What happens if Democrats hold the line on no extensions for the wealthy?

[jpgray]

By this I mean a bill is drafted for middle class tax cuts extensions alone, and our party makes a determined effort to pass it, pulling out all stops. This would entail suffering through a filibuster, ramping up the rhetoric at every opportunity, excoriating the GOP for holding the middle class hostage to millionaires, etc. If we made that effort, and allowed for nothing else, what would happen, do you think? If no tax cuts are extended as a result, what would the fallout be? Is this sort of broad party action impossible, do you think?

[librechik]

1. I will be proud and they would be earning my vote

Thank you Steny--I'll take back everything bad I said about you if you can pull this off!

[Uzybone]

18. this has nothing to do with Steny

there are no filibusters in the House.

The level of ignorance on this site doesn't bode well for the level of ignorance among the so called uninformed public.

[librechik]

24. Hoyer is writing the proposal for the House on the tax bill

tax breaks for incomes less that $250,000

[Uzybone]

27. Yes I know, the House will do its part while still in D hands

the problem is and has been the damn Senate and its stupid 60 votes rule.

[Uzybone]

28. Yes I know, the House will do its part while still in D hands

the problem is and has been the damn Senate and its stupid 60 votes rule.

[librechik]

29. you're right, the Senate is the problem

I wish it and it's silly slave-owning era rules would just disappear--we don't need that kind of bureaucracy in the 21st century.

[polichick]

2. It would be great for the party and the people. nt

[Democrats_win]

3. They'd need to work real hard--not just George W. Bush hard.

Obama should get on TV and tell Americans to call their Congress person to vote for the tax cuts. He should explain that the wealthy have had a tax holiday for 10 years and it produced exactly zero jobs. No more free rides for the wealthy. Besides, shouldn't the wealthy be paying for the mistakes of the Bush presidency?

[FBaggins]

4. We would lose.

The "held hostage" line would work for a few weeks (with no election to take advantage of it)... then they would pass a new bill and the president would either sign it (ending the value of the "held hostage" claims) or he would veto it (shifting the conversation to a new hostage-taker).

Unless you mean by "hold the line" that democrats stick together throughout the process rather than losing several who are running scared... but that's not going to happen.

[Ozymanithrax]

5. Then tax cuts for the middle class and poor will expire midnight ...

on New years eve.

And Republicans in the House will dance with joy and pass a massive tax cut bill before the end of January.

[WCGreen]

7. Yep!

And the Democans in the Senate will vote for it in a New York Minute...

[Ozymanithrax]

14. At least those 20 who are facing re-election in 2012...

This is politics.

[stevenleser]

19. Not to mention we don't get any unemployment extension...

and those people would be eating their leather shoes.

[Ozymanithrax]

21. There will be no extension of unemployment benefits even if

Republicans get their extension of tax cuts.

Allowing such a vote would be bad for them. You see, to Republicans, even letting a vote come up for a bill is a vote for the bill in their eyes, even if they vote against it in a straight up or down vote. To the, the 2012 election is already ongoing, and every vote they take will be aimed at winning the Senate and the Presidency. To do that, they must encourage the poor to eat their shoes.

Of course, all my shoes are plastic or rubber, so I do not have that option.

[robinlynne]

6. I see that as the only possible strategy anyway. That is what they MUST do.

if they want to keep Ds next to their names.

[bluethruandthru]

8. This would go a long way to help repair the dems image.

Then they need to kick the catfood commission to the curb.

[Kdillard]

9. That would require Dems being on the same page so not going to happen.

[yodermon]

10. Democrats & Obama would be accused of Raising Everyone's Taxes. Full stop. n/t

[Old Codger]

13. No matter

If they do not do this now they will probably allow a temporary 2 year extension which will put them back in the same sinking boat next cycle.. they are in a lose lose situation unless they stand up for what is right and do it now.... but probably not....

[subterranean]

22. They will be accused of that no matter what.

A majority of Americans already believe Obama raised their taxes even though he lowered them.

[FiveGoodMen]

11. People will be skiing in Hell.

[Parker CA]

12. There's a link in LBN that says Hoyer is putting this up for a vote Thursday. Just middle-class cuts

and nothing else.

I think I read yesterday that bc of the way the bill is being introduced it will require 2/3 vote for passage, so it's unlikely it will pass, but it's going to be interesting to see what happens.

ETA link: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4637384

[Enrique]

15. the deficit would go down A LOT

which would cause the economy to improve similar to how it improved after Clinton raised taxes to the same level.

[harun]

30. +1.

[BlueJac]

16. Is this post a joke on us..........

the deals are being made right now. Obama will extend all tax cuts past the 2012 election. He will lose for just making this deal alone, not counting the many others the are the change we couldn't believe in!

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

17. They would have absolutely not problem turning out their base and many Independents in 2012.

If they hold the line, let them expire, draft new legislation in 2012 directed at middle class tax cuts and DARE the Republicans to block the measure, the Republicans are done. If they play their cards right. If they fight. If they get the message out to the American people that Bill Clinton's tax policies worked for this country, the Democrats will WIN!! More importantly, it shows that they care more about people and less about the wealthiest of Americans who don't need another damn tax cut.

[DrToast]

20. Here's what happens

All the tax cuts expire at the end of the year.

Then, next year the Republicans can pass tax cuts that are even more favorable to the wealthy. Most likely enough Democrats will cave in the Senate to pass such legislation. So Obama can either decide to sign it or veto it. Either way he's screwed.

If it manages to get held up in the Senate, then Republicans will hammer Democrats for blocking tax cuts.

And if you think the Democrats can manage to win that argument, where have you been the last two years?

[wiggs]

23. If they did all that AND controlled the messaging so that goprs don't

mislead half the nation...benefits would be substantial. It is such an easy case to make, but dems have been known for not making it easy. They should have started a year ago:

...the Bush tax cuts were temporary

...The Bush temporary tax cuts were made explicitly in the context of a budget surplus, which doesn't exist anymore. We are deficit spending and we have to keep tax cuts that are necessary and practical and allow those that aren't to expire.

...Tax cuts for the wealthy are not stimulative

...The wealthy benefit more from the commons and should pay more (legal, educational, physical, cyber commons).

...A return to a top rate 3% higher is not all of a sudden socialism.

...this is a time of low unemployment, extremely high income inequality, record corporate profits, dropping wage earning power, disappearing middle class...and the republicans want to shift the tax burden away from those who have benefitted most???

Lack of dem messaging and action is very frustrating and has been since 2001.

[craigmatic]

25. They go ahead and let this issue die now so the repubs can't use the issue later.

[chimpymustgo]

26. HELL will FREEZE OVER.