I'm disgusted and embarrassed to be represented by U.S. Rep. Chip Cravaack. Actions speak louder than words; so what have we seen from Cravaack?
First, he refused to pass unemployment benefits for Americans unless the Bush tax cuts for millionaires were part of the deal. The CBO estimated those tax breaks would cost taxpayers $2.6 trillion over the next 10 years. That was supposed to grow jobs, and corporate profits are at record highs now; but has anyone actually felt that trickling down? Unemployment numbers are still the worst since the Great Depression while corporations sit on almost $3 trillion in cash.
Cravaack sat in Washington, complaining the numbers didn't add up and refusing to raise the debt ceiling (though Presidents Reagan and George W. Bush had to raise the ceiling 18 and seven times, respectively). He didn't seem to care that economists around the world agreed that not doing so would be catastrophic.
Rep. Cravaack is pushing our global economy to the brink in order to force historically painful cuts to Medicare and Social Security, all under the guise of fiscal responsibility.
I'm glad he doesn't seem to live in Minnesota anymore; it's just too bad he has to represent us for another year. Real Minnesotans know how to compromise; we're Minnesota Nice! Hopefully middle- and lower-class Minnesotans in the 8th District who voted him in on social issues will wake up and realize he is dashing their hopes at the American Dream.
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Eric Meyer
Duluth
