS
COUNTRY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY
MORE IN TAXES TO ENABLE US TO GO
REDUCTION.
SO ANY SERIOUS PLAN BROUGHT
FORTH BY THE SUPERCOMMITTEE MUST
ASK THE WEALTHIEST PEOPLE IN
THIS COUNTRY TO PAY MORE IN
TAXES.
FURTHERMORE, AS I THINK
EVERYBODY KNOWS, WE HAVE
CORPORATION AFTER CORPORATION
LOOPHOLES.
THAT BENEFITS FROM HUGE TAX
A STUDY JUST CAME OUT TODAY, ONE
OUT OF FOUR MAJOR CORPORATIONS
PAY NOTHING IN TAXES.
THERE ARE EXAMPLES THAT RECENTLY
MAJOR CORPORATIONS MAKE BILLIONS
OF DOLLARS IN PROFIT AND NOT
ONLY PAY NOTHING IN TAXES, GET
REBATES FROM THE I.R.S.
MANY OF THESE CORPORATIONS STASH
THEIR PROFITS IN TAX HAVENS IN
THE CAYMAN ISLANDS AND ELSEWHERE
TO AVOID U.S. TAXES.
AND I THINK THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
ARE VERY CLEAR THAT IF WE ARE
GOING TO GO FORWARD WITH DEFICIT
REDUCTION, THAT LARGE
CORPORATIONS ARE ALSO GOING TO
PAYING THEIR FAIR
SHARE OF TAXES.
AND THIS IS ACROSS THE POLITICAL
SPECTRUM.
SO I HOPE THAT THE
SUPERCOMMITTEE IS HEARING AND
UNDERSTANDS THAT ANY AGREEMENT
MUST CONTAIN SIGNIFICANT REVENUE
FROM THE WEALTHIEST PEOPLE IN
THIS COUNTRY AND FROM THE
LARGEST CORPORATIONS.
FURTHERMORE, AT A TIME WHEN
MILITARY SPENDING HAS TRIPLED
SINCE 1997, I HOPE, AS PART OF
THEIR AGREEMENT, THAT THE
SUBCOMMITTEE TAKES A HARD LOOK
AT OUR DEFENSE BUDGET AND ASKS
WHETHER IT IS REALLY NECESSARY
THAT THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA SPEND MORE ON DEFENSE
THAN THE ENTIRE REST OF THE
WORLD COMBINED.
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE AREAS
THAT I HOPE THE SUPERCOMMITTEE
EXPLORE.
ASKING THE WEALTHY TO START
PAYING THEIR FAIR SHARE OF
TAXES, ENDING TAX LOOPHOLES FOR
LARGE CORPORATIONS, AND TAKING A
HARD LOOK AT MILITARY SPENDING,
WHICH HAS TRIPLED SINCE 1997.
BUT THEN, MADAM PRESIDENT, THERE
IS ANOTHER AREA THAT THE
SUPERCOMMITTEE MUST ALSO LOOK
AT.
AND THAT IS TO UNDERSTAND THAT
IN THE MIDST OF THE WORST
RECESSION SINCE THE GREAT
DEPRESSION, A RECESSION CAUSED
BY THE GREED AND RECKLESSNESS
AND ILLEGAL BEHAVIOR ON WALL
STREET, THAT THE SUPERCOMMITTEE
MUST NOT -- MUST NOT, MUST NOT
-- CUT SOCIAL SECURITY, CUT
MEDICARE, OR CUT MEDICAID.
SOCIAL SECURITY IS THE MOST
SUCCESSFUL FEDERAL PROGRAM IN
OF OUR COUNTRY.
IT HAS A $2.5 TRILLION SURPLUS,
CAN PAY OUT ALL BENEFITS FOR THE
NEXT 25 YEARS.
AND BECAUSE IT'S FUNDED BY THE
PAYROLL TAX, HAS NOT CONTRIBUTED
ONE NICKEL TO OUR DEFICIT.
THE SUPERCOMMITTEE MUST NOT CUT
SOCIAL SECURITY.
MADAM PRESIDENT, 50 MILLION
AMERICANS TODAY HAVE NO HEALTH
INSURANCE, AND MANY OTHERS ARE
UNDERINSURED.
