Pelosi won't rule out House vote on tax cuts
Washington (CNN) – A day after divided Senate Democrats had to delay a pre-election vote on renewing tax cuts due to expire at the end of the year, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Friday still didn't rule out a House vote on extending tax breaks for middle-income Americans before voters go to the polls.
"We will retain the right to proceed as we choose. We take it one day at a time," Pelosi said Friday at her weekly press conference.
Although Pelosi is still holding out the option of a vote, several senior House Democratic aides say that it's unlikely the House will take up the matter before the midterms.
One senior Democratic House aide, said, "Everything points to us not voting on it before the election, primarily because the Senate is not going to act. While no decisions have been made, I think the likelihood of it occurring before the election is slim to none."
A significant group of moderate Democrats who are in swing districts have pressed Democratic leaders for a short term extension of all the of current tax rates, including those for wealthy Americans. Many of these Democrats would prefer to delay any vote on the issue after the election. If the House voted just on the middle class tax cut extension it could give their Republican opponents the ability to argue they voted to increase taxes on some.
Vulnerable House Democrats would rather debate the issue at home and have more time to campaign than stay in Washington and allow Republicans to try to frame the debate on taxes, which is an issue where the Republican party traditionally holds an advantage.
One aide to a senior conservative House Democrat said the message to leaders has been, "Let us go home, if the Senate doesn't vote on it, we shouldn't vote on it."
Pelosi repeated her pledge Friday that those tax breaks for those making $250,000 or less won't be allowed to expire, referring to it on Friday as a "guarantee."
"America's middle class will have a tax cut. It will be done in this Congress. There is no question about that."
As Congress gets ready to wrap up business and Members go home to campaign for the midterm election, Pelosi dismissed polls showing Democrats trailing, saying of Democratic candidates, "they're doing just fine. I feel very confident."
Pelosi rejected the notion that President Barack Obama's low approval ratings would impact Democratic candidates, saying "members are clamoring to me to have the President come to their districts. There wouldn't be enough time for him to be able to respond to all of those requests."
While the Speaker downplayed her party's stepped up criticism on House GOP Leader John Boehner, she argued it doesn't begin to measure up to what the GOP has trained on her. "I don't think you could in any way compare it to the money that is being spent on the ads across the country personally attacking me."
From CNN Politics
- 'Wrong things can be changed': Justice Sotomayor speaks on disillusionment
- 10 Cards Charging 0% Interest Until 2024
- Untitled
- Trump appeals court ruling lifting executive privilege shield for former aides
- Credit Suisse's efforts to resolve DOJ probe complicated by bank's fall
- Kentucky GOP overrides governor's veto of youth gender-affirming care ban
She is scared she will have to ride off into the sunset on her broom. Hope that is what happens to this power hogging woman.
She is pretty committed to the destruction of the country, so she may go ahead and do it. I hope she does so the Democrat liberals can't hide their vote before the election. Only 4 more months until this farce ends and these libs crawl back under their slimy rocks.
The Senate has the last word on that, and it will never fly in the Senate, unless the Senators get their tax breaks also.
I am not happy watching deadbeat Dem's capitulating to the Republicans or being too afraid to stand-up for their constituents. We need to balance the budget. The middle class can't afford to rollback to pre-recession tax rates. The wealthiest 2% can.
The TRUTH is that the majority of the very wealthy do NOT pay their fair share or pay NO income tax at all. Why? Because they pay big $ to write thousands of sheisty loopholes into the tax law so they can evade and even zero-out to not even pay a penny in taxes. Meanwhile the middle-class stuck on corporate payrolls are left to pay the rest because we get no loopholes or special perks like the rich do.
Oh please, please, please... stand up for what you believe in democrats and have some courage! BTW comments about Pelosi "power hogging woman" and references to her "broom" are blatantly sexist. You should be ashamed and manage to make your point without using such ignorant and offensive language.
I find the Republican/Teabagger comments hilarious.. kinda. They have no knowledge of the facts or issues & can only sling ridiculous slurs. They also prefer to chant meaningless nonsense, judge others but not themselves & apply their own convenient mis- interpretations to both the Constitution & Bible. When their errors are pointed out, they decry the people who actually know what they're talking about as "unAmerican" or "antiChristian". Actually, they can't even make up their own juvenile slurs – they just mimick things they've heard. Where'd they hear them? From their politicians who don't operate on facts & seem to be proud that they are completely ignorant. Just think, they actually want to vote in the guys who proudly don't know a darn thing & who are responsible for the mess this country's in. One would almost think this was all one big Monty Python skit & it would be hilarious except that it's true & the destruction that they wrought on this country from 2000-2008 is going to multiply tenfold when they gain power again. Please people, I implore you. Please start using your brains.
gutless... she wont do anythiing.... and " rome burns"....
Don't fear... VOTE! The middle class portion only! You can address the other part after the election!
"We will retain the right to proceed as we choose", Defiant right up until the boot hits her ass in November! This is the mentality of a core group that truly believe that this is their government and their money to run and spend as they see fit. Ladies and gentlemen I give you arrogance at it purest form!
even you dems know you need to get rid of nancy harry and the other 10 year plus dems, you all know they are as much at least to blame as bush, and even more than Obama, they are each more money and power hungry than any of the rich you all talk so bad about. they all skip out on their own taxes. use your brains and vote for real people vote tea party
So Nancy, how does it feel knowing you're going to have a lot more free time come January 2011?
By the way, how's the investment in Smylex coming along?
The old bag wants to get her last economy-destroying digs in before she is unceremoniously thrown out of the speaker position. Never vote democrats into power again.
So Boehner is "unhappy" with "personal" smears. The Republican Party has been ruthless when it comes to smearing Nancy Pelosi. She has more brains in her little finger that Palin, Bachman, Brewer, McDonnel and Angel put together. The Repubs can't stand that she's speaker of the House and we have a Democrat President. And all of you sexist males should learn some respect.
So I posted at 4:49 that Pelosi is a witch and should ride off on a broom. Aren't I the funniest poster you ever read.
I am so full of myself with insults. But I don't want your pity, I just want you to vote against libtards, Rinos, moderates, gays, marxists, socialist, envornmentalists, jews, arabs, muslims, aethists, buddhists and every one who is not a young white male with a small member
Let me ask you Scorched Earth Politics, how much of America's middle class pays income tax and at what percentage? How much of that 2% rich (over 250K?)that you want to tax more already pays the lions share of our tax revenues? How many people come to our Nation illegally and suck on our social services programs that are paid for with our tax dollars? You libtard's are great about spending someone else's hard earned money, while expanding government and costing us all more in the process. Balanced budget? Are you serious? Democrats couldn't balance a balance, oh wait I know Bill Clinton blah blah blah...surplus blah blah blah, how about 9/11 Bill Clinton, Kosovo Bill Clinton, NAFTA Bill Clinton, banking and finance deregulation Bill Clinton, Clinton laid the foundation, George Bush poured the concrete and Barrack Obama has tripled down and built a Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac high-rise, debt that is.
She is afraid she is going to be just a "member" of congress and the speaker. I coudl care less about her, I just care how my rep votes and both of my sens since they are the ones who should be work for my interests and of my state.
As our former President once said, you fool me once shame you, you fool me twice, shame on you again.