Feb. 8, 2010: Jill Stein runs for Governor

WHEN WE CONTINUE
ANOTHER HAT IN THE RING FOR
GOVERNOR.
THE RACE FOR GOVERNOR IN
MASSACHUSETTS GOT A LITTLE
MORE CROWDED TODAY.
JILL STEIN LAUNCHED HER
CANDIDACY FOR THE GOVERNOR'S
OFFICE.
STEIN IS A DOCTOR FROM
LEXINGTON WHO IS MAKING HER
THIRD RUN FOR A STATEWIDE
OFFICE, THE GREEN RAINBOW
PARTY CANDIDATE RAN FOR
GOVERNOR IN 2002.
IN HER RUN FOR THE SECRETARY
OF COMMONWEALTH IN 2006 SHE
WON 18% OF THE VOTE AND LOSING
TO BILL GALVIN.
JILL STEIN IS HERE.
WELCOME TO YOU.
>> THANK YOU, EMILY.
GREAT TO BE HERE.
>> Rooney: GOOD.
YOU SAID TODAY WHEN YOU WERE
LAUNCHING YOUR CANDIDACY THAT
YOU HOPED TO BALANCE THE
BUDGET WITH FAIRER TAXES.
WHAT ARE FAIRER TAXES?
>> RIGHT NOW THE TAX BURDEN
FALLS VERY HARD ON MIDDLE-INCOME
AND WORKING FAMILIES.
IF YOU ADD UP ALL TAXES AND
FEES AND OFFSETS, IT COMES OUT
TO ALMOST DOUBLE THE BURDEN
THAT PEOPLE ARE PAYING AT THE
TOP END.
WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO IS
RELIEVE SOME OF THAT EXTRA
UNFAIR BURDEN ON WORKING
FAMILIES WHO ARE STRUGGLING
WITH SO MANY OTHER COSTS RIGHT
NOW.
AND SHIFT IT UP TO THE TOP SO
THAT WE HAVE MORE OF A LEVEL
PLAYING FIELD.
>> Rooney: WHAT IS THE TOP IN
YOUR MIND?
>> YOU KNOW, I'D HAVE TO LOOK
AT THE GRAPHS.
IT MAY BE THE UPPER 5%, WHAT
THE UPPER 5% HAS BEEN PAYING.
>> Rooney: WHY NOT A FLAT TAX?
>> IN EFFECT THAT WOULD BE A
FLAT TAX.
IT WOULD ADD UP ALL THE TAXES
AND CREATE SOME PARITY AMONG
THEM.
>> Rooney: SOMEBODY WHO IS SO
ANXIOUS TO HAVE FAIRNESS IN
TAXES, WHY NOT JUST HAVE
EVERYBODY PAY THE SAME
PERCENTAGE THE PAY STEVE
FORBES USED TO ADVOCATE?
LIKE 17%.
>> YEAH, YEAH, YEAH,
ABSOLUTELY.
THAT WOULD BE AN IMPROVEMENT
IN FACT OVER WHERE WE ARE
RIGHT NOW.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, TAXES ARE
SORT OF, YOU GET HIT IN MANY
DIRECTIONS.
YOU GET EXCISE TAXES AND YOU
GET SALE TAXES AND YOU GET
PROPERTY TAXES AND YOU GET
INCOME TAX.
HOW DOES IT ALL ADD UP?
THE WAY IT ADDS UP IS JUST
REALLY HARD FOR MIDDLE INCOME
AND WORKING FAMILIES.
>> Rooney: I UNDERSTAND THAT.
YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY ONE, I'M
SURPRISED WHEN PEOPLE WANT TO
SHIFT IT TO THE HIGHER INCOME
BRACKETS BECAUSE THIS IS GOING
TO SOUND CRAZY.
I ALWAYS BELIEVED IN RONALD
REAGAN'S TRICKLEDOWN
ECONOMICS.
IF YOU SHIFT THE BURD TONE THE
HIGHER INCOME BRACKET AND ALSO
WHY SHOULD RICHER PEOPLE BE
PUNISHED FOR MAKING MORE?
>> WELL THIS ACTUALLY ISN'T
ABOUT BEING PUNISHED.
IT'S ABOUT TAKING A FAIR
SHARE.
WHY SHOULD RICHER PEOPLE BE
EXCUSED?
CERTAINLY RICHER PEOPLE
BENEFIT.
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN USED TO MAKE
THE POINT THAT WITHOUT
GOVERNMENT, WITHOUT A TAX
STRUCTURE AND WITHOUT PUBLICLY
SHARED FUNDS AND SERVICES WE
ALL WOULD HAVE A HARD TIME
CREATING THE ECONOMY THAT WE
DO AND THE BENEFITS OF OUR
CIVILIZED, ADVANCED LIFE.
