Excerpt

DNC Chair Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz
 Remarks at DNC Winter Meeting
Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill
Washington, DC
February 21, 2015

“Meanwhile, the trickle-down economics of Republicans have failed.
 
“Mitch McConnell may have tried to take credit for the economic success we’ve experienced under President Obama, but make no mistake – every last Republican 2016 contender wants to go back to the same, old, tired economic policies that have failed again and again in the past. Instead of fighting for middle class families, they want to stack the deck in favor of millionaires and corporations.
 
“Just look at their candidates:
 
“First – the Governors.
 
“Jeb Bush isn’t going to fight for middle class families – he never has. For Jeb it always has been and always will be about what’s best for him and those at the top. As governor, he slashed taxes by billions, largely benefitting the wealthy and corporations.
 
“When his brother was President, Jeb backed his plan to privatize Social Security. And in recent years, he cashed in on Wall Street as Americans were hit by the financial crisis. Let’s face it – Jeb Bush is the heir to George Bush’s economic record and Mitt Romney’s corporate record.
 
“Chris Christie likes to think of himself as some sort of blunt, straight-talker.  (Just ask him – he’s happy to tell you all about it.) But here’s some blunt straight-talk he won’t like -- his administration has been modeled on his true leadership style:  dysfunctional, incompetent, and tainted by investigations and scandals. His failed leadership has driven New Jersey’s economy and finances over a fiscal cliff, leaving the middle class to fall even further behind.
 
“Scott Walker’s talked about bringing Wisconsin to Washington, but the fact is he’s already brought the worst of Washington’s dysfunction and divisiveness to Wisconsin. In addition to pitting the people of Wisconsin against each other in contentious ideological fights, his true priority has been to please his special interests allies – at the expense of working Americans.
 
“And Walker’s the latest Republican to stumble during a trip to London, where he dodged the tough questions – like his views on evolution. And inexplicably he sat silent when he was feet from Rudy Giuliani the other night and refused to condemn when Rudy Giuliani suggested and directly said that our President doesn’t love America, and questioned the President of the United States’ patriotism – an unacceptable abdication of leadership.
 
“Rick Perry’s biggest liability isn’t his pathetic 2012 run, or even the felony indictment hanging over his head. It’s that in his 14 years as Governor, two Texases emerged. One for the wealthy allies and special interests he never fails to help out; and one for the working families and very poor who have to suffer the consequences of his policies.
 
“And that’s not something he can dismiss with a simple, “Oops!”
 
“Bobby Jindal is another failed GOP governor who has consistently put rigid partisanship and personal ambition ahead of what’s good for his state.  Under his watch, Louisiana is facing a massive budget shortfall – which he refuses to do anything about it.
 
“No wonder polls show he’s one of the least popular governors in the country.
 
“Tell me, if you can’t even govern your state, how can you be expected to govern the country?
 
“And it’s not like Republican senators are any better than their governors.
 
“Ted Cruz has been the de-facto leader of the GOP for more than a year now, and look how that’s turned out. Cruz is the embodiment of what’s wrong with the Republican Party. Nothing but opposition and obstruction when it comes to helping middle class families.
 
“The last time Cruz got all his Tea Party buddies in the House together over at Tortilla Coast, they shut down the government and stuck the American economy with the $24 billion tab.
 
“Meanwhile, Marco Rubio has shown that he’s not a leader with fresh ideas – he’s a follower using a tired Republican playbook. Instead of doing what’s best for his constituents and his country, at every turn he panders to the Republican base – going so far as to run away from his own immigration plan when the party put pressure on him.
 
“Right now, he’s on a book tour that conveniently happens to stop in Iowa, South Carolina, and New Hampshire. But the truth is, behind the shiny book cover he’s peddling, are just the same of failed Republican ideas voters rejected in the past.
 
“And finally… let’s not forget Rand Paul.  The good doctor likes to tell people that he’s the candidate who can broaden the GOP’s appeal to African Americans – but gets mad when you point out that he’s questioned the Civil Rights Act, opposes fixing the Voting Rights Act, supports Voter ID requirements, opposes raising the minimum wage, and – when asked about the President’s nomination of Loretta Lynch – bragged “Oh, she’s going down!”
 
“He says he’s not an isolationist, but confirmed in recent months that he wants to end foreign aid to Israel!
 
“He wants to come across as the future of the GOP, but repeats discredited lies about vaccines causing mental defects.  Who is this guy?  But amidst the contradictory positions he takes to pander to whatever audience he’s speaking to at the moment, his policies are way outside the mainstream and consistently would hurt the middle class and weaken the United States at home and abroad. He’s not a new type of Republican; it’s that every day he’s something new.
 
“And these are considered the frontrunners!  When you add in Ben Carson, Carly Fiorina, Rick Santorum, Mike Huckabee, Lindsey Graham, Jim Gilmore, George Pataki…. This crew is going to make the 2012 GOP field look downright presidential!  I can’t wait to watch their debates – it’s going to be an incredible circus. It’s going to put Ringling to shame!”