Labor big: White House, Dem leaders seriously mulling middle class tax cut vote

[kpete]

Source: The Plum Line

White House, Dem leaders seriously mulling middle class tax cut vote
By Greg Sargent

This is encouraging: One of the most powerful labor leaders in the country just said that he's in direct talks with the White House and Dem leaders about throwing down the gauntlet and holding a vote just on extending the middle class tax cuts -- and that all parties involved are seriously considering it.

AFL-CIO chief Richard Trumka told reporters moments ago on a conference call that he's been aggressively lobbying the White House and Dem Congressional leaders to hold such a vote. Liberals are pushing for this course of action -- rather than a fake "compromise" on extending all the Bush tax cuts temporarily -- because it would represent a genuinely confrontational approach, forcing Republicans to choose between supporting Obama's tax cut plan and opposing a tax cut for the middle class.

Asked if he had been discussing this vote with the White House and Dem leaders and whether he'd received indications it's a real possibility, Trumka said "Yes" to both.

"We've made our intensions clear," Trumka said. "We've talked to them. No one that I'm aware of has said it's not good strategy."

Read more: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/11/labor_big_white_house_dem_lead.html

[joeybee12]

1. Should have done this prior to the midterms and won, or at least not gotten

our clocks cleaned.

[tomm2thumbs]

3. yup, which makes me wonder who is running the ship there

[damntexdem]

7. Forget the water under the bridge and do it now.

Do something popular for once. If it fails, let the GOP and obstructive blue dogs take the heat for that.

[nyy1998]

15. +1

[Seedersandleechers]

2. K & R

Would be nice. Very simple concept.

[Evasporque]

4. GOP will not vote for any tax cut they didn't plan....

They will flat out say...

"The Democrats are playing politics with tax cuts at a time when we should be extending tax cuts for all Americans."

that is what they will say...

We have to realize that NOTHING will get done.

The Republicans will not compromise on any position that they already have stated.

Republicans ARE NEVER HELD accountable for causing gridlock.

Because conservative Americans would rather pay more taxes than see any Obama policy succeed.

I say go ahead. Vote...it won't stop the GOP plan to destroy the Obama Presidency at the cost of the nations economic vitality. Republicans are that mean and stupid.

I have said over and over again...the real problem with the Democratic party...is the Republican party.

[emulatorloo]

6. If they can pick up some Senate Republicans to vote for cloture, they can do it

During the Lame Duck

Reid is going to have to get all the Dems to vote for it, plus a few Republicans (Snowe, Collins)

[robertpaulsen]

5. Right on! K&R!

:kick:

[mzmolly]

8. K

AND R. :kick:

[groundloop]

9. Go for it... And the "compromise" position should be tax break only on first 250 K of income

If Democrats started negotiating from the position of not extending tax breaks for millionaires they could then compromise to giving tax breaks to everyone on their first 250K of income. That way even the millionaires get a tax break, but with minimal impact on deficit.

Either way the repubs need to be exposed for holding middle America hostage for their corporate masters.

[mvd]

11. Sounds fair

:hi:

[GOTV]

13. That's exactly how it should be phrased, every time.

[julian09]

16. That is the proposed plan right now

Everyone gets the tax break up to $250,000, even those over $250,000 who will have a higher tax rate ONLY on the amount over $250,000. Heard Nancy Pelosi point thatout several times.

[mvd]

10. Good for labor! If they can get the President to do this..

it would be a big step in the right direction IMO.

[bbgrunt]

12. I'm still waiting to see if these kind of stories are not just

put out there to stoke the "hope" only to be dashed again in the end.

[Omaha Steve]

14. Trumka is making a difference

K&R!