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Subscribe to RSSIn a purely political exercise this afternoon in the Senate, Senate Democrats narrowly passed a bill 51 to 48 to extend Bush-era tax cuts for middle class Americans for another year. With Vice President Biden presiding over the Senate, Democrats lost only two votes: Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) and Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), who regularly votes with Democrats.
Under the plan, income tax rates for individuals making up to $200,000 and families making up to $250,000 would remain the same in 2013. Rates on upper income Americans would expire on Dec. 31st.
"This is a big victory for the American people today," Vice President Biden said in a show of support for Senate Democrats. Biden's presence in the Senate chamber was a symbolic move, his vote was not needed to put Democrats over the top.
The bill follows through on an election-year call from President Obama to protect the middle class from an income tax hike next year. He has campaigned on the message that wealthier Americans should pay more in taxes to help reduce the national deficit.
"Democrats believe this country can't afford more budget-busting giveaways for the top 2 percent of earners," Majority Leader Harry Reid told his fellow senators on the floor.
But Republicans argue the Democrats’ bill would mean almost a million small business owners in those upper tax brackets would see a tax increase. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said Democrats are not serious about the nation's fiscal problems.
"We know this is not about the economy. We know this is about the election," he shot back at Reid on the floor.
"Thank goodness it’s not going anywhere because it would be bad for the economy. The single worst thing we could do to the country," he said of the Democrats’ bill.
House Republicans have no plans to take up the Senate-passed bill; they will move ahead next week on their own legislation that would extend the Bush-era tax rates for all Americans for one year. A similar version failed today in the Senate.
The legislative maneuvering has set the stage for two competing messages heading into November.
As the Senate Democrat's political messaging leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) told reporters,
"The House can either pass these middle-class tax cuts, like we did, or it will be clear they're putting millionaires first."
Or the Republican view as articulated by Mitch McConnell: "Here's the Democratic plan for the economy: ‘We'll get this thing going again. We'll get it going again by raising taxes ... give us your money, and we'll handle it for you.’ That's their tax plan. That's their plan for the economy and jobs."
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Thanks for passing the middle class tax cut. Thanks for the Congress has delivered the votes enough for passing the bill.
so basically the senate tax bill has no chance in the house and the house will pass a bill that has no chance in the senate. wonderful. think our country is screwed up yet or what? how about we vote out all the idiot left/right wing fringe and vote in some moderate thinkers for once.
Nice thought. Not likely though. :-/
I can dream though right?
All you want guy! Nothing wrong with a good dream. :)
Ignoring all the ridiculous nonsense from the right wing noise machine about him being a socialist, a marxist, etc., in reality, Obama IS pursuing a centrist economic policy.
Right now, the top marginal tax rate in the United States is about 43% (35% federal, 2.9% Medicare, and an average of 5% of state and local income taxes). This puts the US at the same level as the average marginal tax rate (also 43%) for the 30 most economically developed nations. Obama calls for going back to the pre-Bush top bracket of 39.6% from the current level of 35%. Meanwhile, health care reform raise taxes even more by imposing an additional surtax of .9% medicare tax and 3.8% on any capital gains.
At 52.2%, the new rate under this plan would be "higher than the rate in all but three countries Denmark (60%), Sweden (56%), and Belgium (54%)." This is not acceptable. We need to be # 1. Let's get this rate above 60% and kick Denmark's ass. Is this a centrist policy?
Waxxing nogstalic for a moment, remember when both parties were respected and respectable? The Republicans were considered rational business minded people who made sure there was a solid budget and the Democrats made sure that the common man and environment weren't forgotten in favor of big business. It was a nice balance that worked pretty well. Today we have the bat squat crazy right trying to regulate every breath we take as long as it benefits the Christians or Big Business and the looney toons left digging us deeper in debt, tossing out the Constitution and wanting to take care of the world. What a freaking mess we've got right now!
I say let it go over the cliff to show the obstructionist we mean buisness and then the Republicans wont be able to hold the rich to our head like a gun and they will get the full blame for all tax increases rightfully so.
"But House Republicans have no plans to do so. They plan to take up their own bill next week that would extend the Bush tax rates for all Americans for one year while taking up comprehensive tax reform."
