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Last week, Hill reporters were taking bets on when House Democrats would pivot from their anger at President Obama and the tax deal he cut with Republicans.
Well, it looks like today is the day.
"We believe there are provisions in the bill that a very helpful in growing the economy. In stepping in to assist those who lost their unemployment insurance," House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said today.
He added, "We also think that making sure middle-class taxes don't go up is absolutely essential to grow, expand the economy and create jobs."
More Hoyer: "The vote in the Senate yesterday, 83-15, there is strong support for moving ahead. The reason? There is a very keen sense that allowing middle-class taxes to go up after January 1st, will not be good for the economy."
Hoyer went on to say that the House Democrats are meeting as a caucus meeting tonight. Many liberals are still upset about the estate-tax issue. Hoyer indicated that perhaps there might be a House vote on an amendment to the Senate bill that switches the Senate estate-tax language.
House sources told NBC News that the amendment would most likely be defeated by Republicans and moderate Democrats -- and thus wouldn't change the Senate bill.
Remember: The Senate does not want to see ANY changes to its bill in the House. When Hoyer was asked whether there were enough moderate Democrats and Republicans to pass the president's compromise, he said, "I'd be surprised if it was just limited to Blue Dogs on our side."
That seems to suggest the votes are there in the House for the president's deal.
The vote could be taken up as early as Thursday, and the schedule likely will be figured out tonight at the House caucus meeting.
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Off Topic - but was anyone else experiencing technical difficulties at First Read & Newsvine this morning?
In the meantime, *yawn* all the drama is growing tiresome... the DEAL will pass!! Period!
They sure do you members of the media chasing their tails though... lol
Yup, the trumped up drama is tiresome!
Let's just move ahead---2012 Palin is President!
...the world as we know it has just ended!
What now?
If that comes to fruition... I'll know the Mayan's were onto something...
Yes, technical difficulties. Four hours of inability to load the page.
Yes, one of my posts didn't show up.
But then when you tell the person selling stuff here at First Read that you would like to order two yellow polka dot bikinis and a few pairs of shades, then yes, it should have been deleted.
I was just trying to have some fun here earlier.
Extra. Extra. Read All About It. Cliff Lee. To Phillies. For less money.
Happy Festivus All!!!!
I wonder how the more vociferous of the President's critics will handle this badly needed accomplishment.
The President has put together a plan that is bi-partisan in its nature, and the support it is garnering in both houses of Congress. For two years since he was elected, and for eight years prior to that, the Republicans refused to support anything and everything put forward by ANY Democrat.
I hear the fat drug abuser from Palm Beach and most Tea-baggers have decided the tax agreement is some sort of socialistic trick, and that Republicans should back out of their agreement with the President.
That figures, doesn't it! It merely shows that Lard-a$$ Limbaugh, Beck, and their Tea-baggie friends aren't even mildly interested in what's good for the American people. They just keep pounding away at their bigotted propaganda in an effort to bring down the President.
Clearly, even mainstream Republicans are beginning to see how out of touch with reality those people really are.
Tom
I am not sure about your interpretation of the Tea Party reaction to th deal, but as a fiscally conservative, socially moderate independent who finds myself a litle right of center in most political discussions - I am heartened that the Republicans and the President were able to reach common ground and produce a bill that gives each side some things they want and some things they don't (a compromise in every sense).
While I doubt the House vote will reflect the majorty vote in the Senate yesterday, I am hopeful it will pass the House as well.
My concern is that some more liberal members may want to add amendments or change components of the bill that will unravel the deal.
If that happens the American people, particularly the middle class will suffer.
This could be the beginning of the President, the House and the Senate working together to ge things done for "all the people:
I am loving this. All the left wing loons who have been screaming and demanding the dems block this agreement are now all of a sudden supporters. HA HA HA The desperation and disaray of that party is going to be great amusement over the next two years.
LOSERS!!!!! unbelievable losers. No self respect. They beg and cry and demand that others take care of them because they can't take care of themselves. The voters reject them on Nov. 2 and they start crying like babies. This is fun to watch.
The republicans have been saying since Nov. 3rd EXACTLY what was going to happen to the Bush tax cut extensions. They would all be extended or none. They have held firm and it is going to come about just as they said. The only thing the dems have had any say over is how much the repubs would allow in the way of negotiation. Since the repubs were the ones who propposed the tax holiday last year and obama opposed it certainly they gladly agreed to that. Allowing more extensions on UEI was something they should have said no to but it is Christmas so they said yes. Even though the repubs don't technically takeover until Jan. the reality we are now in control.