In 10 days, if Congress does nothing, taxes will go up for everyone including the middle class.
Since the Senate has already passed a bill that will extend the Bush tax cuts for the 1st $250,000 of income and the President has indicated that he would sign such a bill, all it would take to avoid the middle class tax increase would be for Speaker Boehner to bring the Senate Bill to the floor for a vote. Since it is supported by the Democrats, and the Republicans are on record indicating that they oppose increasing taxes (including tax increases for the middle class) there is no doubt in my mind that this bill would pass the House if Speaker Boehner either voluntarily (or was forced by the discharge petition) to allow the House to vote on this Bill.
However, due to the Republican Party playing politics (otherwise known as hostage taking), Speaker Boehner is refusing to allow a vote on the Senate bill unless it is accompanied by additional tax cuts for the wealthy and draconian spending cuts. This action (and the refusal of Republicans to sign Nancy Pelosi's discharge petition) means taxes will increase for everyone on January 1st unless Speaker Boehner changes his mind and brings the Senate bill to the floor (or some other sort of agreement is reached).
Because it is the Republicans who are refusing to allow a vote on a bill that would pass overwhelmingly, we need to make sure that if everyone's taxes go up on January 1st that the Republicans take responsibility for it. (Remember they are the party of personal responsibility).
To help make sure that middle class and working class voters in this country know who is responsible for their taxes going up on January 1st, I suggest that we name the change in the tax rates for the middle class occurring due to the expiration of the Bush tax cuts THE REPUBLICAN MIDDLE CLASS TAX INCREASE.
The Republicans have been very effective in getting the media to use descriptive phrases that are favorable to the Republican viewpoint (i.e. right to work, pro-life). I am suggesting that we do the same. If we can get the pundits and democratic leaders to describe the change in the tax rates on January 1st as THE REPUBLICAN MIDDLE CLASS TAX INCREASE it will make sure that the American people know who to blame.
And if the Republicans are not happy with the idea of THE REPUBLICAN MIDDLE CLASS TAX INCREASE going into effect on January 1st all they need to do is insist that Speaker Boehner allow a vote on the Senate Bill, sign the Pelosi Discharge Petition, or come to some other reasonable agreement with the Democrats.
