Democrats Look To Punt On Tax Cut Debate - Ryan Grim/HuffPo

[WillyT]

Democrats Look To Punt On Tax Cut Debate
Ryan Grim - HuffingtonPost
First Posted: 09-23-10 10:40 AM | Updated: 09-23-10 01:07 PM

<snip>

Senate Democrats are looking to punt the tax-cut debate past the November elections, facing pushback on voting from Democrats facing election in 2010, senior Democratic aides say. The party will gather this afternoon for a caucus-wide meeting to set the pre-election agenda, but it appears increasingly unlikely that it will include the much-hyped tax-cut vote.

The White House has been pushing hard for such a vote, circulating polling showing that a majority of Americans, including wide margins of independents, support extending the middle-class tax cuts. Ultimately, though, Democrats up for election feared an assault from the GOP that the party was raising taxes on "small businesses," even though a vanishingly small portion of those who would face a tax hike are real small businesses. But, in an age of 30-second commercials, it only takes one to stare into the camera and lament the effect of the tax change on hiring.

Two members of Democratic leadership -- Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) -- are facing tight races, as are Sens. Russ Feingold (D-Wisc.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.).

A Feingold aide said that his boss isn't afraid of the vote. "Senator Feingold has informed Majority Leader Reid directly that he would prefer to vote on extending the expiring tax cuts before the elections and that he is ready and willing to vote whenever leadership decides to have that vote," he said. "Senator Feingold has made his position clear - he supports extending the middle class tax cuts and he thinks we should find a way to pay for them. But he opposes extending tax cuts just for the wealthiest Americans, which would add hundreds of billions of dollars to the deficit and do little to help the economy."

Democrats, instead of focusing on tax cuts, said the aides, will address legislation to limit corporate spending in the election process, expand job creation and close loopholes for companies that ship jobs offshore.

The Democratic decision was foreseeable. Indeed, on September 8th, when the Senate had yet to return from the summer break, HuffPost Hill predicted: "SPOILER ALERT: This tax cut stuff will not be dealt with before the election, unless 'dealt with' is understood as a few weeks of bickering before it's punted": http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/08/huffpost-hill-september-8_n_709650.html

<snip>

Link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/23/democrats-look-to-punt-on_n_736356.html

Ah... those Profiles In Courage... I'm so fucking proud... NOT!

:wtf:

:banghead:

:mad:

:kick:

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

1. "Punt", "Blink", "Pass", "Cave", "Fold", "Triangulate" - the tools of the neo-lib New Democrats.

Followed with the ringing campaign slogan of "Not as bad".

[MisterP]

12. oh, and "people would love our agenda if we ever got it past those ever-so-conservative Pubs"

alternatively, "people would love our agenda if we didn't have to compromise it out of fear of an obstructionist filibuster. just eliminate the filibuster and bring back the draft and we'll be out of the wars in a jiffy (never mind that the President could get us out on his sole initiative. that's McKinney/Carter/FDR talk)"

[Ganja Ninja]

2. Expect a sellout.

:tinfoilhat:

[damntexdem]

3. Big mistake -- this could help with the election.

So par for the course for Dems if they do punt.

[chimpymustgo]

6. This issue could pull their SORRY ASSES over the finish line in the midterms! They SUCK beyond words

They are not just bumbling assholes. They are FOOLS.

[bluestateguy]

4. If they just do nothing (politicians are good at that) then all taxes go up

I am willing to give up my taxcut to kill the taxcuts for the rich.

[AtomicKitten]

5. At the request of chickenshit Blue Dogs who are pushing making permanent all BushCo tax cuts.

Pres Obama reminded these clowns that they are allegedly fiscal hawks. They have yet to explain how blowing a hole in the deficit with this asinine proposal is a good idea.

[DCBob]

8. Yep, the BDs howl again and get what they want..

pathetic.

[AtomicKitten]

9. The best they got was a postponement of the vote to after the election which is epically stupid.

Democrats have the upperhand and a half on this issue.

edited for ----> http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=433&topic_id=444689

[doc03]

7. We all know they will cave in, just get it the f--- over with and shut

the f--- up.

[Moostache]

10. Dypical Temocrats.

The only thing surprising about this is that they did not first allow themselves to get de-pants-ed by the Republican bully before leaving the cafeteria. I am so sick and tired of supporting the ideals of the party that is constantly having the frozen drink poured on its head by the supposed "cool kids" and just taking it...again...and again....and again....and again.

[WillyT]

11. Kick !!!

:kick:

[samrock]

13. Sigh.. I am sooooooo disappointed, yet this was SOO expected,,

When we get members of congress from our party with BALLS!!.. This will soo discourage the base.. Democrats cutting their own throats... Soooo typical..

[WillyT]

14. On KO Right Now !!!

:kick: