home

"Moderate" Dems Fighting For Tax Cuts For The Rich, Oppose Tax Cuts For The Middle Class

McClatchy:

[A] small but growing number of moderate Democrats are balking at boosting taxes on the rich. [. . .] "The economy is very weak right now. Raising taxes will lower consumer demand at a time when we want people putting more money into the economy," said Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., who isn't seeking re-election.

[. . .] Rep. Gerald Connolly, D-Va., represents the northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, one of the nation's wealthiest districts. [. . .] "Sometimes we forget how we became the majority. We did it by winning some affluent districts," he said.

Bayh, Ben Nelson of Nebraska and Kent Conrad of North Dakota — have signaled that they won't back a permanent repeal of the tax cuts for the wealthy. [. . .]

(Emphasis supplied.) the article operates from an erroneous premise - that legislation is need to sunset the Bush tax cuts for the rich. Actually, doing nothing causes that to happen. However, to give a tax cut for working Americans, new legislation is necessary. So what Evan Bayh, Kent Conrad, Ben Nelson and Gerald Connolly are saying is that they will OPPOSE TAX CUTS FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS unless there are also tax cuts for the rich. Well, if that's what they want to do - OPPOSE TAX CUTS FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS, more power to them. But progressives and the President do not have to play along with them. Put it to a vote and let Evan Bayh, Ben Nelson, Kent Conrad and Gerald Connolly explain that they OPPOSED TAX CUTS FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS because their rich friends did not get a tax cut too.

Speaking for me only

< Liberals Are Dumb Too, Part 2 | Cuz What Dems Are Doing Is Working So Well >
  • The Online Magazine with Liberal coverage of crime-related political and injustice news

  • Contribute To TalkLeft


  • Display: Sort:
    I think what I lose if and when (5.00 / 1) (#1)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Sep 02, 2010 at 11:00:39 AM EST
    the tax cuts sunset is the "fairer" exemption for married filing jointly.  At this point, I let it go.  They are talking about cutting into Social Security and Veterans benefits and so many things that I cannot pay for when those people NEED.  If the deficit is such a problem take my damned exemption then for God's sake.  The country can't go on like this.  I can do without my exemption but I can't make do with veterans not getting what they need and I can't make do with people who will have to die on the job as a Walmart greeter either.  I'm so sick of the insanity.

    If the middle class (5.00 / 3) (#3)
    by MO Blue on Thu Sep 02, 2010 at 11:15:52 AM EST
    gets to keep their tax cuts, they should be happy to have all necessary domestic services cut or eliminated to allow the rich to keep their tax cuts too. Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. :-)

    Now now (5.00 / 1) (#6)
    by cawaltz on Thu Sep 02, 2010 at 05:25:58 PM EST
    You're going all idealistic again. Isn't the new motto supposed to be "Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the best we can do without having to worry that the GOP will call us names or actually require some sort of deliberate argument(which would make us appear uncivil)?"

    I'm pretty sure it ain't "good" anymore and I don't think it actually even qualifies for the substitution of okay if you actually adhere to platform principles traditionally held by Democrats.

    Parent

    I thought or read (5.00 / 1) (#4)
    by Makarov on Thu Sep 02, 2010 at 12:12:20 PM EST
    somewhere a couple months ago that Pelosi et al had a September strategy for Democrats - put up a bill re-instating middle and lower income tax cuts, while letting the cuts on the highest bracket expire.

    This would give Republicans the opportunity to vote against a middle class tax cut.

    In PA Senate news, Sestak has begun airing a new ad, the first I've seen since the primaries in May. It is very good, in my opinion. For his sake, I hope he has more planned showing just how wacky Toomey is:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ujPSgdLrms

    Gotta love Connolly (none / 0) (#2)
    by gyrfalcon on Thu Sep 02, 2010 at 11:01:01 AM EST
    "Sometimes we forget how we became the majority. We did it by winning some affluent districts."  I think that's what's called a Kinsley gaffe.

    Negotiating with ourselves (none / 0) (#5)
    by Demi Moaned on Thu Sep 02, 2010 at 05:01:20 PM EST
    So what Evan Bayh, Kent Conrad, Ben Nelson and Gerald Connolly are saying is that they will OPPOSE TAX CUTS FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS  unless there are also tax cuts for the rich.

    How much you wanna bet that the Senate leadership brings forward a bill with tax cuts for the rich because otherwise we don't have 60 votes?

    So what can we, we unterbussen, do about this? (none / 0) (#7)
    by jawbone on Thu Sep 02, 2010 at 06:06:51 PM EST
    If only we'd picked up on that cool new party name!

    Seriously, what will impact Obama or the Congressional Dems? Or both???

    We know Obama does not like liberals and lefties--and the modern Dems are indebted to the Monied Class for their big campaign donations.

    We know Obama thinks all the good ideas for the couple decades preceding 2008 came from Republicans, and that he honors St. Ronnie. Not going to see much liberalism from this nominal Dem prez.

    What can we do?

    I suggested a national week or month of De-Registration from the Democratic Party. (Re-register as an indie; send copy to the DNC.) One poster at Firedog thought it was a great idea. No one else.

    How do we make them listen?