Isn't this the party that beats us into submission in preaching about "responsibility?" How does this jive with the debt growth? So here is a question: To whom are they, house republicans, responsible too? Grover Norquist, the Koch brothers, or other dogmatic funders? Regardless, it's no wonder U.S. citizens have such a low opinion of these Federal Employees.
Right now, the top marginal tax rate in the United States is about 43% (35% federal, 2.9% Medicare, and an average of 5% of state and local income taxes). This puts the US at the same level as the average marginal tax rate (also 43%) for the 30 most economically developed nations. Obama calls for going back to the pre-Bush top bracket of 39.6% from the current level of 35%. Meanwhile, health care reform raise taxes even more by imposing an additional surtax of .9% medicare tax and 3.8% on any capital gains.
At 52.2%, the new rate under this plan would be "higher than the rate in all but three countries Denmark (60%), Sweden (56%), and Belgium (54%)." This is not acceptable. We need to be # 1. Let's get this rate above 60% and kick Denmark's ass.
Folks,
Who just Blocked da Campaign Finance Reform Bill?
Who just Blocked Obama’s Jobs Bill?
Who rewrote and put a Loophole in da House Version of da Stock Act Bill ?
You Guessed it……Boehner, McConnell , Cantor and da rest of them Republican TeaBilly Politicians.
Guess maybe the House Dems should introduce the same (Senate) bill in a similar political exercise to show solidarity with the Senate and to stick it to the House Repugnicants.
Just saying.
Mitt is about as Real as a Plastic Bananna!
Is it Mitt ____________Romney?
“Political Puppet”
“I’m Not a Crook”
“Country Club”
“Middle Class Warfare”
“Not To Much..Out of Touch”
“Cheap Labor is Our Future”
“Outsourcing is Awesome”
“Profits Over People”
“Corporations are People Too”
“F da Poor”
“No Substance”
“Let Detroit go Bankrupt”
“National Right to Work”
“Swiss Accounts”
“Flip Flop”
“Pray da Gay Away”
Mitt Romney’s Solution to all Problems…….Prayer and a Moment of Silence.
Da Biggest Threat to Mitt Romney’s Campaign……..da Truth!
Folks just Remember,
Anything Romney, Boehner, Cantor, or McConnell Do will have an Evil, Hidden Agenda against the “Middle Class”.
Republicans and TeaBilly’s only Believe in “Middle Class Warfare’ and Protecting da Wealthy and Corporations.
It won’t be long till they show their True Colors.
You BetCha…..Fer Sure.
The GOP will destroy this option for the middle class unless the ultra-rich get to have a free-for-all
Isn’t it Amazing, you always hear the Republicans and TeaBilly Politicians Threatening to Reduce or Stop Payment on Unemployment, Social Security, Medicare, Food Stamps, Military Pay and Benefits , Etc. But have you ever heard of them Threatening to Reduce or Stop any of Their Pay, Healthcare and all the other Special Perks they receive (Paid for by our Tax $$$$$$$).
Lets break this down in simple terms. Republican TeaBilly Conservative = Self Righteous Hypocrite.
I think you have that backwards. It was OBAMA who went on tv threatening to stop social security payments and military pay if a debt ceiling agreement wasn't reached (though there was little else that was threatened to be suspended). Now it is the Democrats stating they'll let all the tax breaks lapse to put pressure on the Republicans to get it their way. Both side are playing "my way or nothing" and we're the pawns in the middle.
Every time Eric Cantor hears da Phrase, “Stick it to da Middle Class”…he gets a Boehner. You Bet Cha….Fer Sure.
Republican TeaBilly Conservatives are willing to Ruin the Country and Sacrifice the Economy until they can get back in Power. Why do you think they have been the Party of No for so long.
Eric Cantor is still da Biggest “Weasel in Politics”. You BetCha….Fer Sure.
John Boehner is One Real Big “Puzzy”.
Wouldn’t Mitch McConnell make da Perfect “Turtle Head”?
Posted by dls 37641 Excellent List and Explains da Evil Agenda from da Republican TeaBilly Conservatives.
