(Community Matters) I’m gonna get over it but we’re making a colossal mistake. My hope now rests with Congressional Democrats to stop this lunacy. Over the last 10 years, Republicans have perfected saying one thing and doing another. They slashed taxes during a time of war and engaged in deceptive accounting by keeping war costs off budget turning surpluses into the largest deficit since WWII.
Now, we’re complicit, knowingly extending tax cuts for the wealthiest – projected to cost $700B over the next ten years. We know it is fiscal lunacy, but, we’re agreeing to it.
Isn’t it worth it worth a compromise to preserve tax cuts for the middle class? extend unemployment benefits? allow the Senate to move forward on the repeal of Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell and ratification of the START treaty?
False choices: Just because Congressional Republicans threaten to logjam the Senate doesn’t mean we have to join them in Enron accounting. It is their choice to vote for or against the extension of middle class tax cuts, tax cuts for the wealthiest, extend unemployment benefits, Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell repeal and the START treaty. If they hold up all legislation – their choice and Republicans will be on record.
It’s the Republican’s right to filibuster (for now anyhow – we darn sure better revise these rules in January. If we don’t, they will at their first chance). And, following the House’s passage of an extension of the middle class tax cuts, Harry Reid should have brought that to the floor for a vote. If 42 Republicans choose to filibuster, then we should have insisted they filibuster – from now until they assume control on Jan 3 – standing & speaking 24/7 in the well of the Senate, no bath room breaks, no Senate holidays.
What about the unemployed? We should have proposed a bill extending these benefits and if the Republicans wouldn’t interrupt their filibuster, then Americans would see them favoring tax cuts for the richest Americans (the vast majority who aren’t in support) in lieu of aiding the most in need. By the way, it’s a complete farce that taxes on the wealthiest would seriously impact small businesses. It impacts very few. (capital gains taxes is another issue but could be dealt with separately).
But DA/DT? There’s no guarantee it’s happening even if we do pass the tax cut extension. And, I don’t support spending $700B for its repeal. If Congress can’t do it, the courts will. I know, I’m risking my gay card here but millions of more Americans (including many more LGBT Americans) will be impacted by our economy than by the unconstitutional policy which will eventually be overturned.
Furthermore, I believe even the new Congress with a Republican House & a stronger Senate minority would extend middle class tax cuts, unemployment benefits, and ratify START. They couldn’t withstand the popular uprising against the first two and eventually would be shamed for playing politics with such an important national security matter (START). And, frankly, START is way down my list relative to economic threats to American families.
The estate tax exemption reinstituted for up to $5mm? I’m glad that’s being passed. It’s a modest exemption which makes sense for families. But, again, it is not worth $700B over the next 10 years.
I don’t think I’ve ever been as disappointed in our party as I am right now. Until today, we had right on our side, if not in popular opinion. Now, we’ve been rolled – again – expecting this’ll usher in an era of cooperation – that’s a laugh. Just watch and see – Rush Limbaugh pronounced their objective very early on – President Obama’s failure at all costs (even at the expense of our citizens).
I’m not holding my breath for Congressional Democrats to save us from ourselves but Nancy Pelosi has surprised us during this Congress. I’m hoping she and many other courageous Democrats will surprise us again. If they don’t – oh well, at least my taxes aren’t going up after all.
Community Matters 