Senate now voting on cloture for full repeal of the estate tax at 10:50 AM

[flpoljunkie]

[Avalux]

1. While we've been focused on Al Zarqawi. n/t

[havocmom]

2. Hey, they had to come up with something to divert after vote yesterday

Those PR shills for the richest families in America sure earned their pay.

[flpoljunkie]

3. Democratic Ayes so far, Nelson of Fl, and Max Baucus.

[flpoljunkie]

4. Add Ben Nelson of Nebraska to the Democratic "aye" list.

[sinkingfeeling]

5. Is it on C-Span?

[flpoljunkie]

6. C-Span 2.

[flpoljunkie]

7. Add Blanche Lincoln. Remember if they get cloture, it's a done deal, as

they only need 51 votes to pass the bill.

[flpoljunkie]

9. Where are the Republicans who will be voting no? Are they hanging back?

[kentuck]

8. Democrats that vote for this crap need to go...

Period.

[Ian David]

10. Should I call and yell at LIEberman yet? n/t

[kentuck]

15. Not yet.

I don't think he has the courage to vote for this in a tight primary race...

[Ian David]

11. Dumb question: Even if the repeal is made "permenant"...

When we re-take Congress in 2008, can't we just introduce a new bill to un-do the "permenant" gift to the wealthy?

[flpoljunkie]

14. If it passes, it will be due to Dem enablers who voted yes on cloture.

Not likely to be repealed with Dem enablers. However, they need 60 votes and so far they are short of that goal--even with four Dem defectors, as Chafee has voted No. By my calculation, there are only 58 yes votes, so far.

[flpoljunkie]

12. Chafee votes NO!

[TayTay]

13. Chafee no! n/t

[flpoljunkie]

16. Cloture fails. Yeas are 57, nays are 41.

[Ian David]

17. Cool! Is there a link to the list yet? n/t

[flpoljunkie]

18. No, but check here periodically for the roll call vote.

http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/legislative/a_three_sections_with_teasers/votes.htm

Democrats voting for cloture were both Nelsons, Lincoln and Baucus. R's voting no were Chafee. Two senators did not vote.

[flpoljunkie]

19. Senate rollcall vote on repeal of the "death" tax finally up!

It appears that Voinovich, R-Oh, also voted against the measure, along with Chafee.

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=2&vote=00164

U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 109th Congress - 2nd Session
as compiled through Senate LIS by the Senate Bill Clerk under the direction of the Secretary of the Senate
Vote Summary
Question: On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to Consideration of H.R. 8 )
Vote Number: 164 Vote Date: June 8, 2006, 10:51 AM
Required For Majority: 3/5 Vote Result: Cloture Motion Rejected

Measure Number: H.R. 8 (Death Tax Repeal Permanency Act of 2005 )
Measure Title: A bill to make the repeal of the estate tax permanent.
Vote Counts: YEAs 57
NAYs 41
Not Voting 2

Grouped By Vote Position

YEAs ---57
Alexander (R-TN)
Allard (R-CO)
Allen (R-VA)
Baucus (D-MT)
Bennett (R-UT)
Bond (R-MO)
Brownback (R-KS)
Bunning (R-KY)
Burns (R-MT)
Burr (R-NC)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS)
Coleman (R-MN)
Collins (R-ME)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Craig (R-ID)
Crapo (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
DeWine (R-OH)
Dole (R-NC)
Domenici (R-NM)
Ensign (R-NV)
Enzi (R-WY)
Frist (R-TN)
Graham (R-SC)
Grassley (R-IA)
Gregg (R-NH)
Hagel (R-NE)
Hatch (R-UT)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Isakson (R-GA)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Lincoln (D-AR)
Lott (R-MS)
Lugar (R-IN)
Martinez (R-FL)
McCain (R-AZ)
McConnell (R-KY)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Nelson (D-FL)
Nelson (D-NE)
Roberts (R-KS)
Santorum (R-PA)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Smith (R-OR)
Snowe (R-ME)
Specter (R-PA)
Stevens (R-AK)
Sununu (R-NH)
Talent (R-MO)
Thomas (R-WY)
Thune (R-SD)
Vitter (R-LA)
Warner (R-VA)

NAYs ---41
Akaka (D-HI)
Bayh (D-IN)
Biden (D-DE)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Boxer (D-CA)
Byrd (D-WV)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Carper (D-DE)
Chafee (R-RI)
Clinton (D-NY)
Conrad (D-ND)
Dayton (D-MN)
Dodd (D-CT)
Dorgan (D-ND)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feingold (D-WI)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Harkin (D-IA)
Inouye (D-HI)
Jeffords (I-VT)
Johnson (D-SD)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Kerry (D-MA)
Kohl (D-WI)
Landrieu (D-LA)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Lieberman (D-CT)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Murray (D-WA)
Obama (D-IL)
Pryor (D-AR)
Reed (D-RI)
Reid (D-NV)
Salazar (D-CO)
Sarbanes (D-MD)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Voinovich (R-OH)
Wyden (D-OR)

Not Voting - 2
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Schumer (D-NY)

[FreeStateDemocrat]

21. Shouldn't the RNC be paying for the Nelson boys re-election campaigns

[flpoljunkie]

20. Estate Tax Changes By Years

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/08/AR2006060801076.html

Estate Tax Changes by Years
By The Associated Press

The Associated Press
Thursday, June 8, 2006; 4:24 PM

-- President Bush's first tax cut decreased the estate tax through the decade by gradually increasing the size of an estate exempt from taxation and lowering the top tax rate. The law also repealed the estate tax in 2010. That law remains temporary, and the estate tax reappears in 2011. The law changed the tax over time as follows:

2002: $1 million exemption and 50 percent rate

2003: $1 million exemption and 49 percent rate

2004: $1.5 million exemption and 48 percent rate

2005: $1.5 million exemption and 47 percent rate

2006: $2 million exemption and 46 percent rate

2007: $2 million exemption and 45 percent rate

2008: $2 million exemption and 45 percent rate

2009: $3.5 million exemption and 45 percent rate

2010: estate tax repealed

2011: $1 million exemption and 55 percent rate