Senate's GOP leader says tax cuts will be extended

[totodeinhere]

Source: AP

The Senate Republican leader says it's become clear now that taxes will not be raised for anyone during the current economic downturn.

Sen. Mitch McConnell's assessment comes a day after Senate Republicans voted down Democratic efforts to limit any extension of the Bush-era tax cuts for the top-earning Americans.

President Barack Obama then signaled a willingness to give in to Republican demands that the tax cuts that expire at the end of the year be extended at all levels. McConnell, R-Ky., tells NBC's "Meet the Press" that the question on tax cuts is how long they might be extended.

On the issue of aid to jobless Americans, McConnell says he believes that unemployment compensation will be extended again.

Read more: http://preview.tinyurl.com/23tml9t

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Is it worth it to agree that tax cuts for the rich can continue temporarily if that's what it takes to get unemployment benefits extended? I am torn over this because I vehemently oppose extending the tax cuts for the rich, but yet we cannot abandon the long term unemployed either. At the very least, we need to hold out for a one year extension of extended unemployment benefits, not the three months that some in the GOP have suggested. And the tax cuts for the rich should expire no later than one year from now. I know it's an uncomfortable compromise. But we are talking about millions losing their unemployment benefits, and we can't let that happen.

[msongs]

1. at last we know what the president is really thinking lol nt

[emulatorloo]

18. HA HA I wouldn't trust McConnell's words, even if his tongue came notarized

He's a pathological twisted and liar.

[saigon68]

37. Nope he's already made his DEAL

with the present Occupant

[emulatorloo]

44. Maybe Maybe not. The only thing that is for sure is that McConnell is a liar.

[BzaDem]

2. It's not just an extension of unemployment benefits. Allowing the middle class tax cuts to expire

would be a 310 billion anti-stimulus taken from the poor and middle class next year, and another 310 billion of the same the year after. That is 2-3% of GDP. That would devastate consumer demand.

The resulting deal is likely going to include all the bush tax cuts (probably for 2 years), Obama's making-work-pay tax cut, and unemployment benefits. This will allow Obama to simply not sign any renewal past 2 years (assuming the economy is growing in 2 years and we can afford the hit to consumer demand, which will probably be the case).

[niceypoo]

17. Tax cuts don't stimulate

CBO: End all Bush tax cuts and the budget is balanced by 2014

[emulatorloo]

19. Middle class etc spend money on goods and services. That is stimulative

Rich buy overpriced luxury goods or invest in the market.

[niceypoo]

23. Not according to the CBO:

Interesting report from the "Congressional Budget Office." Apparently they are not controlled by Rupert Murdoch or the Tea Party, so they have the audacity to print FACTS! And if you look at their FACTS, they found that tax cuts are the LEAST stimulative thing you can do for the economy. The most stimulative? Infrastructure investment. Followed by aid to the states. Followed by tax credits for lower and middle income households. And all the way at the bottom is "reducing income taxes in 2011."

http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/108xx/doc10803/01-14-Employment.pdf

The Bush tax cuts are a failure and all they do is damage the economy. End them.

[CBHagman]

40. The making-work-pay tax cut doesn't get enough media...

In fact I bet if you did on-the-street interviews, quite a few people wouldn't know just what you were talking about.

The thing about the unemployment insurance is that it will all be spent pronto, which we're going to need to have done.

The extortion move by the 'cans really sickens me, though, especially since Snowe, Collins, Graham, and Lugar signed on to it. Really disgusting when so many important things need to be done, and the top 2 percent don't need a tax cut.

[Arctic Dave]

3. People on this board say, "how can you call Obama weak"?

The fact that he couldn't muster enough votes for UNEMPLOYMENT benefits and has to put them on as a rider to a "bow to the uber rich" bill is why people think he is weak.

[Tippy]

10. It is always easy to blame the other guy...Lets put the blame where if belongs

with Conservative Dems & Lieberman for starters....

[tularetom]

4. WTF is the use of having a deficit commission anyway?

Extending unemployment benefits = good thing

Extending millionaire tax cuts = bad thing

But both only increase the deficit at least in the short term, thus making the recommendations of the bullshit deficit commission even more unrealistic.

