MoveOn Opposes Fiscal Cliff Deal [View all]

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MoveOn Opposes Fiscal Cliff Deal

The progressive activist group MoveOn issued a statement late Monday night opposing the fiscal cliff agreement between the White House and Republicans. "MoveOn cannot support the deal that was announced tonight," MoveOn executive director Justin Ruben said in the statement.

The full statement from Ruben:

MoveOn cannot support the deal that was announced tonight.

We just finished an election in which the American people made clear that they want the wealthiest 2% to finally pay their fair share of taxes, but this agreement fails to meet that test. Voters gave President Obama a mandate to end the Bush tax cuts for those making more than $250,000. He has not delivered.

We are also deeply concerned about the short-term nature of the sequester extension, which means that in just two months, the country will yet again face a situation in which the GOP tries to hold our economy hostage as it seeks policies that benefit the rich.

It is important to note that there are no Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid cuts in this agreement – and that’s a good thing. MoveOn members and allies have fought hard to prevent social insurance benefit cuts, which would harm the poor and middle class and which the public strongly opposes. This weekend, when Republicans tried to inject Social Security benefit cuts into these eleventh-hour negotiations, Democrats forced those cuts off the table.

The agreement includes some good provisions, including an extension of unemployment insurance as well as tax credits that benefit poor and middle class Americans. But at the end of the day, poor and middle class families deserve a better deal than more tax cuts for the rich and the potential for another hostage situation in two months.

As budget debates continue, MoveOn members will continue to fight for a more equitable tax code in which the wealthy finally pay their fair share, and to protect Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid from any benefit cuts.

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