Gridlock: House Dems Refuse Tax Deal, Senate Shelves DREAM Act And Rejects DADT Repeal

Liberty Juice ^ | 12/10/2010 | Chris Bounds

[ChrisBoundsTX]

Congress finds itself in gridlock as the House and Senate attempt to push through last minute bills before the break.

As I reported on Wednesday the tax deal President Obama struck with Republicans is meeting stiff resistance with some Democrats. Today a Democrat caucus voted down the tax deal. The vote was non-binding, but it sent a loud message to Obama that they wanted nothing to do with the deal. It is still unclear if Pelosi will allow the tax deal to be brought to the floor for debate. From The Hill:

"The House Democratic Caucus on Thursday rejected the tax deal negotiated between the White House and Senate Republicans."

"The non-binding vote of the caucus held during a closed-door meeting puts tremendous pressure on House leaders to win changes to a proposal the White House has presented as a “take it or leave it” package."

"House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) issued a brief statement after the vote indicating that lower-chamber Democrats will fight to alter the bill."

“We will continue discussions with the President and our Democratic and Republican colleagues in the days ahead to improve the proposal before it comes to the House floor for a vote,” Pelosi said.

“Democratic priorities remain clear: to provide a tax cut for working families, to create jobs and economic growth, to assist millions of our fellow Americans who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own, and to do this in a fiscally sound way.”

The Senate has been busy trying to clear its schedule as well. Senate Democrats shelved the DREAM Act a day after the House passed it. Harry Reid could not muster the 60 votes needed to pull off his prized amnesty bill.

"The Senate moved Thursday to delay a politically charged showdown vote on legislation carving out a path to legal status for foreign-born youngsters brought to this country illegally, putting off but probably not preventing the measure’s demise."

"Facing GOP objections, Democrats put aside the so-called Dream Act and said they’d try again to advance it before year’s end. They’re short of the 60 votes needed to do so, however, and critics in both parties quickly said they won’t change their minds in the waning days of the Democratic-controlled Congress."

The Senate also failed to get 60 votes necessary to move a defense bill forward that included the repeal of President Clinton’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. The motion died with a final vote of 57 – 40.

"The Senate on Thursday dealt a severe blow to the repeal of the “Don’t ask, don’t tell” law, dimming the chances for the Clinton-era ban to be scrapped this year."

"Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) failed to garner the necessary 60 votes for a procedural motion to start considering the 2011 defense authorization bill, which contains a provision to repeal the ban on openly gay people serving in the military. The final vote was 57-40."

America, the loud and clear message you sent to politicians last November is making an impact. Despite the Democrat majority in Congress, you have struck a fear in enough politicians (Democrats specifically) to cause them to second guess the advancement of the Reid / Pelosi / Obama liberal agenda.

Amnesty bill (aka the DREAM Act) – dead. DADT repeal – dead. Tax cut extensions for all Americans – dead before but now pending. The game is not over yet. Keep up the pressure on holdouts that will vote no on the tax cut extension for all Americans, which will stick you with the largest tax increase in history in 2011.

Here is a list of the holdouts, courtesy of The Hill:

Firm No — Republicans (1)

Rep. Jeff Flake (Ariz.) — Flake told The Daily Caller that he has major concerns about the size of the package.

Firm No — Democrats (61)

Earl Blumenauer (Ore.)

Judy Chu (Calif.)

Yvette Clarke (N.Y.)

James Clyburn (S.C.) — The Majority whip is a firm no.

Steve Cohen (Tenn.)

John Conyers (Mich.) — Judiciary Committee chairman has been outspoken against the deal.

Elijah Cummings (Md.)

Danny Davis (Ill.)

Peter DeFazio (Ore.) — DeFazio is not shy in bucking White House; he opposed the stimulus.

Bill Delahunt (Mass.) — Retiring from Congress.

Donna Edwards (Md.)

Keith Ellison (Minn.)

Anna Eshoo (Calif.) — Close friend of the Speaker.

Sam Farr (Calif.)

Bob Filner (Calif.) — One of several chairmen who will vote no.

Barney Frank (Mass.) — The Massachusetts lawmaker said on MSNBC Dec. 8 he “won’t vote for it,” but believes the deal will pass.

John Garamendi (Calif.)

Alan Grayson (Fla.)

Raúl Grijalva (Ariz.) — Progressive leader in the House.

Luis Gutierrez (Ill.) — This Illinois lawmaker has criticized Obama throughout 111th Congress.

Alcee Hastings (Fla.)

Martin Heinrich (N.M.)

Maurice Hinchey (N.Y.)

Rush Holt (N.J.)

Jay Inslee (Wash.)

Jessie Jackson Jr. (Ill.)

Sheila Jackson Lee (Texas)

Paul Kanjorski (Pa.)

Dennis Kucinich (Ohio) — A darling of the left, Kucinich voted yes on healthcare, but will vote no on taxes.

Barbara Lee (Calif.) — CBC chairwoman a firm no.

John Lewis (Ga.)

Ben Luján (N.M.)