THE FOLKS AT THE TOP ARE
CERTAINLY BENEFITING FROM IT.
WHY SHOULDN'T THEY PAY....
>> Rooney: BECAUSE THEY EARNED
IT.
THEY STRUGGLED FOR IT.
FOR THE MOST PART, MOST OF
THEM WEREN'T HANDED IT.
I'M JUST WONDERING SOMEBODY IN
YOUR POSITION WHY YOU WOULDN'T
BE... YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT
FAIRER TAX.
I'M TRYING TO FIND OUT WHY
EVERYBODY WOULDN'T PAY THE
SAME.
WHY ISN'T THAT FAIR.
>> IF WE GOT TO THE SAME, THAT
WOULD BE QUITE FAIR.
WHERE WE ARE NOW IS PEOPLE IN
TOP ARE PAYING ABOUT HALF A
MUCH AS THE PEOPLE LOWER DOWN.
THEY'RE WORKING HARD TOO.
I MEAN IT'S NOT AS THOUGH
THEY'RE NOT WORKING FOR HARD.
>> Rooney: PEOPLE AT THE TOP
ARE PAYING 60% OF THEIR
INCOMES IF THEY'RE AT THE TOP.
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, IT'S MORE
THAN AN INCOME TAX.
IT'S ACTUALLY YOU'VE GOT TO
LOOK AT HOW ALL THE TAXES ADD
UP.
I'LL BE GLAD TO SHARE THOSE
STUDIES WITH YOU.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE'D LIKE TO
DO ACTUALLY IS KEEP TABS SO
THAT EVERY TIME A NEW REVENUE
TAX BREAK OR TAX... NEW TAX
PROGRAM IS ADVANCED AND
PROPOSED, THAT WE A LOOK AT
IT.
>> Rooney: I WOULD LIKE TO
KNOW THAT TOO.
EVERYBODY FEELS THEY'RE IN THE
GROUP THAT DOESN'T BENEFIT
INCLUDING RICH PEOPLE I
ASSUME.
I DON'T KNOW.
I'M NOT IN THAT CATEGORY.
YOU TOOK A BIT OF A SWIPE AT
TIM CAHILL AND CHARLIE BAKER
ON THE REPUBLICAN TICKET
SAYING THEY HAVE A SHARED
VISION OF WALL STREET.
IT'S ALL A MATTER OF THEY'LL
JUST BE, IT'S BASICALLY THE
SAME.
NO MATTER WHICH ONE GETS IN,
YOU THRILL IT WILL BE THE
SAME.
>> YOU KNOW, WE'RE REALLY
LOOKING AT WHERE OUR TAX
DOLLARS ARE GOING.
RIGHT NOW A LOT OF OUR TAX
DOLLARS ARE GOING TO THE TOP.
WE'RE WOOING IN BIG BUSINESSES
LIKE EVER GREEN SOLAR THAT
CAME IN AND TOOK $58 MILLION
AND PACKED UP AND LEFT.
THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME
THAT'S HAPPENED AS YOU'RE WELL
AWARE.
>> Rooney: THEY MOVED THEIR
MANUFACTURING.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
THEY DID.
THEY TOOK A LOT OF JOBS WITH
THEM.
GOING WAY BACK YOU HAVE
RATHEON AND FIDELITY AND TAX
BREAKS WHICH ARE STILL ON THE
ORDER OF $100 MILLION.
YOU KNOW, EVERY YEAR.
THERE ARE ENORMOUS PAY-OUTS OF
TAX DOLLARS GOING ON NOW.
WE NEED TO LOOK AT WHETHER
THAT IS BENEFITING US OR NOT.
FOR THE MOST PART, NO LESS
THAN THE PIONEER INSTITUTE
CAME OUT WITH A REPORT LAST
WEEK SAYING THAT TRICKLEDOWN
DOESN'T WORK BASICALLY.
THEY SAID THAT THE BIG TAX
BREAKS AT THE TOP ARE NOT
GROWING JOBS IN MASSACHUSETTS.
THIS HAS BEEN OUR POLICY FOR
DECADES NOW.
WE HAVEN'T GROWN JOBS.
IN FACT OUR JOBS HAVE SHRUNK.
WE REALLY NEED TO BE GROWING
OUR SMALL BUSINESSES, OUR
SMALL AND OUR MEDIUM-SIZED
BUSINESSS THAT ARE REALLY PART
OF THE COMMUNITY.
BUSINESSS THAT ARE ACTUALLY IN
THE COMMUNITY, WE CIRCULATE
THE WEALTH, KEEP THE PROVE IS
HERE BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GOING
OUT OF STATE.
