The political knifes are drawn

[Lamplighter]

UT, I posted this to give people an idea of the amounts of $ involved.

This action by Obama is major, as seen by the reaction of some Democrats,
but more importantly... Merc has now started defending Obama

Did you feel that earthquake ?

[TheMercenary]

I agree Griff. It seems to me that after all my disappointment in Obama that he is the only one stepping up the plate to get something concrete on the table that will be a perceived as a win for the majority of people. It is a short term solution anyway. But given the division in the Congress I am sure they will screw it up in the end.

[Happy Monkey]

The House versions of bills have almost invariably been better than the Senate versions. And then the House is pressured to just accept the Senate version instead of going through conference because of how awful Senate procedure would be if they had to vote on the conferenced version. She's only the leader of the House, which has been completely sidelined in this Congress.

She has been given hardly any say. I know that some people hate her so much that they don't want her to have any, but I'm not sure how anybody else could think that she's been given to much.

[Lamplighter]

Won't Senate Majority Leader Reid be surprised if one or more of them pass ?


In political gamble, Reid seeks votes that are sure to fail
By David A. Fahrenthold
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, December 8, 2010; 3:22 PM

On Wednesday afternoon, the most powerful man in the U.S. Senate will do something that sounds odd:
He will set himself up to lose an important vote.
Then, if all goes as planned, he will do it again, on another key issue.
And then another. And then another.

Four times in about 90 minutes, Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.)
will hold votes where his favored bills are expected to fail.
For Reid, failure is actually the point.

He wants to put Republicans on record as blocking all four -
which deal with immigration rules, police and firefighters' unions,
health benefits for responders to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks,
and seniors' benefits.

[Lamplighter]

I don't know if this should be here or in the oxymoron thread.

Now while the Obama-Republican tax-cut Bill is being written up,
there is a lot of turmoil among the congressional members.
The TV talking heads are interviewing members on both the Dem and Rep sides.

One Republican said, We should be less polarized

[Lamplighter]

Originally Posted by Lamplighter

Won't Senate Majority Leader Reid be surprised if one or more of them pass ?


In political gamble, Reid seeks votes that are sure to fail
By David A. Fahrenthold
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, December 8, 2010; 3:22 PM

NY Times
Republicans Block U.S. Health Aid for 9/11 Workers

Republican senators blocked Democratic legislation on Thursday
that sought to provide medical care to rescue workers and others who became ill as a result
of breathing in toxic fumes, dust and smoke at the site of the World Trade Center attack in 2001.

[Shawnee123]

Yeah, they tend to get all magnanimous and cutesy when they kind of get their way. Like children.

[Lamplighter]

Fox News
12/09/10

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
House, Senate on Collision Course After Dems Reject Tax Cut Bill

The House and Senate appear to be on a collision course over President Obama's controversial tax plan,
after House Democrats voted to block the package from coming to the floor in its current form.
Though the vote was not binding, the House Democratic caucus on Thursday approved a measure
by Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., effectively rejecting the GOP-negotiated deal
unless and until a majority of Democrats support it.

One Democratic leadership aide said the vote "shows how much the White House screwed this up."

Go Oregon !

[Lamplighter]

I've cited Fox News a couple of times... now comes The Young Turks:

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by Lamplighter

Fox News
12/09/10

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
House, Senate on Collision Course After Dems Reject Tax Cut Bill


Go Oregon !

And if everyone's taxes go up 1 Jan 11 it will all be in the lap of the Dems. Another nail in the coffin.

[Griff]

David Brooks expresses a middle right view...

The fact is, Obama and the Democrats have had an excellent week. The White House negotiators did an outstanding job for their side. With little leverage, they got not only the unemployment insurance, but also an Earned Income Tax Credit provision, a college scholarship provision and other Democratic goodies. With little leverage, they got a package that could win grudging praise from big-name liberal groups like the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and the Center for American Progress.

Moreover, Obama has put himself in a position to govern again. The package is popular. According to the most recent Gallup numbers, 67 percent of independents and 52 percent of Democrats support extending all the tax cuts. Higher numbers support extending the unemployment insurance. Obama is reminding independents why they liked him in the first place.

The US is in too fragile a place for partisan politics. Some politicians in both major parties get that. I also read that Obama is going to work on the tax code, which needs major revamping.

[glatt]

Heard Obama on the radio this morning saying he wanted to tackle the US Tax code next year. Of course the devil is in the details, but that's very interesting and encouraging.

[skysidhe]

Originally Posted by Lamplighter

Fox News
12/09/10

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
House, Senate on Collision Course After Dems Reject Tax Cut Bill


Go Oregon !

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

And if everyone's taxes go up 1 Jan 11 it will all be in the lap of the Dems. Another nail in the coffin.

Do we not have a president? Why doesn't the democratic party stand with their president?

That means EVERYONE'S taxes go up in January. So much for cutting off one's nose.

More taxes means less jobs and the middle class will be spending less. whoopee! Why are we rejoicing?

[Lamplighter]

Sky, I think House Democrats (and others) are "not supporting the President"
because they have been jolted by Obama's tax cut deal for several reasons:

First he did not really consult with them, and actually negotiated the deal without them

Second, he gave up his own big tax issue... eliminate taxes on middle income families and businesses,
and return to all of the "pre-Bush tax rates" on the wealthy

Third, out of the blue he gave away generous taxes breaks on wealthy estates

Fourth, he abandoned working-poor families by eliminating the "Making Work Pay" tax credit.

And we still don't know what's going to happen with government subsidies of
alternative fuels (alcohol, wind, solar, etc)

I think there is also anger directed at the hypocrisy of the Republicans
for their complaining about the federal budget deficit and then
putting the tax cuts for the wealthy ahead of all other legislation.

Simply put... it's about a loss of fair play and good-faith negotiation.

The only way House Dem's can now show their objections is to do the same as the Repubs did... threaten filibuster

Here is the PBS TV news report

[Spexxvet]

Originally Posted by skysidhe

More taxes means less jobs and the middle class will be spending less.

Do you have any evidence of this? As I recall, taxes were higher, unemployment was lower, and the deficit was being reduced during the Clinton years.