Thread: My email from John Ensign this morning about the tax cuts

ENSIGN STATEMENT ON EXPIRING TAX RATES

December 4, 2010

Washington, D.C. –Senator John Ensign today released the following statement regarding the Senate’s votes on expiring tax rates:

“Today we witnessed that political stunts are still alive and well on the floor of the United States Senate. At a time when both sides of the aisle could and should be working together to ensure that we are not raising taxes on Americans during this economic downturn, Democrats are playing games. By setting arbitrary income limits for tax relief, our nation’s job creators will be forced to suffer under increased taxes; greatly limiting their ability to create jobs for the many unemployed people across our country. The American people expressed their outrage at this kind of wasteful legislating, but their voices have fallen on deaf ears in the Senate.â€

More from the Hill on the same thing


Senate rejects million-dollar tax-cut compromise in Saturday session
By J. Taylor Rushing - 12/04/10 11:18 AM ET

United Senate Republicans joined a small handful of Democrats on Saturday to defeat a pair of proposals to extend some of the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts signed into law by President George W. Bush.

Voting nearly identically, the Senate twice failed to meet a 60-vote threshold necessary to move forward on both proposals. Meeting in a rare Saturday session after agreements fell through for a Friday vote, the results were widely expected. They were also somewhat premature, as the White House is still negotiating with congressional leaders on an alternative compromise proposal.

The first proposal by Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) would have extended the cuts only for individuals with incomes of up to $200,000 and families with incomes of up to $250,000. That failed by a vote of 53-36, with all GOP senators in opposition as well as Democrats Russ Feingold (Wis.), Joe Manchin (W.V.), Ben Nelson (Neb.) and Jim Webb (Va.).

The second proposal by Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) would have extended the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts permanently for incomes of up to $1 million, among other provisions such as a one-year extension of unemployment benefits and cuts in capital gains, estate and dividend taxes. That failed, 53-37, with Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) joining the ‘no’ votes.

Manchin said he opposed the measure to allow time for a compromise on the second proposal.

“While I have said repeatedly I prefer all the tax cuts be extended, I was open to a common sense compromise that would extend the cuts to those who make up to $1 million - or 99.9 percent of West Virginians,â€

Speaking midway through a rare Saturday morning session on tax-cut votes, Reid said he will file procedural motions on Monday to set up cloture votes on Wednesday for an impeachment proceeding against a judge and various other procedural motions including the DREAM Act. Reid said he made the decision based on agreements with McConnell.

Really,

But GOP Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) stuck to the Republican line, arguing that many millionaires are small-business owners, and that increasing their taxes will cost jobs

WOW! Really!
Guess we need to spread the word to friends and family and let them know that small business owners are millionaires. And here I always perceived small business owners as "just hanging on".

They know damn well who the real MILLIONAIRE TYCOONS ARE!