The Obama White House made a big push a few months ago to box Republicans in on the Bush tax cuts. It didn't work, and now Republicans are attempting to do it to Obama.
Quite frankly, the netroots missed a major opportunity a few months ago to help put the GOP into a box on the issue, and is now playing catch up when the WH has less leverage on the issue than it did a few months ago.
The Obama administration made a big push a few months ago on making the middle class tax cuts permanent and letting the ones on the rich expire. And yes, it was a big push. They had surrogates out there, the first white board video Austan Goolsbee did, POTUS hammered the message everyday for awhile there, etc. The WH was trying to box Congressional GOP in (GOP holding tax cuts for middle class hostage). It didn't work, since many Democrats in tough districts had voted w/ the president on the stimulus, HCR and/or ACES, needed some issue on which to distance themselves from Obama. (It's not like some of those guys who took tough votes were getting much help from progressives.) So the administration's big push didn't work, when some Congressional Democrats decided late summer/early fall to postpone the vote on the Bush tax cuts.
Now Congressional Republicans are trying to box Obama in.
During the 2008 campaign, Obama promised that he wouldn't raise taxes on anyone earning less than $250k. If Obama gets a temporary extension of all Bush tax cuts on his desk and doesn't sign it, he'll get accused of breaking his promise on taxes in 2012. And it's something independent fact-checking sites will rate as true, and it'll resonate with many middle class voters.
People here follow politics differently than most voters, but one of the underreported stories in 2008 was that the Obama campaign neutralizedthe issue of taxes. They ran millions in ads during the general election, and neutralizing the issue gave the Obama campaign space to attack McCain on other issues that would resonate with voters who often base their votes in part on taxes.
The WH is on the right side of this issue, but is losing that battle with Congress right now. Axelrod's comments were an acknowledgement of that.
So what should you do about it?
Via RenaRF, some folks you might want to contact if you live in his/her state:
Here's your target list:
Ben Nelson
Washington, D.C.
720 Hart Senate Office Building
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
Tel: 1-202-224-6551
Fax: 1-202-228-0012
Via ABC's The Note:
"“I support extending all of the expiring tax cuts until Nebraska’s and the nation’s economy is in better shape, and perhaps longer, because raising taxes in a weak economy could impair recovery."
Blanche Lincoln
Washington D.C. Office
355 Dirksen Senate Building
Washington, DC 20510-0404
Phone: (202)224-4843
Fax: (202)228-1371
Via The Boston Herald:
Arkansas Sen. Blanche Lincoln said Monday she may propose extending the Bush-era tax cuts to wealthier Americans, as well as the middle-class tax cuts that President Barack Obama and Democratic leaders in Washington want to maintain.
Kent Conrad
530 Hart Senate Office Building
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510-3403
Phone: (202) 224-2043
Fax: (202) 224-7776
Via ABC News:
“I think the President’s remarks are constructive, as you know I proposed some weeks ago that we extend all the tax cuts for a period of time until we are able to fundamentally reform the tax system,” he said. “Because that is what is required in part here along with spending reductions. Both are going to have to be done if we are going to get out of this deep hole.”
Evan Bayh
131 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-5623
(202) 228-1377 fax
Via NASDAQ
Moderate Democratic Sen. Evan Bayh (D., Ind.) endorsed a compromise solution of extending all the Bush-era tax cuts for two years and then allowing them to expire, becoming the second Senate lawmaker to back the plan this week.
Joe Lieberman
Washington DC Office
706 Hart Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
202.224.4041 (Voice)
202.224.9750 (Fax)
Via Politico:
Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) broke with the Obama administration message on the Bush tax cuts Monday, calling for an extension of all breaks — including those for the top 3 percent of American money earners.
Also worth checking out - Kos' post about the favorable/unfavorable ratings of Senators running for re-election in 2012. I've edited the list to include only the Democrats:
Senator Approval Spread
Amy Klobuchar (D) 53/32 +21
Jeff Bingaman (D) 50/34 +16
Daniel Akaka (D) 49/35 +14
Dianne Feinstein (D) 50/37 +13
Tom Carper (D) 45/36 +9
Kirsten Gillibrand (D) 42/37 +5
Maria Cantwell (D) 44/41 +3
Bill Nelson (D) 37/35 +2
Herb Kohl (D) 41/40 +1
Bob Casey (D) 36/40 -4
Sherrod Brown (D) 31/40 -9
Debbie Stabenow (D) 38/50 -12
Claire McCaskill (D) 40/53 -13
Joe Lieberman (I) 33/54 -21
Amy Kobuchar
Washington, DC
302 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
phone: 202-224-3244
fax: 202-228-2186
Klobuchar has indicated "that Democrats may compromise by extending the tax cuts for a year or two, or limiting the expiration to households earning more than $1 million."
Jeff Bingaman
703 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-5521
TDD: (202) 224-1792
Tollfree (in NM): 1-800-443-8658
Bingaman spokesperson Jude McCartin said congressional leaders might decide to temporarily extend tax cuts for all income levels, then revisit the issue in the new Congress, which convenes in January.
Bob Casey
Washington D.C.
393 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: (202) 224-6324
Toll Free: (866) 802-2833
Fax: (202) 228-0604
Casey has said that he's "very open" to extending the Bush tax cuts.
Claire McCaskill
Hart Senate Office Building, Ste. 717
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone 202-224-6154
Fax 202-228-6326
Claire McCaskill says she is willing to compromise on the cuts for the top two percent of wage earners.