The Kind of Men who support Flip Flop Romney
1) William Koch, Runs Oxbow Carbon, worth $4 Billion, Donation $2 Million to Romney’s Super PAC,
What He Wants: To pollute for free, Koch’s fortune is tied to some of the nation’s dirtiest industries
2) Harold Simmons (a Swift Boater and corporate raider), Traffics in Toxic Chemicals, worth $9.8 Billion, Donation $800,000 to Romney total giving $16.7 Million, What He Wants: Plans to store radioactive waste in Texas
3) Bob Perry, Owner of Perry Homes, Worth $600 Million, Donation $4 Million to Romney’s Super PAC ,
What He Wants: Tort reform to limit jury awards on homebuilders who do shoddy work
4) Jim Davis, Chairman New Balance Shoes, worth $1.8 Billion, Donation $1 Million to Romney’s Super PAC
What He Wants: A lucrative Defense Contract
5) Richard & Bill Marriott, Heir to Marriott Hotel Fortune, Worth $3.3 Billion, Donation $2 Million
to Restore Our Future, What He Wants: A legal pool of foreign born workers to work in their hotels at slave labor rates Romney served twice on the Marriott Board
7) Edward Conard, Ex Managing Director of Bain Capital, Worth $250 Million, Donation $1 Million to
Restore Our Future, What He Wants: To screw taxpayers like Romney does with half the tax rates of others
8) Frank VanderSloot, CEO Melaeuca, Inc., Worth $1 Billion, Donation $1 Million to Romney’s Super
PAC , What He Wants: Less consumer protections
9) Steven Lund, Vice Chairman Nu Skin Enterprises, worth $31.9 Million, Donation $2 Million to Restore
Our Future, What He Wants: A world safe for false advertising & marketing scams
10) Julian Robertson Jr., Hedge Fund Titan, worth $2.5 Billion, Donation $1.25 Million to Restore Our
Future What He Wants: lower taxes for the Rich
11) John Paulson, Hedge Fund Titan, worth $12.5 Billion, Donation $1 Million to Romney’s Super PAC
What He Wants: No restrictions on Wall St. gambling
12) Paul Singer, Hedge Fund Titan, Worth $1 Billion, Donation $1 Million to Romney’s Super PAC What He
Wants: He Needs Fed backing in his lawsuit to collect $2 Billion from Argentina
13) Robert Mercer, CEO Renaissance Technologies, made $125 Million in 2011 alone, Donation $ 1 Million to Romney’s Super PAC ,What He Wants: To squelch a proposed tax on stock options
14) Kenneth Griffin, CEO Citadel LLC, worth $3 Billion, Donation $1 Million to Restore our Future What He
Wants: To end Volcker Rule on Dodd-Frank Wall St excesses
15) L. Francis Rooney III, CEO Rooney Holdings, worth $40 Million, Donation $1 Million to Restore our
Future What He Wants: More building contract patronage
16) Steven Webster, CEO Avista Capital, worth $4 Billion, Donation $1 Million to Romney’s Super PAC
What He Wants: To Drill baby drill first owner of Deep Sea Horizon the worst environmental disaster in the Nation’s history.
17) Donald Trump, Casino Operator who knows what he wants he is just a delusional birther nut
Arthur66, I bet part time law professor is a far more challenging job requiring a lot more knowledge than any job you've ever had.
Republicans” and their Stepchild “The Evil Violent Tea Billy’s” are just like a “Huge Power Outage ”. They are a Major Disaster, Cause Fear, Panic, Chaos, Misery and Destroy anything good in their Paths.
G. O. P. = GREED, OIL, POWER
Remember Folks, “Oil Prices" are about Corruption and Greed, not Supply and Demand.
This is from a Great Article I found Online:
A Senator goes whoring
It happened on the night of December 15, 2000. The country was in tumult over the Bush-Gore election. This diversion offered Republican Senator Phil Gramm of Texas an exquisite opportunity to push American financial stability back 100 years.
That evening, Gramm inserted a 262-page amendment into the Commodity Futures Modernization Act. Leaked e-mails would later reveal that it had been written by lobbyists for Enron, Goldman Sachs and the Koch brothers, Kansas billionaires who would later fund the Tea Party movement.
Gramm had turned his office into a subsidiary of Wall Street. From 1997 to 2002, the securities and banking industries had lathered him with $640,000 in campaign contributions. His biggest sugar daddies weren't from Texas; they were Credit Suisse,Morgan Stanley, Bank of America and Goldman. And he was more than willing to step-and-fetch-it on their behalf.
