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Politics & Government

Democratic Candidates Praise Obama Speech

Sheyman, Tree and Schneider like emphasis on jobs. Local Republican is less enthusiastic.

 

Some of the candidates seeking the Democratic nomination to challenge gave laser-like focus to President Barack Obama’s message of economic recovery in his State of the Union address Tuesday.

Deerfield management consultant , Long Grove business owner and Waukegan community organizer backed the Obama’s proposals for job growth. Sheyman would go even further in an effort to create jobs through legislation.

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"I was glad to hear President Obama place such a focus on creating good jobs and putting the American people back to work,” Sheyman said. “It's long past time for Congress to back up the President and pass a sweeping federal jobs bill so we can revitalize our economy and rebuild our struggling middle class."

Schneider liked what he heard not only about job creation but changing the tax code. He saw hope for the America’s middle class in the President’s remarks.

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“The middle class needs a hand up and a clear path forward and we can only do that when we create fairness in our tax code and equality of opportunity,” Schneider said.

Schneider Likes Emphasis on Manufacturing

Schneider also liked the President’s idea to spur job growth with manufacturing and domestic energy sources.

“We need to create good, permanent jobs here by promoting innovation, growing our manufacturing base, and developing a larger green technology sector,” Schneider said. “We can start by guaranteeing a world class education to our kids and investing in research and development.”

Tree agreed with Schneider about the opportunities that come from education. “"I stand with President Obama in building an economy meant to last, where everyone gets a fair shot to get ahead,” he said.

The President’s call for extending the payroll tax holiday and boosting incentives for job related education are also part of the effort to create jobs Tree likes.

“I support his (the President’s) call for extending the payroll tax cut, expanded work study programs so families can afford college and I support his clean energy tax credits to create hundreds of thousands of new jobs,” Tree said.

President Wants Change to Tax Code

The President also called for a change in the tax code to assure people earning more than $1 million per year pay at least 30 percent of their income in taxes while keeping current rates in place for those making less than $250,000 per year.

“Tax reform should follow the Buffett rule: If you make more than $1 million a year, you should not pay less than 30 percent in taxes,” Obama said. “If you make under $250,000, like 98 percent of American families, your taxes shouldn’t go up.” 

Schneider applauded the President’s proposal to change the tax laws. He wants those who have taken a larger share of the nation’s bounty to put more into the country’s growth.

“Our investments should be funded by a tax code that is fair,” Schneider said. “Everyone must contribute, and those of us fortunate to have more should carry more of the burden. It is simply wrong for millionaires to have a lower tax rate than hourly wage earners.”

While the Democrats supported the President’s speech, Moraine Township Republican Chairman of Lake Forest was muted in his criticism.

“Past themes of hope and change have now morphed into give and take,” Atsaves said. “He will give to some and take from others. He made no mention of growing the economy, only spinning "fairness" by increasing taxes on the two percent to spend down the debt the nation faces.” 

The two other Democratic candidates — Mundelein attorney and Hainesville mathematician  — did not respond to Patch’s request for comments on the speech.

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