So why did Russ Feingold vote against middle class tax cuts and unemployment extension?

[pnwmom]

He was one of four Democrats to vote against cloture on Saturday. Anybody know his reasoning?

http://www.rantrave.com/Rant/Republicans-Block-Unemployment-Extension-Tax-Breaks-Bill.aspx

On Saturday's December 4 special sitting of the Senate, both amendments put forward by the Democrats to renew federal unemployment extensions and extend the Bush era tax cuts to the middle class failed to garner enough votes to reach cloture, which would of allowed H.R.4853, "The Middle Class Tax Relief Act of 2010" bill to be sent to the House of Representatives for a final vote.

The first amendment was put forward by Senator Max Baucus (D, MT) which extended the Bush era tax breaks to those making $250,000 or less and continued eligibility for the four tiers of federal unemployment extensions to January, 2012.

The second amendment by Senator Chuck Schumer (D, NY) which was identical to the Baucus amendment (including the provisions on a one year extension of federal unemployment benefits), except that it raised the extension of the Bush era tax cuts to those making up to one million dollars.

Both amendments failed to get the required 60 votes needed to be able to send the bill back to the House for a final vote.

[sasha031]

1. he is against any extension for any of Bush's tax cuts

[pnwmom]

5. Why is he against retaining the rates for lower and middle income taxpayers?

[vi5]

2. Did they vote on unemployment this weekend?

I know they voted on the tax cuts, which he did because he believes they should all expire. But I didn't see anything about the unemployment vote.

[Hello_Kitty]

3. They didn't. The new meme is that the UI extension is guaranteed in exchange for the cuts.

When it isn't yet.

[pnwmom]

6. Yes, they did. The first cloture vote was on a bill that combined

an extension of the current tax rates with an extension of unemployment benefits.

[pnwmom]

9. The first bill that they had a cloture vote on contained a provision

for extending unemployment benefits, in addition to extending the current tax rates for the lower and middle classes.

[vi5]

11. If it's tied to extending the Bush tax cuts...

That's why he voted against it. As he should have.

[pnwmom]

12. It was tied only to the middle class tax cut extension.

Not to the extension of cuts for higher incomes.

[vi5]

18. What part of this is hard to understand....

He's against extending the Bush tax cuts. Period. That includes the middle class cuts and it includes the upper class cuts. Every discussion going on now about tax cuts relates to extending the Bush tax cuts, not any kind of new tax cuts or anything of the sort. He does not support the Bush tax cuts. From what I've read he would support a separate tax cut once these expired with more reasonable and targeted cuts. But he believes, justly so that the Bush tax cuts are wrong and have harmed the country. He doesn't want them extended. Whether it was only extending the middle class ones or tied to the upper class ones. He doesn't support them because he feels they are bad for the country and the economy and that letting them expire will not do more harm than will happen if they are extended.

[kylenimri]

22. Thanks

for explaining that so clearly.

[shraby]

4. He is against tax cuts for the rich. To pair that with the

unemployment comp. was not his style. He would vote to extend the unemployment but absolutely won't go along with extending tax cuts for those who don't need them. He is a fiscal conservative kind of congresscritter.

[pnwmom]

10. But this wasn't about tax cuts for the rich. The cloture vote was

on extending the tax cuts only for lower and middle class.

[Hello_Kitty]

13. Can you link to a source for that? I've been searching and not finding it.

Thanks.

[pnwmom]

19. I added a link to the OP. n/t

[Joanne98]

7. Maybe he's plotting a Presidential run and he wants to piss off the base now..

To make sure he wins.

:sarcasm:

[librechik]

14. haha--a true Dem!

[laughingliberal]

16. ROFL!! nt

[gateley]

8. Someone offered the opinion it's because he's serious about

the deficit and feels we need the revenue from everyone. Don't know if that's accurate, but it's possible.

[JamesA1102]

15. Spite nt

[Hannah Bell]

17. why are the dems combining them in one bill?

[pnwmom]

20. Why not? The Rethugs were prepared to vote against both anyway.n/t

[karynnj]

21. That really is typical - and now when they filibuster everthing

ad demand that the full time be waited between steps, splitting everything into seperate bills would stop anything from happening.

[Frank Booth]

23. I think it was a stupid mistake.

I like Feingold and don't think he would deliberately promote Republican policies. I'll chalk this one up to a bout of stupidity.

Feingold should have known that if the amendment didn't pass, it would mean everything would hinge on Obama negotiating with the Republicans. And, Feingold should have known that any time Obama negotiates with the Republicans, they get everything they ask for and more. I think Feingold momentarily forgot how incompetent and/or right-wing the president is.