The Globe has a good article about the tax cut fiasco mentioning that Kerry pushed for a vote

[Mass]

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2010/09/30/middle_class_tax_cut_issue_backfiring_on_democrats/

Middle class tax-cut issue backfiring on Democrats
By Matt Viser

WASHINGTON — President Obama’s urgent call for Congress to immediately extend tax breaks for the middle class was supposed to create a defining Democratic issue and cast Republicans as defenders of the rich on the eve of crucial midterm elections. Now, three weeks later, Democrats are further divided and Republicans are using the tax cut issue to their advantage.


The House and Senate adjourned last night, leaving the central pocketbook issue to be decided after the Nov. 2 midterm elections — and just weeks before the tax cuts are set to expire. That indecision injects more uncertainty into whose taxes will go up, and by how much.
...
The tax cut extension is expected to remain a political issue over the next few weeks, but not in the way Democrats had initially intended. Rather than using it on the campaign trail against Republicans, Democrats could find themselves on the defensive as the GOP yesterday began framing the vote delay as an example of government ineptitude and cowardice.
...
A national GOP group has sent out press releases targeting Democrats in key races, including Representative Niki Tsongas of Lowell, contending they put their own interests over those of taxpayers by avoiding a vote that could be perceived as a tax increase on the wealthy.
...
The Senate was expected to weigh in first. During a Senate caucus meeting last week, Senator John F. Kerry of Massachusetts was among those urging his colleagues to push forward with a vote before the elections, but others in tough reelection campaigns demurred and Senate majority leader Harry Reid postponed the vote.

[Blaukraut]

1. "Because we're Democrats"

Said Dodd when asked why his party could not agree on a plan. Frankly, I'm tired of that line. As Democrats, this should have been a no-brainer. Tax breaks continue for the middle class, and discontinue for the upper income bracket. $250,000 is not rich, but any TAXABLE income (think after deductions) above that amount getting taxed by 3% more is not going to break anybody's bank, for pete's sake.

Any and all excuses used here by Dems and repubs alike are bogus! And leave it to Harry Reid to once again leave his removable spine in a box at home and cave. This vote would have been a brilliant political move right now, even if it hadn't passed - maybe ESPECIALLY then. With a failure to extend the middle class tax cuts only before the deadline, they could have been left to expire and then an entirely new bill introduced that would only contain tax cuts for the middle class.

But no, the repubs (and conservadems) threateningly raise their fists, and our leadership cowers in a corner. I have had enough of this crap! And progressives laying all the blame at Obama's feet is missing the forest for the trees here. How often has Obama gone and emphatically stated that the tax cuts for the middle class must be extended, but there just is NO MONEY for the rest? Do the Democrats in charge listen and corral their troops? Of course not. Obama probably realized pretty early into his term that with the congress he had, there was no getting a truly progressive agenda passed.

I have little hope for the future of good policy-making in the current political climate and congressional make-up. The Senate with its ridiculous rules is dysfunctional, even WITH good leadership. State representation is out of whack and significantly favors conservative states. Basically, it's arcane and obsolete and should be disbanded. Barring that, change the frigging rules. Starting with the filibuster. Since when is a majority not enough to pass a bill?

Ideally, the entire system needs to be overhauled, but that won't happen in our lifetime. I'm afraid the Citizens United ruling has changed the political landscape for decades, and not for the better. If we think we're not being represented well now, just wait until the impact of endless cash flow into elections will hit congress. A tax cut for the middle class will be a dream that will never come again.

[wisteria]

2. The problem as I see it is that the Republicans were going to politicize it no matter what.

And, some vulnerable Dem's were going to go along with what Republicans wanted for fear a vote against the business wealthy would be used against them, and they would be accused of boxing in businesses and stifling job creation. Our economy would actually benefit without these additional costs piled on to the already high deficit. I think this issue is too important to politicize-on both sides. Dem's were pushing the middle class only message with the idea in mind that it would play well during the election season.
Frankly, allowing the tax breaks to expire for all would decrease the federal deficit by somewhere between 25% and 30%, according to some economists.IMO, I think they should all be allowed to expire.

Of course as usually, the Dem's find themselves unable to re-frame this issue in their favor-sigh. Why not state the obvious, and still call out the Republicans for their hypocrisy and willingness to disregard the deficit when it comes to helping some of their biggest donors? In this case, I disagree with Senator Kerry. I applaud the leadership that decided to wait to tackle this issue after the political season is over.

