Key House Republican Vows To Block Middle Class Tax Cuts If Rich Aren’t Given Their Fair Share

One of the key votes that will take place during the lame duck congressional session that began yesterday is what to do with the Bush tax cuts. President Obama and congressional Democrats want to extend the cuts for just middle class families, noting that extending the cuts for the richest two percent of Americans will add $830 billion to deficit over the next ten years. Republicans demand an extension of all the cuts, but have so far failed to put forward any convincing (or truthful) arguments explaining why giving the wealthiest Americans another tax break is the best use of almost a trillion dollars while the nation faces painful cuts to valuable government programs.

Today, a compromise emerged, which would split the issue into two votes — one for extending the tax cuts for the middle class, and another for the rich.

But as soon as the potential deal was floated by White House allies, a leading Republicans shot it down. Rep. Dave Camp (R-MI), who plays a key role in GOP tax policy as the ranking member on the House Ways and Means Committee, which handles taxes, “said the GOP will block any proposal that extends tax cuts for the middle class for a longer period than those for the wealthy.” If Democrats insist on a longer period for the middle class cuts, “I think this issue will end up getting kicked into next year,” Camp said:

In a speech to the Tax Council, a business group, Mr. Camp called that plan “a terrible idea and a total nonstarter. We would be foolish to fall for it,” he said.

Appearing on Fox News host Sean Hannity’s radio show today, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) struck a similar tone, saying, “There’s only one thing that’s acceptable and that’s to not raise taxes on anyone.” “We’re not going to go along with…splitting it into two different sets of Americans”:

http://thinkprogress.org/2010/11/16/camp-no-compromise/

The cuts expire on 12-31-2010. What's the right going to do, pass another tax cut for the wealthy next year?

Please speak slowly, clearly and with simple terminology when you explain to the American people that 98% will have their taxes increased because the (R) majority in Congress insisted on extending tax cuts for the wealthiest 2%, even though they haven't contributed to the economy or job growth, but mightily to the GOP.

relevant?

Math makes them irrelevant in the lame duck session.

There are more than 250 Democrats in the House through the date the tax cuts expire, and they need about 220 votes to pass a tax cut. Not a single Republican vote is needed.