ACCORDING TO A STUDY AT HARVARD
UNIVERSITY, 45,000 AMERICANS DIE
EACH YEAR BECAUSE THEY DON'T GET
TO THE DOCTOR WHEN THEY SHOULD.
UNDER THOSE CONDITIONS, IT WOULD
BE IMMORAL, IT WOULD BE WRONG
FOR THE SUPERCOMMITTEE TO CUT
MEDICARE AND TO CUT MEDICAID.
SO I HOPE, MADAM PRESIDENT, THAT
THE SUPERCOMMITTEE DOES WHAT THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE HAVE SAID VERY
LOUDLY AND CLEARLY -- THEY'VE
SAID IT IN DEMONSTRATIONS,
THEY'VE SAID IT IN POLLS,
THEY'VE SAID IT IN
COMMUNICATIONS WITH THEIR
MEMBERS IN THE HOUSE AND THE
SENATE.
WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE
SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN TERMS OF
DEFICIT REDUCTION, BUT THAT
DEFICIT REDUCTION SHOULD NOT
TAKE PLACE ON THE BACKS OF THE
ELDERLY, THE CHILDREN, THE SICK,
AND THE POOR.
THOSE POPULATIONS, THE MOST
VULNERABLE PEOPLE IN THIS
COUNTRY, ARE HURTING ENOUGH
RIGHT NOW.
SO, MADAM PRESIDENT, I HOPE THAT
THE SUPERCOMMITTEE HAS THE
COURAGE TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT.
I HOPE THAT IT HAS THE COURAGE
TO DO WHAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
WANT THEM TO DO.
AND WITH THAT, I WOULD YIELD THE
FLOOR AND NOTE THE ABSENCE OF A
QUORUM.
THE
CLERK WILL CALL THE ROLL.
CALL:
MR. PRESIDENT?
THE
SENATOR FROM RHODE ISLAND.
MR. PRESIDENT,
MAY I REQUEST THAT THE PENDING
QUORUM CALL BE LIFTED?
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
AND THAT I BE
ALLOWED TO SPEAK FOR UP TO 15
MINUTES.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
MR. PRESIDENT,
WE ARE GOING THROUGH ONE OF THE
MOST DIFFICULT AND PAINFUL
PERIODS IN AMERICAN HISTORY, AND
MILLIONS OF AMERICANS ARE
WONDERING WHAT IS HAPPENING TO
OUR COUNTRY.
BEHIND THE CURTAIN OF SPIN AND
PROPAGANDA AND POLITICAL
ATTACKS, HERE'S WHAT I BELIEVE
IS HAPPENING.
THE RULES OF THE ECONOMIC GAME
IN THIS COUNTRY ARE INCREASINGLY
PROVIDE UNFAIR
ADVANTAGE TO THE WEALTHY AND
WELL-CONNECTED AND TO TAKE
UNFAIR ADVANTAGE OF REGULAR
FOLKS AND FAMILIES.
AMERICA HAS ALWAYS PROMISED A
STRAIGHT DEAL, AND THAT STRAIGHT
DEAL FOR MANY AMERICANS IS
FIND.
GETTING HARDER AND HARDER TO
LET ME SAY THAT I AM
AMERICAN.
RELENTLESSLY PROUD TO BE AN
I GREW UP IN THE FOREIGN SERVICE
OF THIS COUNTRY, SURROUNDED BY
FAMILIES WHO PUT PUBLIC SERVICE
AND PRIDE IN THIS COUNTRY AHEAD
OF THEIR COMFORT, OF THEIR
CONVENIENCE, EVEN OF THEIR
SAFETY AND THEIR FAMILY'S
SAFETY.
I AM ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED OF
AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM.
I HAVE SEEN IT, AND I HAVE LIVED
IT.
AND THAT IS WHY I AM SO UPSET TO
SEE OUR COUNTRY IN THE SHAPE
THAT IT'S IN TODAY.
OUR FOUNDING FATHERS CHANGED THE
WORLD WHEN THEY SET IN PLACE OUR
FINELY BALANCED SYSTEM OF
GOVERNMENT ILLUMINATED BY THE
CLEAR AND GUARANTEED RIGHTS OF
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
BUT WE ARE SQUANDERING THAT
INHERITANCE.
OUR GOVERNMENT ISN'T WORKING.
OUR RIGHTS ARE BEING UNDERMINED.
