The Truth about Pete Hoekstra:
Pete Hoekstra has spent his entire career fighting for well-connected special interests.
Pete Hoekstra doesn't fight for middle class families that work hard and play by the rules - what's important to him is that his clients at his D.C. lobbying firm. Hoekstra worked to further rig the rules for Washington special interests and insiders as a member of the House of Representatives, and it’s what he will do again if sent to the Senate in 2012. See below for the truth about Pete Hoekstra and his outrageous record:
HOEKSTRA THINKS AMERICA IS TO BLAME FOR CHINA'S UNFAIR AND ILLEGAL TRADE PRACTICES:
Instead of fighting against China's unfair and illegal trade practice, Hoekstra is making excuses for the Chinese government, saying, quote, "The problem is American public policy…. The problem is not anything the Chinese are doing at all." And Hoekstra even voted 3 times to give tax breaks to companies that ship jobs overseas to countries like China.
Hoekstra: The Problem Isn’t Anything That The Chinese Are Doing At All
In a CNN interview, Hoekstra said, “the problem is American public policy, American domestic policy; the problem here is not anything that the Chinese are doing at all.” [CNN, 2/06/12]
Michigan Has Lost 79,868 Jobs Due To Trade Deficit With China
According to the Economic Policy Institute, between 2001 and 2010 Michigan lost 79,868 jobs due to the trade deficit with China. [Economic Policy Institute, 9/20/11]
Hoekstra Voted Repeatedly to Protect Tax Breaks for Companies Who Ship Jobs Overseas
Hoekstra voted at least three times to protect tax breaks for companies who ship jobs overseas. [HR 4213, Vote #324, 5/28/10; HR 1586, Vote #518, 8/10/10; HR 4520, Vote #258, 6/17/04]
Hoekstra Voted to Protect Tax Loopholes for Companies Outsourcing Jobs
In 2010, Rep. Pete Hoekstra voted against cracking down on companies that take advantages of loopholes in the foreign income provisions of the tax code which makes it more profitable for them to outsource jobs. The bill would prevent corporations from using current U.S. foreign tax credit rules to subsidize their foreign activities. [HR 4213, Vote #324, 5/28/10]
Hoekstra Voted Against Closing Tax Loopholes for Multinational Corporations
In 2010, Hoekstra voted against closing tax loopholes for multinational corporations and extending increased Medicaid assistance and education funding to states. The $26.1 billion cost of the bill was offset in part by closing use of the foreign tax credit by multinational corporations. Closing those loopholes would raise approximately $10 billion in revenue. [CQ Bill Analysis, 8/11/10; HR 1586, Vote #518, 8/10/10]
Hoekstra Voted Against Denying Benefits To Corporations Dodging U.S. Taxes By Locating Offshore
In 2004, Hoekstra voted against a measure that would allow taxpayers to deduct from their federal taxable income either state sales or state income tax payments. The cost would be offset by eliminating certain tax provisions, including denying some tax benefits to domestic corporations that reincorporate overseas to avoid U.S. income taxes. [HR 4520, Vote #258, 6/17/04]