Democrats Divided on Taxes, Issue Postponed Till After Election
According to Fox News, Senate Democrats huddled behind closed doors for one hour on Thursday trying to figure out what to do about the expiring Bush tax cuts. With no consensus emerging, Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., decided to postpone a vote until after the election.
“Democrats believe we must permanently extend tax cuts for the middle-class before they expire at the end of the year, and we will.,” Reid spkesman Jim Manley said in a written statement that blamed the GOP for the delay. “Democrats will not allow families in Nevada and across the country to suffer or be held hostage by Republicans who would rather give tax giveaways to millionaires and corporations that ship jobs overseas. We will come back in November and stay in session as long as it takes to get this done.”
Sen Chris Dodd, D-CT, told reporters, “I think there are strong views being held. I, for one, subscribe to the notion that we ought to have a vote to extend the tax cuts for those that really need them and stop those for the ones who don’t,” Dodd said, but he quickly added, “There’s a mixed view. Tax policy is not our strongest political argument with the national public. We know that. It’s a divided caucus. That’s not uncommon.”
Several Democrats advocated for a delay, saying it is the one way to ensure politics does not enter into the equation. Republicans want to extend all of the tax cuts and are poised to pounce on any bill that falls short, as well as any member who does not support their position.
One senior Senate Democratic leadership aide told Fox that Republicans bear some of the blame, as well, “It’s not as cut and dry as our people don’t want to do them. We do. But people don’t want to walk the plank if Republicans aren’t going to play ball.”
“It’s just better that we wait. Nothing has to be done before the end of the year. It’s clear, we’re not for a $4 trillion tax loss. What we want is tax extensions for the middle class,” said Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., who said earlier that she could also support a compromise that woulid temporarily extend the top two tax brackets for two years.
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