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Subscribe to RSSPer the New York Times, “Senate Democrats said Thursday that they would postpone a highly contentious floor fight over what to do about the expiring Bush-era tax cuts until after the November elections, a decision that spares some politically vulnerable incumbents from casting a potentially difficult vote to let taxes rise for the rich. Democrats said they would still fight to end the tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans when they return for a lame-duck session. But the delay increases the likelihood of a compromise with Republicans who have insisted that the lower rates continue for everyone, at least temporarily, given the weak economy.”
Politico on the Dems’ decision: “After all the bold talk, it’s a remarkable turnaround — and loss of nerve — that all but ensures that the House also won’t act before going home next week.”
“On a 237-187 vote, the House on Thursday approved a $42 billion bill to provide aid to small businesses. The Senate approved the legislation last week, and President Obama plans to sign the legislation on Monday.”
"Senate Democrats again failed to advance stalled campaign finance legislation on Thursday, dealing another blow to the bill's chances of final passage," The Hill reports. "The legislation, known as the Disclose Act, is intended as a response to a Supreme Court decision earlier this year that relaxed limits on political spending by corporations and unions. A cloture vote Thursday afternoon to move forward on the legislation failed 59-39. Sixty votes were needed for passage. Centrist GOP Sen. Olympia Snowe's (Maine) announcement earlier Thursday that she would again vote against the legislation, which came after she'd cast doubt on its constitutionality, virtually confirmed the second cloture vote would fail."
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Politico on the Dems’ decision: “After all the bold talk, it’s a remarkable turnaround — and loss of nerve
That about sums it up...:(
Can we have a completely new slate of candidates for Congress please.
Spineless. Bastards.
For weeks, extending the tax cuts for the middle class has been a huge talking point for Dems. Yet, they decide not to vote on it before the elections? It would certainly be interesting to know what the vote would be today vs. after the elections. Just proves again, politicians care more about their power than about their constituents.
Whatever way the vote goes, this is such a critical item. Congress is ready to leave town and even wanting to go home a couple weeks earlier than usual. When they return, we'll be at holiday season. Why do I feel they'll be having a vote on New Year's Eve?
Reid shows once again he is so self-serving and partisan. Ridiculous. So representative of why people are disgusted and want change in D.C.
Lovely. Can't vote on it now because it might cost them votes so they'll vote on it in November when either they're lame ducks who completely escape any voter backlash because it's already been dealt or they have another 2 years to hope and pray we the people forget before voting again. Why am I not surprised?
Cowards, each and every one of them... And to think they represent "We The People"... I'm ashamed for my congressmen.
We are screwed. The Dems have the right ideas but are too gutless to get them passed. The Republicans have all the wrong ideas and will use every trick in the book to get them passed.
Exactly: Harry Reid is a spineless-wuss, a powder-puff, an impotent weenie.
As of now, I WANT Democrats to lose... especially that little pansy.
Harry had a chance to pick a fight with the same bully thats been punking him out (GOP), and the tools to put that bully down. The GOP even admitted they were scared of this fight. Did you know that when coupled with eliminating outsource-happy loopholes, the polling shows a Democratic probable election victory??? Just not for Harry Reid. F$@K Harry Reid! He deserves to lose, they all deserve to lose, and now they most assuredly WILL lose.... Losers.
The Dems IGNORED the WISHES of WE THE PEOPLE. Back room deals, no reading the bills. No
wonder our children don't do homework. Why should they? (When their elders and Congressmen and
women don't want to do their own homework.) Bailouts, huge spending, big govt. Haughty Congress
and Senate. No cooperation to the Repubs, Lock outs, a huge overblown healthcare. Appeasement
of Terrorists, appeasement foreign policy, endless war ( a sign of defeat if Tet Like offensives are
applied by the enemy) Dems ignore town hall meetings and the grassroot level Tea Party people.
The Democrats are in a mess because of exactly this type of gutless behavior. If they had been unified and firm from the get-go, they would be in a different position now.
Typical spend and tax liberals. Dems never wanted to extend the Bush tax cuts in the first place. Obamanomics can be summed up into Trickle-Up-Poverty.
A book of the same name coming out soon by Savage. Talk Show Radio host.
This is hilarious, actually.
After years of endlessly, relentlessly bashing President Bush's tax cuts, Democrats...with their large majorities in Congress, are paralyzed now that they're actually about to expire.
There is no concensus on which taxpayers, at what income level, should receive an extension...or, whether there should be any extension at all.
What a perfect demonstration of the definition of the word "hypocrisy", and how to apply it in a real-world situation.
I love it.
With this gutless move, the Dems deserve to have their @$$ handed to them this November. Too bad that the country deserves better than to have a bunch of teabager loons taking the spineless ones place.
Democrats are running as fast as they can away from a vote on extending the Bush Tax Cuts! When they expire, as they will, they will be renamed the Obama Tax Increases! You can bet money on that! Retirees who still have money left in investments will see the rate on capital gains increase over 100%! Folks currently on Medicare and Social Security are going to be especially hurt by ObamaCare! Looks to me like Obama and the Democrats have declared WAR on Old People as well as Private Enterprise!
If Dems can't get a single person here, of all places, to defend kicking this can down the road - how is this helping them in the mid terms? Someone plz explain! Seems to me that taking a stand for working people (and those who hope to be working soon) and asking those who were the only ones to multiply their wealth to help w/ deficits - was a slam dunk. There are so few in the top 2% and they were all going to vote and donate to GOP anyway. Pass it for the 98% and force Repubs to either go along or hold the huge majority's cuts hostage to the benefit of the few. I don't see how this is beneficial.
