The Hill: Reid Plans September Showdown on Extension of Tax Cuts

[flpoljunkie]

Reid plans September showdown on extension of tax cuts
By Alexander Bolton - 08/04/10 08:36 PM ET

Senate Democrats will hold a September showdown over trillions of dollars in expiring tax cuts passed under President George W. Bush.

Senior Democrats had expected the controversial issue to be postponed until after the election, but Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) plans to bring it up when lawmakers return from a five-week August recess.

That would make tax cuts a front-and-center issue in the days leading up to the midterm election. The debate promises to be contentious, pitting Democrats against Republicans, liberals against centrists and the Senate against the House.

“I expect it to be on the floor in September,” said Reid spokesman Jim Manley.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) acknowledged the Senate Democratic Conference remains uncertain how it will proceed, say sources familiar with talks about a package to extend tax cuts.

“Some members only want to extend the tax cuts for the middle class; some members want to extend all the tax cuts,” said a Democratic aide in reference to differences of opinion within the conference.

“We’re surveying members to see what could be in a package that wins 60 votes and protects the middle class,” said the source.

more...

http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/112641-reid-plans-september-showdown-on-bush-tax-cuts

[fasttense]

1. I predict the uber wealthy will keep their tax cuts

in exchange the middle class will keep their tax cuts too.

But come the lame duck session, you just watch how Social Security gets decimated. That's the trade they are making. That's the kind of compromise only President Obama could love.

[flpoljunkie]

3. If you mean SS will be strengthened by lifting the earnings cap, perhaps. Otherwise, no.

You are mighty quick to condemn our Democratic president's motives.

Geithner is making it very plain the administration would not like to see the tax cuts for the top 2% renewed--altho he would not guarantee a presidential veto, if they were. The Senate is always a problem--especially when Evan Bayh, Kent Conrad and others have professed they would like to see the tax cuts for the top 2% renewed.

[WI_DEM]

15. Actually the middle class are keeping their tax cuts, the decision is to only go after the tax cuts

for the wealthy.

[Raine1967]

2. Am I missing something here?

Please forgive my naivete. Aren't these simply set to expire?

Why is this being made into such an issue?

[flpoljunkie]

4. The R's are making them an issue, to wit, 'The Dems are going to raise your taxes!'

Have you not seen the Fred Thompson ads on the teevee hawking the website 'renewthetaxcuts?' Notice they pointedly do not say, 'renewtheBushtaxcuts?'

[Cosmocat]

5. IF the Ds get on top of it ...

the Rs are in a BAD corner ...

Gotta call them the BUSH tax cuts every single time, and gotta connect the fact that it will take BORROWING to legislate further tax cuts for the rich ...

But, the Ds getting ahead of it is iffy at best ...

[Raine1967]

6. Yes, I have, and this is what is kinda making me irritated.

people need to do better at getting that message out, instead of letting the repubs do the messaging.


Maybe it's more the media that is trying to make this an issue.

This should be a NON issue. BUSH was the one who designated these to expire.

[madmom]

7. Ok what I don't get here is why are they not screaming at the top of their lungs how without

the bush tax cuts our deficit (you know that other thing they keep harping on)would be all put gone by now. THAT is the correlation they must make!

http://clinton4.nara.gov/WH/new/html/Fri_Dec_29_151111_2000.html

[joe black]

8. Because there's only one party.

[SunsetDreams]

10. Not true.

[SunsetDreams]

9. The 3 Dems who want to extend ALL Bush Taxcuts are Conrad, Bayh, and Nelson

[flpoljunkie]

12. I think we can safely add Blanche Lincoln to that list, as well.

[27inCali]

11. this means they have a strategy ready

for using this issue to attack the GOP and give the Dems some populist mojo. What better than a big, bitter argument where the GOP are tripping all over themselves to defend the rich just the before the election?

[flpoljunkie]

13. I certainly cannot think of anything better!

[WI_DEM]

14. This is good strategy as long as the Dems don't allow the GOP to get away with the "they are raising

taxes" argument. It will show that the GOP will fight for tax cuts for the rich while they opposed unemployment extensions for the jobless--because it wasn't paid for, we'll we're are they going to pay for these trillions in tax cuts for the rich? If the Dems play it right it's a good idea to make it a central issue.