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RegisterObama urges Democrats to support tax cut deal
Obama urges Democrats to support tax cut deal
by TexasBlue Tue Dec 07, 2010 4:57 pm
Obama urges Democrats to support tax cut deal
Catalina Camia and David Jackson
USA Today
Dec. 7, 2010
WASHINGTON — President Obama on Tuesday defended the deal he reached with Republicans on extending a broad range of expiring tax cuts, saying he did not want Americans to be harmed while he engages in a long-term political fight with the GOP.
Obama held a hastily arranged news conference to answer questions on the agreement struck late Monday.
Vice President Biden went to Capitol Hill to sell the agreement to Democrats who played no part in reaching a compromise Obama said he struck because Republicans would not budge.
"The deal we struck here … gives us time to have a political battle," Obama said, adding that he was unwilling to see millions of Americans "immediately damaged at a time when the economy is about to recover."
Many in Obama's party, who wanted the focus on poor and middle-class families, lashed out at the agreement that would extend Bush-era tax cuts expiring this year for all income levels, including the wealthy.
"Republicans have held the middle class hostage for provisions that benefit only the wealthiest 3%, do not create jobs and add tens of billions of dollars to the deficit," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said in a statement.
Pelosi said discussions with the president and the Democratic caucus will continue in the days ahead.
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, vowed to filibuster the deal. His colleague, Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, said the plan was "unconscionable."
Seeking to mollify angry Democrats, Obama vowed to fight further extensions of tax cuts for the wealthy when they expire in two years under the proposal being considered by Congress.
"To my Democratic friends, what I'd suggest is let's make sure that we understand this is a long game. This is not a short game," Obama said.
Republicans wanted the cuts to be permanent. The plan would include a tax cut extension for families making more than $250,000 a year.
As part of the deal, Obama won agreement from Republicans to extend jobless benefits for 13 months.
Obama said he will pressure Republicans to pay for the cuts they want. He said the debate reminds him of the battle over the health care bill: He got a historic piece of legislation passed but was criticized for compromises in the plan.
"In order to get stuff done, we're going to have to compromise," Obama said. "This country was founded on compromise."
The deal provided the first big test of how Obama will work with Republicans after their victory in last month's election. Republicans will take control of the House of Representatives next month and narrow the Democratic majority in the Senate.
Obama said he had no choice because he did not have the votes in Congress. For Republicans, he said, "this is their holy grail, these tax cuts for the wealthy."
When asked how much the tax cuts will promote economic growth, Obama said they wouldn't provide "as significant a boost" for the economy as the stimulus bill but that wasn't needed because the economy is starting to come back.
Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., said Biden characterized the agreement as "a bad situation but a good deal."
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., emerging from a weekly lunch meeting for Republicans, said he considers the deal final and thanked Obama for "working with Republicans on a bipartisan plan to prevent a tax hike on any American and in creating incentives for economic growth."
Catalina Camia and David Jackson
USA Today
Dec. 7, 2010
WASHINGTON — President Obama on Tuesday defended the deal he reached with Republicans on extending a broad range of expiring tax cuts, saying he did not want Americans to be harmed while he engages in a long-term political fight with the GOP.
Obama held a hastily arranged news conference to answer questions on the agreement struck late Monday.
Vice President Biden went to Capitol Hill to sell the agreement to Democrats who played no part in reaching a compromise Obama said he struck because Republicans would not budge.
"The deal we struck here … gives us time to have a political battle," Obama said, adding that he was unwilling to see millions of Americans "immediately damaged at a time when the economy is about to recover."
Many in Obama's party, who wanted the focus on poor and middle-class families, lashed out at the agreement that would extend Bush-era tax cuts expiring this year for all income levels, including the wealthy.
"Republicans have held the middle class hostage for provisions that benefit only the wealthiest 3%, do not create jobs and add tens of billions of dollars to the deficit," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said in a statement.
Pelosi said discussions with the president and the Democratic caucus will continue in the days ahead.
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, vowed to filibuster the deal. His colleague, Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, said the plan was "unconscionable."
Seeking to mollify angry Democrats, Obama vowed to fight further extensions of tax cuts for the wealthy when they expire in two years under the proposal being considered by Congress.
"To my Democratic friends, what I'd suggest is let's make sure that we understand this is a long game. This is not a short game," Obama said.
Republicans wanted the cuts to be permanent. The plan would include a tax cut extension for families making more than $250,000 a year.
As part of the deal, Obama won agreement from Republicans to extend jobless benefits for 13 months.
Obama said he will pressure Republicans to pay for the cuts they want. He said the debate reminds him of the battle over the health care bill: He got a historic piece of legislation passed but was criticized for compromises in the plan.
"In order to get stuff done, we're going to have to compromise," Obama said. "This country was founded on compromise."
The deal provided the first big test of how Obama will work with Republicans after their victory in last month's election. Republicans will take control of the House of Representatives next month and narrow the Democratic majority in the Senate.
Obama said he had no choice because he did not have the votes in Congress. For Republicans, he said, "this is their holy grail, these tax cuts for the wealthy."
When asked how much the tax cuts will promote economic growth, Obama said they wouldn't provide "as significant a boost" for the economy as the stimulus bill but that wasn't needed because the economy is starting to come back.
Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., said Biden characterized the agreement as "a bad situation but a good deal."
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., emerging from a weekly lunch meeting for Republicans, said he considers the deal final and thanked Obama for "working with Republicans on a bipartisan plan to prevent a tax hike on any American and in creating incentives for economic growth."
TexasBlue
Re: Obama urges Democrats to support tax cut deal
by TexasBlue Tue Dec 07, 2010 5:00 pm
"Republicans have held the middle class hostage for provisions that benefit only the wealthiest 3%, do not create jobs and add tens of billions of dollars to the deficit," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said in a statement.
That statement is about as dumb as it gets.
"To my Democratic friends, what I'd suggest is let's make sure that we understand this is a long game. This is not a short game," Obama said.
Oh. Now it's a game. Okayyyyyyyy.
"In order to get stuff done, we're going to have to compromise," Obama said. "This country was founded on compromise."
Kinda like you and your brethren compromised in the last 22 months, huh?
TexasBlue
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