Senate Republicans Are Splitting With House Over Taxes

[alp227]

Source: NYT

A split developing between House Republican leaders and some Senate counterparts who are increasingly open to extending the expiring Bush-era tax cuts only for the middle class is adding to pressure on Speaker John A. Boehner to cut a deficit reduction deal with President Obama.

Senate Republican aides said Friday that Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican leader, sounded out his Senate Republican colleagues Thursday on a plan to extend the expiring tax cuts for incomes under $250,000, while attaching some Republican priorities like low tax rates on capital gains, dividends and inherited estates.

Leadership aides emphasized that Mr. McConnell was not advocating any specific plan, nor was he saying that extending the middle-class tax cuts was the only option to resolve a potential fiscal crisis next month when hundreds of billions of dollars in tax increases and automatic spending cuts are scheduled to kick in.

“Senator McConnell does not advocate raising taxes on anybody or anything,” Don Stewart, a McConnell spokesman, said Friday. “Despite the president’s failure to lead or to offer any real solutions to the last four years of trillion-dollar deficits, Republicans will continue to look for ways to protect American families and jobs while strengthening entitlement programs.”

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/15/us/politics/senate-gop-splitting-with-house-over-taxes.html

[LonePirate]

1. Turtle's priorities need to be the first rates that go up, even before the earned income rates

I would say no deal to him.

[Ash_F]

2. Can't gerrymander the senate! /nt

[AnotherWyoDemocrat]

3. Mitch is so skilled at telling lies!

The last sentence demonstrates the signature skill of a Republican--telling lies. 4 in one sentence!

[targetpractice]

4. Low tax rates on capital gains, dividends and inherited estates?

Those are the root of income equality already. What an a-hole.

[daybranch]

6. But you can change the system

if you understand what allows it to work to the detriment of the people. And that is the gerrymandering that takes place in many states which then determines who controls the House of Representatives. If you do not believe the removal of this gerrymandering in the states is the biggest obstacle to majority rule, then tell me what issue is not adversely affected by the gerrymandering including-
the larger tax breaks for the rich which you correctly identify,
the low tax rates for those making over $250, 000,
the attacks on public schools,
the attacks on planned parenthood,
the attacks on women's right to choose,
the failure to protect our citizens from assault rifles,
the failure to provide health insurance for all our citizens across the country,
the failure to regulate carbon dioxide in any manner,
the attacks on collective bargaining both here in Ohio and next door in Michigan,
the limiting of voters rights,
the discouragement of voters by limiting hours , times, and places of voting,
the attempts to prevent gay marriage,
the attempt to destroy equal rights legislation,
the destruction of wildlife habitat.
the refusal to address global warming,
the acceptance of energy policies which serve only utilities and big business,
a Department of Energy which works almost exclusively to develop products to be sold rather than for the long term good of the people,
Trade agreements which give others free access to our markets while they mistreat their own workers to make profits for Walmart.
etc. etc.
Yes we need to fight these battles but we must not lose sight of a fundamental fact- that these are possible because the representatives are unaccountable to us-the voters because of gerrymandering. If we rid our governing system of this disease we do not have to keep fighting the ill effects. Lets strike a blow for freedom and democracy- join Common Cause or those working here in Ohio at a grass roots level to remove this disease before it is fatal to our democracy.

[targetpractice]

8. Excellent insight. n/t

[lsewpershad]

5. Think he's thinking

of the election coming up? Sorry Mitch this won't help you.

[DhhD]

7. 1786 - Need for a 6 years term in office. 2014 and beyond - Need for a 2 year term in office.

Done by an American movement by Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. Amendment movement would be motivated by voting record and results watched by constituents. Control needs to return to the voters.

I think governors should be elected to one year terms. The new state laws could be made to go into effect during the next term. Voters could then decide on a new governor or new state legislators who have appointed themselves power over the majority of voters; like what is happening in Michigan right now during a Lame Duck. This time it is about Labor. What else could be on the agenda? Voters are being blind sighted by Overlords.

[Joe the Progressive]

9. I hope that's true

Maybe the senate Republicans aren't too myopic to read the writing on the wall.

[The Stranger]

10. We need to figure out what is causing the rift in the Republicans and exploit the living shit out of

it. I can't seem to figure out what it is, but some special interest must be turning one way in one chamber and is being opposed in the other chamber.

This should be our highest priority.