AND IT IS THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
WHO ARE PAYING THE PRICE.
THEY'RE PAYING THE PRICE BECAUSE
TOO OFTEN THEY'RE NOT GETTING A
STRAIGHT DEAL ANYMORE.
SO LET'S LOOK AT SOME OF THE
PLACES WHERE THE DEAL IS RIGGED,
WHERE SPECIAL INTERESTS GET
SPECIAL DEALS AND WHERE THE
REGULAR AMERICAN FAMILY DOESN'T
GET A STRAIGHT DEAL.
ARE ALLOWED
TO CHARGE MIDDLE-CLASS FAMILIES
30% CREDIT CARD INTEREST RATES
THAT ARE LIKELY ILLEGAL UNDER
THE STATE LAWS WHERE THAT FAMILY
LIVES.
AND SENATORS IN THIS CHAMBER WHO
ARE ARDENT STATES' RIGHTS
FEDERALISTS IN EVERY OTHER
CIRCUMSTANCE HAVE NO COMPLAINT
WHEN THEIR STATE LAW IS
OVERRULED AND OVERBORNE BY THE
BIG BANKS.
STUDENTS WITH COLLEGE LOANS WHO
NOW CARRY A $1 TRILLION OF DEBT
AND FAMILIES WITH HOME MORTGAGES
ARE DENIED THE PRIVILEGES EVERY
CORPORATE BORROWING GETS TO SEEK
BANKRUPTCY PROTECTION AGAINST
THEIR DEBT WHEN THEY ARE IN OVER
THEIR HEAD.
OUR INDIVIDUAL TAX SYSTEM ALLOWS
THE WEALTHIEST AND
HIGHEST-INCOME AMERICANS TO PAY
LOWER TAX RATES THAN
MIDDLE-CLASS WAGE EARNERS PAY,
OR EVEN HIDE THEIR INCOME IN
OFFSHORE TAX HAVENS AND PAY NO
TAX AT ALL.
AND THE CORPORATE TAX SYSTEM
ALLOWS INTERNATIONAL
CORPORATIONS TO ROUTE THEIR
PROFITS THROUGH FOREIGN
COUNTRIES AND THROUGH TAX
SHELTERS TO PAY LITTLE OR NO TAX
IN THIS COUNTRY.
WHEN YOU DRILL DOWN TO CASES,
G.E. -- GENERAL ELECTRIC -- ON
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN PROFITS
PAID LITTLE OR NO FEDERAL INCOME
TAX.
WHEN YOU PULL UP TO LOOK
SYSTEM-WIDE, EVEN THOUGH
CORPORATIONS ARE RICHER THAN
EVER, AMERICAN PEOPLE NOW
CONTRIBUTE $5 FOR EVERY $1 THAT
CORPORATIONS CONTRIBUTE TO
SUSTAINING OUR COUNTRY'S
REVENUES.
IT USED TO BE ONE TO ONE.
FOR EVERY $1 THAT CORPORATIONS
CONTRIBUTED, AMERICAN PEOPLE
CONTRIBUTED $1.
SHARING OF OUR
NATION'S REVENUE NEEDS.
BUT FOR 75 YEARS NOW IT HAS BEEN
STEADILY SLIDING, AND NOW IT IS
FIVE TO ONE AGAINST ORDINARY
AMERICANS AND IN FAVOR OF
CORPORATIONS.
THE WEALTHY ELITE WHO MAKE THEIR
FORTUNES IN THE MARKETPLACE
DON'T PROTECT AND HONOR THE
MARKETPLACE.
THEY TRY TO RIG THE GAME, EVEN
WHEN IT PUTS THE MARKETPLACE
ITSELF AT RISK.
AND WHEN THAT REQUIRES EVERYBODY
ELSE TO COME TO THEIR RESCUE,
THEY SHOW NO SHAME AND LITTLE
GRATITUDE, AND GO RIGHT BACK TO
WORK GAMING THE SYSTEM.
THOSE WHO BECOME C.E.O.'S
EXTRACT FROM THEIR COMPANIES
COMPENSATION.
RIDICULOUS AMOUNTS OF
C.E.O. PAY IS UP IN MY LIFETIME
FROM 40 TIMES THE AVERAGE WAGE
OF THE EMPLOYEE TO 400 TIMES THE
AVERAGE WAGE.
THESE C.E.O.'S EVEN ACTION TRACT
PRINCELY COMPENSATION -- EVEN
EXTRACT PRINCELY COMPENSATION
WHEN THEY FAIL.
THE BIG POLLUTERS HAVE GOT ONE
PARTY DENYING SCIENCE ENTIRELY,
DENYING THE PLAIN EVIDENCE OF
CARBON POLLUTION ALL AROUND US
AND SPINNING THE PHONY THEORY
THAT THE COSTS OF CONTROLLING
POLLUTION ARE A BURDEN ON THE
ECONOMY, WHEN THEY'RE ACTUALLY A
HUGE NET GAIN FOR OUR COUNTRY.
A PARTY THAT USED TO PROUDLY
CARRY THE BANNER OF CONSERVATION
AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION IS
NOW REDUCEED TO SERVING CORPS
RATS AND MASTERS WITH PHONY
CLASSIFICATIONS AND IT'S THE
MIDDLE-CLASS FAMILIES THAT PAY
THE PRICE.
THE APPOINTEES ON THE SUPREME
COURT BY A BARE 5-4 MAJORITY ARE
WILLING TO OVERTURN PRECEDENT
AND FLOUT THE RULES OF JUDICIAL
DECISION MAKE TO GO DECREE
SOMETHING REALLY NOVEL AND
REMARKABLE.
PEOPLE AND
THAT MONEY IS SPEECH, AND THAT,
THEREFORE, OUR PRECIOUS
CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS TO FREE
SPEECH AS AMERICAN PEOPLE GIVE
CORPORATIONS A RIGHT TO SPEND AS
MUCH MONEY AS THEY PLEASE, EVEN
ANONOMOUSLY, IN AMERICAN
ELECTIONS.
INTERNATIONAL CORPORATIONS WITH
NO LOYALTY TO ANY FLAG OR
NATION, BUT WITH VIRTUALLY
UNLIMITED MONEY MAY NOW DROWN
OUT THE VOICES OF REGULAR
PEOPLE, REGULAR FAMILIES IN OUR
AMERICAN DEMOCRACY.
C.E.O.'S GET TO USE THE
CORPORATE MEGAPHONE AMPLIFIED BY
THE CORPORATE TREASURY TO DROWN
OUT THEIR EMPLOYEES' VOICES.
JUST ONE BIG CORPORATION WITH
JUST 5% OF ONE QUARTER'S PROFITS
COULD MATCH THE ENTIRE POLITICAL
SPENDING OF BOTH PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION.
OUR CONSTITUTION AND BILL OF
RIGHTS ESTABLISHED A JEWRY NOT
ONCE BUT THREE SEPARATE TIMES AS
AN INSTITUTION OF DEMOCRACY.
De TOCQUEVILLE, ONE OF THE
GREAT HISTORIANS AND
COMMENTATORS ON THE AMERICAN
SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT, CALLED THE
AMERICAN JEWRY ONE OF THE FORMS
OF THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE
PEOPLE.
AND BIG CORPORATIONS GO TO COURT
ALL THE TIME AND FIGHT IT OUT
BEFORE A JURY WHEN THEY WANT TO.
BUT OVER AND OVER IF YOU'RE A
MIDDLE-CLASS FAMILY IN CONTRACTS
THAT YOU CAN'T NEGOTIATE OR
CONTROL, IN FINE PRINT YOU --
AND FINE PRINT YOU PROBABLY
NEVER EVEN READ, YOUR CREDIT
CARD COMPANY, YOUR CELL PHONE
COMPANY, THE COMPANIES YOU DO
BUSINESS WITH QUIETLY TAKE AWAY
YOUR RIGHT TO GO AGAINST THEM
BEFORE AN AMERICAN JURY.
AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN THOSE
SAME SUPREME COURT JUDGES WHO
DECIDED A CORPORATION WAS A
PERSON HAVE LET THEM.
YOU HAVE TO GO INSTEAD TO
SOMETHING CALLED ARBITRATION
INSTEAD OF A CONSTITUTIONAL
AMERICAN JURY.
AND TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF HOW
ARBITRATION WORKS, FOR A LONG
TIME THE BIGGEST ARBITRATION
COMPANY IN THE COUNTRY WAS A
RACKET RIGGED TO RULE AGAINST
THE CONSUMER, AND IT HAD TO BE
SHUT DOWN BY LEGAL ACTIONS BY
OUR STATE ATTORNEYS GENERAL.
