• 
  • 2010 Endorsements
  • Find Working Families
    on YOUR Ballot
  • Endorsement Process
  • Our Victories
• 
  • Affordable Healthcare
  • Living Wage Jobs
  • Fair Taxes
  • Paid Sick Days
• 
  • Our Secret Weapon:
    Cross-Endorsement
  • In the News
  • Jobs
  • Contact
• 
• 
• 

Billionaires for Budget Cuts

News Clips

The press is getting the Billionaires message. Here are a few key press clips:

Rell's Tax Stance Is Target Of Capitol Demonstration
Janice Podsada (Courant)

Dressed for the gilded age, members of "Billionaires for Budget Cuts" took turns "thanking" Gov. M. Jodi Rell on the steps of the state Capitol Thursday for allowing them to continue enjoying their plush lifestyle, unfettered by the threat of tax hikes.

The farce, billed as a "luxury press conference," was organized by Connecticut Working Families, which advocates policies favoring the poor and middle class.

Working Families has criticized the governor for her reluctance to raise taxes for large corporations and the state's wealthiest families, while proposing cuts to programs that benefit low- and middle-income families.

'Billionaires' blast Rell with limos, champagne
Hannah Vahl (Middletown Press)

The occasion was Billionaires for Budget Cuts, a satirical piece of political theater put on by the progressive Working Families Party and held on the steps of the state Capitol. Its purpose, organizers said, was to question Gov. M. Jodi Rell for her willingness to cut public services to balance the state budget and refusal to raise taxes on the state’s highest earning residents.

The “billionaire” cast, one wearing a monocle, another wiping sweat off his brows with fake $100 bills, stood on the Capitol steps and took turns thanking Rell for keeping their taxes low, while the audience of about 100 both booed and cheered.

Faux Billionaires Gather As Budget Discussions Continue
Katy Nally and Christine Stuart (CTNewsJunkie)

Mock billionaires paraded around the Capitol last week to thank Rell for not raising taxes on state’s wealthiest residents. Adorned in sequin gowns and tuxedos, the faux super rich stepped out of limousines and held up their champagne flutes to toast their beloved governor.

“Time and time again, [Rell] has resisted pandering to the needs of the working and middle class and stood up for billionaires and big corporation,” Iona Lottabotes said.

But it was all a ruse. Lottabotes’ real name is Deborah Noble and she is a member of the Working Families Party. Her fellow “billionaires” were supporters of her party and they were there to stick it to Rell in the most upscale way.

Conn. gov proposes sin tax increases in new budget
Susan Haigh (AP)

Outside the Capitol, the push was on for higher taxes on the wealthy. Members of the minor political party Connecticut Working Families, and a coalition of state employee unions, staged a mock rally, with participants posing as billionaires who arrived at the Capitol in limousines, dressed in tuxedos and ball gowns, to toast Rell's opposition to higher income taxes for the wealthy.

They held signs that said "It's good to be rich," and "Let them eat cake."

Billionaire protests and Tea Party tactics
Paul Choiniere (New London Day Op Ed)

Back on July 30 a group of demonstrators dressed up “rich” — women in gowns, cocktail dresses, long opera gloves and men in blazers and pocket squares — as a way of criticizing Gov. M. Jodi Rell’s refusal to consider raising state income taxes on the most wealthy. The protestors carried signs stating “Taxes are for little people” and “Tax the poor” and “It’s good to be rich.” My favorite: “It’s my economy, stupid!” They called themselves “Billionaires for Budget Cuts.”

As protests go, it was clever. But apparently some readers of The Day and theday.com missed the joke. We have so far received two letters to the editor critical of the “billionaires” from people convinced these were genuine super rich people demonstrating to “tax the poor” and thanking Rell.

Print News | TV News | Photo and Video