Senate Proceeding on Mar 12th, 2008 :: 4:36:36 to 4:39:09
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4:34:55 to 4:36:36( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Kent Conrad

4:36:25 to 4:36:36( Edit History Discussion )

Kent Conrad: montana, the idea is somehow we have to pay for that even know it is exactly the same bracket as it is today. if we're going to extend the capital gains rate or the dividends rate or any of the other

4:36:36 to 4:36:48( Edit History Discussion )

Edward Kennedy: marginal rates, keep them exactly the same as they are today, why should we have to raise taxes permanently someplace else in order to -- quote -- "pay for that?" you only get to that conclusion if

4:36:36 to 4:39:09( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Edward Kennedy

4:36:48 to 4:37:01( Edit History Discussion )

Edward Kennedy: you think that the federal government is more important than the taxpayers. well, the way our country was founded is based on we, the people. we created the government. the government is supposed

4:37:01 to 4:37:16( Edit History Discussion )

Edward Kennedy: to serve us, not the other way around. so you don't start from the premise that somehow the government has an amount of money today and no matter what happens, no matter how much we want to provide

4:37:16 to 4:37:31( Edit History Discussion )

Edward Kennedy: tax relief for people, the government still has to have the same amount of money. so if we're going to provide tax relief for people somehow we have to make up the money that we give back to the people.

4:37:31 to 4:37:42( Edit History Discussion )

Edward Kennedy: if you want to provide tax relief for people, the whole idea is that they don't have to pay for it in some other way. they get to keep the money. we trust them to spend it. and that is the fundamental

4:37:42 to 4:37:57( Edit History Discussion )

Edward Kennedy: difference that i have with the amendment of the senator from colorado. if the terms with respect to the amount exempted and the rate is the same, and i presume that it would be, the question is, are we

4:37:57 to 4:38:09( Edit History Discussion )

Edward Kennedy: ever going to act on it? my amendment will be acted on this year one way or another. we're not just going to pass it in the budget as we have in the past. this isn't just going to be a show exercise

4:38:09 to 4:38:21( Edit History Discussion )

Edward Kennedy: where we all vote in the budget to cut taxes, but the cuts never really materialize. why don't they ever materialize? because the majority dent bring a bill to the senate floor to get a bill passed.

4:38:21 to 4:38:32( Edit History Discussion )

Edward Kennedy: if the bill doesn't pass, the president doesn't sign it, there is no tax relief. the budget is merely like the family budget. it's a goal, it's a blueprint. it is something that you want to try to

4:38:32 to 4:38:44( Edit History Discussion )

Edward Kennedy: follow if at all possible. yet, -- yet when we pass tax relief in the budget, we're not passing tax relief, we're saying, this is something that we would like to do to accommodate this in the budget,

4:38:44 to 4:38:55( Edit History Discussion )

Edward Kennedy: if you're not following through with any action, what have you done except to fool the american people. make them think you're going to reduce taxes, but you never actually do it. my amendment will

4:38:55 to 4:39:09( Edit History Discussion )

Edward Kennedy: be brought to the senate floor. it doesn't have to put the government first, we don't have to pay for it by increasing the taxes on you over here, so that we can cut your taxes here. now, my colleagues

4:39:09 to 4:39:19( Edit History Discussion )

Kent Conrad: can either -- either vote for it or against it, but we're going to get a vote on the floor of the senate on reform for the death tax and it will be very much along the lines of the amendment that