ADD IT ALL UP, ALL THOSE
DIFFERENT AREAS THAT I
MENTIONED, AND IT'S A LOT OF
CHANGES SINCE MY CHILDHOOD.
AND IT'S A LOT OF CHANGES IN HOW
OUR COUNTRY RUNS.
AND IT'S ALL IN THE SAME
DIRECTION.
SPECIAL DEALS AND SPECIAL TAX
RATES AND SPECIAL RULES THAT
HELP BIG CORPORATIONS AND PEOPLE
WHO ARE AS WEALTHY AS BIG
AND THAT LEAVE OUT
REGULAR PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE
MASSES OF MONEY, MONEY, MONEY.
RULES THAT ALLOW CORPORATIONS TO
INTRUDE INTO OUR PUBLIC
DISCOURSE IN THIS DEMOCRACY AND
DROWN OUT PEOPLE'S VOICES
THROUGH MIGHTY CORPORATE
MEGAPHONES AMPLIFIED BY MONEY,
MONEY, MONEY AND LIES AND
NONSENSE COOKED UP IN CORPORATE
SPIN FACTORIES BEING TREATED AS
FACT, OBTAINING ACCEPTABILITY BY
HOW OFTEN THE LIES ARE REPEATED
THANKS TO MONEY, MONEY, MONEY.
UNDER ALL THAT MONEY, WHAT IS
DROWNING IS THE SENSE THAT WE
AMERICANS.
ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER AS
THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
AMERICA ACTUALLY STANDS FOR IN
THIS WORLD IS THAT WE ARE FAIR
WITH EACH OTHER, THAT WE GET A
STRAIGHT DEAL AND THAT WE GIVE
EACH OTHER A STRAIGHT DEAL.
THAT WE
AS AMERICA SET AN EXAMPLE IN
FAIR.
THIS WORLD, AN EXAMPLE OF BEING
THERE ARE PLENTY OF COUNTRIES IN
THE WORLD WHOSE INTERNAL
POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC SYSTEMS
AMOUNT TO A RACKET, A RACKET
RIGGED FOR THE BENEFIT OF THEIR
RICH AND POWERFUL, WHERE FARMERS
AND WORKERS AND ORDINARY
FAMILIES GET SCREWED AND THE
WEALTHY SKIM ALL THE CREAM.
SOME OF THESE COUNTRIES ARE SO
BAD WE CALL THEM KLEPTOCRACIES.
THE WORLD IS FULL OF THAT.
IT HAS BEEN THE PRIDE AND JOY OF
AMERICA THAT WE ARE NOT LIKE
THAT.
IT HAS BEEN OUR MESSAGE TO THE
WORLD THAT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE
LIKE THAT.
BUT NOW IT IS LOOKING MORE THAT
WE ACTUALLY ARE BECOMING JUST
LIKE THAT.
SO WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT?
WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE SURE
AMERICANS ARE GETTING A STRAIGHT
OF THIS?
I PROPOSE THESE THINGS.
ONE, BIG BANKS SHOULD HAVE TO
FOLLOW THE STATE LAWS JUST LIKE
LOCAL BANKS DO, AND JUST LIKE
YOU AND I DO.
NO MORE GOING TO SOUTH DAKOTA
AND MARKETING FROM THERE CREDIT
CARDS WITH 30% INTEREST RATES
THAT VIOLATE THE LAWS OF YOUR
HOME STATE.
TWO, IF BIG CORPORATIONS CAN
RESTRUCTURE ALL THEIR DEBTS IN
BANKRUPTCY COURT, SO SHOULD
STUDENTS AND FAMILIES BE ABLE
TO.
NO SECOND-CLASS CITIZENSHIP FOR
THOSE WHO BORROW COLLEGE LOANS
AND HOME MORTGAGES.
THREE, AMEND THE CONSTITUTION TO
MAKE IT CLEAR THAT CORPORATIONS
AREN'T PEOPLE.
NEVER WERE, NEVER COULD BE.
THE GOOD LORD JUST DID NOT MAKE
IT THAT WAY.
