Hey Congress, don't you want to cut taxes before an election?

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

Put a bill on the floor of the House that:

1) extends the Bush tax cuts on earnings below $250K for five years
2) Cuts an additional 1% on earning under $250K for five years

Announce that a separate bill extending the Bush tax cuts on earnings over $250K will be voted on after the election.

Push forward with the middle-class bill right now.

This most certainly doesn't "raise anyone's taxes." The pre-election bill is silent on what happens over $250K.

Nobody would be voting against extending the cuts over $250K. That matter will be voted on later.

Help me out... Why doesn't that scenario work?

[doc03]

1. Duh it's too complicated I guess n/t

[denverbill]

2. Sorry, but the Democrats want to keep the cuts for those earning more than $250K too.

But they know if they vote to keep them it would be a crushing moral defeat to liberals and progressives and would devastate them in the midterms.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

3. Hence the OP. They can extend those cuts if they feel they must...

As things stand now, the whole thing is probably punted until after the election.

So the rich won't get their "grievance" voted on until after the election in any scenario.

Okay... but that doesn't mean the under $250K cannot be resolved before the election.

There's no reason for there not to be two separate bills.

[denverbill]

5. Yes, there IS a reason for them NOT to be two separate bills.

There is ONLY one reason for them not to be two separate bills.

It's the same reason the Republicans originally crafted the bill this way.

The tax cuts for the wealthy cannot pass on it's own, period. Democrats would filibuster it and Obama would veto it.

The only way the cuts for the wealthy stay in place is if it's attached to a middle class tax cut.

[Autumn]

4. That is exactly what I have

finally realized. We are going to be played big time.

[truebrit71]

11. Yup. That's the plan all along, The "left" is being strung along. Again.

:puke:

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

12. Not the left -- the whole party

I don't know of any support on the Democratic party for retaining the $250K+ cuts EXCEPT on the part of some of our elected officials.

[DirkGently]

6. Where is this FEAR coming from? Republicans are swinging the "the economy sucks" club a mile a

minute, and there's no pushback. Make them hem and haw and show that they're not about "lower taxes," they're about holding the rest of us hostage for their rich friends. If Dems can't focus on fighting for the middle class over the Masters of the Universe, what IS their focus?

The Republicans are completely cornered on this issue. Squash them. Jesus, where's the downside?

Inaction just lets the Republicans, once again, dictate the conversation.

[COLGATE4]

7. Sadly, there is no downside. The problem is that we are

scared of our own shadows, once again. God, how I wish Harry Reid (and/or Obama) would grow a set. Just once!:banghead:

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

8. . . .

[phantom power]

9. It would upset Republicans. And That Would Be Wrong And Partisan.

Obama does not believe in upsetting people in our brave new post-partisan world.

:shrug:

[truebrit71]

10. Because it requires a combination of balls and spine...none of which are present currently..

..among congressional leadership...