After the 2012 election, Congress returns to Washington for a “lame-duck” session. Members of Congress will make a series of high-stakes decisions with far-reaching consequences for working people and the economy. Many of these decisions involve issues that have been at the center of this election campaign, such as tax cuts for the wealthy and cuts in Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare. Their decisions could begin to close the economic inequality gap in America—or they could make it worse.

Some politicians in both parties and Wall Street executives want a so-called “grand bargain” to reduce the federal budget deficit. Their grand bargain boils down to this: lower tax rates for the wealthy and corporations, new taxes (such as taxes on workers’ health benefits) on the middle class and benefit cuts for Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. This is a rotten deal for working people.

The tax cuts passed by President George W. Bush expire at the end of this year. President Obama and Democrats in the U.S. Senate say we should not give more tax cuts to the wealthiest 2% of taxpayers—those who make more than $250,000 a year—but we should extend the tax cuts for the 98% of taxpayers who make less than $250,000. Republicans say they will not agree to any budget deal unless the rich and corporations get new tax cuts, even if it means cutting programs and benefits that working families depend on. 

What You Should Do

Tell your members of Congress to put working families first. Call your senators and representative now at 888-659-9401 and tell them:

• NO tax cuts for the richest 2% of Americans.
• NO benefit cuts to Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid.