The only chance there was to raise taxes was to get rid of all the Bush cuts.

[dkf]

After that was compromised on, there is no chance of more taxes unless the Democrats take over the gerrymandered house and 60 seats in the Senate.

Moreover have you seen the cuts in sequestration? It increases every year! It doesn't end here.

This is the BEGINNING!


http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/02/20/the-sequester-absolutely-everything-you-could-possibly-need-to-know-in-one-faq/

See above for the annual cut data.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

1. We have a nation of Democratic mayors, aldermen, council members, etc.

Where are they on this issue?

Why aren't we hearing about them speaking up?

Why do we have to have endless optional wars while some DC politicians are pushing for austerity for the civilian sector? Are there too many local politicians that are sitting on their hands and need to be primaried?

[Marr]

2. It takes a lot of maneuvering to put austerity into effect without getting your hands dirty.

Minimal taxes on the rich, massive concessions from the working class and the poor. That's a hard sell in today's economic climate.

They danced this thing all over the room before they found a means of doing it. And by "they" mean basically all the toadies in Washington, regardless of what party they claim.

[BethanyQuartz]

3. +1

Makes me feel sick thinking about it, and about what is yet to come.

[Skip Intro]

4. What about that internet sales tax I've heard about?

Not entirely sure what is being pushed through, but it sounds like there will be a lot more money flowing to the state and/or federal government as a result.

There's some new tax money for somebody.

[dkf]

5. Not the Feds.

It allows states to tax.

And of all the taxes to approve, one that advantages big box retailers over the smaller businesses selling on the Internet.

[Skip Intro]

8. It really might make some small net-sellers not bother.

And some thinking about it, but intimidated by the process, that much more reluctant.

Not to mention the cost.

Doesn't sound like a good thing to do.

The internet is a wild and splendid place.

I oppose efforts to make it merely the online versions of our real lives.

It's monitored and regulated and milked enough already.

[dkf]

9. Small businesses can't compete on big volume discounts. They need the leeway from sales taxes.

This doesn't even the playing field, it skews things yet again.

Job creation my eyeball.

[Doctor_J]

6. yeah.once he caved on that

It was over. Not only were the tax hikes gone for good but the republicans knew right then that he stood for nothing.

[dkf]

7. The republicans care more about taxes than the military. There's nothing to trade.

And where are they probably going to cut? Benefits and health services for the enlisted people I bet which is the only thing Democrats would care to keep going.

Moreover if Obama can't take a 90% approval rate on background checks and turn that into law, how's he supposed to work a lesser percentage who support tax hikes on "the rich" into anything?

I do not understand how they expected to get a raise in taxes from the sequester.

[russspeakeasy]

11. Don't forget, Mr. O will increase tobacco tax...

that should bail us out. A piss ant idea to handle a giant problem.

[Doctor_J]

17. and the hyper regressive internet sales tax

Sadly I think he's one of them.

[blkmusclmachine]

10. DEM Party doesn't want to rock the boat. Might interfere with their monthly payoffs.

IMHO

Bipartisanship sucks

[tritsofme]

12. You wouldn't need 60 votes, just a Dem House.

A tax reform bill could be passed with 50+1 votes in the Senate under Reconciliation.

[dkf]

14. Wouldn't that have an end date, same as the Bush cuts?

[tritsofme]

16. The Bush tax cuts perverted Reconciliation.

A process which was intended to simplify deficit reduction. They had to let the cuts expire under Reconciliation because they exploded, not decreased the deficit.

There would be no reason to sunset revenue enhancing tax reform.

[kentuck]

13. Right on the target.

Too bad others cannot and did not see it coming?

There were those that argued that it would have been too much of a hardship on the middle class to go back to the Clinton tax rates. It was perfectly OK with them that the rates were only raised on those making over $450,000 per year.

Well, we can now see what those geniuses were looking at.

More programs being cut. Sequestration to avoid political repercussions. Now who is gonna suffer?? The Meals on Wheels and people with cancer and Headstart. But, the middle class did not have to pay any more in taxes. At least, they got the relief...

Well, there's your bed, wise ones. Sleep in it.

[dkf]

15. I thought it was pretty obvious we needed to raise taxes or we would be cutting the safety net.

That's why I kept arguing for a lapse of the Bush taxes.