House to Take Vote Tomorrow on Middle-Class Tax Cuts, Democrat Hoyer Says

[ProSense]

Source: Bloomberg

The U.S. House will vote tomorrow on extending middle-class tax cuts, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said.

Lawmakers who are discussing the Bush-era tax cuts with the Obama administration have been urging a delay in any votes until the negotiators can meet.

The vote “should not undermine” the tax negotiations “nor is it intended to embarrass or put Republicans in a difficult place,” Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat, told reporters today in Washington.

<...>

“It is a shame what we have agreement on is being held hostage by what we have no agreement on,” Hoyer said.



Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-12-01/house-to-take-vote-tomorrow-on-middle-class-tax-cuts-democrat-hoyer-says.html

[lumpy]

1. Hoyer should not be concerned whether or not Republicans

are embarrassed about ANYTHING. Way past time to be considerate towards the Republican party of the Rich who don't give a damn about American working class or,let alone, the future of Democracy in this country.

[LiberalEsto]

3. It's like being considerate to a rabid wolf

that's about to chomp down on one's throat.

[saigon68]

28. Obama will give in on this

I guess I have a new name for him "Mr One Termer"

[Owl]

5. Exactly.

[Lorien]

2. Oh heavens no! We wouldn't want to embarrass or put Republicans in a difficult place!!

Oh my, that would be AWFUL! Lord only knows that those good people would NEVER do the same to a Democrat! :sarcasm:


Marsha Warfield (actress from "Night Court") wrote on FB just a few minutes ago: "Bipartisanship: crappy politicians' cover for passing laws that only benefit the rich people they really work for." Yep. That says it all.



:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

[mvd]

10. My thoughts exactly

:-( :banghead:

[hadrons]

12. Marsha Warfield is spot-on ....

[David Zephyr]

4. Good news. This is how you do it.

You just do it.

[bergie321]

6. What they should do

Is first vote on top 2% tax cuts first so that Republicans can go on record as voting yes on those while Democrats vote it down.

Then vote on tax cuts for the other 98% of us so that Republicans can go on record as voting against it.

[leftynyc]

7. Now THAT is the strategy of fighters

Which means we'll never see it from this crop of Dems.

[Iowa]

8. Yep. But they won't. They wouldn't want to embarrass their Republican friends.

Democratic politicians have become synonymous with hand-wringing, weakness, and capitulation. Pathetic.

[PassingFair]

9. Progressives rule the Dem House now, so we shall see what we shall see.

For the first time since I've identified as "Progressive",
the Progressive Caucus in the House outnumbers the
Blue Dogs and New Dems PUT TOGETHER.

Let's see how they do!

[Still a Democrat]

11. Why do you think they're doing this?

There's always a way to conjure up a scenario that can be seen as more agressive. But this is being done to put the GOP in a tough spot.

[Iowa]

29. No... we've got to understand that the dynamics have changed...

We are operating under a one-party system that is run by the plutocracy. All this fake "strategy" you're talking about is nothing but theater to convince the rubes that the Dems are in a struggle with the Republicans. This is no struggle. They're working together - and they aren't working for us.

Anyone who doesn't get that isn't paying attention and is being duped.

[Still a Democrat]

30. But you endorsed the strategy suggested in post 6

Then say all the strategy is fake?

[Iowa]

34. No, there's no inconsistency here...

I fully endorse the strategy in post 6. But it will never happen because we are operating under a one-party system that is run by the plutocracy. See? No inconsistency whatsoever. Just reality.

[Still a Democrat]

35. Okay

Voting on cuts for the top 2%, then for the 98% = great strategy.

Voting on cuts for the 98% first = one-party system that is run by the plutocracy.

That sum it up?

[Rosa Luxemburg]

13. yes

[meegbear]

14. Democrats Look To Call GOP's Bluff With Bush Tax Cuts Vote

Source: AP/The Huffington Post

Democrats and Republicans are working to reach a deal to extend Bush-era tax cuts that expire at the end of the year, but neither side is budging as negotiations begin in earnest.

Even as they talk, House leaders are planning to hold a politically charged vote Thursday to extend middle-class tax cuts while letting taxes for the wealthy rise, an action that some believe could threaten the still ongoing deliberations over a longer term solution.

At a briefing with reporters, Senate Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said that the bringing the legislation -- which is set to include pay-as-you-go wording -- to the floor would not affect the bipartisan talks.

"I talked to Mr. Van Hollen, (the Congressman representing House Dems in the negotiations) and he and I both agree that this matter moving forward should not undermine negotiations on a compromise," Hoyer claimed. "I'm hopeful that we will able to pass that bill unanimously because the American public wants us to find places for agreement."

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/01/democrats-bush-tax-cuts-vote_n_790607.html

---

Hoyer also has expressed some desire to package the extension of tax cuts for the wealthy with legislation that would extend unemployment benefits, a measure that failed to pass a Senate vote last week.

