Economy and Jobs

Kendrick is the only candidate who supports repealing the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy, which would add $700 billion in borrowed money from China to the deficit. Kendrick is also the only candidate who supports closing unfair tax loopholes for companies that ship jobs overseas.

He has a history of standing up for the middle class, supporting an increase in the minimum wage, and protecting against high credit card fees and predatory banking and lending practices.

Kendrick believes we must continue boosting small business loans, closing loopholes for companies that ship jobs overseas, and providing targeted tax incentives for high-growth industries such as tourism and agriculture.

Fiscal Responsibility and the Deficit

First, it is important to recognize how we got to where we are:

The Bush Administration had the worst fiscal record in American history and doubled the national debt by refusing to pay for massive tax cuts for the wealthy, two wars, and a Medicare prescription drug plan.

Republicans have no standing to lecture Democrats on fiscal responsibility and bringing down the deficit. President Bush inherited a 10-year budget surplus of $5.6 trillion from President Clinton. In contrast, President Obama inherited $10 trillion more in deficit over the next 10 years from President Bush.

Kendrick has made significant efforts to cut the deficit by:

• Proposing a full repeal of the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy, which would add $700 billion to the deficit.
• Voting to restore pay-as-you-go budget rules, which Republicans allowed to lapse in 2002.
• Supporting comprehensive health care reform, which cuts the nation’s deficit by $139 billion over the first ten years and $1.2 trillion over the next decade – the largest deficit reduction measure in almost two decades.
• Responsibly ending the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and bringing our troops home. The cost of sending a single soldier in war in Afghanistan is $1 million per year.

Economy

Florida families are clearly struggling and still trying to recover from the greatest financial crisis since the Great Depression.

That is why Kendrick supported the Recovery Act of 2009. More than $16 billion in Recovery Act funding is being directed to schools, unemployment benefits and health care for the needy in Florida. Transportation and infrastructure projects are also getting a boost, putting Floridians to work on roads, bridges, mass transit and water projects.  The Recovery Act has boosted employment by 167,000 jobs in Florida, and has provided tax cuts for 95 percent of working Americans.  

But much more must be done, and Kendrick continues to be a stalwart supporter of job creation legislation. He has introduced several jobs bills, including a research and development tax credit and legislation to increase development in transportation construction and alternative energy production.

Kendrick has also supported numerous jobs measures to boost the economy through emergency aid for the unemployed, tax credits for struggling businesses and first-time homebuyers, investments in infrastructure and construction, lending for small businesses, and aid to help disaster-stricken communities rebuild their homes.

Kendrick on Outsourcing and Labor

Kendrick is the only candidate who supports closing unfair tax loopholes for companies that ship jobs overseas.

For too long, Washington has favored the needs of the Big Banks on Wall Street over the workers and small business owners on Main Street.

America's workers are the best in the world and, as Florida's senator, Kendrick will invest in their future by supporting the President's plan to create millions of new jobs in green technologies, rebuild our crumbling infrastructure and increase funding for research and development. He understands that workers deserve decent pay, which is why he supports raising the minimum wage. 

Kendrick supports the right of workers to organize unions.  He has been a consistent and longtime supporter of the Employee Free Choice Act, and championed worker-safety and protection legislation. He also supports fair trade agreements with labor and environmental standards that protect workers.

In recognition of his longtime support of working Americans, Kendrick has been endorsed by numerous labor groups, including the AFL-CIO, AFSCME, SEIU, the Fraternal Order of Police, the International Association of Firefighters, the National Education Association and the Florida Education Association, the Building and Construction Trades, IUPAT, the National Association of Letter Carriers, and many more. 

Labor

For too long, Washington has favored the needs of the Big Banks on Wall Street over the workers and small business owners on Main Street.

America's workers are the best in the world and, as Florida's senator, Kendrick will invest in their future by supporting the President's plan to create millions of new jobs in green technologies, rebuild our crumbling infrastructure and increase funding for research and development. He understands that workers deserve decent pay, which is why he supports raising the minimum wage. 

Kendrick supports the right of workers to organize unions.  He has been a consistent and longtime supporter of the Employee Free Choice Act, and championed worker-safety and protection legislation.

In recognition of his longtime support of working Americans, Kendrick has been endorsed by numerous labor groups, including the AFL-CIO, AFSCME, SEIU, the Fraternal Order of Police, the International Association of Firefighters, the National Education Association and the Florida Education Association, the Building and Construction Trades, IUPAT, the National Association of Letter Carriers, and many more. 

Download the One-Pager for Kendrick's take on this issue.