By the time the voting was done. Sen Harry Reid efforts were defeated as Democrats joined Republican to defeat the show votes. The first amendment, offered by Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT), which would have raised taxes on those making over $250,000 per year, failed by a vote of 53-36. The second, offered by Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), would have raised taxes on those making over $1 million per year and failed by a vote of 53-37.
Neither of the Democrat plans was able to garner 60 votes and both had bipartisan opposition. The first plan, offered by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT), would have raised taxes on Americans making over $250,000 per year. All Republicans and 5 Democrats voted against it. The second plan, offered by Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and based mainly on “focus-group and polling data,” would have raised taxes on Americans making over $1 million per year. Again, all Republicans and 5 Democrats voted against it. In fact, according to The New York Times, even the White House opposed Schumer’s plan.
Democrat Sen. Ben Nelson also understood what was going on today. The NYT reports, “Senator Ben Nelson, Democrat of Nebraska, who supports a temporary extension of the tax rates at all income levels, criticized his own party’s leaders for dithering. ‘The truth is, it’s widely believed that neither has the votes to pass,’ Mr. Nelson said of the two proposals Democrats are bringing to a vote. ‘When the dust settles Saturday we’ll probably see no tax cuts for any Americans.’ he said.”
And it’s unfortunate that this is where Congress finds itself with less than a month to go before taxes go up on every American. Following the votes today, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell expressed his frustration with the political show put on by Democrats. “Today's votes were an affront to the millions of Americans who are struggling to find work and a clear signal that Democrats in Congress still haven't gotten the message of the November elections,” he said. “Two years of out-of-control spending and big-government policies have led to record deficits and debt, chronic unemployment, and deep uncertainty about our nation's fiscal future. Meaningless show-votes and anti-business rhetoric won't do anything to make the situation better.”
Sen. McConnell concluded, “There is strong bipartisan opposition to these attempts to raise taxes on small businesses across the country. Americans don't want political posturing; they want jobs. Today’s votes were the clearest signal yet that Democrats in Congress do not take our nation's jobs crisis seriously.”
Newly elected Republican Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) who now fills the seat previously occupied by President Barack Obama gave a vary different message in the weekly Republican address than being offered by the Obama administration and Senate Democratic leadership. In his remarks, he said,
“Last month, the American people sent a clear message to Washington: spend less, borrow less and tax less to put America back to work. . . .It’s long past time for Democrats to get serious, stop playing political games, and work with Republicans to prevent taxes from going up on Americans in the midst of a recession come January.
“Unfortunately, too many in Washington want to continue the reckless tax and spend policies of the past. They ignore the warning signs of more debt, taxes and inflation. They embrace wasteful government spending and pork-barrel earmarks. And they think a new massive tax hike on the U.S. economy is exactly what the American people need.
“The current leaders of Congress should not move forward with plans that were just rejected by the American people. These leaders should not raise taxes and risk another recession. Instead, Congress should reduce spending and prevent another tax hike on American taxpayers.
“Americans already pay some of the highest taxes in the world. By raising taxes in order to fuel higher spending, we threaten to restart the recession, pushing millions of Americans out of work. . . .
“Americans already pay some of the highest taxes in the world. By raising taxes in order to fuel higher spending, we threaten to restart the recession, pushing millions of Americans out of work.
“Right now, families and small business owners are scratching their heads asking one simple question – what will my tax rate be next month? Taxpayers don’t know what their personal income tax rates will be come January 1st.
“Family business employers don’t know what the death tax will be. Investors and small businesses don’t know what the capital gains rate will be. Their uncertainty hurts our economy. It’s unfair and short-sighted. . . .
Spend less, borrow less and tax less to put America back to work. That’s what we heard from the American people last month – and that’s what we should expect from our leaders today.
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