Big oil, big banks and big speculators such as the Kochs wanted to make monster bets in the futures markets. But they wanted to do it in secrecy — without any government regulation.
If you want to know the Truth follow the “Money Trail”. It will usually lead to the Lobbyist, Special Interest and the Self Righteous!
uh who signed that bill again?
uh i think his first name was bill. ya bill signed the bill right?
Attention all Politicians: The Solution is very simple.
Fair Flat Tax
Lower the Corporate Tax
Get Rid of Estate Taxes
Get Rid of Capital Gains Taxes
Eliminate all Foreign Aid. Why are we Spending and Giving Hundreds of Billions of $$$$ to Foreign and in most Cases..Just to be “Our Little Friend’.
Republicans only believe in “Middle Class Warfare”. They always think the Middle Class should carry the Burden. You Bet Cha…..Fer Sure.
You Bet Cha…Fer Sure
The first five points are reasonable and I agree with them. Surprised you, didn't I? And I'm a Republican, too. I do have bad news for you: the middle class has carried the burden since it came into existence in the 1950s.
The Top 10 Poorest States in the U.S. are Republican States. Do you ever hear the Republicans talk about the Poor or Poverty in those States? The answer is “Never”. It just so happens most of those States are in the South and have “Right To Work Laws”. How’s that working out for ya?
And here is da Real Kicker: All those Republican Politicians in those States have Good Salaries, Health Care, Pension, Vacations, and all kinds of Special Perks……paid for by our “Tax $$$$”. Hmmmmm.
The most impoverished state is Mississippi, and it's followed by Arkansas, Tennessee, West Virginia, Louisiana, Montana, South Carolina, Kentucky, Alabama and North Carolina.
Lets break this down in Simple terms. Republican TeaBilly Conservative = Self Righteous Hypocrite.
By da Way…….Did any of these Republican TeaBilly Conservative Politicians Vote to Repeal their Own Socialist Healthcare that they Receive.? You know…………da one that that Covers them and their Families (Including Birth Control) all paid for by Our Tax $$$$$$$$.
I hear Crickets Chirping……
Lets break this down in simple terms. Republican TeaBilly Conservative = Self Righteous Hypocrite.
Does anybody think da Republican TeaBilly Conservative Politicians don't have and Evil agenda against da "Middle Class"?
America's greatest welfare queens, Big Oil and Big Finance.
America's five largest oil companies receive $20 billion in welfare annually, largely through tax breaks afforded to no other industry. Big Financiers pay half the personal tax rates of their brethren at community banks.
"Purely a political exercise," wow. Even on something that both sides are in total agreement on, there is NO chance or it passing, none. Nothing more than a political exercise. This is what you Americans are paying your public servants for. For wasting time on pointless votes on things that have no chance of passing because NOTHING has ANY chance of passing, even if both sides are for it. Wow...
what tax rate would you guys be cool with? if we raise the rate on the top earners & throw in the surtax added by the health care bill the new marginal rate is 52.2% the 4th highest of any country in the world. denmark 60% Sweeden 56% Belgium 54%. Should we raise it to 57% to be number 2 or should we go all in and raise it to 60.1 and be number one?
We cannot afford to give more money to the rich - plain and simple.
Funny how the "tax and spend" Democrats are always the most fiscally conservative.
Count me in for jumping off the cliff - if that's what it takes to stop giving more money to greedy already rich folks. They think we are scared but we are not. I say let's deny them the tax cuts letting them all expire. We will lose a little - they will lose a lot!
One more point for all of the folks whose combined income approaches $250 - the raised tax will only be for that which you make ABOVE $250 thousand. Use your math people - use your math.
So should we go for over 60% and be number one?
Right now, the top marginal tax rate in the United States is about 43% (35% federal, 2.9% Medicare, and an average of 5% of state and local income taxes). This puts the US at the same level as the average marginal tax rate (also 43%) for the 30 most economically developed nations. Obama calls for going back to the pre-Bush top bracket of 39.6% from the current level of 35%. Meanwhile, health care reform raise taxes even more by imposing an additional surtax of .9% medicare tax and 3.8% on any capital gains.
