Barbara Boxer knows she’s in the fight of her political life, and it shows. On her fly-around tour of California earlier this week, Boxer ramped up her rhetoric about fighting for jobs and fighting for small businesses. The only problem with Boxer’s rhetoric is that it’s not backed up by her record.
During her 28 years in Washington, Boxer has voted for more than a trillion dollars in tax increases and in favor of growing the thicket of regulations that inhibit American companies from flourishing and succeeding. She has made it harder – not easier – to do business in our state.
Today, Vice President Biden is again in town tag-teaming with Boxer to raise money (and, as we’ve pointed out before, to re-write history a little about their accomplishments on the jobs front). As it turns out, Boxer and Biden also have a history of tag-teaming to make it harder for companies to do business in the United States by casting votes for billions of dollars in tax increases, for more onerous regulations and for increasing the power of labor unions to bypass secret-ballot elections.
Biden And Boxer Voted Twice In Favor Of The Democrats’ FY 2008 Budget Resolution, Which Included The Largest Tax Increase In U.S. History, About Which Americans For Tax Reform Said, “This Budget Provides For The Largest Tax Increase In American History, Drastically Increases Spending, And If Enacted Will Slow Economic Growth.” (S. Con. Res. 21, CQ Vote #172: Adopted 52-40: R 2-40; D 48-0; I 2-0, 5/17/07, Biden And Boxer Voted Yea; S. Con. Res. 21, CQ Vote #114: Adopted 52-47: R 2-47; D 48-0; I 2-0, 3/23/07, Biden and Boxer Voted Yea; Americans For Tax Reform, “ATR Urges Senators To Vote Against The Proposed Fiscal Year 2008 Budget, S. Con. Resolution 21,” Press Release, 3/21/07)
Biden And Boxer Voted In Favor Of The Democrats’ FY 2009 Budget Resolution, Which Would Have Raised Taxes On Individuals Earning Approximately $41,500 Or More. “The resolution… would not have increased taxes on any single taxpayer making less than $41,500 per year in total income, or any couple making less than $83,000. The $32,000 figure is approximately the taxable income of a single person making $41,500 per year, after all deductions and exclusions.” (S. Con. Res. 70, CQ Vote #85: Adopted 51-44: R 2-43; D 47-1; I 2-0, 3/14/08, Biden and Boxer Voted Yea; FactCheck.org Website, “The $32,000 Question,” www.factcheck.org, 7/11/08))
Boxer And Biden Supported Increased Regulations On Businesses. (S.J.Res. 6, CQ Vote #15: Passed 56-44: R 50-0; D 6-44, 3/6/01, Biden And Boxer Voted Nay)
Boxer And Biden Supported Allowing Union Organizers To Bypass Secret-Ballot Elections. (H.R. 800, CQ Vote #227: Rejected 51-48: R 1-48; D 48-0; I 2-0, 6/26/07, Biden And Boxer Voted Yea)
It’s no wonder, therefore, that they have such low lifetime ratings from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Boxer Has A Lifetime Rating Of 30 Percent From The U.S. Chamber Of Commerce. (U.S. Chamber Of Commerce Website, www.uschamber.com, Accessed 7/6/10)
Biden Has a Lifetime Rating of 36 Percent From The U.S. Chamber Of Commerce. (U.S. Chamber Of Commerce Website, www.uschamber.com, Accessed 7/6/10)
Bottom line: Regardless of their rhetoric, Boxer and Biden have proven they are bad for business. Companies across the nation are already feeling the pressure caused by a tough economy, but the Boxer-Biden tag team is unafraid to ratchet it up even further. That means even less opportunity for a sustainable economic recovery and even less hope for the millions of Americans who are out of work today.