[Mass]

3. Matt Viser has another article about Kerry. Is Brown starting to get boring?

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2010/09/kerry_defends_o.html

< Back to front page Text size – +
CONGRESS,PRESIDENT OBAMA
Kerry defends Obama on Don Imus show


By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

WASHINGTON – Senator John Kerry this morning defended President Obama while trying to skirt questions over whether the Massachusetts Democrat would have done a better job if he were sitting in the White House.

“You would have been a better president than President Obama turned out, wouldn’t you?” asked Don Imus, whose show airs on FOX Business Network.

“Uh, no,” Kerry said. “What are you asking me to do? Make a stupid comment?”

“I have confidence I would have been a good president,” Kerry added. “I back President Obama. And I think he’s done a terrific job under very difficult circumstances.”

...

During the appearance, Kerry also said Obama “has made some of the toughest decisions of any president in 50 or 60 years.” But he also said that health care “hasn’t been sold as effectively as it should be” and, on the economy, “we’ve missed some opportunities, frankly, to turn it around.”

He also stood by his recent comments that voters don’t pay attention and are influenced by “a simple slogan.”

“I don’t blame people for not paying attention,” Kerry said. “I think people are turned off by it. That’s why they’re angry today. They don’t think we’re dealing with the real problems. And I think they’re tired of the consultants and the money and everything reducing their lives to these very simplistic, non-factually based sloganeering campaigns that don’t create jobs and that don’t solve problems and don’t reduce the deficit and don’t find the compromise. I think that’s why the electorate’s so angry. I think it’s an accurate thing that people are turned off of Washington, they’re turned off of the process.”
...

[wisteria]

4. Thanks Mass, and we can only hope about Sen. Brown. n/t

[ProSense]

5. Well

Brown isn't doing much so there's nothing to report.

Kerry reiterates his point perfectly:

“I don’t blame people for not paying attention,” Kerry said. “I think people are turned off by it. That’s why they’re angry today. They don’t think we’re dealing with the real problems. And I think they’re tired of the consultants and the money and everything reducing their lives to these very simplistic, non-factually based sloganeering campaigns that don’t create jobs and that don’t solve problems and don’t reduce the deficit and don’t find the compromise. I think that’s why the electorate’s so angry. I think it’s an accurate thing that people are turned off of Washington, they’re turned off of the process.”

[YvonneCa]

6. Did you (or anyone here) see Brown on the Senate floor...

...earlier this week? (Monday, I think). He was pathetic...covered by complaining of not feeling well...eventually another Rep, senator came and took over. It was pretty awful.

[Blaukraut]

7. He's so stupid he can't even wing it on the Senate floor

This better be common knowledge here in Mass. come 2012. If he manages to get reelected I'm going to give up on politics. No point in fighting a three-pronged beast: corporations, the media, AND stupid voters. Yes, I said what JK actually didn't say. The electorate is wilfully ignorant and proud of it.

[karynnj]

8. Just went to look - and pathetic is kind, - He said he had pnemonia - so he is very sick

Who wrote this for him? At parts, he is near incoherent. It is replete with errors - even on basic things - ie we're in the middle of a two year recession. Given that the economists have said the recession started in December 2007 and ended in July 2010. So, we aren't in the middle of a recession. "I did my homework, In this position, I have to" "Sometimes, I'm the 41st Senator, I am" "I am the most honored person to be here" "He then lists all the countries he went to - and all the leaders he spoke to spoke only about jobs." (Then he votes against the the things that do just that.)

He spoke of the financial bill - and he said that he slept in his office and worked hard to understand it. Then he spoke of how no votes are really making it - spoke of the defense bill. He again said that he was in the military! (Why is anyone upset about Blumenthal - and not Brown, who NEVER was active in the military.) He again said the majority party voted with him Zero times - in spite of him voting with them some of the time.

He was absolutely losing it - http://www.c-spanvideo.org/videoLibrary/clip.php?appid=598858824

He is all over the place. I can see why Kerry has found that he likes to ride bikes with Brown, rather than have lunches or dinner.

[Inuca]

13. If he was so sick

he should have stayed home, or at the very least kept quiet.

Your last comment is priceless :-)

[karynnj]

15. I agree - what is also weird is that he seemed to be suggesting that

it was essential he be there - especially at the end where he asked a fellow Senator to take the rest of his time.

To me, what this really shows is that he is over his head and he is working hard and is troubled by the way the senate is working. He places the blame on the wrong people though. He ignores that Coburn is blocking aid (single handedly) to Haiti and that Jim DeMint wants to stop everything. We have seen the Democrats spend inordinate time working to get compromises that Snowe and Collins would sign on to. He apparently missed how hard Kerry worked to get republicans to agree to a climate change bill - and even those who SPONSORED such bills in the past followed the leader in saying "NO".