At 52.2%, the new rate under this plan would be "higher than the rate in all but three countries Denmark (60%), Sweden (56%), and Belgium (54%)." This is not acceptable. We need to be # 1. Let's get this rate above 60% and kick Denmark's ass.
You are NOT giving money to the rich. It is their money something some of you seem not to get.
People making hundreds of millions are paying LESS of a percentage of their
income than a waitress at a Mom & Pop diner, That seems to be something
Republicans DO NOT GET
Give me a break. The magnitude between the dollars is huge. What is a fair share?
Chatty...Who says we are "giving" money to the rich...as far as percentages go...we don't have a flat tax across the board in the USA so you think they should they carry you me and everyother swinging &^$# out there?
Jimmy...Who care about other Nations...We should be looking in our own house before our neighbors' house...everyone has their own problems, we should be looking at ourselves not them.
chatty
Practice what you preach. Use your math. Tax the rich at a higher rate and we will get 8 days of running this country at it's current rate of spend. WOW!! The problem is voting in people that will quit spending tax payer money with total disregard.
Umm...Lil Jimmy, do you know what the definition of a marginal tax rate is? I do.
Do you really think anybody making any money pays 43% of their gross income in taxes. I don't have the numbers in front of me but during the Dubya Presidency I looked up the Cheney's tax return for one year and on roughly $2,500,000 (don't remember the exact number) in gross income they paid total taxes of 20.5%...that included state taxes and capital gains.
Seriously, figuring out taxes isn't that hard.
I have made as much as $15OK in a year and never paid over 12% of my gross income in taxes.....why, I am not stupid.
So under the old clinton era tax structure a family who had an AGI this year of $300,000 would pay a whopping extra $2,250 in taxes over the current tax bill.......however will they pay for new tires for the Benz???? The horror!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
All the money that would be collected if the "tax on th rich" was passed would last America a grand total of 6-8 days of spending! There is 35% of the US population on welfare!$9% of the US population never pay a dime in taxes and most get a $2000 to $3500 tax rebate every year in consideration of never paying taxes.How much money could we same by dropping this tax rebate and making half of those who pay nothing pay at least a minimum tax?You the genius,tell me!
Bo (does it stand for Bozo?),
You stated: "People making hundreds of millions are paying LESS of a percentage of their income than a waitress at a Mom & Pop diner, That seems to be something
Republicans DO NOT GET"
That is a Democrat talking point, which, by the way, almost always means it is a lie. The rich get much of their income from investments, which are taxed at a lower rate than income is taxed. The rich are the ones whose INVESTMENTS (there's that word again) create jobs that the rest of us need. The rich are the ones who RISK money, which means they sometimes lose money. But, if they did not do so, none of us would have Walmarts, Sears, or any other big businesses, which are always risky (except those that Obama supports, with OUR money, where the owners know that Uncle Commie Obama will bail them out if their business fails (see Solendra, for example). You really need to stop the envy and just do what you can to earn money. By the way, if it were not for all of the giveaways (welfare0 from Democrats, which are done only to BUY VOTES, we all could pay less in taxes, because a LARGE percentage of tax revenues are WASTED by DEMOCRATS, who use them to BUY VOTES, through welfare, etc.
Know the incumbents, vote for whoever is running against them, regardless of party. If everyone does this, in a few years, we will have a new House and Senate and maybe they will understand the American public has its own way of enforcing term limitations. One and done. Keep new blood going in and maybe they will understand they need to forget party affiliation and vote for what is good for America.
oh how i wish that would happen. kansas always was a smart state.
Term limits rhetoric alway's makes me think of the old game shows with a
bubble full of cash, You have a set time limit to grab as much as you can.
Term limits also create that one single chance with no reprecussions for
taking every bribe offered
I don't know about Kansas being all that smart and I was born here almost 64 years ago. Many's the time we managed to elect a Republican House and Senate and a Democrat as governor. Of course, that kind of forced the two groups to work together a lot of the time. That would be something Oblameo wouldn't know anything about, though.
Are you suggesting that the "compromise is a dirty word" tea party knows how to work together? LOL
By all the CRAPPY comments and HATERS on Both sides...I thing BOTH sides SUCK when it comes to getting along ...Hell read all the wonderful lovely post on here...