LIEBERMAN STATEMENT ON UNEMPLOYMENT AND TAX CUTS

WASHINGTON, DC – Senator Joe Lieberman (I-CT) issued the following statement today in light of the Department of Labor’s November unemployment report:

“Today’s disappointing employment numbers provide further evidence that we cannot afford to let taxes rise on any American while our economy continues to struggle to create enough new jobs to put Americans back to work.  There will be a time in the future when our economy is doing better when we will have to consider asking more of all Americans, including the wealthiest, to help our country pay off our enormous debt, but it would further seriously endanger an economic recovery to do so at this moment.

“I am heartened by reports of negotiations between the White House and Congressional leaders to address this pressing issue. I believe that we must permanently extend the middle class tax cuts, extend all tax cuts for at least a year until we can reevaluate the economic situation at the end of 2011, and extend the unemployment benefits that expired earlier this week and that are vital to helping those who have been hit the hardest by the prolonged economic weakness our economy has experienced.  We are confronted with an economic crisis, and we should put partisanship aside and do what is right for our country.”

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