TPM: House Dems Will Not Force Vote On Middle Class Tax Cuts

[dennis4868]

House Democrats won't be forcing a vote on extending the Bush tax cuts for middle class taxpayers, a senior House leadership aide tells TPM.

As we've been writing about today, Democrats are gleeful over a window of opportunity they see just in time for the midterm elections over Minority Leader John Boehner's positions on whether to make the George W. Bush tax cuts permanent for everyone but the wealthy.

That's what President Obama is pushing, and Boehner suggested Sunday he would support such a vote if that were his only option. He walked it back, but it begged the question about whether the Democrats would present such an option with a House floor vote. Will the Democrats force Boehner's hand?

A senior House leadership aide says no.

more...http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/09/house-dems-will-not-force-vote-on-middle-class-tax-cuts.php?ref=fpblg

I wonder if the repubs would force an up or down vote if the shoes were on the other foot? Oh wait a minute, I think they have done this before. This is why the dems lose elections....fucking spineless!

[TheMuse]

1. This has been discussed a little in another thread

But I will give my $.02 here.

I don't think they should hold up the bill top lay politics with it. Although it looks like it could hammer republicans, what if you lose in the midterms? Then it becomes even harder to get passed what needs to get passed, and you have squandered an opportunity. And if you get it passed now, it counts as a win for the Dems. They can run on that, you know.

[Winterblues]

8. What bill are you referring too?

I don't know of any bill as yet that even addresses the expiration of the Bush* tax cuts..

[provis99]

2. more of Obama catering to the Blue Dog Democrats.

I guess he figures if he can't compromise with the Republicans, he can compromise with the Blue Dogs. Just seems to love compromising for the sake of compromising. I get disgusted when politicians allow compromise to be the end goal of politics, rather than one strategy.

[The Magistrate]

3. 'Anonymous aide does not want', Sir, Might Be A Better Head-line....

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

4. And that is why reputation matters in journalism

TPM is solid and honest, though not infallible. They wouldn't have handled the story this way unless they believed that the WH source was speaking knowledgeably about the WH position and the congressional leadership aide speaking knowledgeably about Pelosi's position.

In this anonymous-sourced world it makes a difference whether someone has a track record of seeking the truth of the matter or seeking sensationalism.

Hence I generally accept TPM's assessment of the reliability of their own sources, provisionally. (Though of course not absolutely.)

[The Magistrate]

6. This Sort Of Head-Line Draws 'Clicks', Sir

T.P.M. is someone's income, you know....

[pscot]

5. Don't they have to vote

in order to extend the middle class tax breaks? I thought that was the nature of sunset provisions.

[David__77]

7. Yes they do.

They will otherwise expire. I would prefer that to a continuation of the upper bracket reduction. We will see how it plays.