EC From DC - July 27th, 2012

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Join me Saturday for Coffee with Cleaver at the Broadway Café

Since taking office, I have visited a coffee shop nearly once a month. In every part of the District, from Lone Jack to Sugar Creek, Midtown to Lee's Summit, it has become a great way for me to hear the concerns of the people I am proud to serve. This month's coffee is hosted by Broadway Café, 4106 Broadway Kansas City, Missouri. Please come tomorrow morning from 8-10 AM to share your thoughts with me, one-on-one over a cup of coffee.

Hope to see you there!

Time to Pass Middle Class Tax Cuts

This week, the President released a new White House report on the middle class tax cut proposal. You can view the proposal here. It is past time to quickly extend the tax cuts, but we must do it responsibly—in a way that will help 98 percent of all Americans. Both Democrats and Republicans agree that we must extend the middle class tax cuts. My colleagues across the aisle may believe that we need extra tax breaks for the top 2 percent, but I am not so sure. If we come together to extend tax cuts for every family, on income under $250,000, everyone gets a tax cut—even those making more than that amount.

You see, our tax brackets work like a staircase. Each step represents a higher level of income. Some people make enough money to make it up to the first step. Some people make enough money to get up a few steps. And some people make enough money to make it up to the very top of the stairs. The tax rates are different depending on what step you are standing on, but if we agree to extend the tax cuts for all incomes under $250,000, everyone who hit the first few steps will get a tax cut—even folks who made it to the top later on. If we agree to extend all the tax cuts, even those for the very rich, the folks who made it to the top just get an extra helping, way more than the rest of us. Economists agree, extending the middle cuts are important to the economy. But if we decide to extend the cuts for those at the very top, too, we do damage to the deficit and do nothing to create jobs or get growth going. Instead of recklessly renewing all the tax cuts, we should provide certainty for the 114 million middle class families whose income taxes are scheduled to go up January 1st. There is simply no reason to wait.

In Case You Missed It…the Civility Corner Hits the Big Time

You already receive and, I hope, enjoy my weekly reflections on civility. Recently I learned that members of the press enjoy these letters as well. These letters can be colorful and cartoonish at times, but as I shared with Kate, the reporter, in my real life, I am a Methodist pastor, so I’m accustomed to using illustrations to convey a point that is intended to have some kind of moral message. I have come to the conclusion in these many years in the ministry that people will remember a story much easier than they can a hard message. To read the full article, click here, and to have my reflections on civility and comity (or lack thereof) in Congress delivered to your inbox every week, sign up here.