Politics Plus

Republicans proved in no uncertain terms that they want to raise YOUR taxes, when they blocked the Democrats’ version of the payroll tax extension that paid for it with a tiny surtax on income over $1 million, and even blocked their own smaller extension that paid for it by firing thousands of federal workers and freezing federal salaries.  Less than half the Republicans voted for their own alternative.

The Senate held two votes on extending a payroll tax cut for more than 160 million Americans, most of whom are middle class. As expected, Republicans killed them both. What was unexpected, though, was the vote totals on the proposals.

First up was the Democratic plan, which would have kept the payroll break in place for another year, and pay for it with a slight surtax on millionaires and billionaires. A 51-member Senate majority supported the bill, but that was far short of the 60 votes needed to overcome a GOP filibuster.

It’s worth noting that one Republican, Sen. Susan Collins (R) of Maine, broke ranks and supported the Dems’ proposal. Since the economic push began in earnest in early September, Collins is the first Republican senator to vote for any Democratic jobs proposal. It didn’t affect the outcome, but given the current climate, this is what constitutes progress in 2011.

Of course, the fact that nearly every Republican senator would rather raise taxes on 160 million people, than ask millionaires and billionaires to pay a little more isn’t progress at all.

What was just as interesting was the next vote, when the Senate considered the GOP alternative, which would also keep the payroll break in place, but pay for it largely through a pay freeze on federal workers.

A Republican alternative, which would have extended the current more modest tax cut and slashed the federal payroll to pay for it, was rejected 78 to 20, with more than half of Republicans opposed.

Yep, most Republican senators opposed their own party’s legislation. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) told reporters the other day there is now “a majority sentiment” within his caucus for continuing the payroll break, but that claim is now very much in doubt… [emphasis added]

Inserted from <Washington Monthly>

On the Democratic Bill, Joe Manchin (DINO-WV) and Jon Tester (DINO-MT) betrayed workers, their party and America by goose stepping with Republicans to protect billionaires. Bernie Sanders also voted No.  Apparently Bernie is concerned about taking the money from Social Security and Medicare, but I thought this version replaced the money.  Maybe there’s something going on below my radar, here.

Only 20 Republicans voted for the Republican bill to cut payroll taxes by firing federal workers and freezing federal salaries.

Ed Schultz covered the story, interviewing Bernie Sanders [ID-VT].

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As an interesting sidelight Grover Norquist, the high holy man of the Republican Party, issued a divine proclamation that Republicans can raise YOUR taxes, because “calling not continuing a temporary tax cut a tax increase is inaccurate”.  But wait a minute!  The Bush tax cut for the super rich was a temporary tax cut, and Democrats wanted to not continue it for the top 2%.  Am I the only one who remembers Republicans, including his holiness, screaming bloody murder that this was a tax increase.  What’s the difference?  The difference is obvious, isn’t it?

Sadly this isn’t the story.  In an reply to a comment, I told Patty that I wasn’t expecting blackmail, just obstruction.  When I’m wrong, I say so. It turns out that John Boehner, aka Agent Orange, intends to hold payroll tax cuts hostage in another act of blackmail.  They want approval for the Keystone XL Pipeline! You should remember that Obama pulled the plug on it, until 2013 at the earliest.  Republican economic terrorism is back!