AND MAKE IT CRYSTAL CLEAR THAT
CORPORATIONS CAN'T SPEND MONEY
IN AMERICAN ELECTIONS
ANONOMOUSLY OR THROUGH PHONY
SHELL ORGANIZATIONS.
IF BIG OIL WANTS TO INFLUENCE
AMERICAN ELECTIONS, AMERICANS
SHOULD KNOW IT'S BIG OIL.
FOUR, STRAIGHTEN OUT OUR TAX
SYSTEMS, AND UNTIL WE DO, PUT IN
A MINIMUM TAX FOR ULTRAHIGH
INCOME EARNERS THAT'S AT HEART
DISEASE AT THE RATE THAT
ORDINARY AMERICAN TAX-PAYING
FAMILIES PAY.
AND WHILE WE'RE AT IT, PUT IN A
MINIMUM CORPORATE TAX RATE
THAT'S AT LEAST HALF OF WHAT
AVERAGE CORPORATIONS PAY.
NO CORPORATION THAT IS MAKING
MILLIONS OR BILLIONS OF DOLLARS
SHOULD GET AWAY WITH PAYING
NOTHING IN INCOME TAX.
FIVE, SHUT DOWN THE OFFSHORE TAX
HAVENS AND CHARGE COMPANIES A
C.E.O. PAY SURTAX ON C.E.O.
MORE THAN
100 TIMES THEIR AVERAGE WORKER'S
COMPENSATION.
SIX, MAKE POLLUTERS PAY THE
ACTUAL COSTS OF THEIR POLLUTION.
WHY SHOULD A POLLUTING COMPANY
BE ABLE TO PUSH ONTO ALL OF THE
REST OF US THE COSTS OF THEIR
POLLUTION?
WHY SHOULD AMERICAN FAMILIES
BEAR THAT POLLUTING
CORPORATION'S COST?
ECONOMICS TELLS US THAT SHOULD
BE PART OF THE COMPANY'S COST OF
DOING BUSINESS.
SEVENTH, NO MORE CORPORATE TAX
DEDUCTIONS FOR OFFSHORING
AMERICAN JOBS, AND NO MORE
FAVORING OF OFFSHORE CORPORATE
INCOME DERIVED FROM WHAT USED TO
BE AMERICAN JOBS.
AND EIGHTH, TAKE OUT OF THOSE
TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT CONSUMER
CONTRACTS THE PROVISIONS THAT
TAKE AWAY IN THE FINE PRINT YOUR
AMERICAN TO GO
BEFORE AN AMERICAN JURY AS THE
CONSTITUTION AND BILL OF RIGHTS
PROMISES WHENEVER YOU HAVE
AGREEMENTS OR HAVE BEEN HARMED.
NONE OF THESE THINGS, NONE OF
THOSE EIGHT THINGS THAT I HAVE
JUST MENTIONED ASK ANYTHING OF
ANYONE THAT ISN'T FAIR, AND MOST
OF THEM SIMPLY ASK THAT ORDINARY
AMERICANS GET THE SAME DEAL, OR
AT LEAST NO WORSE OF A DEAL THAN
SPECIAL AMERICANS GET AND BIG
CORPORATIONS GET.
THIS ALL DOES NO MORE THAN PUT
PEOPLE ON THE SAME LEVEL, OR AT
LEAST UNDER THE SAME RULES AS
THE RICH AND POWERFUL.
WHEN SOMEONE IS GETTING A BETTER
DEAL THAN YOU JUST BECAUSE OF
WHO THEY ARE, YOU ARE NOT
GETTING A STRAIGHT DEAL.
WHEN SOMEONE IS TAKING ADVANTAGE
ARE SMALL AND
EASY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF, YOU
ARE NOT GETTING A STRAIGHT DEAL.
AND WHEN THE RULES OF THE GAME
ARE RIGGED TO HELP THE WINNERS
WIN AND TO MAKE YOU A LOSER, YOU
ARE NOT GETTING A STRAIGHT DEAL.
AND, MR. PRESIDENT, IT IS TIME
WE STARTED GIVING THE PEOPLE OF
AMERICA A STRAIGHT DEAL AROUND
HERE.
I THANK THE PRESIDENT.
I NOTE -- I YIELD THE FLOOR AND
NOTE THE ABSENCE OF A QUORUM.
THE CLERK
WILL CALL THE ROLL.
CALL: