Democrats to Test Republican Mettle With Tax-Cut Vote This Week

[ProSense]

Democrats to Test Republican Mettle With Tax-Cut Vote This Week

By James Rowley and Ryan J. Donmoyer

Nov. 30 (Bloomberg) -- Congressional Democrats are ready to test Republican resolve on taxes this week by hastening votes on their proposal to extend middle-class tax cuts.

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will schedule a vote this week on legislation that would retain lower tax rates and increased credits that apply to the first $250,000 of a married couple’s gross income or $200,000 for a single person, said her assistant, Maryland Democrat Chris Van Hollen.

The Senate will vote “by next week” on Democrats’ proposal to extend middle-income tax cuts, Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus told reporters yesterday.

“There should be an early vote on middle-income tax cuts” before the Senate considers alternatives on Bush-era tax cuts set to expire on Dec. 31, said Baucus, a Montana Democrat. The vote’s timing will depend on the rest of the Senate’s agenda, he said.

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[Cali_Democrat]

1. You mean they actually have.....

Amazing.

[Skink]

2. Obama wants a Mil. Nancy's got the spine if she is going for a quarter.

[alcibiades_mystery]

10. Where does it say that?

:shrug:

[Skink]

11. Actually Nancy just wants Obama to bend over.

And he should.

[alcibiades_mystery]

12. Where does it say Obama wants it at a million

:shrug:

[jenmito]

13. I think you're confusing Obama with Schumer. n/t

[KILL THE WISE ONE]

3. about damn time

[jenmito]

4. I have no doubt that the House will do it. I HOPE the Senate will, too. n/t

[unblock]

5. to be honest, i'm half hoping for a stalement that results in *all* shrub's tax cuts expiring

personally, i could use higher taxes like a hole in the, uh, wallet, as could most americans.

but frankly, the tax cuts were seriously stupid 10 years ago and while they make slightly more sense now than they ever did, they're still pretty fucking stupid from an economic point of view.

if something does pass, i'd prefer something that starts to restore some real progressivity to the rate schedule, e.g., letting the cuts expire only for those over $250,000 and/or a higher rate for those over $1,000,000.

but if pelosi plays her cards right, it should be possible to make it appear that the democrats want the cut but the republicans are blocking it, particularly by forcing this type of vote. let all the tax cuts expire and blame the republicans. it won't last the full year -- by the time it's time to file your 2011 return, they will have passed a tax cut, but democrats could get MONTHS of political points out of it if the republicans are as stubborn and ideological as we all know them to be.

[ShadowLiberal]

15. If it weren't for the fact that dems would then cave I'd agree with you

I wouldn't care if my taxes went up even though I make around $60,000 a year. Our government is underfunded for all we try to do, we need higher taxes to pay off the national debt.

But at the same time we all know that rather than a stalemate democrats would eventually just cave to republicans after the tax cuts expire, they don't have the guts to say they'll filibuster or veto any bill that cuts taxes for the rich.

[DrToast]

6. Unfortunately it will probably be meaningless

Republicans never seem to pay a political price for their hypocrisy. Their voters will keep performing the mental gymnastics necessary to justify their positions.

[ProSense]

7. Isn't this what

people have been demanding: a vote on the middle-class tax cuts only.

Now it's unpopular?

:rofl:

[DrToast]

8. I never said don't do it

Go for it. They should do it. The problem is that history suggests we won't be able to capitalize on it.

[jenmito]

9. It will get the Repubs. on the record of being against the middle class. n/t

[budkin]

14. This could have made a difference before the elections. What political gain is there now? None.