[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 64 (Thursday, April 19, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S2290]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       PHILOSOPHICAL DIFFERENCES

  Mr. McCONNELL. Now, one final matter. We have been talking all week 
about a big philosophical difference between Democrats and Republicans. 
Tax reform has thrown it into stark relief.
  On the one hand, the Democrats' governing philosophy is about 
consolidating as much money and power as possible right here in 
Washington, DC. Under President Obama, we watched Democratic leaders 
turn every challenge the country faced into an excuse to raise taxes 
and impose regulations. Our dear friends on the other side are the 
party of taxation, regulation, and litigation as well. We saw who wins 
under this top-down philosophy and who loses.
  America did not recover quickly enough from the great recession, and 
the unimpressive growth we did see during the Obama administration was 
extremely uneven. According to one study, nearly three-quarters of the 
job growth and 90 percent of the net population growth from 2010 to 
2016 went to metropolitan areas with more than 1 million residents. The 
occupant of the Chair and I represent a lot of rural and smalltown 
folks. They didn't benefit from whatever job creation there was; it 
went to the big cities all across America. In the wealthiest coastal 
cities, there was some improvement, but the simple fact is that the 
Democratic policies left the rest of the country behind. In small towns 
and smaller cities and rural areas, opportunities dried up, paychecks 
stayed flat, and hope for a more prosperous future began fading.
  That is what President Trump and this Republican Congress were 
elected to change. Our governing philosophy is very different. We think 
that more of the American people's hard-earned money should be left in 
their own hands--their hands--to spend or save as they see fit. We 
think government needs to give workers and job creators some breathing 
room. We think every American community deserves to flourish. So we 
passed record-setting rollbacks of harmful Federal rules that had 
thrown a wet blanket on the economy, and we enacted sweeping tax reform 
to help families and reignite growth.
  What are the early results? Consumer confidence hit a 14-year high, 
jobless claims a 45-year low--jobless claims, a 45-year low--and 
millions of Americans receiving bonuses, pay raises, and new benefits. 
Ninety percent of wage earners expected to see lower income taxes than 
last year. Ninety percent of wage earners--lower income tax rates than 
last year.
  The philosophical difference is especially stark in States where one 
Senator votes to let all of this good news happen, but the other 
Senator tried to stop it from taking place.
  Bonnie Brazzeal from Missouri told President Trump last month that 
she is using her tax reform bonus to save for retirement.
  In West Virginia, Sean Farrell says he is using expanded 529 savings 
eligibility to afford Catholic school tuition for his children.
  Chelsee Hatfield from Indiana is using her permanent raise to pay for 
community college classes, working toward her associate's degree.
  At some point, the Democratic Senators from these States I just 
mentioned will have to explain why they voted to stop all that from 
happening. They will have to tell Bonnie and Sean and Chelsee that they 
agree with the Democratic leader, who has said Washington knows how to 
spend money better than citizens do.
  But, my Republican colleagues and I will stay on the side of the 
American people.
  Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

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