It was not that long ago, but when you look at what he said then and compare it with what he’s saying now in Washington, Mitch McConnell’s statement sounds like it came from a different dimension.
The year was 1990, and Mitch McConnell – the present Senate Republican Minority Leader – was in his campaign mode when he made a political ad referring to taxes, saying, ” Unlike some folks around here, I think everyone should pay their fair share, including the rich.” But McConnell didn’t stop there. He went on and took a position on Medicare that, when taken in conjunction with his taxing-the-rich statement, it prompted the Associated Press to say that he sounded like a “populist Democrat.” He called for the protection of Medicaid recipients.
Here is the transcript of Mitch McConnell’s full ad.
I’m sure you’ve been watching this mess in Washington.
I’d like you to know how I feel about it.
I haven’t voted for one of these lousy budget packages for years and I won’t vote for this one.
It would raise taxes on the wrong people.
Unlike some folks around here I think everyone should pay their fair share. Including the rich.
We need to protect our seniors from Medicare cuts too.
I don’t care if the President or Congressional leaders twist my arm. I won’t support any deal that isn’t a fair deal for the working families of Kentucky.
Those were the days when Democrats and Republicans were afraid to make their true motives known, and although they may have felt differently, putting the people first was always the politically correct thing to do.
Today however, McConnell and his band of Congressional Republicans have made a pledge to Grover Norquist to never raise taxes on the rich, and they are in the midst of instituting some of the biggest spending cuts in our nation’s history. And yes, McConnell now wants to cut Medicare into non-existence.
