The media’s pet story to report upon these days is the president’s shrinking popularity. According to those who make a living polling Americans, the court of public opinion in recent weeks suggests unease about the direction the country is taking.
With soaring gas prices dipping into weekly budgets, lingering uncertainty about potential terrorist attacks, mounting questions about U.S. military presence in Iraq, and growing concern about inflation, it’s not surprising Americans are expressing insecurity.
Even optimists can tire of shelling out $40 to $75 a week to fill their gas tank. So despite the growing, job-creating economy overall, opinion checks around the country can understandably vary from household to household.
Consider working families in Central Iowa reeling with the unwelcome decision by Whirlpool to close Maytag’s appliance headquarters, research and development center and manufacturing facility in Newton. It’s a devastating blow to families who have worked at the appliance maker for generations.
As Iowa’s senior U.S. Senator, I will do everything I can at the federal level to channel job training assistance to the hard-working Maytag employees facing unemployment. It’s a shame the Whirlpool executives didn’t better appreciate Maytag’s loyal, highly skilled workforce.
Now community leaders will turn the page on a new chapter and work to keep Newton a vibrant place to live, work and raise a family. Although it may feel like the rug has been yanked out from underneath their feet, Whirlpool can’t take away the good people of Newton’s ingenuity and work ethic. I’ll continue looking forward with business and community leaders to help buffer the loss and attract economic development and good-paying jobs to Jasper County.
To that end, I use my leadership position in the U.S. Senate to foster a pro-growth, pro-jobs, pro-worker economy that can help communities like Newton bounce back and compete for new opportunities. Make no mistake. Losing Maytag is a tough pill to swallow. And it may seem impossible to look for the silver lining when 2,000 Iowans will soon lose their jobs.
As chairman of the Senate’s tax-writing policy committee, I believe American workers, investors and retirees deserve to keep more of their hard-earned money. If government takes less, Americans are left with more to save, invest or spend as they see fit. In our consumer-driven economy, high-paying jobs are created by innovation, ingenuity and investment as businesses compete for your business.
That’s why I champion tax and spending policies that promote economic growth and opportunities for entrepreneurs and a skilled workforce to achieve the American Dream. The 2001 and 2003 tax relief laws help keep the U.S. economy’s tank from running on empty.
Building on the momentum triggered by these landmark tax relief laws, I negotiated in May another bipartisan victory for hard-working taxpayers and the U.S. economy. The $70 billion tax relief package will shield millions of middle-income families from getting walloped on their 2006 tax returns by the parallel stealth tax known as the Alternative Minimum Tax. Created long ago to ensure the wealthiest taxpayers pay their fair share, the AMT isn’t indexed for inflation.
Although it’s only a temporary fix, Congress thankfully has reached an agreement to protect 15 million middle class families for one more year from paying more than their fair share because of the AMT.
Congress also extended to 2010 the job-creating tax policy widely credited for keeping the U.S. economic engine moving forward by reducing the government’s bite out of taxpayer profits made in the stock market. The agreement locks into place a 15 percent tax rate on capital gains and dividend income for the four-year horizon economists tell us investors expect. The tax savings will do more economic good by flowing through taxpayers’ pocketbooks instead of Uncle Sam’s.
For the remainder of the 109th Congress, I’ll continue to champion responsible stewardship of the nation’s tax and spending policies that promote certainty and economic security for hard-working Americans. For example, I will keep up pressure in Washington to advance the long-stalled pension reform legislation that would boost workers’ savings opportunities and make it easier for employees to grow retirement income.
As for all the opinion polls making headlines these days, I’ll stick to my tried-and-true gauge of public opinion. Throughout the rest of the calendar year, I will keep my eyes open and ears to the ground as l wrap up town meetings in each of Iowa’s 99 counties. I’d be glad to hear from you when I’m in your neck of the woods. Thanks for helping to keep me in touch by sharing your views.