** House Dem Leadership Has been at WH most of the day, meeting with POTUS soon. **

[Clio the Leo]

It seems there's been a bit of drama at the White House today. House Dem leadership has been meeting w/Biden most of the day, set to meet w/the President at 3pm. I'll update with anything I find find.

Hope Nancy and the gang have figured out a way to magically make votes for middle class only appear in the Senate. :shrug:

Background....

Pelosi, Reid to press Obama to take tough line on tax cuts

By Russell Berman - 12/06/10 02:40 PM ET
House and Senate Democratic leaders will meet with President Obama on Monday and press him to take a tougher negotiating line with Republicans on extending the Bush-era tax cuts.

The meeting with Obama follows a separate meeting between the leaders and Vice President Joseph Biden on Monday.

The top-level talks come as House Democrats are increasing pressure on the White House to stand firm in securing middle class priorities in exchange for acceding to a Republican demand that tax cuts for the wealthy be extended temporarily.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and Rep. Chris Van Hollen (Md.) met with Biden at the vice president’s residence on Saturday. The message they are delivering in the meetings on Saturday and this afternoon is that House Democrats “are not going to just rubber stamp” a deal that the White House cuts with congressional Republicans, a Democrat familiar with the negotiations told The Hill.
Pelosi, Hoyer, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (Ill.) are set to attend the meeting with Obama.

http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/132197-pelosi-reid-to-press-obama-to-take-tough-line-on-tax-cuts

[BrklynLiberal]

1. Let's see if the House Dems turn out to be the cavalry..coming in to save the day...

..a mixed "metaphor", I know

[Clio the Leo]

2. We dont need horses, we need votes.

And they cant control the Senate (sadly.)

[flpoljunkie]

4. Ben Nelson, Jim Webb, Manchin and Lieberman voted with R's against $250,000 threshold.

They are all up re-election in 2012. They all voted Yes on the $1 million threshold, with the exception of Lieberman. He thinks all the Bush tax cuts should be extended--at least temporarily.

Feingold also voted No on both thresholds. He thinks the Bush tax should not be extended for anyone.

[Clio the Leo]

6. Boggles the mind huh?

I can understand his stand on "Obamacare" and social issues, but who's forcing Manchin to vote to keep tax cuts for the wealthy in WV? Are there that many millionaire coal execs? I guess.

[flpoljunkie]

11. West Virginia is a very red state and with many low information voters.

Manchin has already been hammered by the Republicans for voting for the $1 million tax cut threshold.

[Clio the Leo]

12. yeah, the whole "job killing tax hike" thing I guess.

Makes sense.

[flpoljunkie]

21. Yep. Can't tax those non-existent 'job creators!'

[Vincardog]

3. Hoping the House leadership show BHO what LEADERSHIP looks like.

[BrklynLiberal]

15. +1000

[ProSense]

5. Excellent:

"The message they are delivering in the meetings on Saturday and this afternoon is that House Democrats “are not going to just rubber stamp” a deal that the White House cuts"

That means whatever ends up on the President's desk is going to be agreed upon by Democrats in Congress. This meeting is where the deal is going to happen.

[Clio the Leo]

8. I always like your attitude.

:)

[grumgrum]

7. Remember this is how the Public Option died too -- Visit to the WH and Obama pressures to go GOP

So i expect Pelosi et al will come out saying they will accept hte tax cuts for the rich

Like clockwork Obama is twisting Nancy's arm to accept the disastrous gop position after passing a bill in her chamber that favored the middle-class.
We've seen this thing happen with the Public Option. You'll see!

[Clio the Leo]

10. Or it's how we got health coverage for 30 million more Americans...

... it's all in how you look at it.

[alcibiades_mystery]

13. I guess that wouldn't make her a Strong Leader (TM)

:eyes:

[ProSense]

14. "Like clockwork Obama is twisting Nancy's arm to accept the disastrous gop position "

So is he strong or weak?

[David__77]

9. I don't feel good about that...

I hope Pelosi torpedoes an "deal."

[Clio the Leo]

16. Article: Obama "presenting the proposal to congressional Democrats Monday afternoon"

Gives a different spin on the meeting.

President Obama and congressional Republicans have reached a tentative deal to extend the Bush tax cuts for all income levels and are presenting the proposal to congressional Democrats Monday afternoon, The Daily Caller has learned.

The deal will extend the current tax levels for two more years, preventing taxes from going up on any income levels, despite the wishes of many liberal Democrats — including Obama — that individuals making more than $200,000 a year and families with more than $250,000 a year in income see their rates go up.

In exchange, Republicans have agreed to extend unemployment insurance benefits for an additional 13 months.

Obama presented the proposal to Democratic congressional leaders at the White House Monday afternoon, seeking to obtain their approval for the deal.

A House Democratic leadership source cautioned that the full party caucus will need to give their approval to any deal, which House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, California Democrat, will likely present to them at a Tuesday evening meeting.

Other details include a temporary two percent reduction in payroll taxes to replace Obama’s “Making Work Pay” tax credit from the 2009 stimulus bill, and a compromise on the estate tax, which will be set for two years at 35 percent, with a $5 million exemption amount.

http://dailycaller.com/2010/12/06/obama-and-gop-reach-deal-on-two-year-extension-of-bush-tax-cuts-for-all-incomes/

[Clio the Leo]

17. Ed Henry: "Bush tax rates would be extended for TWO years if deal holds"

http://twitter.com/#!/edhenrycnn/status/11888011620913152

[Clio the Leo]

18. Ed Henry: "President also trying to get more tax credits to sweeten pot for Hill Dems"

http://twitter.com/#!/edhenrycnn/status/11888398180556800

[Clio the Leo]

19. Chuck Todd: "Don't expect a deal to be announced before Dem leaders can take it back to caucus."

Don't expect a deal to be announced before Cong. Dem leaders can take it back to their members on Tuesday but... it's THISCLOSE

http://twitter.com/#!/chucktodd/status/11893157838979072

[Clio the Leo]

20. Rep Wasserman Schultz on Tweety's show today, "to discuss....."

"to discuss how tax cuts for the middle class are being held hostage by the GOP."

lol in case you wondered what SHE thought on the matter

http://twitter.com/#!/DWStweets/status/11888714938580992

[Clio the Leo]

22. Bernie threatening a filibuster over the deal.

Bernie .... is not pleased.

http://twitter.com/#!/wonkroom/status/11920760058683393

[Mira]

23. Let. US. Pray K&R