Lincoln Diaz-Balart Out of Touch in Email Response to Wall Street Bailout

"As every man, woman and child in America is faced with paying $2,300 towards a $700 billion Wall Street bailout, my opponent's response was to send a canned email to his constituents in which he did not once mention the word family or middle class, or acknowledge the economic challenges hard-working Floridians face every single day.

One would think that a congressman representing a state with the worst housing market in the country and one of the worst unemployment rates in the country, during a time when gas prices are skyrocketing and healthcare costs are rising, would acknowledge what South Florida families go through every day and how this bailout will affect them.

Lincoln Diaz-Balart is out of touch with the constituents of District 21.

His response to the New York Times in March when asked about the housing crisis, which is one of the biggest contributing factors to this economic crisis, was "I haven't studied this sufficiently."

Lincoln was out of touch then, and he is out of touch now.

We need a change from the failed Bush economic policies rubberstamped by Lincoln Diaz-Balart that got us into this mess in the first place.

Negotiations between Congress and Secretary Paulson must ensure that the middle class, the people who are truly being hit hard by tough economic times, will be sufficiently helped in this bailout package.

Hard-working South Floridians, many who are struggling to escape home foreclosure, need to be helped in this bailout and should not be forgotten by their congressman."

Lincoln Diaz-Balart sent out the following email response yesterday regarding the bailout:

Dear Friend:

Thank you for writing me regarding the crisis on Wall Street. I remain in Washington, working with my colleagues on the best way to respond to this serious problem. Please be assured that I will keep the taxpayers'
interest first and foremost in mind.

While I continue to work on this critical matter, please know that I do NOT support the Bush/Paulson/Pelosi/Frank/Dodd bailout plan.

The principles that are guiding my decision-making are:

* Wall Street, Not Taxpayers should fund the recovery.
* Private Capital, Not Unlimited Tax Dollars should be injected into financial markets.
* Immediate Transparency, Oversight and Market Reform is needed.

Thank you for contacting me regarding this important matter. I will be back in touch with you as soon as I have further updates.

Cordially,

Lincoln Diaz-Balart