Tallahassee, FL – With just four days until the dysfunctional Republican Congress plans to recess until the New Year – and with critical issues like a looming budget deadline still unresolved – Congressman Southerland isn’t on the job and is instead fundraising with Congressman Paul Ryan this morning in Florida.   

But it’s no surprise that Congressman Southerland is touting his support from Congressman Ryan, since Congressman Southerland supported the Ryan Budget that would end the Medicare guarantee, make seniors pay more for medicine, and waste tax dollars on handouts to the wealthiest few while raising taxes on middle class families.

“Congressman Steve Southerland is again showing why he represents everything Floridians hate about Washington – holding a political fundraiser instead of even trying address another looming shutdown that is brewing because of the Republican Congress’ irresponsible agenda,” said FDP spokesman Max Steele. 

“And while critical problems like the budget and the Farm Bill languish, Congressman Southerland will no doubt be praising the reckless Southerland-Ryan Budget that ends the Medicare guarantee, increases the cost of medicine for seniors, and wastes more tax dollars on handouts to the wealthiest few. It’s just the latest example of how out of touch Congressman Southland’s dysfunctional politics are with the values of North Florida families.”  

Background

The Tampa Bay Times wrote that under the Southerland-Ryan budget the “Rich get richer” and “Medicare and Medicaid are particularly at risk.” “House Republicans envision a country where Americans would be increasingly on their own to afford food and medical care even when they are elderly, disabled or poor. It also would be a nation with a tax code that tilts further toward benefiting corporations and the wealthy.…Floridians should be concerned about all these misplaced priorities, but Medicare and Medicaid are particularly at risk…Congressional Republicans want to exacerbate the nation’s yawning income inequality while making life harder for those at the bottom.” [Tampa Bay Times, 3/31/12]

Congressman Southerland Voted for Ryan Budget Proposal that “Would Shred the Safety Net,” Forcing Seniors to Rely on Insurance Companies.  In 2013, Southerland voted for the House Republican budget. The Palm Beach Post wrote, “Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., is more a preacher than a policymaker. He’s not convincing as either […] Rep. Ryan’s stated goal of saving the safety net and protecting the most vulnerable is perverse because his budget would shred the safety net and imposes new suffering on the most vulnerable. For health care, he would relegate the poor who receive Medicaid to the tender mercies of state legislatures…and the elderly on Medicare to the charitable impulses of insurance companies.” [HCR 25, Vote #88, 3/21/13; Palm Beach Post, 3/14/13]

Congressman Southerland Voted for Ryan Budget Proposal that Would Turn Medicare into a Voucher Program, End Help for Seniors in Prescription Drug Doughnut Hole.” In 2012, Southerland voted for the House Republic budget. The Tampa Bay Times wrote, “House Republicans would end the help seniors receive toward closing the prescription drug doughnut hole. Their plan would eventually raise Medicare’s eligibility age from 65 to 67. It would transform the safety net into a premium-support voucher program that provides government subsidies to private insurers, though beneficiaries could keep the current fee-for-service option.”  [HCR 112, Vote #151, 3/29/12; Tampa Bay Times,3/31/12]

Congressman Southerland Voted for Ryan Budget Proposal that Would Give Millionaires a $245,000 Tax Break while Raising Taxes on the Middle Class.. In 2013, Southerland voted for the Republican budget proposal. According to an analysis of the Ryan Budget conducted by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, “If policymakers enacted the same extremely ambitious reductions in tax expenditures for filers with incomes above $200,000 that TPC assumed when it analyzed Romney’s tax plan, filers with incomes of $1 million or more would lose tax breaks totaling about $90,000 on average — still leaving them with an average net tax cut of about $245,000…to fully finance the tax cuts for people with incomes over $200,000, filers with children and incomes under $200,000 would see their taxes go up by more than $3,000 on average, even with the ambitious reductions in tax expenditures for high-income households that TPC examined.” [HCR 25, Vote #88, 3/21/13; Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 3/17/13]