Dem Rep: Americans don't deserve to keep all of their money

Schakowsky: Americans don't deserve to keep all of their money

Updated 9/14/11 9:51 a.m.
Posted 9/14/11 8:22 a.m.

WLS Radio’s John Dempsey Reports
CHICAGO (WLS) - A lot of reaction Wednesday morning to Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky's interview with Don Wade and Roma.

Schakowsky said that Americans don't deserve to keep all of their money because we need taxes to support our society.

LISTEN: Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky joins Don Wade and Roma

“I’ll put it this way. You don’t deserve to keep all of it and it’s not a question of deserving because what government is, is those things that we decide to do together. And there are many things that we decide to do together like have our national security. Like have police and fire. What about the people that work at the National Institute of Health who are looking for a cure for cancer,” Schakowsky said.

Schakowsky also says one reason the 2009 stimulus bill did not succeed was because it was not large enough.

Schakowsky also admitted there are questions about the Obama administration's connection to the now bankrupt Solyndra solar panel company.

The administration approved nearly $528 million in federal loans to the company, before Solyndra filed for bankruptcy.

Schakowsky sits on the House Energy and Commerce Committee Investigations and Oversight Panel, which is holding hearings Wednesday into the matter. She said she and other Democrats want answers.

"You know, it certainly doesn't sound good. The Democrats are not going to shrink from actually, you know, from any kind of full investigation of that. If there is a problem we're certainly going to support the efforts to get to the bottom of this," Schakowsky said.

Schakowsky did say that even though public money was involved, the Solyndra controversy does not compare to the damage the Enron energy scandal inflicted on the U.S. economy.

Also in the interview, Schakowsky talked about the victory of Republican Bob Turner, in the Tuesday special election to replace ex-Congressman Anthony Weiner. Turner, who is Catholic, won in a district that is heavily Democratic and heavily Jewish, defeating an Orthodox Jewish Democrat.

Schakowsky, who is Jewish, denounced former New York Mayor Ed Koch, for getting involved in the race and criticizing President Obama's record on Israel.

"I thought it was really shameful in talking about Barack Obama as not good on Israel. He has provided more security for the state of Israel than any other president," Schakowsky said.

© Content Copyright 2011 WLS Radio 890AM and WLSAM.com. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.