Welcome to your weekend open thread. Do you have interesting plans for the weekend? I’m going into downtown Newark. I. Can’t decide whether parking will be nightmarish or just hellish. Anything else on your mind?
Senator Robert Menedez has gotten Republicans’ underwear in a twist.
He accused the Republicans of holding middle class tax cuts “hostage” to tax cuts for the wealthy. That’s a common Democratic line, but Menendez took the analogy a step further.
Asked if Democrats have a responsibility to move forward with a bill that can become law – in other words, a bill Republicans will support and not block– here’s what Menendez said:
“Do you allow yourself to be held hostage and get something done for the sake of getting something done, when in fact it might be perverse in its ultimate results? It’s almost like the question of do you negotiate with terrorists.”
I expect this to go on Faux News rotation 24/7 since we all know the worst political crime there is hurting a Republican’s feelings. On the other hand, modifying tape to get someone fired (Breitbart) means you get hired by ABC News.
All Senate Republicans voted to raise taxes today. Please repeat this often.
Democratic measures to extend tax cuts for most Americans, but not additional low rates for the wealthiest, failed in the U.S. Senate Saturday, as Republicans and some Democrats blocked the proposals.
The two Democratic plans to renew low tax rates for individual income up to $200,000 and up to $1 million both failed in procedural votes, as Republicans argued that low tax rates for the wealthiest should also be extended.
A deal between Democrats and Republicans to allow amendments to extend the tax cuts for all incomes was scuttled by Jim DeMint (who refused to allow unanimous consent). DeMint doesn’t want anything that possibly looks like a win for Obama to occur. A few Democrats voted with the Republicans: Feingold (who wants them all to expire), Webb, Ben Nelson, Manchin, and Lieberman voted no on extension up to $250,000. On the second vote to extend up to incomes of $1M Manchin, Nelson and Webb switched their votes to yes but Feingold, Rockefeller, Harkin, lieberman and Durbin voted. Both got majorities of 53 votes, but in Senate math that means it failed.