No-risk tax vote strategy: Dem leaders should have broken the extension bill

[wiggs]

into two pieces. Vote on an extension of tax cuts for middle class before the election. Dems get credit for cutting taxes. Hard to see how filibustering or opposing that bill would benefit any republican. Hard to see how it wouldn't pass.

Then schedule a vote on extending the tax cuts for wealthy AFTER the election...a much more contentious issue that will take time to resolve. Dems won't be perceived as ignoring those tax cuts...will debate pros and cons and the vote will succeed or not. GOP can't filibuster that bill either...they need the bill to come to a vote and go on record for supporting it. Most dems will oppose it and it would fail. Ideally, the vote happens before January, when the balance of power may shift.

I don't see how this strategy would hurt any dem, such as Reid, in November. I do see how it could help all dems. Too late now, I guess?

[phantom power]

1. It's a mystery to me.

[Motown_Johnny]

2. they should have used reconciliation in the Senate to pass a bill

and then the House could have passed the bill and we would have middle class tax cuts going into the election.

[drm604]

3. Republicans would still filibuster it.

They'll dishonestly characterize it as a tax increase on "small businesses".

[phantom power]

4. Why does that make it a bad idea?

The Republicans will filibuster anything useful, and they will also dishonestly characterize anything useful.

Make them filibuster, and lie, and just generically look bad. Otherwise, we may as well go home.

:shrug:

[drm604]

5. Where did I say it was a bad idea?

The OP said that the GOP wouldn't filibuster it. I disagree. I think they will. That doesn't necessarily make it a bad idea.