So much for compromise
Betsy's Page
One of the constant complaints about Congress is that they don't work together and compromise for the greater good. Well, we can see what the real definition of compromoise is for Democrats: do what we want or forget it.
The Democrats have declared that one of their top priorities is increasing the minimum wage. The Republicans oppose that, but have decided that it is too politically risky to oppose it in this election year. So, they coupled the hike in the minimum wage with a phased-in decrease in the estate tax. And now Harry Reid is trying to harness the Democrats in the Senate to oppose this bill. So much for compromise.
Some Democratic senators, including Hillary Clinton, even campaigned against the so-called death tax, but have now switched for partisan reasons.
<<< At least a dozen Democrats have campaigned in the past for reform or repeal of the estate tax, including New York's Hillary Rodham Clinton. But somehow when it comes time to be counted, they always find an excuse to vote no. Earlier this year, all but four Democrats voted to defeat repeal, saying they preferred a more modest cut. But when a compromise was offered to a top rate of 30% from today's 46%, they opposed that too. Now that the GOP has compromised one more time, Democrats are again saying no even if it means killing their allegedly prized goal of raising the minimum wage. >>>
And the roles have switched among lobbyists. Manufacturing and small business groups, which usually oppose the minimum wage, are for this bill because they support the decrease in the estate tax. But the labor unions , which traditionally love raising the minimum wage because of the echo effect on their own wages, are now against this bill. No compromise for them even if they get what they want from the compromise.
<<< Labor officials say that their opposition is a matter of economic and social justice. They also say that reduced revenue from estate tax relief could lead to cuts in federal programs for the poor, such as food stamps. >>>
Baloney. There is no effort out there to cut food stamps and if there were, the labor unions could fight that. They are just calling up a bogey man to justify their opposition.
The real reason that Harry Reid doesn't want his herd to vote in favor of this bill, or to even allow it to come to the floor for a vote is political. Strictly political.
<<< Democrats have been accusing Republicans of ignoring the plight of low-income families and have used their call for a minimum-wage increase as an effective campaign issue. Polls show that a majority of Americans favor an increase in the minimum wage. But if Congress succeeds in passing an increase as part of the larger package, that will undermine the Democrats' effort and allow the GOP to claim credit for helping low-income Americans, some Democratic aides say. >>>
There you have it in a nutshell. The Democrats would prefer to have the issue to campaign against the Republicans as a do-nothing congress that won't help the poor rather than gain a legislative victory that would take the issue off the table.
And remember that decreasing the estate tax helps families who have built up a business and only find themselves labeled rich when it is all tallied up upon the owner's death. And you should also remember that the owner already paid taxes on that money when it was first earned. The estate tax is a second tax, valid only on their death, on the same money, which is why opponents call it a death tax. Some politicians once realized this.
<<< All in all, the Senate proposal would help about 90% of the family-owned businesses in America that would otherwise get clobbered by the IRS upon the death of a loved one. As Senator Clinton put it when she was running in 2000, "you ought to be able to leave your land and the bulk of your fortunes to your children and not the government." We'll soon see if she and other Democrats meant it. >>>
When the media do their man in the street interviews with some poor person trying to take care of a family on the minimum wage, why don't they ask them if they'd prefer getting the wage increase even if it means that someone wealthy would pay less in estate taxes or if they'd prefer to keep the estate tax high and not get the wage increase. I bet we know what the answer would be to that question. Of course, no pollster or journalist would phrase it that way because that would expose the Democratic tactics for the sham that they are.
So, next time you hear Harry Reid piously bemoaning the state of politics today and how the GOP won't compromise, remember this moment. The Democrats have no interest in compromise if it means that they lose a political slogan.
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