Congressional Negotiators Agree to Extend Some Tax Cuts for 2 Years

[papau]

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBER1APXWD.html

Congressional Negotiators Agree to Extend Some Tax Cuts for 2 Years
By Mary Dalrymple The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) - House and Senate negotiators have agreed to extend for two more years President Bush's tax cuts for wage earners, parents and married couples, but lawmakers said Wednesday the deal did not have the support of the White House, which wanted a longer extension.

President Bush had asked Congress to act this week, before Republicans and Democrats leave for the presidential nominating conventions, and prevent the tax cuts from expiring at the end of the year. <snip>

The White House, however, had asked lawmakers to extend the tax cuts for five years. Sen. Max Baucus of Montana, the top Democrat on the Senate's tax writing committee, said Wednesday, "the White House is still opposed" to the two-year extension. <snip>

Negotiators did not agree to a request by some moderate senators to prevent the tax cuts from worsening federal budget deficits. A small group of Republican and Democratic senators had asked negotiators to offset the cost of the tax cuts by capturing more money for the U.S. Treasury by closing tax shelters and loopholes. <snip>

[Frodo]

1. LOL! We're GIVING IT TO THEM???

It would be better to make it permanent than THIS!

Take the more popular portions of his tax cuts and ensure that they come up for a life or death vote every two years??? Giving them a campaign issue where we are constantly trying to "raise taxes on working familes" while they get ongoing credit for a cut?


It's like the debt limit. We get to "reauthorize" raising the debt ceiling right around each of the elections so we can draw attention to how bad Bush has made things.


Why give them the issue?

Or was the negotiation purely between the Republican majorities in each house?

[papau]

2. Budget law temp tax changes are majority vote - we can not stop

these from happening.

[Frodo]

3. We can't even filibuster it?

How about just comnig out in favor of making the popular ones permanent!?!? Then they HAVE to pass them.

Anything but a guranteed issue next time.

[papau]

4. Kerry can promise permanent for the 3popular ideas as part of his platform

We can do an ineffective "filibuster" - since budget debate is closed via 51 votes, the GOP has no problem.

besides Bush wants Permanent - and gets temp - so Kerry can promise permanent for the 3 popular ideas as part of his platform