Stephen Lynch (Mass.) — Voted no on healthcare despite intense lobbying from White House.

Doris Matsui (Calif.)

Betty McCollum (Minn.)

Jim McDermott (Wash.)

Jim McGovern (Mass.)

Michael Michaud (Maine) — Has been outspoken against Obama’s efforts on trade.

Jim Moran (Va.)

Jim Oberstar (Minn.) — Another chairman who will vote no.

John Olver (Mass.)

Chellie Pingree (Maine)

Earl Pomeroy (N.D.) — One of the most conservative Dems on this list.

David Price (N.C.)

Tim Ryan (Ohio)

Linda Sanchez (Calif.)

Jan Schakowsky (Ill.)

Kurt Schrader (Ore.)

Carol Shea-Porter (N.H.)

Adam Smith (Wash.)

Jackie Speier (Calif.)

Pete Stark (Calif.) — One of many California Dems who will vote no.

Betty Sutton (Ohio)

Bennie Thompson (Miss.) — Thompson chairs the Homeland Security Committee.

Mike Thompson (Calif.)

Paul Tonko (N.Y.)

Anthony Weiner (N.Y.)

Peter Welch (Vt.) — Spearheaded the letter to rally House Dems to vote no.

Lynn Woolsey (Calif.) — Progressive leader in the House.

David Wu (Ore.)

John Yarmuth (Ky.)

Leaning No (5)

John Larson (D-Conn.) — Called the proposal “troubling.”

Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) — Doesn’t favor tax breaks for the wealthy.

Richard Neal (D-Mass.)

Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.) — Said this week he’s leaning no.

Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) Dem leader said on MSNBC that the estate tax provision “makes it very, very difficult for me to support [the deal] in its current form.”

[Westbrook]

Well, zipity-doo-dah!

[pnh102]

Let it be known that the Democrat party insists on raising taxes during a depression.

[FrankR]

[rednek]

Grid lock is absolutely the best thing that can happen in this country. No spending, no taxes, leave me the hell alone!....red

[dools0007world]

The only down side to this is that unless the Bush tax cuts are extended they will expire during this lame duck session of Congress. Am I correct anyone?

Otherwise gridlock is good.

[JPG]

They will expire 12/31. If the new congress in Jan is able to keep the existing taxes in place, it will move to make them all retroactive to Jan 1.

[kabar]

Both issues will resurface next week for another stand alone vote. I suspect that DADT will pass and it will be close on the Dream Act. Obama needs both to help his 2012 reelection bid. The pressure to get these approved has been enormous.

[Texas resident]

The current dimrats in congress can’t wait for the income taxes to reset to clinton era levels. They get to implement a tax hike without having to cast any votes. Add to all that the obamacare taxes that kick in on Jan 1. Plus the “stimilus” money that was going to states and cities will also dry up forcing local taxing authorities to raise their taxes. Pelosi and the rest of the lunatic dimrats are in payback mode for losing their power.

[70th Division]

I think it is pretty amazing that the Dem’s control all three houses and STILL can’t get anything done. And they blame the Republicans. LOL

[SoConPubbie]

For anyone unaware of it and still supporting John Bolton for POTUS 2012, the following is his position on DADT:

Asked about the president’s plan to repeal ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ Bolton said he is generally in favor of allowing anyone who wants to serve their country in the military to do so. “I don’t have any trouble with that [repealing ‘Don’t Ask, ‘Don’t Tell] assuming it is done in a way that is respectful of the people in the military who have great difficulty with it,” he said. “I don’t think there is any good answer to the question why shouldn’t gays and lesbians who want to serve their country be allowed to do it.”

While he told TheDC social issues “aren’t where I spend a lot of my time,” Bolton said he opposes abortion and has no problem with gay marriage – indeed, he said that gay marriage is “going to happen.” But, he added, “they are fundamentally issues to be resolved politically, primarily at the state level. And I think the notion of creating a constitutional right to abortion or a constitutional right to gay marriage is a mistake.”

[ChrisBoundsTX]

That is very true! At least with gridlock there is consistancy. However, the largest tax increase in history is still looms with action.

[Oldpuppymax]

So where are Boehner and Mitchie the Kid Mcconnell screaming at the top of their lungs about democrats wanting to raise taxes??!!! Amazing how little effect the election had on these spineless pi$$-ants, isn’t it.

[dools0007world]

Ok, thanks. I want to be sure I understand. If the Lame Duck Congress fails to extend the Bush tax cuts, the new Congress can extend or reinstaste them—retro to Jan 1st.

If this is accurate then Lame Duck Congress gridlock is, indeed, a beautiful thing.

Looks to me like the demrat agenda is materially dead and unlikely to be revived for the foreseeable future—if ever. This assumes Onada is voted out, conservatives retain or improve their House majority and conservative candidates win sufficient seats to take the majority in the Senate in 2012 election.

[The Citizen Soldier]

James Clyburn (S.C.) — The Majority whip is a firm no.

Hey Nan, payback's a bi*!h, huh?

[RikaStrom]

ping