(I wrote about this same topic on Saturday. – promoted by lowkell)
Put bluntly, it was people like me who got you elected. I participated in (as a minor cog) Draft Webb. I, at my own expense, printed a two-page Jim Webb biography and put it on 1000s of windows. I donated, raised money, and otherwise work to get you elected.
Having been exposed to you for decades, through your professional activities and your writing and otherwise, I had incredible respect for you and swelled with pride at the potential that you would be representing me and my fellow Virginians in the U.S. Senate.
And, well, I am feeling increasingly betrayed.
Frustration re Energy and Climate Issues [note: Senator Webb voted against the Murky Air Act] Increasing
When it comes to the increasingly severe realities of climate change and mounting national security risks of catastrophic climate chaos, you are near absent — noted as a climate curmudgeon. When it comes to economic power of a clean energy revolution, you seem more concerned about supporting coal and increased offshore drilling.
Defining the middle class
You have spoken strongly of the growing inequality in our nation. Back in 2007,
“When I graduated from college, the average corporate CEO made 20 times what the average worker did,” said Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) in his response to the president’s State of the Union Address. “Today, it’s nearly 400 times. In other words, it takes the average worker more than a year to make the money his or her boss makes in one day.”
Webb warns that growing inequality means the death of the middle class and the destruction of America’s backbone.
And you have spoken to this since then. You co-sponsored tax fairness legislation. Sadly, your efforts to undermine a meaningful tax cut to all Americans while not giving additional tax subsidies to the wealthiest Americans call into question this sort of passionate call for addressing the inequality that is undermining our society.
I am incredibly frustrated that you have decided to be part of the blocking path toward moving forward with equitable tax cuts to all (tax cuts for net income below $250k) and favoring increasing this threshold to $1 million.
To be honest, due to a bit of luck and changing life circumstances, I might well benefit from such an increased threshold. And, let me tell you, I would love to have extra dollars in the bank for children’s education, as financial cushion, etc … But, I am a citizen and a citizen concerned about the social and economic fabric of our nation. I would benefit as individual, not as an American citizen.
We simply cannot afford to continue such tax subsidies for the wealthiest among us. If we wish to ‘stimulate’ the economy, there are literally 1000s of more cost effective paths to do so — including extension of unemployment insurance and, sadly without enough support from you, clean energy legislation.
You will not get reelected without the passionate support from people like myself … people who raised money … people who got off their couches to knock on door … people who passionately encouraged others to support you and vote for you. People who care about and are willing to fight to put truth to the struggle to create “a more perfect union”. Putting people like myself into the lukewarm “he’s better than the other guy” category isn’t a path toward electoral success.
NOTE / PS: A very similar letter went to President Obama.
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