Just another little trick to create the illusion that anybody we elect actually gives a shit.

[Jackpine Radical]

11. Tom, you are such a cynic.

Unfortunately, as Lilly Tomlin observed, no matter how cynical you get, it's impossible to keep up.

[somone]

5. Merry Christmas to the haves and have-mores

FINALLY they can have some money to hire the unemployed :sarcasm:

[Jackpine Radical]

13. Oh, but you can't get good help these days.

Unless you hire illegals, of course. They will do whatever you want in order to avoid being turned over to the authorities.

[Joe Bacon]

6. Of course Obama will cave in to the GOP

He always does.

[Steve_I_Am]

7. Reconciliation . . . RECONCILIATION . . . RECONCILIATION!!!!!!

If the Senate Democrats don't use RECONCILIATION to pass middle-class, only, tax cuts, all yesterday was was "political theater" meant to give the Democrats and the President political "cover" for their big collapse.

If the President extends ALL of the Bush tax cuts, even temporarily, I am done with him, and I will immediately begin a "Draft Howard Dean in 2012" petition drive.

[jaybeat]

12. Thom Hartmann said once why that isn't possible

He said that someone (Berni Sanders, maybe?) had explained to him that the rules for what can be done under reconciliation and how are set in the House. When the Bush tax cuts were first passed (under reconciliation), the GOP controlled the House, and the rules allowed it.

When the Dems came in in 2006, they changed the rules. I don't know what exactly they changed, but at least according to Hartmann, extending some of the tax cuts, or passing the UI extension, are no longer possible under reconciliation.

To hell with simplifying the tax code--I say we simplify the rules in both the Senate and the House! The most ridiculous, anti-democratic shit I've ever seen...

[Jackpine Radical]

15. Isn't that quaint!

First thing the Dems do on getting power is to hamstring themselves. Are they totally complicit with the Reptilians, or just stupid?

[Steve_I_Am]

41. I was told by Legislative Assistants for both of my Senators . . .

that there were NO Senate Rules that prevented Harry Reid from bringing the middle-class, only, tax cuts to the floor for a vote using RECONCILIATION.

The only thing missing is the "spine" to do it.

DRAFT HOWARD DEAN in 2012!

[its-now-or-nevr]

28. H. Dean or Dennis K.

I,m already done with him.....H. Dean or Dennis K.

[Steve_I_Am]

42. I would strongly support EITHER!

Progressives need to challenge Obama from the TRUE CENTER!

[paulk]

43. DK has no chance

Howard Dean maybe, but pushing DK for President will help Obama more than anything.

It is a symbolic gesture, and we are well past that point.

[Fearless]

30. +10000

[Tippy]

8. "we can't let that happen." agreed.....but

If we don't draw a line in the sand....this will continue...Republican have NO Conscience...and Democrats are to afraid to take a stand.

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Tippy]

14. Comments such as the one you just made lead me to believe you are a quitter.

Tell me I'm wrong....

[groundloop]

20. WHY CAN'T PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT PRES. OBAMA CAN'T DO SQUAT ABOUT TAXES, IT'S THE SENATE

FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, IT'S NOT PRESIDENT OBAMA THAT'S GOING TO BE EXTENDING TAX CUTS FOR MILLIONAIRES, IT'S THE FUCKING SENATE - AND THE SENATE IS BROKE. WHERE A GROUP OF 42 (PLUS A COUPLE OF TRAITORS) OUT OF 100 MEMBERS CAN CONTROL THE AGENDA YOU'RE GUARANTEED TO HAVE A FUCKED UP MESS. THIS ISN'T OF THE PRESIDENT'S DOING. WE NEED TO GET OFF OUR COLLECTIVE ASSES, CALL OUR USELESS SENATORS AND RAISE ENOUGH HELL TO LET THEM KNOW WE'RE WATCHING. AND WE SURE THE HELL DON'T NEED TO GIVE UP AND GIVE AWAY THE WHITE HOUSE TO REPUGS IN 2012.

