This is going to be a short diary because I'm pretty pissed at the punting of this issue and I just want to throw one counterpoint out there to one of the biggest pieces of BULLSHIT that's going around now:
That it will somehow be easier to pass the Middle Class Tax Cuts AFTER the election in a lame duck session.
Seems many Blue Dogs balked at forcing a middle-class-only tax cut bill because they said it would leave them vulnerable to attack ads about "raising taxes."
It's complete and utter bullshit to think that anything one does or does NOT do will inoculate them against Republican attack ads. After all, Republicans could convince the public that little kittens are really evil, godless, socio-fascist dictators with Hitler mustaches.
It's mostly just a sign of an abuse victim so viciously beaten over the course of years that the abuser no longer needs to actually raise his fist anymore, just the bear mention of it will do just fine. The Blue Dogs simply say, "well, may be next time will be different."
But let's say we make it to the elections. It's November 3rd and the GOP just took the house and now we're in a lame duck session.
Does anyone remember this from a month or two ago?
That's Boehner threatening the Dems not to pass anything during the lame duck session and is there ANY reason to think that Fox News, radio, and the rest of the right wing hate machine won't kick into high gear to message against passing a middle-class-only tax break?
Really? Are they that stupid? They somehow think Boehner, Fox News, etc will somehow not exist after the elections?
Think of those ads about Dems "ramming this down America's throat", etc. In fact, they'll be even MORE aggressive because they just cleaned up on election night.
NO FUCKING WAY THIS IS ANY EASIER OR MORE LIKELY TO SUCCEED AFTER NOVEMBER!
Clearly, the only reason blue dogs and "moderates" killed this vote is not because it has any electoral advantage or will somehow have a better chance to succeed after the election. It's because they actually WANT the tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans.
The best chance to actually pass the middle-class-only bill was right now, BEFORE the damn election when the GOP has to at least pretend to care about the middle class.
I swear, these blue dogs and "centrists" are like republican moles and they couldn't have planned it any better.
It's clear that the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy will NEVER be allowed to expire.
It's up to Obama now to veto ANY extension that includes them, EVEN if that means raising everyone else's taxes too. The fiscal health of our country depends on it.