[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 8]
[House]
[Page 11018]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    WHAT ARE REPUBLICANS AFRAID OF?

  (Mr. MENENDEZ asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, what are Republicans afraid of? Are they 
afraid of the anger of millions of unemployed when they find out 
Republicans are passing yet another massive tax cut to the already 
well-off, while unemployment benefits for hard-hit families are about 
to run out? Are Republicans afraid of middle-class workers who do not 
know whether we are going to have another waive of corporate downsizing 
in this country that will put their jobs, their health care, and their 
kids' educations at risk?
  What is clear is that Republicans are afraid of something because 
they will not even allow Democrats to offer our alternative plan. 
Republicans do not want an open debate because they do not want the 
American middle class to see that they are borrowing hundreds of 
billions of dollars tomorrow for the tax cuts they pay today.
  America cannot be red, white, and broke and meet its challenges both 
at home and abroad. It is time for the Republicans to realize that a 
tax cut is not the answer to every problem. For 2\1/2\ years it has not 
worked; ask the 2 million jobs that are now gone. It is time to stop 
squandering the future of American families and start doing something 
about this economic mess.

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