Feingold Group To Press Super Committee On Buffett Rule

[ProSense]

Feingold Group To Press Super Committee On Buffett Rule

Brian Beutler

Former Wisconsin Sen. Russ Feingold offered enthusiastic praise for President Obama's deficit plan, and particularly for the so-called "Buffett rule" -- a principle holding that people who make more than a million dollars a year should pay at least the same effective tax rate as middle class workers.

"I just want to say how pleased I am that the President is taking a strong stand with this Buffett rule," Feingold said in a Wednesday interview. "What excites me even more, is it's the only fiscally responsible approach."

Feingold's new advocacy group Progressives United will press the joint Super Committee to adopt the Buffett rule as part of a broader deficit reduction plan. In an email to supporters, Feingold will make it explicit. "he influence of big corporations and the super rich is strong in Congress, and several senators -- including Democratic ones -- are already opposing this crucial effort," the solicitation reads. "Tell the super committee how important it is to make millionaires pay their fair share."

On Monday, Obama unveiled a budget framework to reduce deficits by about $3 trillion over the next 10 years. In it, he called for $1.5 trillion in new tax revenues drawn almost exclusively from wealthy Americans -- by eliminating the Bush tax cuts benefiting people in the top two tax brackets, and by ending tax deductions for income over $250,000. This would represent a step toward a tax code that met the Buffett rule criterion.

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[dkf]

1. I doubt the committee passes anything.

[DocMac]

2. I 2nd the doubt. nt

[ProSense]

3. So

"I doubt the committee passes anything."

...does this mean that Feingold shouldn't push the committee to act?

[dkf]

4. The sense of futility is getting to me.

All it is is blah blah blah.