Sen. Chuck Schumer (Jason Reed/Reuters)
The House Republicans are
mulling the idea of tackling the expiring Bush tax cuts during the regular legislative session, and before the elections instead of waiting until the post-election lame duck session, when any number of budget-type deals are expected to be made. For some reason, Republicans seem to think that showing repeatedly that they will fight to the end to protect the tax cuts of millionaires is a good thing for them politically.
Senate Democrats apparently agree, at least that there should be voting on at least one tax proposal, and lots of it.
Senate Democrats are teeing up a vote on the “Buffett Rule” legislation on the eve of Tax Day, and are pledging to push the issue all year as a defining contrast between the parties ahead of the election. [...]
“We’re going to continue pushing this issue all year long. It’s an emerging contrast with Republicans,” said No. 3 Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer (NY) on a conference call with reporters Thursday. He said Dems intend to hammer the fact that Republicans want to give even bigger tax cuts to high earners while forcing the middle class to hold the bag.
The Buffett Rule, you'll remember, would require anyone making over $1 million annually to pay at least 30 percent of their income in taxes.
Greg Sargent was also on the call and noted that Schumer made sure to point out that "Mitt Romney personally benefits from the current tax code that the Buffett rule would undo—and that this would make it politically harder for GOPers to maintain opposition." Republicans have thus far had no trouble maintaining opposition to a more equitable tax code, but it could indeed get harder for them with Mitt "Moneybags" as their standard-bearer.
Democrats could have a trifecta on income inequality this election: 1) Mitt Romney as the nominee; 2) repeated Republican filibusters of the Buffett Rule; and 3) the Republican budget, which gives the wealthy the most lenient tax rate since the Hoover administration. It's a fight they can win, so let's hope Schumer means it when he says it'll be the fight the make.