Democrats have finally decided to do what has been so freakin’ obvious all along. They are going to hold a vote in the lame duck session on cutting taxes on income up to $250,000.
Steny Hoyer, the number two in the House Dem leadership, told Democrats at a caucus meeting this morning that they would get to vote this year on just extending the Bush tax cuts for the middle class, a senior Dem aide tells me, signaling support for a confrontational move towards the GOP that liberals have been pushing.
Asked if Democrats would definitely get a chance to hold this vote, the senior aide responded: “Definitely.”
Hoyer’s declaration comes as Democrats have been debating the way forward on the Bush tax cuts, and another aide tells me that “more than half” of the Dem caucus supports this course of action.
Yes, dare Republicans and bitter Blue Dogs to vote against cutting taxes for everyone (the rich also benefit from these tax cuts). If they vote no, bludgeon them with their vote to raise taxes. Hopefully Democrats will have a back-up plan if this vote fails (it very well might). This will only work if Democrats have the necessary follow-through.
*A notochord is a primitive backbone. In chordate embryos, it forms first and transforms into the spinal chord.