Conservatives Attack Tax Deal as Vote Nears

[TomCADem]

Source: NY Times

Even as it nears a critical vote in Congress today, the compromise tax deal worked out by President Obama and Republicans on Capitol Hill has some new enemies.

Conservatives.

Last week, the agreement was assailed by liberals who accused the president of giving away the store by agreeing to a temporary extension of tax breaks and reductions in the estate tax, both of which will benefit the wealthy.

But with a critical procedural vote scheduled for Monday afternoon in the Senate, some Tea Party activists and other conservative pundits are attacking it from the other side.

Read more: http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/13/conservatives-attack-tax-deal-as-vote-nears/?partner=rss&emc=rss

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The irony of this "attack" from the right is that no one from the right is attacking the compromise on deficit grounds. I know some so-called Tea Party Republicans who were worried to death about the deficit. But, where are they? Instead, we hear "conservatives" complaining that the tax cuts should be bigger and permanent.

Is the corporate media seriously telling me that they could not find a single Tea Partier who is concerned about the deficit consequences of the compromise? Instead, it appears that the deal does not blow a big enough hole in the deficit to satisfy the right.

[msongs]

1. golly if we could cut the military by 50% & let Karzai go back to the taliban like he wants.... nt

[OhioBlue]

2. excellent point. n/t

[Skink]

3. They got to get this done now cause Rubio might oppose it.

being one of the more rabid tea partiers, he might make an issue out of raising the debt so much.

[SkyDaddy7]

5. The TRUE MOTIVE of the Conservatives is not so much the Deficit...

Their ture motive is called "STARVE THE BEAST"!! TaX CutS until the Federal Deficit is so large that Medicare & Social Security can be cut serverly on the grounds there is nothing else that can be done!!

DO NOT THINK OTHERWISE!!

[hay rick]

4. The media finds what they are instructed to find.

The "Tea Partiers" are being put on ice while the people who financed them and choreographed their media coverage get a big pay day. Five minutes after Obama signs the bill, the Deficit Busters Show will be back on the air 24/7.

[Lasher]

6. Republican Consistency

[glinda]

7. Like the last pic.

[Lasher]

8. You might enjoy a trip to their website.

Lotsa yuks there.

[Dave From Canada]

9. There are no tax cuts. Nobody is going to be paying less in income taxes in January than they are

now. I've also heard nobody complaining that these so-called tax cuts should be bigger. I have heard people saying they should be paid for though. However, even if the rates on the top bracket were increased. It would only make a $70 billion dollar dent in a $1.2 trillion dollar deficit.

[bullwinkle428]

10. You're right - Bush never gave tax cuts to the wealthy!

[jmowreader]

13. Shhh...the Republicans don't want you to know that

This is Republican Phraseology: if taxes do not go up, it is a cut even if they don't go down.

[quakerboy]

11. They dont want to go after it on substantive grounds

They will oppose it based on little things, mainly verbal opposition, but one way or another they will lend it the votes to pass, no matter how many defect from the left side.

The big hits, the attack on deficits will wait until it passes. Then they will go after us. They get what they want in the deal, then they still get to attack Democrats.

[Democat]

12. This is what happens where the president is not a leader.

Democrats should be leading the way when they control all three branches of government.

[tomm2thumbs]

14. the new hires would probably vote his down -why both sides did it ahead of the changeover

they both had a dog in this fight but will never admit that is why

[savalez]

15. Since when are Conservatives conservative?

[Kolesar]

18. They are the fundamentalist-Pentagon party ... eom

[breadandwine]

16. This may not be as good as it sounds. Here's Rushblob grousing about the deal but ---

he nevertheless starts out by saying it's okay on the whole ---


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfDP3m6JGtw


Don't expect too many Republicans on the Hill to go against the deal. They'll march and goose step in lockstep to protect their rich buddies and support it.

[pampango]

17. Apparently plenty of tea baggers don't like it, but most of their repub pols disagree.

"Tea Party ramps up efforts against tax deal"

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/133369-tea-party-ramps-up-efforts-against-tax-deal

Conservatives aligned with the Tea Party ramped up pressure Monday on Republicans to vote down the tax deal before Congress.

A Tea Party umbrella group circulated a petition in opposition to President Obama's tax deal with Republicans, while another high-profile GOP lawmaker aligned with the grassroots movement said he's inclined to vote against it. "The idea that this massive tax and spend bill has not yet even been written but may be voted on by the Senate this weekend is appalling, and has rightfully drawn the anger of the TeaPartyPatriots.org and other Tea Party activists, an anger that will not diminish," said a petition crafted by the Tea Party Patriots.

But some conservatives have balked. Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) has announced his opposition to the deal, as have some other Tea Party-aligned Republicans. "Today, as I understand this, I'm likely to be a no," argued Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), another Tea Party favorite, on Monday on Fox News.

Republican staffers in Congress have sought to promote conservatives' endorsements for the deal to help give their members cover on the vote. FreedomWorks, another Tea Party umbrella group, endorsed the deal last week.

[leftynyc]

22. The teabaggers are about to learn

a lesson in being used to get elected. I never expected a liberal so I'm not surprised I didn't get one.

[sendero]

19. Pure politics..

... they are trying to brer rabbit us now. They finally realized that their smug gloating over the deal was not working in their favor.

[4dsc]

20. I've been wondering too where is the Tea PArty

then I realized they were nothing more than corporate pawns in the whole deal and had a good laugh.

[breadandwine]

21. Looks like the train has already left the station. Procedural vote sets up passage in Senate.

No one's going to block the deal.

And you can drag tax cuts through a sewer and get Republicans to follow you.