Posted on 12/16/2010 12:22:08 PM PST by Red Steel
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and her leadership team are working this afternoon to reach a solution to move forward on the tax cuts legislation after Democratic opposition to proceed on the bill forced the Democratic leadership to pull the tax cuts package from the floor.
Democratic leadership pulled the tax cuts bill from the floor after it became apparent that liberals would not vote to pass the Rule, according to a senior Democratic leadership aide.
The Democratic aide says that while the minority party never votes for rules and Democrats were not counting on Republican support to pass the rule, today it became "clear the votes weren’t quite there" from House Democrats either.
Rep. Louise Slaughter, the chairwoman of the House Rules Committee, explained the concerns raised by the majority of House Democrats, telling reporters that Democratic members were frustrated that they would not get the opportunity for a clear vote on the underlying tax cuts bill.
"This was a concurring resolution, and it's different in lots of ways, and the way this was written was if Pomeroy [amendment to change the estate tax break] passes under a concurring resolution, [the tax cuts legislation] goes right immediately back to the Senate, and there's no other vote on this bill,” Slaughter said. “A lot of our members would like another vote, chance to vote no, or yes, maybe someone. And that's the discussion."
When asked which members specifically had a problem with the way the rule was structured, Slaughter let out a hearty laugh and said, "Just about everybody, would be my best answer, including me!"
Slaughter, D-New York, said House Democrats are now devising a strategy to move forward with the bill and she planned to go over the options this afternoon with the House Parliamentarian.
Some House Democrats said that by adding $858 billion to the deficit, the House will be forced to cut spending from other programs that need the money.
“Just two weeks ago the President’s position was the same as the vast majority of the caucus,” Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. said. “We compromised and the President changed his position. We respect that. He needs to move the country forward. Our question is at what cost?”
The most vocal gripe from House Democrats is that they want to change the estate tax to levels passed by the House last year that would exempt inheritances up to $3.5 million and tax estates at a 45 percent rate.
“The White House supports the White House bill, their message has been consistent,” Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vermont, said. “We’d like to improve the bill and make it less expensive.”
Wednesday evening, Pelosi said the Pomeroy amendment would save $25 billion from being added the deficit, and would affect only 6,600 more families than the lower rate and higher exemption in the tax deal negotiated by President Obama and GOP leaders in Congress.
“We always have a continuing feast of debate in our Caucus over the subjects that seem very unfair to Members there — where we have a situation where we have a proposal before us that gives 6,600 families in America $25 billion and holds the rest of the provisions in the bill, the middle-income tax cuts, those kinds of issues hostage to that blackmail,” Pelosi said. “Think of what you could do with that $25 billion. You could address the issues that affect America’s families very directly—their health, cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, diabetes, heart disease, you name it. There is a crying need for more funding for research in those directions. We could raise a small piece of it, raise the salaries of our teachers across the country. We could create jobs. Instead, we are giving tax cuts to 6,600 families that do not create jobs, that increase the deficit, and that are unfair to the middle class.”
House Democrats are expected to meet once again this afternoon with party leadership behind closed doors in an attempt to reach a solution. Sources said the leadership is expected to resolve the hiccup over the rule and that the House will take further action on the tax cuts legislation later today.
Wonderful!
NOTE 2 or 3 hours of traffic and this stuff turns to ice every single time.
Continuing res thu mid-February ‘11...see you next year minority leader Pelousi!
I am so mad I am shaking!
Let me get this straight. We have a lame duck congress that can in fact put DADT, Dream Act, Omnibus, Tax Bill all through and put into law before a new congress comes in.
Now we spent 2 years stopping their legislation and NOW we cant do it? and we have an election behind us that proves the people dont want this. WTF is going on in our Congress.
Folks we have been duped. If you think back the last 2 years the only person that was truly fighting, using her name and getting shalacked for it has been Palin. THe R’s were silent they won because we didnt have anyone else to vote for. They are no different than Dems. Our government is against us. What is a citizen to do????? Someone smarter than me get me off the top of my tree because Im fixing to jump. SOS!!!!!! 911!!!!!
Republicans should spread an anonymous message that Pelosi has given up and shes going to adjourn tonight.
Tie it all up let nothing pass. We have fresh troups and ideas on 1/5/11’. Let her play her games and let up hope a DeMint or a Coburn in the Senate will just Fillibuster.
Translation: The Pelosi caucas doesn’t like “deem and pass” from the Senate, when it’s there bull getting gored.
Nevermind that taxation is constitutionally the responsibility of the House of Representatives.
The ONLY thing these bastards need to do during a lame duck session is provide for the military and security of this country!
Obama and the Dim leaders want a clean bill, but it appears that may not be the case. Instead of going to Obama’s desk for his signature, it goes back to the Senate or they have a joint committee to iron out the differences. If the tax extension bill has changes or the House refuses to bring it to a vote, it will stall the Dem wish list of DADT, DREAM and likely START.
"health, cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, diabetes, heart disease,"
Yea, sure thing.
More like welfare for illegals, disguised bribes for SEIU, etc.
Nutjob Nancy, the communist "witch" of the west, spinning the fairy tale of the day.
She and little bammy are coughing up the bribes to get the votes as we speak.
This will not end until the dee-cee toilet is flushed and 95% of the existing Congress is permanently GONE.
.
Best case scenario: it fails for lack of Dem support.
Keep in mind that our Calvary doesn’t arrive until January, if that’s any consolation. Meanwhile, we muddle through with the RINO’s we have, who haven’t a clue how to filabuster evidentally. A scandal. FILABUSTER!
They want us to get all excited so they lower the boom.
Wait until the boom we lower on them.
It's looking increasingly likely that they can't get these xtras passed under their original Dec. 18 cutoff date.
Gotterdamerung..."Twilight of the Gods"
Nancy, your girlfriend's waiting. 
They wanted to stay in D.C. now they can stay in D.C.
They can bunk in their offices and eat MREs for the next five days for all I care!
Every last one of them.
Pelosi lies. She could care less about what happens to the people. She only cares about how she can continue to line her pockets.
Amen. It is hard to watch Repubs cave in to welfare-state unemployment payments and cheating the heirs to estates from their rightful inheritance.
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