"Van Hollen: House Dems won't scuttle tax-cut deal"

[Clio the Leo]

Van Hollen: House Dems won't scuttle tax-cut deal
Kendra Marr 09:12 AM

Maryland Rep. Chris Van Hollen, the incoming ranking Democrat on the House Budget Committee, acknowledged on Sunday that House Democrats won't hold up a deal to resolve the expiring Bush-era tax cuts.

Last week, frustrated lawmakers rejected a two-year, tax-cut extension package negotiated between President Barack Obama and Republicans. House Democrats said they were angry that they were left out of some of the deal-making, particularly the adjustment to the estate tax, which they consider to be a too generous.

“It was not central to the deal, so it’s a simple question," Van Hollen said on "Fox News Sunday," referring to the estate tax provision."We’re not going to hold this thing up at the end of the day, but we think this simple question should be put to the test."

And Van Hollen stressed, "There will be an opportunity for the House to work its will."

Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), who will be chairman of the Budget Committee in the new Republican-controlled House, jumped in on Van Hollen's remarks.

“Chris just made some news," he said. "That's fairly noteworthy because as of just a day or two ago we were thinking they were going to do a take-it-or-leave-it thing and scuttle this entire agreement."

http://www.politico.com/blogs/politicolive/1210/Van_Hollen_House_Dems_wont_scuttle_tax_cut_deal.html

Fighting the urge to ask if that means the progressives in the House have now "caved." :p

[Skittles]

1. they're not caving; they are aiding and abetting

[Teaser]

6. That is what politicians do

They are turning a losing hand into a hand from which they at least extract some benefit.

Principles do not exist, and what's more...they never have.

[Skittles]

9. bullshit

[Teaser]

16. *shrugs*

believe what you want.

Humankind is fundamentally diseased and a very flawed organism. I've never met anyone who could change my mind about this assessment.

But we can make lemonade, even with these sour lemons, sometimes.

[young but wise]

2. Good.

[msongs]

3. har har no matter how dems in congress/WH the repubs seem to get what they want

[dennis4868]

4. Great news

Let's get the deal done ASAP!

[golddigger]

5. Kool. Lets get F@#KED again.

[Scurrilous]

7. K & R

:thumbsup:

[bluestateguy]

8. It means they will vote No, but not actively try to kill it

That would be like a Senator voting for cloture but voting against the substance of the bill.

[midnight]

10. Greed wins again.

[great white snark]

11. No, common sense and common people win. nt

[w4rma]

13. No they are postponing the UI fight for 13 months down the road until they will surely lose.

And postponing the upper tax cuts until Obama is outed after 1 term.

[jefferson_dem]

12. Good.

I knew most Dems would come around and do the right thing. :applaude:

[Imajika]

14. Of course they won't derail the tax-cut deal...

This was all theater. All of it. A bunch of sound and fury, including Sander's pretend filibuster where he actually filibustered nothing at all. All for show. Just a Democratic leadership designed outlet for the more progressive members and constituents to vent. No one will actually stop this from passing, but they know many needed some time to scream about it.

The tax cut deal is done. A few sweeteners will be added here and there, but what you see if what you get - and the outcome has been known to anyone who understands Washington politics from the beginning.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

15. so Chris, the very, very rich win again?

you probably upset many people from Montgomery County.

[Phx_Dem]

17. They're not as eager as progressive rank-in-file to screw unemployed

and middle class just to spite the rich.

[madfloridian]

18. It's a "done deal". Must pass, will pass. Whatever.