FOR KENNEDY, ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER FABRICATION

10/30/2006

Klobuchar Media
October 30, 2006

Heading into the last week of the campaign lacking money and support, Congressman Mark Kennedy has released another fabricated attack ad in a desperate attempt to save his failing campaign.  Klobuchar campaign manager Ben Goldfarb released the following statement in response to the ad:

“After six years in Washington, Mark Kennedy’s record speaks for itself – billions in giveaways to oil and drug companies, out-of-control pork-barrel spending and record surpluses turned into record deficits.  Only someone who has been in Washington for six years would call the closing of off shore tax shelters for millionaires in the Cayman Islands a “tax increase.” Amy Klobuchar is the only candidate in this race who has a plan to restore fiscal responsibility and bring badly needed tax relief to the middle class.”

Kennedy Fabrication:  Klobuchar will raise taxes by $1.5 trillion.

The Truth: Amy Klobuchar’s plan cuts taxes for nearly all Americans, especially the middle class Mark Kennedy is calling Klobuchar’s plan to close an offshore loophole used to evade taxes, crack down on under-reporting of capital gains, and end giveaways to oil companies “raising taxes.” Only someone who’s been in Washington for six years would make such a preposterous claim.  Klobuchar’s plan rolls back the Bush income tax cuts only for the wealthiest 1% of earners – those making over $336,500. Klobuchar supports making the tax cuts permanent for everyone else and even proposed more tax relief for the middle class for home buying, college tuition, and costs from caring for elders.

Kennedy Fabrication:  Klobuchar will raise taxes on Social Security.

The Truth: Amy Klobuchar has never advocated raising taxes on social security.  Klobuchar’s plan for strengthening social security calls for paying down our national debt and stopping the raid on the trust fund – not raising taxes. In a speech on August 29th, Klobuchar said “We should start paying down the debt instead of running it up.  Then we should resume using part of the surplus to protect Social Security.  In fact, paying down the debt actually has a benefit nobody talks about much these days: it allows us to protect social security without the need for tax increases, raising wage caps or cutting benefits.  If that’s not a good reason to change course, I don’t know what is.”

Kennedy Fabrication:  Klobuchar will raise taxes on married couples.

The Truth: Amy Klobuchar supports the same marriage penalty fix that Mark Kennedy voted for.  In addition, Klobuchar’s tax plan will help, not hurt, married couples. Amy’s plan includes making tax cuts permanent for 99 percent of Americans, creating a first-time home buyer tax credit, establishing an elder care tax credit and making higher education more affordable.

Kennedy Fabrication:  Klobuchar will raise the estate tax.

The Truth:  Mark Kennedy is criticizing Amy Klobuchar for taking the same position as he has.  Kennedy voted to eliminate the estate tax for estates valued at less than $5 million dollars; Amy Klobuchar has the same position.