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| By William Warren |
The Senate reconvened and resumed post-cloture consideration of the motion to proceed to S. 2237, Senate Democrats’ small business bill. Votes on amendments to S. 2237 are possible today if Reid doesn’t fill the tree to block amendments.
Yesterday, the Senate voted 80-14 to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed (i.e. agreed to take up) to S. 2237. Also yesterday the Senate voted 94-2 to confirm Jon Tomas Fowlkes, Jr. to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Tennessee.
This morning, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell asked consent to vote on President Obama’s plan to raise taxes on small businesses and a Republican plan to extend current tax rates for all Americans, but Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) objected
McConnell said, “Earlier this week, President Obama reiterated his long-standing desire to raise taxes on small businesses earning over $250,000 a year. I and all of my Republican colleagues oppose this tax hike for the same reason the President opposed it two years ago — because raising taxes would only make a bad economy worse. But here it comes again, like a bad penny, the liberal crusade for more government, regardless of the circumstances, the impact it would have on working Americans, or the broader economy.”
He asked for two votes, “One on the President’s proposal to raise taxes on nearly one million business owners in the middle of the worst economic recovery in modern times, and one that would extend current income tax rates for one year and task the Finance Committee to produce a bill that would enact fundamental, pro-growth tax reform. The Senate should make itself clear which policy it supports. This is our chance to do it. On Monday, the president said if the Senate passes this tax hike on small businesses, he would sign it right away. That's what he said Monday, two days ago. I can't see why our friends on the other side wouldn't want to give him the chance.”
But Reid objected and strangely accused Republicans of filibustering the current bill on the floor simply by offering these amendments.
The AP headline already out says it all: “Democrats block Senate vote on Obama tax plan.” The Hill adds, “Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Wednesday rejected a Republican request to vote on President Obama’s income tax plan amid defections within his caucus on tax policy. . . . Senate Democratic leaders are worried about potential defections within their caucus on taxes. At least seven Democratic senators have declined to rule out supporting a temporary extension of the Bush-era income tax rates. Several Senate Democrats running for reelection and Democratic Senate candidates have balked at Obama’s proposal to extend income tax rates only for families earning below $250,000.”
Following Reid’s objection, McConnell responded, “Let me simplify this for everybody. The president on Monday asked that we have the vote that I’ve just offered to the majority. We have a clear contrast here, 41 straight months of unemployment over 8 percent. If this is a recovery, it’s the most tepid recovery in modern times. The President’s solution to that is to raise taxes on about a million small business owners representing about 53 percent of small business income and up to 25 percent of the work force. . . . And so my recommendation is we give the President what he asked for. He wants to have a vote on raising taxes, on individuals making over $250,000 year which, of course, includes almost a million small businesses that pay taxes as individuals, not as corporations, either S corps or LLC’s. The most successful small businesses in America, in fact. That's a vote we welcome. It's a vote the President's asking for. It's a vote I just asked for. . . . Why not have those votes today? And that's what my consent agreement was about. I'm a little surprised that we're not willing to give the President what he asked for, which is a vote on a clear distinction for the American people. So they can understand how the two sides look at this important issue.”
The House reconvened and today U.S. Representatives are scheduled to vote on H.R. 6079 to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and health care-related provisions in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010." In other words: to repeal Obamacare. After the recent Supreme Court decision, this vote on repeal may be one of the most important. At least 245 Representatives support the full repeal of Obamacare, and a dozen more appear to be getting pressure from their constituents to switch their votes to support full repeal. A decisive victory in the House puts pressure on the Senate to vote on full repeal.
And as noted above, Harry Reid doesn’t want votes on tax issues and he definitely doesn't want a vote on repealing Obamacare. Reid and other democrat leaders do not want his democrat colleagues to be on the record supporting President Obama and opposing the will of the public. It is again election year and Reid fears losing his control of the Senate as Rep. Pelosi did lost control in 2010. To be on record supporting the massive tax increase on the taxpayers and on the record supporting the permanent continuance and implementation of ObamaCare will result in the wrath of voters. So, Reid plan is to continue to duck, cover and issue two simple words "I object" in hopes that enough American voters are not paying attention so that may retain control over the Senate.
For conservatives who do not have a U.S. Senate race in your state, please consider helping those in other states to defeat progressive democrats and thereby working to remove control of the U,S, Senate by Harry Reid. It only takes a net change in of 4 Senate seats in favor of the Republicans to accomplish this task. Obviously a larger number of gains would be better.
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