***HEADS UP*** House debate and vote(s) on tax deal. ***LIVE NOW***

[jefferson_dem]

LIVE VIDEO HERE - http://www.c-span.org/Live-Video/C-SPAN/

The best summary of the procedings is (believe it or not) provided by NRO.

Democrats Craft Possible Fix to Tax Deal Standoff

By Robert Costa & Daniel Foster

December 16, 2010 5:51 P.M. Moments ago, House Rules Committee chair Louise Slaughter (D., N.Y.) told reporters “we are going to put an extra vote in” to the rule governing debate on the tax deal.

House Democrats say there will likely be a total of four votes tonight related to the tax bill:

1) A vote to amend the existing rule to include a simple up-or-down vote on the tax deal.

2) A vote on the rule itself

3) A vote on the Pomeroy amendment, which would increase estate tax rates from the levels in the Senate bill.

4) A vote on final passage of the bill.

If 1-4 all pass, the bill would go to the Senate, where it is likely dead in the water. If the Pomeroy amendment fails, and the Senate version of the bill is passed unchanged, it would go directly to the president’s desk.

The situation is very fluid, and the Democrats are even as we speak introducing the rule on the House floor.

Stay tuned.

UPDATE: The Democrats have introduced their new rule, and in a floor exchange between Rules Committee chair Slaughter and ranking member Rep. David Dreier (R., Calif.), its contours have been confirmed as reported above.

“There is very little change,” Slaughter told Dreier of the Democrats’ strategy. ”We may, or may not, ask for the ability to have a separate vote” on final passage. Slaughter said that under the previous rule, the failure of the Pomeroy amendment would have prompted a separate up-or-down vote on the tax bill, whereas the success of Pomeroy would have deemed the bill passed in toto.

“There were many members who felt they needed that extra vote,” Slaughter said. ”We are simply adding as a precaution…an ability to have that up-or-down vote regardless” of the fate of Pomeroy.

Presumably, the new rule gives the Democrats the votes they need to proceed

http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/255509/breaking-democrats-craft-possible-fix-tax-deal-standoff-robert-costa

[jefferson_dem]

1. Slaughter to Ask for Separate Vote on Tax Cuts to Appease Liberals

Slaughter to Ask for Separate Vote on Tax Cuts to Appease Liberals
By Kathleen Hunter and Anna Palmer

Roll Call Staff
3 minutes ago

House Democratic leaders have settled on a strategy to try to quell rebellion in their ranks that has stalled their plans to bring a tax cut bill to the floor.

http://www.rollcall.com/news/-201607-1.html

[Clio the Leo]

2. lol, sometimes, I think we have the same brain....

.... should be fun.

:popcorn:

[jefferson_dem]

3. Saw that.

You---> :hug: <---Me

:popcorn: it is.

[Clio the Leo]

5. awww nt

[jefferson_dem]

7. A: When you can't decide which will make more entertaining television viewing - CSPAN or CSPAN2.

Q: How do you know when you're a certfiable political junkie (i.e. you have no "life")?

[lamp_shade]

8. That would be me. I'll get in line.

[polmaven]

4. Just can't watch...

My head may explode! Can't watch Big Ed either until he moves on to anther subject.

[Clio the Leo]

6. Oh, you know the great peanut head will find something else to bloviate about.

[jefferson_dem]

9. The final vote on passage will take place around midnight tonight.

It's likely to be a vote on the Senate version, with proposed amendments failing.

[jefferson_dem]

10. House moves forward with Obama tax deal

House moves forward with Obama tax deal

The House is slogging toward a vote on a bill to temporarily extend tax cuts and jobless benefits.

Consideration of the rules for floor debate was delayed for several hours as House Democrats tried to work out disagreements over a provision on estate taxes.

The $858 billion measure would add to the deficit. President Obama has urged unhappy Democrats and Republicans to pass the measure, saying it is a compromise aimed at jump-starting the economy.

"It's either pay the ransom now or pay the ransom later," said Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Calif., lamenting the impact on the deficit. "We're going to have to swallow hard."

<SNIP>

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/onpolitics/post/2010/12/house-tax-cuts-obama-deal-/1

[jefferson_dem]

11. Item #1 passes, 230-186. Rule amended.

[philly_bob]

12. Carl Levin (D-Mich) speaks against extending billionaire tax cuts.

Also, some parliamentary confusion over allowing opponents of the bill to speak. Didn't understand it. Apparently, Republicans and Democrats are allowed to speak in favor of the compromise, but what about opponents of the bill?

Dave Camp (R-Mich) supports for compromise, including tax cuts for rich.

[philly_bob]

17. Obama compromise + Pomeroy Amendment = May be best deal possible,

given Republican intransigence.

[jefferson_dem]

13. House passes the rule for the tax cut bill, 214-201.

[Clio the Leo]

14. which, for those playing along at home, is what tripped them up earlier today.

Upset members of the Dem caucus, having been given a chance to air their grievances on the House floor, will now vote to pass the bill.

And I thank them for that.

[Clio the Leo]

15. Vote is imminent....

... in the mean time, enjoy the righteous indignation from both parties.

:popcorn:

[Clio the Leo]

16. ** Pelosi urges support for changes to estate tax....

Pelosi urges support for changes to estate tax; if that amendment wins, bill must go back to the Senate again
http://twitter.com/#!/jamiedupree/status/15614579270746112

[Clio the Leo]

18. Progressive Estate Tax amendment being voted on now. nt

[Pirate Smile]

20. The twitter is telling me the Pomeroy amendment went down.

I take it that is the Estate Tax Amendment. No access to the span at the moment.

[Clio the Leo]

21. Yes, 233-194 nt

[Clio the Leo]

19. A fair amount of crazy CSPAN callers are accusing "Dems of holding tax cuts hostage..."

.... who's pushing this notion? Fox?

Not good.

[Vicar In A Tutu]

24. Nah, that was inevitable for...

...whichever party voted more strongly against it. It will be costly in 2012, it's a purely ideological move which people are going to see as designed to screw them over financially at a time of need. That's the crux of it...people don't really want the rich extensions, but they'd rather have that and keep their own cut / benefits than be fucked over at a vulnerable time themselves. The average person sees politics in wide brush strokes, not in nuanced hues. I think that's the big misunderstanding of those who'd rather just leg everything expire. It was always a stupid idea, imperfect ad the alternative undeniably is.

[Clio the Leo]

22. Voting on final passage now. nt

[Clio the Leo]

23. Passes 277/148 .... 112 Dems voted against.

.... ok, on to the next outrage.

[flamingdem]

25. This was the biggest so far

What could be worse? It might be uphill from here.