'Billionaires tax' tension threatens to sap Dems' momentum for $1T-plus deal

[brooklynite]

Politico

Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her Democratic leadership team are confronting a new wrinkle in their social spending talks as they ramp up their sales pitch to their caucus: a proposed tax on billionaires.

The idea is straightforward enough. In the final days of frenetic dealmaking on the party's roughly $1.5 trillion spending bill, Senate Democrats are hoping to use the billionaires tax as a partial financing replacement for tax increases opposed by moderate Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.).

But the tax has met a wall of opposition from House Democrats, who panned the complicated proposal and are skeptical it can be fleshed out on Democratic leaders' dayslong timetable to reach a framework agreement. House Democrats are also increasingly frustrated as Senate counterparts continue to wrangle with Sinema and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) over many of the policies in the bill.

“The Senate needs to start saying yes or no on issues and stop fucking talking,” said Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.), who sits on the House tax-writing panel.

“It’s more of a stunt,” Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Mich.), who also sits on the Ways and Means Committee, said of the proposed billionaire tax.

[walkingman]

1. Oh yea, gotta protect those billionaire at all costs.

[Bettie]

2. Oh, won't someone think of the billionaires?

I mean, imagine them having to pay taxes like the little people do!

I'm pretty sure Mansinema will ensure that they don't have to...then, they will scuttle the bill because it "isn't paid for".