White House: No deal on taxes expected Tuesday

[cal04]

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6AS4YE20101129?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Reuters%2FPoliticsNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Politics+News%29

President Barack Obama is not expected to reach a deal with Republican leaders on whether to extend Bush-era tax cuts when he meets them on Tuesday, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said.

Gibbs said he hoped there would be agreement on the need to reach a tax deal by the end of the year, when the cuts are due to expire.

"I think this is the beginning of the conversation. I do not expect we'll come out after an hour, an hour and a half, and have full agreement on this," Gibbs told reporters on Monday.

(snip)
"I think there is a unified position among most Democrats that I've seen that we simply cannot afford to borrow $700 billion to extend the tax cuts of those who make a million or a billion dollars a year, or make in excess of $250,000 a year," Gibbs said.

[Loge23]

1. What a crock!

We'll impose a wage freeze on all federal workers - except the highly paid ones - to show our resolve in cutting the deficit.
But a simple, hugely effective, move like letting ALL the Bush tax cuts expire?? Can't do that!

[polichick]

2. Really? "except the highly paid ones" ?? Is there a salary cutoff for the freeze? nt

[Loge23]

3. Well, read this and tell me who's left!

From the Yahoo feed:
"The proposal, which must be approved by Congress, would not apply to the military, but it would affect all others on the Executive Branch payroll. It would not affect members of Congress or their staffs, defense contractors, postal workers or federal court judges and workers."

Are there some high wage earners in there? Probably. But the brunt of this will hurt those who need it the most.
Look, I'm not opposed to this, but fair is fair. This isn't.
Read housekeepers, cooks, butlers, etc.

[polichick]

4. Damn, that sucks! Thanks. nt

[whistler162]

5. Congress froze their salary last year.

http://blogs.govexec.com/fedblog/2010/11/congressional_pay_freeze.php

[whistler162]

6. We shall see sometime in the next 4 weeks

if your panic is accurate!

[crim son]

7. If this administration comes to any agreement at all with the repukes

concerning the extension of the cuts for the highest earners, he will not get my vote in 2012. Period.

[Kaleva]

8. Just let all the tax cuts expire.

[AtomicKitten]

9. The only wiggle room I can ascertain is regarding the maximum income eligible for the tax cut.

Whether it's $250,000, $500,000, or $1 million.

Max Baucus and Kent Conrad talked about extending all tax cuts for a year or two, but fortunately that crap idea seems to have withered on the vine.

Most Americans want to extend the middle class tax cuts, but would rather see them all expire than extend them for even five minutes for the upper crust.

The Wild Card is unemployment benefits.

[grumgrum]

10. Will ANYONE be surprised when Obama extends tax cuts for the Rich?

We should all know how Obama leans by now so i dont understand why this playtime event for Tuesday...get it over with.