In his new TV ad, Congressman Bob Dold does a good job describing the problems facing voters, but what he’s not saying is that during his time in Congress, Dold was a reliable Republican vote to make all the problems he identified worse for middle class Illinois families.
“Former Congressman Dold talked about jobs – but wouldn’t say that he voted with Republicans to protect tax breaks to companies that ship jobs overseas. Dold talked about retirement – but not that he voted to make retirement more expensive by raising Medicare costs on Illinois families in order to cut taxes for the wealthy,” said Brandon Lorenz of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “Dold talked about education – but not that he voted with Republicans to make education less affordable by reducing access to Pell Grants. The bottom line is that Bob Dold was fired for going to Washington and becoming just another reliable Republican who has voted with the special interests and the ultra-wealthy, and he’s not going to be able to run away from that record now.”
ON JOBS
Congressman Dold Voted for the Extreme House Republican Budget. In March 2012, Dold voted for the FY 2013 House Republican budget. The budget resolution was adopted, 228-191. [H Con Res 112, Vote #151, 3/29/12]
- CBS News: Republican Budget Would “Scrap Most Taxes on Overseas Profits.” [CBS News, 3/20/12]
- Risked Encouraging Companies to Ship Jobs Overseas. Under the House Republican budget, companies may be encouraged to ship jobs overseas: “Republicans say the current system unfairly taxes corporations twice, hurts their competitiveness and discourages them from reinvesting in the U.S. The budget plan doesn’t specify a tax rate for foreign earnings brought back to the U.S., but some Republicans previously have suggested exempting 95% of future foreign earnings from U.S. corporate tax and imposing a 5.25% tax on existing overseas earnings. Critics say such a move would prompt American firms to avoid taxes by moving operations overseas even faster than they already are, harming American workers and reducing investment in the U.S.” [Wall Street Journal, 3/20/12]
Congressman Dold Voted to Protect a 20 Percent Tax Break for Companies Outsourcing Jobs. In April 2012, Dold voted against a motion to recommit that would have eliminated a 20 percent income tax cut for companies that send U.S. jobs overseas. The motion failed 179-229. [HR 9, Vote #176, 4/19/12; Washington Post, 4/22/12]
Congressman Dold Voted to Let Companies Hide When They Ship Jobs Overseas. In March 2012, Dold voted against an amendment that would require large U.S. companies to disclose how many of their jobs are based on U.S. soil and how many are based abroad.According to the Washington Post, the amendment was an attempt to shed light on the number of American jobs being outsourced. The amendment was rejected, 175-239. [HR 3606, Vote #107, 3/08/12; Washington Post, 2/01/12]
ON RETIREMENT
Congressman Dold Voted for the Ryan Budget that would, “Essentially End Medicare.” In 2011, Dold voted for the 2011 budget resolution proposed by Congressman Paul Ryan. According to the Wall Street Journal, “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; Associated Press, 4/15/11; Wall Street Journal, 4/4/11]
- Ryan Budget would Replace the Current Medicare Program with “Vouchers.” In April 2011, Max Richtman, executive vice-president of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, told an audience that Ryan’s 2012 budget plan “would replace the current Medicare program with vouchers and leave seniors and the disabled – some of our most vulnerable Americans – hostage to the whims of the private marketplace.” [NCPSSM press release, 4/05/11]
ON EDUCATION
Congressman Dold Voted for Paul Ryan’s Republican Budget FY 2012. In 2011, Dold voted for Paul Ryan’s Republican budget. The bill passed 235-193. [H Con Res 34, Vote #277, 4/15/11]
- Budget Cut Pell Grants. According to the House Committee on Education and Labor:”[U]nder the Republican budget, the maximum Pell Grant award would be cut by more than $2,500 for the 2012-2013 school year, bringing the maximum award to $3,040, the lowest it’s been since 1998. New data from the Department of Education shows that the Republican budget would result in almost 1.4 million students losing eligibility for Pell grants, and all students receiving significantly reduced awards. For students, this could make college far less affordable.” [House Committee on Education and Labor, 4/14/11 citing Estimates from the US Department of Education]
ON LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD
Congressman Dold Voted to Reduce Taxes on Top Earners and Corporations by 10 percent. In 2011, Dold voted for a Republican budget which reduced the tax rate for top individual earners and corporations. According to the Washington Post, “On taxes, Ryan’s budget would consolidate brackets and lower tax rates; the top individual and corporate rates would drop to 25 percent.” The bill passed 235-193. [H Con Res 34, Vote #277, 4/15/11; Washington Post, 4/05/11]
Congressman Dold Voted for the Extreme House Republican Budget. In March 2012, Dold voted for the FY 2013 House Republican budget. The budget resolution was adopted, 228-191. [H Con Res 112, Vote #151, 3/29/12]
- $4.6 Trillion in Tax Cuts for People Earning Over $200,000. According to analysis by the Tax Policy Center the Republican budget would cut taxes by roughly $4.6 trillion, “with most of the tax cuts going to people earning more than $200,000.” [Economic Policy Institute, 3/20/12; Tax Policy Center, 3/20/12]
- $1,358 Tax Increase for the Middle Class. In 2014, ABC News reported: “The House Republican budget for the 2013 fiscal year, passed by the House in June, would raise taxes by $1,358 for jointly-filing households earning between $50,000 and $100,000, assuming the additional income is taxed at a 10 percent rate, according to a report published earlier this summer by the Joint Economic Committee of Congress, authored by its chairman, Casey.” [Joint Economic Committee via ABC News, 8/14/12]
- Headline: Paul Ryan Tax Plan Could Raise Middle Class Taxes, Said Panel[ABC News, 8/14/12]