How the White House torpedoed Harry Reid’s tax deal

[kpete]

“The White House worked closely with liberal House Democrats last week to torpedo a tax deal that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-­Nev.) was negotiating with Republicans,” The Hill reports.

“The unusual move to kill a Reid­-backed proposal has raised suspicions among Senate negotiators about the White House’s motivations. They believe President Obama’s team is eyeing a broad corporate tax reform deal in 2015, when Republicans will control the Senate and the House.”


.......

Reid likely won over Sen. Charles Schumer (D­-N.Y.) to support the deal by including a permanent extension of the American Opportunity Tax Credit, which lowers college costs, and a tax break for commuters who ride mass transit.

He may have had enough support to override a presidential veto in the Senate, but House Democrats gave Obama a political backstop.




more of that damn reid:
http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/225669-how-the-white-house-torpedoed-reids-tax-deal

[TheNutcracker]

1. And the democratic party will not help anyone beat him, take his seat.

Maybe that is where some big buck should go?

[GeorgeGist]

2. THANKS, OBAMA.

[RedCloud]

3. Reid allowed GOP filibustering during Pelosi

Not much got accomplished. Imagine if he had the nuclear option back then, roads got rebuilt, 13,000,000 more jobs added working on infrastructure, economy booming and it would spell doom for the GOP. As it is, the GOP just got rewarded for being lazy and clueless. Thank you Harry for being such a fine gentleman. When GOP bullies run roughshod you will see.

As for our President, he didn't hire folks of our viewpoint to his cabinet, just the same old crowd of war mongers conservative ilk. Tell me, did Bush stock his cabinet with Liberals?

[Skidmore]

4. Reid needs to hear from Dems and

not just those in his state. As leader, he represents all of us.

[WillyT]

5. Found This Fascinating...

“It might indicate less about the merits of the package and more about the White House using progressives to kill a deal now in order to pave the way for a deal with Republicans next Congress that progressives will absolutely loathe,” said a senior Senate Democratic aide.

[Recursion]

6. Huh. I have to say I agree with that "One Democratic aide"

One Democratic aide on Capitol Hill dismissed the idea that the White House was trying to improve its position for tax reform, noting that Obama has yet to make an overhaul of the tax code a major priority in his six years in office.

Overhauling the tax code has really never been on the administration's radar.

I think the more likely explanation is that Reid's deal isn't a very good one for us.