Reply #3: It's the same group [View All]

[ProSense]

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Before they passed the plan, Senators considered an amendment by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), who spoke out against the bill for nine straight hours last week, that would have replaced the payroll tax credit with an extension of the Make Work Pay Credit, imposed an estate tax of 45 percent on estates worth more than $3.5 million and provided a cost-of-living-adjustment of $250 to seniors, veterans and the disabled dependent on government benefits. It failed 57 to 43.

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Roll call, Democrats who voted against the amendment

Baucus (D-MT)
Bayh (D-IN)
Bennet (D-CO)
Casey (D-PA)
Hagan (D-NC)
Kohl (D-WI)
Lieberman (ID-CT)
Lincoln (D-AR)
Manchin (D-WV)
McCaskill (D-MO)
Nelson (D-FL)
Nelson (D-NE)
Pryor (D-AR)
Udall (D-CO)
Webb (D-VA)

Baucus opposed the capital gains provision. They used the constant criticism of Obama as cover for their own failings. This is why Guantanamo still isn't closed.

There were also two other bills that failed:

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The first proposal by Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) would have extended the cuts only for individuals with incomes of up to $200,000 and families with incomes of up to $250,000. That failed by a vote of 53-36, with all GOP senators in opposition as well as Democrats Russ Feingold (Wis.), Joe Manchin (W.V.), Ben Nelson (Neb.) and Jim Webb (Va.) and Independent Joe Lieberman (Conn.).

The second proposal by Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) would have extended the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts permanently for incomes of up to $1 million, among other provisions such as a one-year extension of unemployment benefits and cuts in capital gains, estate and dividend taxes. That failed, 53-37, with Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) joining the ‘no’ votes.

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Feingold opposed extending the middle-class tax cuts. The second failed due to opposition to the $1 million threshold.