The clip is a weird mix of ego and self awareness that he is still a rookie; of real frustration and of a sense that he is still surprised to be where he is. There is also a sense that the justifiable attacks that he is for Wall Street have hit a nerve. He doesn't get that it is NOT important that he might never have walked on Wall Street - It is significant that he bought banks the ability to speculate with part of their money with his vote. (What may be clear is the people supporting him are in fact controlling him.) He clearly is extremely upset by the dysfunctional nature of the Senate - just as Kerry is.

[karynnj]

16. He actually was likely not that sick

Here he is 5 days later - http://www.necn.com/10/02/10/Scott-Brown-campaigns-for-Jeff-Perry-in-/landing_politics.html?blockID=323328&feedID=4212 Completely healthy.

just incoherence.

Here is a Huffington Post article that compares it to Michael Jordan's "flu game" - and speaks of questions on whether he was really sick. It mentions that Brown returned to the floor on Wednesday.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/30/michael-jordan-scott-brow_n_745250.html

Here's the Wednesday speech, where he still is somewhat incoherent when not reading his speech (on legislation with McCaskill on Arlington Ceremony). Speaking of info being on index cards, he speaks of electronic devices that his kids and grand kids(!) use. Though he didn't look or sound ill, he mentions his pneumonia at the end.

http://www.c-spanvideo.org/videoLibrary/clip.php?appid=598868598

[MBS]

17. Wow, this was quite a (Sept 27) speech, and quite a guy

My favorite sentence went something like "And I've learned in this business that you have to be prepared" . :rofl: Also, "I don't care if I get reelected or not". :rofl:
And the shallowness, and the narcissism. ... what an embarrassment. And his asking for water. .good grief.
Is anyone in the chamber besides the president? is anyone really listening to this?
This guy is seriously over his head. At times, he reminded me of W in his rambling incoherence
Not to mention the contrast with the distinguished senior senator.
Haven't watched the Wednesday speech yet, but the Monday speech was a lulu.
The Huffington Post article was great, too.

[Mass]

18. Seems his claims he does not care to be reelected are a little bit specious, if I can believe this

article in the Globe. If he does not care, why does he spend his time fundraising.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2010/10/04/scott_brown_boosting_ties_to_gop_elite/

Brown builds a network on road
Trips for GOP could help fill 2012 war chest

By Matt Viser
Globe Staff / October 4, 2010
E-mail|Print|Reprints|Comments (22) Text size – +
WASHINGTON — Senator Scott Brown has been hopscotching the country, using his high profile to help fellow Republicans fill their campaign coffers. But these missions help him with another goal: introducing himself to the GOP elite in key cities across the country and building his own national fund-raising network for his expected 2012 reelection bid.


Brown is visiting such pockets of Republican cash as Orange County, Calif.; Cincinnati; and Bellevue, Wash. By the end of the year, he will have helped raise money in nearly half of the top 20 fund-raising locales in the country.

He is also accumulating political chits that he can cash in next year. If the candidates he is backing now win their elections, they would probably help him raise money in 2012. Interviews with campaign aides and contributors indicate Brown will get a warm reception when he returns with his own request for money.
...
Brown’s fund-raising abilities could also deter would-be challengers. He has $6.5 million on hand right now, far more than any other Massachusetts politician, including Senator John F. Kerry, who has $2.9 million, and significantly more than potential challengers.
...

[Mass]

9. I had not seen that. I cant figure out why he would even want to speak when he is sick.

Even in his best days, he is not exactly articulate.

(oh, and he cant count. He is saying the Dems have had the majority in the Senate for 5 years. God!). As for the middle of a two year recession, You cant know you are in the middle of a recession unless you are clairvoyant. How can you know a middle of something before you know when it ends?).

I am also happy to know that we paid so that he can travel.

And, at the end, he may have not understood it, but he was blaming the GOP for refusing to work on the issues.

[YvonneCa]

10. "I am also happy to know that we paid so that he can travel"...

...too funny. :7

[Inuca]

12. I saw it

Pathetic is right. Nothing of substance (even bad substance), kept turning everything back to himself (what his election means, etc.), and annoying "guy you want to have a beer with" mannerisms.

[Inuca]

11. Great (and funny) comments, thanks! n/t

[Mass]

19. I have to take it back. The Globe is back to reporting on Brown, and

on their new found love, Charlie Baker.

[Inuca]

14. I find this whole issue very infuriating

and I am glad to see that Kerry was on what I consider to be the "right side" on this.