In doing this, the Democrats are holding back the economic recovery. All this uncertainty over taxes has to be driving business nuts. Extend the middle class tax cuts permanently, let the high end cuts expire, get some tax CERTAINTY so everyone knows what the rules are going forward and then we can go forward.
While I agree wholeheartedly that a little certainty would go a long way in the current economy, I also think it's a bad idea to take money out of the hands of those who have it to spend. These are the people who support the middle and lower income brackets. When their income goes down, their discretionary spending goes down. Ask anyone who runs a landscaping service how their business has been affected by the economic debacle of the last couple years. Or your hairdresser. These are jobs held by the lower income earners who've been directly impacted by reduced spending by the higher income earners. I'm not talking about the Warren Buffett/Oprah Winfrey types here, I'm talking the small business owner who's income is $260k on paper, often under the $250k threshold in actual take home dollars and has a mortgage to match.
Well, once again I am reminded why I will never be a Demachicken...I mean Democrat.
Democratic politicans in DC...What a bunch of limp d**k, lame, little wimps! Get some backbone, jellyfish! Hesitancy, self-doubt, lack of confidence, second guessing, back stabbing each other, constantly testing the political wind direction, re-analysing and re-adjusting your positions because you are so worried about...everything..! FEAR!! Be afraid. Be very afraid.
You so called "leaders" are all pathetic! You're worse than a bunch of little, 8 year old girls..! You deserve to lose and you will.
We are what is considered to be a "Middle Class" Family, and like every one else, we are on a very tight budget. We live on a set Monthly Amount + our Mortgage Payments.
Our Kaiser Plan was just increased about $140 a Month, and if the Tax Rates increase, I figure it will cost us another $150 a Month. I will try not to take a Political side here - but just share that like many people I know, Government, whoever is in power, doesn't seem to be working for us, in fact, seems to be kind of against us.
If anyone is still wondering why the Dems will lose big this upcoming election and possibly the next, THIS IS WHY. While they have continuously raised the white flag, tucked their tales, and protected THEIR OWN interests, the Repubs have unanimously pulled out all the stops. You can't win if you are playing by tag football rules and the other team is tackling.
There has to be something more going on here. There just has to be - that the MSM is not covering. What is going to change in the lame duck session - if anything the Dems could lose an additional vote in the lame duck Senate if Obama's seat goes to the GOP - he'll be seated immediately. My fear is that they compromise on an extension for all which punts the issue to 2012. It will be punted again or more likely, with the GOP in control of the House, the tax cuts will become permanent. Unless the Dems are simply passing the buck and hoping that Obama will exercise his veto, either in the lame duck session or the new Congress. If they don't know this for a fact! that he will, then their none vote now essentially throws away a whole decades worth of arguing against the Bush cuts. Worse, if the cuts are permanent, then they surrender one half of the argument as to how to reduce the deficit. The only option on the table will be spending cuts. Is is just impossible for me to fathom what they are thinking - besides just saving their individual seats. They could have voted on this issue in Jan., before the impact on the recovery could be madean issue (or even the fall of '09). I'd like to think that Reid has a plan - to do away with the filibuster in the new Senate, but I don't see how that helps him if the House turns. Why won't they truly filibuster - especially on Olympia Snowe's recent vote? Just parade ad after ad after ad of corporate money every day in debate just to show the buying of Congress. I am tired beyond words of trying to defend my party.
Democrats have always touted their "big tent", "diversity" philosophy to suggest a welcoming approach to all-comers even those with stark differences of opinion. Contrast that with Republicans/Tea Baggers who are notoriously homogeneous and intolerant. Yet, admittedly, it is the Republicans, who ultimately succeed in unifying their ranks at election time despite the obvious challenges presented by the insane, outlandish, idiots in their midst. Cue the constant cow tow to Limbaugh after the occasional adverse commentary; the recent Rove flip-flop on McDonnell. As an independent who frequently votes Democratic it is perplexing to watch the Democrats appear scatter-brained, spineless and utterly devoid of conviction despite what is no doubt a clear winning hand against the nonsensical drivel on the other side. Of course, none of this means that the Republicans will regain control of Congress although they are certainly salivating at the prospect. But, does this illustrate that the Republicans are better at managing or controlling diversity? I shudder to think so!
The Dems defeated the GOP, win the Congress, the House, the Senate, the Presidency, millions of GOP
voted for the Bama, millions of cash. Now they lost EVERYTHING. Why?
KNOW WHY
Because they fell in love with a lovely , stunning beautiful girl named Miss Income Tax.
Another reason the Dems and the Bama are losing is because of Obama care. They mis-calculated the
feelings of the American people. They are not ready to give up one of the best health care in the world
which was going just fine for them. It suited their present health needs. Now, it is beyond their reach.
Health care in the US is not the best in the world, it is simply the best for some. The issue was how to provide better health care for more and remove the cost/coverage/eligibility inequities from the system. Obama's failure was not to make clear that some would have to sacrifice, some were receiving health care that they weren't paying a fare market share for. I'm not referring to the poor. I am referring to the millions in large group and government plans. Instead, he tried to sell the plan that by forcing cost savings - all would get the same as before. That won't work unless you remove the profit incentive from the system - the insurance and pharmaceutical companies - and that didn't happen.