WHEN THAT COMPANY COMES IN TO
THE COMMUNITY IT GOES FROM
BUSINESS TO BUSINESS TO
BUSINESS.
SO IT'S... ITS VALUE IS
MULTIPLYED MANY TIMES OVER.
IT'S BEEN CALLED THE
MULTIPLIER EFFECT WHICH
ECONOMISTS TALK ABOUT ALL THE
TIME.
THERE ARE BENEFITS TO GROWING
SMALL BUSINESSES.
IT'S RECOGNIZED THAT THIS IS
REALLY THE MAIN ENGINE OF JOBS
IN MASS MAGS.
YET WE'VE BEEN DOLING OUT
MONEY AT THE TOP.
WHO BENEFITS AT THE TOP?
THE BIG CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTORS.
THIS IS PAYBACK.
>> Rooney: WHERE DO YOU STAND
ON THE LATEST OBAMA JOB PUSH.
SOME ARE SAYING THAT THE SMALL
BUSINESS ASSOCIATION SHOULD BE
RUNNING THIS AS OPPOSED TO THE
BIGGER AGENCIES.
WHO SHOULD BE IN CHARGE OF
THAT?
>> IDZ HAVE TO TAKE A CLOSE
LOOK AT HIS POLICY.
I HAVEN'T LOOKED AATE THE LATE
HE HAVE DETAILS ON IT.
WE SUPPORT THAT IT OUGHT TO BE
SMALL BUSINESSES.
WE REALLY WANT.
>> Rooney: THEY SHOULD BE
GETTING THE MONEY DIRECTLY.
>> I'D HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT
THE DETAIL OF THE PLAN.
IN GENERAL, WE REALLY AGREE WE
WANT TO PROVIDE INCENTIVES FOR
SMALL BUSINESSES TO GROW.
>> Rooney: HOW WOULD YOU CUT
THE GOVERNMENT THOUGH?
PATRICK HAS CUT A LOT OF
SOCIAL SERVICES, AS YOU KNOW.
>> RIGHT.
WELL THE QUESTION IS WHO YOU
CUT.
ALSO WHO BENEFITS.
WE THINK THAT WE NEED TO SEE
WHERE OUR MONEY IS GOING.
WE DON'T HAVE AN OPEN MEETING
LAW OR A PUBLIC RECORDS LAW.
THERE'S A LOT ABOUT OUR TAX
DOLLARS THAT WE NEED TO KNOW
ABOUT.
>> Rooney: YOU CAN GO ONLINE
AND READ THE BUDGET.
>> GOOD LUCK.
THAT WON'T QUITE DO IT FOR
YOU.
HOW ABOUT OUR MASS
DEVELOPMENT?
IT'S SPEND DLG 2 BILLION EVERY
YEAR.
HOW MUCH OF THAT IS GOING FOR
JOBS THAT ARE ACTUALLY STAYING
HERE?
THAT WOULDN'T BE FORMED
ANYHOW?
THERE'S A LOT OF TAX BENEFITS
THAT GO OUT THAT WHERE THE
JOBS WILL BE CREATED IN ANY
EVENT.
WE OFTEN HERE THAT FROM BIG
CORPORATIONS THAT ARE COMING
HERE.
WHEN THEY'RE ASKED, DID YOU
NEED THAT TAX BREAK?
NO, WE REALLY DIDN'T.
BUT WE'LL TAKE WHATEVER WE CAN
GET.
WE NEED TO LOOK CAREFULLY
BECAUSE WHEN WE'RE CUTTING
SERVICES FOR SCHOOL
TRANSPORTATION....
>> Rooney: GET THERE YOURSELF.
>> SOMETIMES NOT EVERYBODY HAS
A CAR.
SOME PARENTS ARE WORKING.
OR OTHER, YOU KNOW, SUPPORT
SERVICES FOR THE MENTALLY ILL.
HELLO.
TAKE CARE OF YOUR AUTISTIC KID
YOURSELF.
>> Rooney: SOME PEOPLE THINK
YOU SHOULD.
WELL, WE WILL HAVE YOU BACK.
AS I SAID TO YOU ON THE RADIO
TODAY, INVOLVED IN THE RACE
ARE SIX CANDIDATES.
YOU'RE ONE OF THEM.
JILL STEIN, THANKS FOR BEING
HERE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> Rooney: TUNE IN TO WGBH
WEEKDAYS AT NOON FOR MY RADIO
BROADCAST FOLLOWED BY CALLIE
CROSSLEY AT ONE.
TOMORROW SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE
ON CASINOS AND MORE PLUS JARED
BOWEN WITH THE 40th
ANNIVERSARY OF THE MOVIE MASH.
MORE ON THAT TOMORROW AT 7:00.
I'M EMILY ROONEY.
GOOD NIGHT.