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Politico reports:
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) believes Senate Democrats and the White House might not have the votes to roll back the Bush era tax cuts for the wealthiest two percent of Americans.
McConnell — who has stated repeatedly that raising taxes in a recession will be destructive — said Thursday that three Democrats expressed reservations about the tax cuts before recess and the question now is whether more Democrats will jump ship. President Barack Obama has called for an extension of nearly all the 2001 income tax cuts, but wants to let tax cuts for households making more than $250,000 expire at the end of the year.
“We know there were at least three Democrats who thought this was a bad idea,” McConnell said on ABC News’s Top Line web cast. “Will there be a larger group of Democrats who come back and think maybe this isn’t a great debate for us?”
McConnell pointed to Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) and Sens. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.) and Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) as three members across the aisle who have expressed reservations about letting upper income taxes increase.
As recently as Wednesday, a top Democratic aide asked POLITICO, “[I'm] not sure what Ben Nelson has to do with it — we need Republicans and they’re not giving us anything these days.”
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“This is a debate about tax increases. The current level of taxation has been there for almost a decade,” McConnell said. “That’s a debate we’re anxious to have.”
DirtyLibrul // Sep 3, 2010 at 1:44 am
“Will there be a larger group of Democrats who come back and think maybe this isn’t a great debate for us?”
He’s bluffing, public opinion is clearly on the side of NOT extending the tax cuts for the wealthy (52% to 38%-Newsweek) and even more people think that “the rich” pay too little in taxes (63%-Gallup). So does that sound like a bad thing to debate? Doesn’t sound like it to me…
And what’s with the smoke show on needing votes to “roll back the Bush era tax cuts”? It was designed to expire because they had to ram through these unpaid tax cuts in the first place. You don’t need one vote for them to expire…you need votes to have any of them NOT expire. He’s either an idiot or a liar…or maybe both.
llbroo49 // Sep 3, 2010 at 2:02 am
What people fail to realize is that during the previous years of tax cuts the federeal government has done a lot to prevent the wealthy from sheltering funds to avoid taxes. In the past, a threat to raise taves would cause the wealthy to ship funds and investmensts overseas. However, between agreements with the swiss banks and increased powers to the IRS via the Patriot Act their are few, if any places the wealthy can shift their funds,
And DirtyLibrul is correct. The question is not whether or not the democrats have enough votes to repeal the tax cuts, but whether to the Republicans have enough vote to extend them. IMO McConnel is setting up a situation whereRepublicans can claim a victory if the current Admininstration decides to extend cuts on their own.
Posting From Fake America // Sep 3, 2010 at 2:14 am
This really isn’t a winning issue for Republicans. I guess McConnell is arguing that any new extension will have to include the top marginal rate otherwise Republicans will let all of the cuts expire. Would Republicans and a few dems really vote against a bill that extends tax cuts for the vast majority of Americans? I doubt they would want a such vote to be recorded. It doesn’t seem like Republicans have any leverage here.
jakester // Sep 3, 2010 at 3:10 am
And what’s with the smoke show on needing votes to “roll back the Bush era tax cuts”? It was designed to expire because they had to ram through these unpaid tax cuts in the first place. You don’t need one vote for them to expire…you need votes to have any of them NOT expire. He’s either an idiot or a liar…or maybe both.
Since when has the GOP been known lately for appealing to logic & intellect?
busboy33 // Sep 3, 2010 at 7:11 am
@DirtyLibrul:
“public opinion is clearly on the side of NOT extending the tax cuts for the wealthy (52% to 38%-Newsweek) and even more people think that “the rich” pay too little in taxes (63%-Gallup). So does that sound like a bad thing to debate?”
It does when they start calling them the “Saving Grandma and Puppies” Tax Cuts.
dante // Sep 3, 2010 at 8:24 am
Go ahead, GOP, filibuster the bill that extends the tax cuts for anyone making less than $250k per year and see where that gets you… I’d bet the Democrats have already produced the commercial and have $10m earmarked for just such an occasion.
What store can I buy Womans Puma Shoes at? | Womens Puma Shoes // Sep 4, 2010 at 5:10 am
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