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].
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
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!
21 Responses to “Republicans Blocked Payroll Tax Cuts”
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PROTECT THYSELF: “nuff said http://www.opensecrets.org/pfds/overview.php
Mark, I hope you know why that went to moderation. It certainly was a lot of targets to blank before breakfast. 😉
Good info!
But Grover said it was alright because it does nothing to protect the wealthy. God forbid they pay more!
Very close.
Make them work through the capitalist holiday! There aren’t many christians there anyway – or at least in the true sense of the belief system – let’s teach grover some new tricks like “play dead”!
LOL!
Few of these Asses have any idea what is means to earn an honest living– they have the best , most cushy jobs possible — hope all those bennys make up for selling out the Country and it’s people- who do work for a living— I am only one person- but I hold Boehner , and crew in absolute contempt– They have sold their souls to Grover Norquist– who in the hell is this person anyway — that he has so much power ??
He represents $$$
First the GOP and a few DINOs block the Democrat’s plan and then, for an unknown reason, a bunch of GOP vote with the Dems and block the GOP plan. What the hell is this all about? Is the Republican/Teabagger group trying to confuse things and mess with Democrat heads, or is it as TC says “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!”
Obama — ” . . . pass payroll tax cut extension or stay through Christmas.” Let them work for a change.
The sooner that the Republican/Teabaggers are put out to pasture and out of our misery, the sooner things that mean something to the average American can get done.
What a wonderful sentiment!
They’re not against taxes only against taxes for the 1% of which they’re included.
That’s EXACTLY right! And Jonathan Chait agrees with you 100%:
I’m with Nameless. Right on, Blue!
Continuing to prove Republicans are wrong (and they are) is doing nothing to help Americans. Continuing to settle for (and support) Obama’s conservative (Republican like) agenda is hurting America. He is not the progressive we need now, yet the Democratic National Party offers no alternative to the President. “Chicken Shit” is definition of Obama’s dealings with the Republicans.
I disagree. There are plenty of people who don’t have this information. I hope you get over your bitterness.
It’s not bitterness to be expecting a real liberal, progressive from the Democratic party. I understand your comment, since Obama seems to have satisfied you completely as a political leader. To claim I’m bitter because I have a different opinion about the way you choose to “frame” the opposition, is weak intellectual discussion.To claim I’m bitter because I expect Democrats to be Democrats, is just another version of don’t complain about Obama. Good luck with your messiah.
Boy did you misread that or what? That’s not why I suggested you are bitter. You put me down when you said that the work I’m doing in proving how much worse Republicans are is not helping America. I did not take offense, because I recognized that your intent was not to attack me. You were striking out blindly, and that vitriol is what I recognized as bitterness, both from the volunteer work I do and from having overcome a big bitterness problem myself. Saying that I hope you get over your bitterness was not a way of saying don’t complain. It was an honest expression of concern for a friend over several years.
You know very well that Obama has not completely satisfied me as a political leader, as you have seen me say he was wrong several times. That was striking out again. I’m practical enough to recognize that, thirteen months from now, either Obama or a Republican will be President, and there’s nothing you or I can do to change that. With all his problems, I prefer Obama.
Stating that Obama is my Messiah is yet another personal insult. That has to stop, my friend.
My previous reply
It is not bitterness.
That’s an insult to me
I replied as such
It was no insult, Tom. Responding out of concern for you is anything but an insult.
It is not bitterness to expect better of people. It is my disgust with their actions. You misread me, and I don’t need the incorrect arm chair psychology.
Whatever you say.