Outgoing Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi matter-of-factly addressed the new decision.

"To show our position very clearly that Democrats support tax cuts for the middle class. We think it is fairer thing to do and is necessary at this time in our economy," Pelosi said, according to CNN.

[emulatorloo]

15. GOOD - thanks for posting this. N/t

[robinlynne]

16. package the extension of tax cuts for the wealthy with.. there can be no more tax cuts for the wealt

wealthy. hello? wake up? anyone there? I like the idea of looking at unemployment simultaneously with looking at taxes for the rich, but that sentence sounds like tax cuts for the wealthy are a foregone conclusion. don't know if it was Hoyer's sentence or just a bad journalist.

[Johnny2X2X]

17. This is more important than Politics

It disappoints me to see both sides making this a Political issue. Get this extension passed, people's lives are dependent on it, but both sides will grand stand while people suffer.

Whatever it takes, but here's and idea. How about pay for the Unemployment Extension by reducing the tax cut amount for the very rich?

[penndragon69]

18. You cannot negotiate with FASCISTS !

May the refugs all burn in hell.

[BenzoDia]

19. what does n/t mean? sorry, but i'm new

[meegbear]

20. n/t = no text

The subject line is the complete post.

:party: WELCOME TO DU!! :party:

[BenzoDia]

22. Thanks! n/t

[no_hypocrisy]

21. You know what? The republicans let unemployment die. Now their beloved millionaires' tax cuts can

die too.

[sallyseven]

23. Sounds good to me. They can show

what the puks are made of. Even if they allow and extension for the rich the republicans will still block anything the Dem's want to do. They don't give a rats ass for people who are not stinking rich.

[pampango]

24. CNN International: House tax break vote expected Thursday (only for $250K and below)

House Democrats plan to push ahead on a vote Thursday to permanently extend tax breaks for those making $250,000 a year or less, said Majority Leader Steny Hoyer.

Hoyer said the House bill would include permanent extensions of income tax rates for the middle class, plus tax breaks for married couples, the child tax credit and the earned income tax credit.

Republicans, however, argue tax cuts should be extended for everyone, including the wealthy, and pledge to block legislative action on every issue being considered by the lame-duck Congress until the dispute over extending the Bush-era tax cuts is resolved and an extension of current government funding is approved.

Hoyer maintained that moving forward with just a vote on the so-called middle class tax cuts would not interfere with the negotiations on the broader tax cuts, telling reporters Wednesday he spoke with the House Democratic negotiator in the talks, Maryland Democratic Rep. Chris Van Hollen. "He and I both agree that this matter moving forward should not undermine negotiations on a compromise," Hoyer said.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/12/02/tax.vote

[pampango]

25. House tax break vote expected Thursday (only for $250K and below)

Source: CNN International

House Democrats plan to push ahead on a vote Thursday to permanently extend tax breaks for those making $250,000 a year or less, said Majority Leader Steny Hoyer.

Hoyer said the House bill would include permanent extensions of income tax rates for the middle class, plus tax breaks for married couples, the child tax credit and the earned income tax credit.

Republicans, however, argue tax cuts should be extended for everyone, including the wealthy, and pledge to block legislative action on every issue being considered by the lame-duck Congress until the dispute over extending the Bush-era tax cuts is resolved and an extension of current government funding is approved.

Hoyer maintained that moving forward with just a vote on the so-called middle class tax cuts would not interfere with the negotiations on the broader tax cuts, telling reporters Wednesday he spoke with the House Democratic negotiator in the talks, Maryland Democratic Rep. Chris Van Hollen. "He and I both agree that this matter moving forward should not undermine negotiations on a compromise," Hoyer said.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/12/02/tax.vote/

[4dsc]

26. DO IT!

Enough fucking talk with republicans and just do it. Show some leadership for once and DO IT!!

[Veilex]

27. Agreed... enough with the political posturing

EOM.

[pampango]

31. It passed 213-203! 170 repubs (all but the 9 not voting) voted NO, while 33 Democrats voted NO.

This was a procedural vote with the vote on the bill coming later this afternoon. It is now expected to pass along partisan lines with unanimous repub opposition.

[Roland99]

32. 33 Dems that I hope got voted out in Nov.

[harun]

33. An interesting dynamic I hadn't thought of was brought up in this

article:

http://money.cnn.com/2010/12/02/news/economy/bush_tax_cuts/index.htm?hpt=T1

Meanwhile, the head of the IRS wrote a polite letter to the top tax writers in the House and Senate this week essentially begging them to avoid a predictable mess and not let key tax decisions on the AMT and the package of tax extenders for businesses and individuals get pushed into 2011.

"I want to stress that it would be extremely detrimental to the entire tax filing season and to tens of millions of taxpayers if tax law changes affecting 2010 are deferred and then retroactively enacted in 2011," IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman wrote.