Subject: DEBATE FACT CHECK: RUBIO IS A CHAMPION OF THE WEALTHY, NOT THE MIDDLE CLASS
From: DNC Press <[email-masked]>
To: DNC Press <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 29 Oct 2015 01:39:12 +0000

RUBIO IS A CHAMPION OF THE WEALTHY, NOT THE MIDDLE CLASS

Rubio opposes policies that make college more affordable, opposes raising the minimum wage, opposes ensuring paid family leave and much more - all while pushing for extreme tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. Under Rubio's plan, Mitt Romney would pay nothing in taxes. Rubio is offering more of the same tired and failed policies.

REPUBLICANS AND TAX EXPERTS AGREE: RUBIO'S TAX PLAN WOULD RAISE RATES ON THE MIDDLE CLASS AND HURTS WORKING FAMILIES

Republicans Argued That Rubio's Tax Plan Could Expose Many Middle-Income Earners To A Significant Tax Hike. "But not all Republicans are embracing the plan. Some argue that it leaves the top rate far too close to the current highest bracket of 39.6 percent. And they note that it would apply the 35 percent rate to individual incomes as low as $75,000, possibly exposing many middle-income earners to a significant tax hike." [Politico, 4/9/15<http://www.politico.com/story/2015/04/marco-rubio-tax-plan-challenges-gop-orthodoxy-116831.html?hp=t4_r>]

Vox: The Rubio Tax Plan "Amounts To A Tax Increase For Certain Income Segments" Including Low-Income Individuals And Families. "The current tax code has seven income tax rates for individuals, ranging from 10 percent to 39.6 percent. Rubio and Lee reduce that to just two: 15 percent for income below $75,000 (or $150,000 for couples), and 35 percent for all income above that. That amounts to a tax increase for certain income segments and a cut for others. Roughly speaking, low-income and rich but not super-rich individuals and families lose out while slightly less rich and even richer ones gain." [Vox, 3/17/15<http://www.vox.com/2015/3/17/8226915/rubio-lee-tax-plan>]

RUBIO BLOCKED BILLS THAT WOULD ALLOW STUDENTS TO REFINANCE THEIR STUDENT LOANS

6/11/14: Rubio Voted Against Cloture On A Bill That Would Allow Students To Refinance Their Federal Student Loans. "A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide for the refinancing of certain Federal student loans, and for other purposes." [S.2432, Vote 185, 113th Congress, 6/11/14<http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=113&session=2&vote=00185>]

*         Rubio Said Senator Warren's Student Loan Bill "Does Nothing To Address The Growing Costs Of Higher Education And Puts Taxpayers On The Hook For Billions Of Dollars Of Existing Loan Debt." Rubio: "The President is also calling for the Senate to pass Senator Elizabeth Warren's student loan legislation, which does nothing to address the growing costs of higher education and puts taxpayers on the hook for billions of dollars of existing loan debt. During this week's Senate debate, l look forward to offering alternative higher education reform ideas that will make higher education more affordable and accessible for young Americans." [Press Release, Office of Senator Rubio, 6/9/14<http://www.rubio.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=1eb3a4c8-64cd-41b2-aff8-d0669234a159>]

RUBIO OPPOSES ENSURING PAID LEAVE FOR FAMILIES

Marco Rubio Voted Against An Amendment To "Establish A Deficit-Neutral Reserve Fund For Legislation To Allow Americans To Earn Paid Sick Time." "To establish a deficit-neutral reserve fund for legislation to allow Americans to earn paid sick time." [S.Amdt. 798 to S.Con.Res. 11, Vote 98, 114th Congress, 3/26/15<http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=114&session=1&vote=00098>]

*         Rubio On Whether Companies Should Provide Paid Leave For Mothers Of Newborns: "I Do Not Believe It Should Be Federally Mandated."  MR. SORKIN: "Hey, Senator, we've got to go, but real quick, the president earlier this week -- you talk about families -- he proposed that we -- he said we should join the rest of the industrialized nations and offer paid leave for mothers of newborns. I want you to wade into the debate." SEN. RUBIO: "Well, many countries -- I'm sorry -- many companies already provide that. And if a company decides to do that as part of their benefit package" MR. SORKIN: "Do you think it should be legislated?" SEN. RUBIO: "I do not believe it should be federally mandated." MR. SORKIN: "Do you think it should be state-mandated?" SEN. RUBIO: "I think states can decide to do that, because states have to compete with each other for business. But I don't believe there should be a federal mandate to that effect." [Squawk Box, CNBC, 6/25/14]

RUBIO: THE IDEA THAT MINIMUM WAGE CREATES UPWARD MOBILITY IS "FRANKLY, QUITE SILLY"

Rubio On The Minimum Wage Creating Upward Mobility: "To Argue That Raising The Minimum Wage Is Going To Create Upward Mobility Is, Quite Frankly, Silly."   GWEN IFILL: "Last week on the NewsHour, George Miller, liberal congressman from California, said that the secret to this, or at least the foundation, is raising the minimum wage. And the president today is signing his executive order, which would at least raise the minimum wage to $10.10 for federal contractors. Is that the foundation of..." RUBIO: "That's certainly not the foundation of it. So, I understand they may support that policy initiative. But to argue that raising the minimum wage is going to create upward mobility is, quite frankly, silly. I mean, $10.10 is not the American dream. The way you're - the best way to look at it is to think about a person." [News Hour, PBS, 2/12/14<http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/rubio-u-s-immigration-based-economics-less-family-connection/>]

RUBIO CALLED MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE "A WASTE OF TIME"

Rubio Called The Pursuit Of A Minimum Wage Increase A "Waste Of Time."  SENATOR MARCO RUBIO: "I just wanted to-- as a practical matter I'm not calling to repeal the minimum wage. I'm not saying to get rid of it as a practical matter. I think it is what it is and we don't-- that's a disruption that we don't need with all so many other disruptions happening. But I will say this, I think that all this focus that the president has on the minimum wage is a cure-all for the, you know, the problems being faced by working Americans is not only a waste of time, I think it shows how unserious he really is about dealing with the challenges of our time." [Freedom Partners Forum, 1/25/15; ABC News, 1/26/15<http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/transcript-freedom-partners-forum-ted-cruz-rand-paul/story?id=28491534&singlePage=true>]

RUBIO'S TAX PLAN IS NOTHING NEW AND A RETURN TO BUSH ECONOMICS AND WOULD HELP THE WEALTHY

Rubio's Tax Plan Was More Lucrative For Wealthy Individuals Who Don't Work, Like The Romneys, Who Would Pay Nothing In Taxes Under His Plan. "But Rubio's plan is actually most lucrative for those who don't have to work for a living: those who can get by on so-called 'unearned income'-quarterly stock dividends and capital gains made from selling assets at a profit. Former GOP nominee Mitt Romney's 2011 tax return, for example, showed that he and his wife reported a total of $13.7 million in income-none of it coming from wages-on which he paid $1.9 million in taxes because of the lower rate on unearned income and their sizable charitable contributions. Had the Rubio plan been law, the Romneys would have owed nothing in taxes." [National Journal, 10/12/15<http://www.nationaljournal.com/s/85867/how-much-tax-unearned-income-rubio-plan-suggests-zero>]

HEADLINE: "Marco Rubio's Tax Plan And The GOP's Return To Bushism." [MSNBC, 3/4/15<http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/marco-rubios-tax-plan-and-the-gops-return-bushism>]

Bloomberg: Proponents Of The Rubio Tax Plan Conceded That It Would Reduce Revenue By $1.7 Trillion - Which Would "Largely Favor The Top 1 Percent Of Americans Over The Middle Class." "Senator Marco Rubio of Florida kicked off the competition with his plan to boost economic growth by slashing taxes on investments, wages and business income. Even the plan's proponents concede it would reduce tax collections by at least $1.7 trillion in the first decade, largely favoring the top 1 percent of Americans over the middle class." [Bloomberg, 3/12/15<http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-03-12/republicans-vie-over-who-can-cut-taxes-most-as-deficit-shrinks>]

Tax Policy Center Fellow Roberton Williams Said The Rubio Proposal To Eliminate Investment Taxes Would Provide "A Huge Benefit" To Wealthy Families.  "Eliminating investment taxes would provide 'a huge benefit' to wealthy families, especially the super-rich who earn most of their income that way, said Roberton Williams, a fellow at the Tax Policy Center, a research organization in Washington." [Associated Press, 3/4/15<http://bigstory.ap.org/article/7bcf7693c9414e70b8d3f4227ee7e5ae/rubio-lee-tax-plan-rewards-investors-parents-businesses>]