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John Kerry has earned the highest possible rating for his efforts in the Senate to foster and protect the American dream, according to a report released by the Drum Major of Public Policy Institute (DMI), a non-partisan, non-profit group that focuses on middle class American families.
“I couldn’t be more proud of receiving this award,” Kerry said. “Over the last five years, middle class values have suffered some serious set-backs in Washington, with major cuts in college tuition help and a rapid rise in healthcare costs – and that’s something we’re fighting every day to change. And I will keep on fighting to protect those who work every day to make this country great. Time and time again this Administration and this Congress have asked for special privileges for the wealthy and powerful. That’s got to stop. It’s time for Washington to work for working Americans.”
In Massachusetts alone, healthcare costs have skyrocketed 75% since 2000, according to Kaiser Family Foundation, while the American Automobile Association (AAA) reports that the price of gas has nearly doubled since Bush took office. The toll of these costs is compounded by the fact that the state has lost 104,100 manufacturing jobs at the same time, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The Institute took into account votes on nine bills that deeply affect the middle class, such as The Amendment on Negotiating Medicare Drug Prices of 2005, The Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005, and The Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2005.
DMI Executive Director, Andrea Batista, said of Kerry’s award, “The size and strength of the middle class, and the opportunities to work one's way into it, are not random or the result of a cosmic accident. The strength of the middle class is dependent upon many factors, including how the elected officials we entrust to represent our interests choose to do so.”
Until July 18, any person within the United States who searches for a member of Congress on Google or discusses a member of Congress on a "GMail" email account will be instantly informed of the grade that elected official received on DMI's scorecard and provided a link to follow for more information.
The Drum Major Institute for Public Policy is a non-partisan, non-profit think tank generating progressive ideas and holding elected officials accountable for their votes on issues of importance to their constituents. From releasing nationally recognized studies of our increasingly fragile middle class, such as Congress at the Midterm: Their 2005 Middle Class Record, to writing landmark analysis, DMI has been on the leading edge of the public policy debate.
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