Nancy Pelosi Threatens Discharge Petition To Break Fiscal Cliff Stalemate

[Tx4obama]

Nancy Pelosi Threatens Discharge Petition To Break Fiscal Cliff Stalemate

WASHINGTON -- House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi offered her own way to break the apparent stalemate over the so-called fiscal cliff -- by taking matters out of House Speaker John Boehner's hands. She pointed out Friday that the Senate already passed a bill in July that would accomplish President Barack Obama's goal by extending lower tax rates for the middle class but not the wealthy.

Pelosi called on House Republican leadership to bring that legislation to the floor next week and threatened that if they do not schedule a vote on the Senate bill, Democrats will file what's known as a discharge petition on Tuesday to force a vote on the measure in her chamber. If Democrats successfully obtain 218 signatures on the discharge petition, it would automatically force the middle income tax cut bill to the floor for a vote.

"We believe that not (bringing the Senate bill to the floor) would be holding middle income tax cuts hostage to tax cuts for the rich," Pelosi said. "Tax cuts for the rich which do not create jobs, just increase the deficit, heaping mountains of debt onto future generations."

"This is really very important," she added, noting that the middle income tax cut extension is just one piece of what needs to be done before the holidays.

Full article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/30/nancy-pelosi-fiscal-cliff_n_2220200.html

[peacebird]

1. Good!

[craigmatic]

2. This is why Pelosi should lead house democrats. There's no fear in her.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. Damn, I didn't know they could do that!

Go get 'em, Nance!

K&R

[CADEMOCRAT7]

4. Brilliant. n/t

[Cha]

5. Thank you, Nancy!

Thx Tx

[Cha]

6. Here's the Vid of Nancy on "Discharge Petition" and a Tweet~

Nancy Pelosi

✔@NancyPelosi House Dems will fight for #My2K. If GOP doesn’t bring middle class tax bill to floor, we’ll file a discharge petition.

[Blue Idaho]

7. Hell to the Yes Congresswoman Pelosi! nt.

[annabanana]

8. Ok.. Why have I never heard of a Discharge Petition before?

SURELY it might have come in handy sometime during the last 2 years...

[Wounded Bear]

9. Wow, I have never heard of this tactic before, either....

Go Nancy! You da ......uh.....uh......woman.

[trayfoot]

10. It is an extremely hard thing to do,

so the technique is used only rarely. According to today's numbers, the dems will have to get a LOT of reTHUGlican votes to do it - it is doubtful that that is possible. In the 2013 House, they would need fewer con votes (17, I believe), but now they need many more. I don't look for it to be successful - though I am glad they are willing to try it.

[Wounded Bear]

11. Even if it's unsuccessful, it gets the issue out there...

What works in Repubs favor, often, is that these things happen in secret, behind closed doors.

This move at least has the potential (need coverage by the M$M, dammit) to get Repubs on record as voting against tax protection for the middle class at the expense of the 1%. It's one of the few leverage points working in progressives' favor and I'm glad she's using it.

[janx]

14. Agreed.

What Republican will want to go on the record as voting against it?

[krawhitham]

12. Can she even get close to the 218 signatures needed? She would need 17 GOP critters to sign

[davidpdx]

15. Yep, and more if any of the Ds won't sign

It is a good tactic to try, but not one that is likely to work.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

13. Good idea!