They tried to make them permanent each year, and each year enough of the republicans in the senate balked to KEEP it from happening.
The leadership hoped that as they got closer to expiring, they could build pressure to extend them, but that obviously did not work out for them.
My point was that senate republicans BLOCKED the extension of the tax cuts, and the democrats were lock-step against them.
Expect to see most of the middle-class tax cuts made permanent, and the rest to expire.
I expect a limited death tax change exempting the first couple of million dollars, with special exceptions for farmers and family business that don't sell out.
I expect to see the highest tax rate pushed back up, or at least they will try.
I hear what you are saying. The Republicians in the senate HAD the opportunity to make the Tax Cuts Permanent, but chose not too.
And now they are in the minority.
Just like the sham Fence Bill. They voted to build it but did not fully fund it.
And as a result, it will not be built. Why didn't they fully fund it?
"Expect to see most of the middle-class tax cuts made permanent"
Pelosi already said they've got to be paid for,
and remember how hard Clinton tried to
find 'middle-class' tax cuts.