SuperCommittee Dems Holding "Line In The Sand" On Ending Bush Tax Cuts

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from ThinkProgress: http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2011/11/20/372906/super-committee-co-chair-murray-bush-tax-cuts-are-the-sticking-divide/


Nov 20, 2011 at 11:23 am

Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), the Democratic co-chair of the congressional super committee, said this morning on CNN’s State of the Union that the super committee charged with crafting a deficit reduction plan remains stuck on the Bush tax cuts:

“There is one sticking divide, and that is the issue of what I call shared sacrifice, where everybody contributes in a very challenging time for our country,” Murray told CNN’s Candy Crowley on “State of the Union.”

“That’s the Bush tax cuts, and making sure that any kind of package includes everybody coming to the table and the wealthiest of Americans, those who earn over a million dollars every year, have to share, too. And that line in the sand, we haven’t seen any Republicans willing to cross yet,” Murray said.

“I’ll be waiting all day…willing to talk to any Republican who says, ‘Look, my country is more important,’” said Murray. “I’m ready.”

As Murray told Crowley, referring to Grover Norquist’s pledge against tax increases, “As long as we have some Republican lawmakers who feel more enthralled with a pledge they took to a Republican lobbyist than they do to a pledge to the country to solve the problems, this is going to be hard to do.”


read article and watch Sen. Murray’s comments: http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2011/11/20/372906/super-committee-co-chair-murray-bush-tax-cuts-are-the-sticking-divide/

[tblue]

1. I'm surprised the Dems are standing strong.

Wow. I did not expect that.

[bigtree]

2. 'line in the sand'

says Sen. Patty Murray

[marlakay]

3. I heard many people saying Patty would cave

but she is my senator and I hoped she would not. The emails I got back from her said she would support the right things.

[bigtree]

17. that doesn't sound like Sen. Murray

She's always looked to operate out of principle and conviction.

[Andy823]

4. Very well said!

I hope they stick with this because this is the message that needs to be front and center, and she did a good job doing just that. Republicans have to be shown for what they really are, a party that caters to the rich and to hell with everyone else! If democrats keep on this message, use all the past remarks by republicans that confirm who they "really" are working to help, then maybe more and more people in this country will get fed up with the games republicans are playing in congress in order to keep their rich donors happy.

Sen. Murray is one of my senators, and I hope she stands her ground on this.

[dkf]

5. Are the Dems really fighting for all the Bush tax cuts to expire or only at the top end?

Because we really need for all of it to go.

[bigtree]

10. I'm sure they want to preserve the cuts for the middle class

. . . and families.

The proposals have been to drop the extension of cuts for the wealthier Americans.

[dkf]

11. That won't raise enough revenue.

[bigtree]

12. our legislators aren't mere actuaries

. . . nor is balancing the books government's sole responsibility.

At any rate, economic fairness has long been a major tenet of our progressive initiatives for reform.

[dkf]

13. Isnt it their responsibility to avoid what Europe is currently experiencing?

[bigtree]

14. thus,

the trigger.

They did try and apply 'war savings' to specific investments (spending). I can think of better ways to balance the budget than on the backs of struggling working-class Americans.

[dkf]

18. Yet I haven't heard many people argue that Clinton balanced the budget on the back of the middle

Class.

[hughee99]

6. I was sort of hoping a sticking point would be the medicare cuts,

with DEMS not willing to give in. Does this mean those cuts are already thrown out, or that they are in and the DEMS have already caved?

[spanone]

7. there's no caving. there's no deal. the supercommittee was a sham from the get go

[bigtree]

9. well there were some cuts

. . . in the last offer from the Democrats.

here's the word on that . . .

"Both Kerry and Senator Patty Murray of Washington, the supercommittee’s Democratic co-chairman, insisted that Democrats have been willing to make some cuts to entitlement programs, which include Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Kerry said a deal that includes some entitlement and other domestic cuts could be reached “in the next two hours” if Republicans will drop a push for an extension of the Bush tax cuts and boost revenue."

read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-11-20/expectations-dim-for-a-u-s-debt-supercommittee-agreement-over-tax-divide.html#

[politicasista]

22. Why are they being berated here for it?

Especially Senator Kerry, not here, but by Obama supporters on Twitter? :shrug:

[Kingofalldems]

8. Looks like OWS having some influence

[mazzarro]

15. Thought that Obama and the DLC/Third Way assured opponents of the Bush Tax Cut

That it will not be renewed after Obama and the rethuglicans (tea-thug-baggers) agreed to extend it the last time it was an issue?

If Dems and Obama should fall for it again and this time make it permanent, I wonder what other excuse they will use to justify it this time. I hope they call the rethuglican (tea-thug-baggers') bluff. The OWS should a form of support for them to resist and if they fail, then they don't deserve to be called out!

[malaise]

16. Good

Fuck Grover and his ReTHUG tools of the rich.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

20. I wouldn't fuck him with your dick.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

19. Good for them

During the Clinton years the rich paid higher taxes, the budget was balanced and the economy was booming. What's so hard to understand about this?

[mick063]

21. "Grow" our way out?

I'm glad the "Super Duper" club failed. We would have given up too much.

Republicans would have us believe that big business will "grow" us out of this mess.

How can you grow your way out by:

Sending capital overseas?
Sending jobs overseas?
Reducing public sector jobs by the hundreds of thousands?
Reducing disposable income by eliminating collective bargaining?
Dismantling the manufacturing base?
Reducing funding for education?


According to Republicans, all we have to do is create incentives for business to operate.

That is an old, tired mantra that has proven not to work. The more incentives the "fat cats" get, the more money they keep.
This country has seen much deregulation and tax reduction over the past 10 years. Look where it got us.
The bottom line is....Freidman economics is not delivering.
Corporate America will never, ever "grow" us out of this regardless of how many "incentives" we give them.