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Monday, September 13, 2010

Mitch McConnell to Obama - No Compromise on Tax Hikes

This is interesting. President Alinsky Obama officially made House Minority Leader John Boehner his target in this campaign season. He wants the voters to fear the man with the tan. John Boehner then came out and said he'd be willing to go along with a bill raising taxes on the rich, while leaving tax cuts for the middle class in place, if that what his only option.



Senator Mitch McConnell, the Senate Minority Leader, has thrown a monkey wrench into matters. McConnell is hardly an ultra conservative, but in this case, he's indicating there will be no compromise.

Reuters: In a political gambit, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell proposed a freeze on all tax brackets, insisting that cuts for wealthier Americans, as well as for the middle class,must be kept in place.

"I'm introducing legislation today that ensures that no one in this country will pay higher income taxes next year than they are right now," McConnell said on the Senate floor.

With control of the Senate, Democrats should be able to dictate whether there is a vote on the tax question ahead of the election but it is far from clear if they have enough party unity on the issue. McConnell may be hoping for enough defectors to bring his measure to the floor.

If Congress fails to take any action on the tax cuts enacted for all Americans under George W. Bush, Obama's

Republican predecessor, then they will expire at the end of this year.

Positions are so deeply entrenched and the risks so high for both sides that lawmakers may opt to put the issue on hold until after the election.
What's Obama to do now? He's chosen his target, honed in on it, and now this? Will he have two targets? Won't that be less effective? I'd love to be a fly on the wall in the White House right now.

This is a risky move on the part of McConnell, and he's never struck me as one to take big risks. I think it's worth it, though. There are at least a few Democrats who are well aware that raising taxes on anybody during a recession will hurt an already fragile economy.

Let's just hope this gamble pays off for Senator McConnell, the economy and the American people.

Hey, whoever said politics was boring?

Cross posted from The Lonely Conservative

©2007-2012copyrightMaggie M. Thornton