John Kline

John Kline is not looking out for middle class taxpayers or seniors. He voted for Paul Ryan’s budget that shifts the tax burden onto the middle class, essentially ends Medicare and then uses that money to give even more tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans.

• Raises taxes on Middle class families by almost $1,400
• According to the Wall Street Journal, the plan would “essentially end Medicare” and seniors would have to pay $6,400 more in out of pocket medical expenses.
• Removes Medicare's promise of secure coverage
• Gives the average millionaire a $265,000 tax cut.

Congressman Kline Voted for Ryan Budget That “Would Essentially End Medicare.” On April 15, 2011, Kline voted for the Republican budget plan authored by Rep. Paul Ryan. The Wall Street Journal wrote, “The plan would essentially end Medicare, which now pays most of the health-care bills for 48 million elderly and disabled Americans, as a program that directly pays those bills.” [H Con. Res. 34, Vote #277, 4/15/11; Wall Street Journal, 4/04/11; H Con Res 112, Vote #151, 3/29/12]

Though The Difference in Out of Pocket Costs Would Be About $6,400. According to a Kaiser Family Foundation policy brief, the difference between Chairman Paul Ryan’s budget and an alternative fiscal scenario examined by the Congressional Budget Office would be about $6,400. [Kaiser Family Foundation Policy Brief, Proposed Changes to Medicare in “Path to Prosperity,” 4/08/11]

Congressman Kline Voted for Ryan Budget that Would Increase Taxes on Middle Class. Kline voted for Ryan’s FY 2013 budget that would end Medicare’s guaranteed benefit and provide people earning more than $1 million a year with an average tax cut of $265,000.  Under Ryan’s budget middle class families could see their taxes go up by one thousand four hundred dollars. [H Con Res 112, Vote #151, 3/29/12; Center for American Progress, 3/20/12; Center for American Progress, 3/20/12; Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 3/27/12; Joint Economic Committee, 6/20/12]

AARP: Ryan Budget Removes Medicare’s Promise of Secure Health Coverage. “Rather than recognizing that health care is an unavoidable necessity which must be made more affordable for all Americans, this proposal simply shifts these high costs onto Medicare beneficiaries, and shifts the even higher costs of increased uninsured care onto everyone else. By creating a “premium support” system for future Medicare beneficiaries, the proposal will increase costs for beneficiaries while removing Medicare’s promise of secure health coverage – a guarantee that future seniors have contributed to through a lifetime of hard work.” [AARP, 4/6/11]