Obama's tax-cut deal is becoming a Christmas tree tinseled with gifts for lobbyists and lawmakers

[somone]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hT-0rhB54IOq6Y6A_eidQVPE-zbw?docId=043dd4c76ba04cc4a8425c3b64623796

Add-ons turn tax cut bill into 'Christmas tree'

WASHINGTON (AP) — In the spirit of the holiday season, President Barack Obama's tax-cut deal with Republicans is becoming a Christmas tree tinseled with gifts for lobbyists and lawmakers. But that hardly stopped the squabbling on Friday, with Bill Clinton even back at the White House pleading the president's case.

While Republicans sat back quietly, mostly pleased, Democrats and other liberals were going at each other ever so publicly. As Clinton lectured on Obama's behalf, Vermont independent Bernie Sanders castigated the agreement for the TV cameras in the mostly empty Senate chamber. The tax deal, reached behind the scenes and still informal, now includes ethanol subsidies for rural folks, commuter tax breaks for their cousins in the cities and suburbs and wind and solar grants for the environmentalists — all aimed at winning votes, particularly from reluctant Democrats.

The holiday additions are being hung on the big bill that was Congress' main reason for spending December in Washington, long after the elections that will give Republicans new power in January. The measure will extend Bush-era tax cuts, averting big tax increases for nearly all Americans, and keep jobless benefits flowing. Republicans generally liked that agreement, worked out by Obama and GOP leaders. Democrats generally didn't, hence the add-ons.

It's all expected to come to a decisive vote next week, total cost by the latest congressional estimate: $857.8 billion ....

[Bluebear]

1. Ho-ho-ho says O!

:silly:

[bluestateguy]

2. Promoting alternative energy is a good thing

Good for jobs and good for the environment.

I'm disliking this bill less and less by the day.

[Divernan]

3. These are pittances compared to "tax holiday" attack on social security trust fund.

and what's to stop the all GOP, all the time Congress from reversing these little programs next year? And are all of these despicably blatant bribes similarly unfunded so further increase the debt in an incredibly irresponsible manner?

I'm an environmentalist, but am not so gullible as to cheer selling out the nation's social security program (which at this point has not added one dollar to the deficit) and massively adding to the deficit for a year's worth of grants for wind farms.

[Bryn]

4. I watched Bernie all day ... with little breaks like

going to bathroom, fix food, etc. He did an excellent job. Now I am very afraid of Obama-GOP's plan. It will really do more damages. Yeah, unemployed people will get extended benefits, but after 13 months, then what? While huge tax cuts for the rich will go on and on, GOP will then go after SS and Medicare to pay for it. Many Americans who truly understand what Bernie is saying won't be able to sleep at nights now. This is grave truth. Obama did it without discussing with his democratic caucus first and made a deal with those two evil GOP leaders. This is not good. Not good!