Why Does Martha Coakley Want to Raise Your Taxes?

Townhall Staff | January 18, 2010 12:13 PM

Guest post from Kaitlyn Ewing with Americans for Tax Reform

When looking for someone to represent you in Congress, what do you normally look for?

Is this candidate a proponent of higher economic and personal freedom?

Do they support lowering taxes? Will they be a strong voice for his/her constituents?

In the Massachusetts special election for U.S. Senator, all of these issues are at stake.

Scott Brown, current member of the Massachusetts State Senate, is a staunch opponent of the job-killing, tax-hiking Senate health care reform bill. On the other hand, current Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley has voiced her support for this bill. If Scott Brown wins the election, he will be the vote that will finally kill the bill. With Martha Coakley’s vote, the bill will pass. How would the proposed Senate health care reform plan affect the residents of Massachusetts (and, by default, America), you may ask? Here’s how:

- Despite President Obama’s “firm pledge” not to raise “any form” of taxes on families making under $250,000 a year, the Senate health bill has seven new tax increases on these families (for a full list of tax hikes, please click here)
- Should the bill pass, there would be a new $2 billion per year tax hike on medical device manufacturers—of this, Massachusetts can expect to pay $760 million annually

- 1 in every 150 residents of Massachusetts is employed in the medical device manufacturing industry—many of these jobs would be cut, along with the salaries of those lucky enough to keep their job, as a result of this tax increase on medical device manufacturers
- A $2,500 cap will be put on FSA’s (flexible-spending accounts) which will especially harm those families with special needs children who have high medical bills

As has been demonstrated by her vocal support for the Senate health care reform bill and her wish of “getting taxes up”, Ms. Coakley has an extreme lack of concern for middle-income families. A vote for Martha Coakley is a vote for big government, increased taxes, and a loss of personal freedom. A vote for Scott Brown is a vote for limited government, lower taxes, and preservation of personal freedom. Which will you choose?