Yet another example of something Democrats do way too well – snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid
In a November election where the pundits on both sides of the aisle are predicting huge losses for Democratic candidates, Jim Manley – a spokesman for Harry Reid, Senate Majority Leader said today, that there will be no vote on extending the Bush tax-cut before the November 2nd elections. Said Jim Manley;
“We will come back in November [after the elections] and stay in session as long as it takes to get this done.”
The Bush Tax cuts were implemented 10 years ago, and comprise of across the board tax cuts for all Americans. These tax cuts are slated to expire this year, but Republicans have been on a rampage trying to extend all these tax cuts, especially the ones going to the top 3% of earners.
The Democratic position is to extend the tax cuts for middle class, those making $250,000 or less, but to allow the top 3% to go back to their pre-Bush rates. Republicans have voiced their opposition to this idea. They believe that the top 3% (the ultra rich) should continue getting these tax cuts, and they’ve decided that if these ultra rich can’t continue getting the tax cuts, then no one (especially the middle class) should.
This loosing decision was also echoed by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, who went a step further by stating her fear of Republicans as the reason why not voting on this now makes sense. Mrs. Feinstein said, “I believe a vote on taxes right before the election is a mistake.” She added that Republicans “will find a way to mischaracterize it.”
The White House also expressed their disappointment in the decision to wait until after the November election before a vote on ending Bush Tax Cuts will happen. Said White House spokeswoman, Amy Brundage;
“The president would sign a bill tomorrow that would extend the tax cuts for the middle class to avoid saddling them with a crippling tax hike, but unfortunately Republicans in Congress have made it clear they would rather stall and obstruct instead of giving working families the assistance they need.”
So because of fear of what the Republicans will say in their campaign about tax cuts and the Democratic positions, these fearful Democrats in congress have decided to give up on this one sure method of winning in November – bringing the bill to the floor of the Senate and allowing the American people to see the Republicans vote no against tax cuts for the middle class.
If Republicans win control of the House or the Senate in November, this will go down as the reason. This decision to wait until after the election to bring the vote will be the point where Democrats blindly handed the election to the Republicans.
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Related articles
- Democrats Delay Vote on Extending Bush Tax Cuts (abcnews.go.com)
- Democrats Delay Vote on Bush Tax Cuts Extension (time.com)
- You: Senate Delays Vote on Bush-Era Tax Cuts (thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com)
