Legal Commentary

How Dems Can Lose The Fight For Middle Class Tax Cuts

By Big Tent Democrat

TPM reports on Dem ineptitude:

A senior House leadership aide says[:} "We shouldn't force his hand, we should let the Republicans dangle out there with their divisions exposed and keep hammering them on holding middle class tax cuts hostage for $700 billion in debt-financed tax cuts for the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans [. . .] You don't need a vote in the House to say the party is blocking tax relief for the middle class - you can just point and say, 'Look! Senate Republicans blocked it,'" the aide said.

This is, of course, all kinds of stupid, and a ruse. The "senior Dem aide" (I'll bet dollars to donuts a Hoyer aide) is floating this to see how it will play in order to protect Blue Dog Dems who do not want to vote against a middle class tax cut and who may be just stupid enough to do it. Well the balloon went over like lead:

Whopper of a late update: Another senior leadership aide called TPM about an hour after this post was published to say that leadership is still considering all of its options, including a vote after all. [. . .] "We may have a vote anyway to get people on the record," the aide said. "There are a number of leaders who would like a vote even if the Senate is not able to get to 60 votes. It's good for us, it shows we're for the middle class, they are for the rich."

Gee, you think? Of course, Steny Hoyer's Blue Dog friends may line up with Republicans. Their choice and their consequences.

Speaking for me only

Full post as published by TalkLeft on September 13, 2010 (boomark / email).