My daughter hates to do her chores. Last week, she got it into her head that it wasn’t fair that she had to set the table so she decided that she wasn’t going to do anything else until we gave her a better job. A few minutes of sitting in time out changed her mind pretty quickly.
Maybe some members of Congress need a time out.
Irritated about the tax cut controversy, Senate Republicans promised today to do absolutely nothing until Congress approves extensions on “all American taxpayers.” That leaves zero room for compromise.
It also means no action on the AMT – or any other issue.
I think we all agree that questions about extending the tax cuts have gone on for far too long. But really Congress? Stomping your feet and running away? That’s your answer?
Now, Tax Girl. Let’s take a look at the letter, shall we? It states that Republican Senators will not vote to “proceed to any legislative item until the Senate has acted to fund the government and we have prevented the tax increase that is currently awaiting all American taxpayers.” Why? Because on December 18 the government runs out of money unless Congress passes a continuing resolution or an omnibus appropriations bill. And on January 1 everyones taxes will go up. Republicans are saying that’s important stuff. So important that the Senate ought to be addressing these priorities now. Not Asian Carp Prevention and Control which ia what’s on the schedule. Bear in mind this is a 2-3 week lame duck session with about 100 Members who won’t be returning in January. The kind of session that convenes to clean up must-do items.
If your interpretation is that this is a statement of position, well yes, 42 Republicans are on record supporting the extension of all the Bush tax cuts – that includes the AMT, by the way. That position is no different than at least 8 Democratic Senators by the way which is why the Democratic leadership hasn’t brought up the issue for two years. So if your wondering why we’re watching this circus and decorating Christmas trees at the same time, blame the majority which failed to move this legislation and fund the government during the first 11 months of the year.
Fair enough re the letter but I also listened to the comments. It is a “no compromise” position. That’s crazy.
I understand lame duck sessions. And I am equally critical of both parties’ positions in this matter. There is no reason for it to come to this.
I agree that this shouldn’t be a marathon sprint to satisfy special interests. But this can happen in pieces. AMT relief could be passed today if they worked at it. But they won’t. Both parties are holding it hostage over the extensions. Extending the Bush tax cuts won’t solve the AMT dilemma.
You are right on Taxgirl! Why do the Republicans get to act like spoiled children on this issue? The reason nothing has been resolved is because Republicans will not compromise!!! There is no reason in the world to extend tax cuts to the rich. If it creates so many jobs, then why have 10yrs of these cuts left us with the highest unemployment rate since Reagan was in charge?
I agree that the republicans are acting like spoiled brats but c’mon a family making $250,000 a year is not wealthy – at least not in the metro NY area where I happen to live. I wouldn’t be opposed to raising taxes on families who earn over $1 million but beneath that is just absurd.
Tax Girl: We are now only 30 days from the end of the year. Any idea of what withholding taxes will do if congress doesn’t get something finished up? Our first payroll in 2011 is January 5th. I don’t want people to get a big shock when they get their first paycheck in 2011.
Republicans do not want to repeat the George H W Bush mantra of “Read my lips…” so they will not agree to anything that smacks of a tax increase. They might feel they would have betrayed the voters if they did. I agree that this situation is unfortunate and that compromise is necessary both to go on and to help with the deficit. All of us bear responsibility to our country as a contract. The country takes care of you and you take care of the country, not necessarily in that order. That concept requires all of us to bear the burdens and accept the benefits of living in a society that accepts and receives good governance. While we can argue that our government is not “good,” you ought to try Guatemala or Nepal as examples. The extraordinary expenses that have gotten us to this point include two wars without a tax increase and a bailout/stimulus that may have saved us from a depression. My own personal opinion is that we owe something to all of us for those expenses.
I think the Republicans should get credit on the letter not blame. The Congress has put off action for too long. Remember the Senate could have passed the Bush tax cuts before the election and chose the the irresponsible course of not doing it. For crying out loud they even had the votes at one point. Now the shoe is on the other foot. The tax cuts and the authorization bill must come first. How long the tax cuts are extended is another matter and there probably is room for discussion there. The era of irresponsible government has to come to an end.
Everyone thought it was such a GOOD IDEA to vote all Republicans into Control…NOW…How does it look People?
They forget…the party one affiliates with does not necessarily denote the amount of corruption, or apathy, within the Representatives MIND
The first step to stopping ‘irresponsible’ government is to stop spending on tax cuts for the rich, and stop holding everyone else’s money hostage to do it. Remember, the first $250k of AGI will be exempt, let’s not confuse that with gross earnings. I am tired of the scare tactics used to justify these cuts. Where is the evidence that those that system favors the most “trickle it down” to us? Every time we have gone that route, it has ended badly, with recessions, high unemployment, etc. It’s time to be responsible and pay back all of the Republican deficit spending that got us here, and the ones who benefited the most should give the most. The rest of us have nothing to give!
With all this talk about raising taxes, you’d almost forget that the tax cuts were supposed to be temporary. Do people freak out when their coupon expires, or when a sale ends? Geez.
“The era of irresponsible government has to come to an end.”
Do you call it “responsible” to conduct two wars off budget and to create a large entitlement like Medicare Part D without any funding?!!?
Even if you are opposed to the extension of medical insurance benefits under Obama and a Democratic Congress, at least they made certain it would be paid for and include a surplus to decrease the deficit. I call that “responsible.”
Republicans will not offer responsible government – just a government insensitive to the poor and middle class and favoring the wealthy and corporations as usual.