Salvage the middle-class tax cuts

[ProSense]

or not.

The tax cuts expire December 31. Democrats have a more than 250 seat majority in the House and a 58-seat majority in the Senate through that date.

Where do you start the negotiations?

I'd start with middle-class tax cuts only, absolutely no extension of the tax cuts for the rich, and let Republicans counter.

If Republicans can't accept that the tax cuts for the rich are not on table, let all the tax cuts expire.

[customerserviceguy]

1. The Repukes would love that

They'd vote for (and have a scared shitless Senate affirm) a permanent extension of the Bush tax cuts for everybody, and dare the President to veto it, just as Americans would notice that their paychecks have been shrinking. My bet: he'd sign it.

If the lame duck Congress really wants to do something to help us, they can vote to raise the debt ceiling to a very sizable amount, so that the tea partiers cannot hold the country hostage in the next two years. However, I have my doubts that the defeated Democratic congresscritters would feel like doing the President any favors in the lame duck session.

[ProSense]

2. What would they love?

Your proposal: "They'd vote for (and have a scared shitless Senate affirm) a permanent extension of the Bush tax cuts for everybody, and dare the President to veto it, just as Americans would notice that their paychecks have been shrinking. My bet: he'd sign it."

Or the one in the OP?

[ProSense]

3. It's too bad Evan Bayh's retirement wasn't effective immediately

Via Ezra Klein

Sens. Evan Bayh and Kent Conrad have proposed a Bush tax cut compromise that's garnering GOP interest, reports John McKinnon: "Two top Senate Democrats floated the idea Tuesday of extending the Bush-era income-tax rates for a limited time only, and tying that move to an overhaul of the U.S. tax code or passage of policies to address the budget deficit. ... A spokesman for Rep. Dave Camp (R., Mich.), who is in line to become Ways and Means Committee chairman next year, said Mr. Camp preferred making the current rates permanent but has expressed a willingness to support a two-year extension 'and then use that time to work on fundamental tax reform.'"

[flpoljunkie]

4. Make them all, including Bayh and his ilk, filibuster tax cuts for the middle class

Of course, we know this is very unlikely to happen with the wimpy Dem leadership in the Senate--who apparently will be taking the lead on the expiring Bush tax cuts.

[harun]

5. Let them all expire as retribution for the last election.

[no limit]

6. I totally agree with you. Why do you think Obama won't do it this way?

he is starting out the gate with a compromise that will likely extend the tax cuts for the rich for a couple years. And chances are republicans wont even agree to that.

[ProSense]

7. Maybe

he really wants to extend the middle-class tax cuts because now is not the time to increase taxes on Americans who are struggling.

[no limit]

8. But isn't it atleast worth a try? Still quite a bit of time. In addition...

someone made the point that he could use reconciliation which is absolutely true.

With all these options available to him I don't understand what he is doing. It makes no sense.

[ProSense]

10. They can't use reconciliation

to extend them this Congress, and next Congress Republicans control the House.

[no limit]

Ok, good point. but they could have used reconciliation earlier this year

surely it was clear then republicans would put up a fight.

And even if we take reconciliation off the table still doesn't make any sense that they don't try a middle class tax cut first and actually force a vote on it.

[ProSense]

14. They can only do it once per year

and they used reconciliation to pass the health care bill.

[no limit]

15. But they weren't limited to just the healthcare bill? They could have stuck more provisions in there

[Pirate Smile]

11. I see a lot of people around here who seem to want him to just throw away his campaign

promise to not raise taxes on people making less then $250,000.

[no limit]

13. I'm not really sure what that has to do with this discussion.

[Meshuga]

9. Exactly

And I hope that is the case.

[BeyondGeography]

12. We agree