And yes, I was shouting.

[former9thward]

21. You are wrong. And shouting does not make it any truer.

President Obama would have to sign any legislation extending tax cuts for the rich. He can veto it. If he signs it, he owns it.

[AlinPA]

25. With no control in the house and senate (yes, the republicans do control the senate),

all he has is the veto. That will work because they don't have a veto proof senate or house. He could threaten the veto saying that if a bill arrives with tax cuts for the rich in it he will kill it. Americans would agree with him.

[wordpix]

22. Pres. Obama needs to use his bully pulpit & campaign against tax cuts for the rich but instead,

he's folding and compromising. I understand everyone needs to compromise but that's AFTER the fight, not before it AND Dems still have the majority in Congress.

Unfortunately, some of the Dems, too, want to protect their puppetmaster big donors instead of doing what's right for the poor and middle class. Traitors, indeed.

[Warren Stupidity]

33. veto the fucking bill - how's that for squat?

Keep vetoing a bill that includes tax cuts for billionaires until an override or an acceptable bill shows up.

[totodeinhere]

34. OK, then what about the unemployed. Do we just screw them in the process?

Tax cuts for billionaires are wrong, I agree, but letting unemployment benefits for poor people expire is even more wrong.

[Warren Stupidity]

38. Don't veto that bill. See how it works?

These are two separate bills. Veto one. Sign the other. Amazing. The other president, the one before him, did this a lot.

[totodeinhere]

39. That won't work.

President Obama won't be able to sign any bill if the GOP in the Senate won't let him. They have 42 solid votes which as you know is enough to block anything.

[Name removed]

29. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Guilded Lilly]

16. Blackmail. Politics and blackmail...not so strange bedfellows.

[earcandle]

24. "Merry Crap to all and to all a sleepless night" your Congress in action.

[williesgirl]

26. That's it - I'm done for good until Democrats start acting like Democrats, and that includes the

fucking Blue Dogs. Not one more penny, not one more knock on a door in the red area where I live, zippo, nothing. Fuck Obama and all the Congress critters. This is blackmail, pure and simple. They should be charged with it.

And while we're at it, fuck all the Americans who are too lazy to become & stay informed.

It's definitely time for a Progressive Third Party. rec'd

[harun]

45. +1

[Volaris]

27. If the GOP think they can get a 2 year tax cut extension

in trade for 3 months of Unemployment Ins., then somebody on our side skated through Bargaining 101...(and as far as political ideology is concerned, who can blame them, if its that easy of a get).
If this happens, the first question I'm asking ANYONE who bitches about the National Debt to me for the next 2 years is going to be "Well, do you like the tax cut extension that you have?"
They had better have the right answer; I'll be in no mood to be merciful for the next 24 months anyway, and so Heaven help the Demonstrably Stoopid.

[eringer]

31. OBAMA - JUST SAY NO!

OBAMA - JUST SAY NO! OBAMA - JUST SAY NO! OBAMA - JUST SAY NO! OBAMA - JUST SAY NO! OBAMA - JUST SAY NO! OBAMA - JUST SAY NO! OBAMA - JUST SAY NO! OBAMA - JUST SAY NO! OBAMA - JUST SAY NO!

[howmad1]

32. O.K.

NO! TO THE POOR, NO! TO THE HOMELESS, NO! TO THE MIDDLE CLASS, NO! TO THOSE WHO ARE LOSING THEIR HOMES, NO! TO THE JOBLESS, NO! TO MOST WHO VOTED FOR THIS LOSER, AND ON AND ON AND ON. GET THE MESSAGE?

[titaniumsalute]

35. Stick a gun in the bad people's face and demand something

Usually this is called assualt with a deadly weapon. But in the case of the Repukes, it is called busienss as usual. Stick the proverbial gun in the unemployed faces and threaten to not renew their benefits unless they, the ruling class, get their share.

Fuck those lazy, greedy, whore motherfuckers. May God send them straight to Hades.

[julian09]

36. They already voted down unemployment benefit extension

now they are willing to let them get extension in exchange for tax cut extension for the rich.