To: The United States Senate
DEMOCRATS MUST GO "OFF THE CLIFF"
Democrats all over the country will be watching and keeping a score of the actions of Democratic Representatives in Congress. Anyone of them who refuses, or bows to pressure against the President or the Democratic strategy to combat the Republicans in this latest Strategy to "go over the cliff", will find themselves a target for a brutal attack and determined opposition to their reelection". It is about time that Senate Democrats grow a spine and stick together.
Why is this important?
Democrats in congress must show all their supporters that they have a spine and decide that they are ready to go "Off the Cliff". The cliff comes into place on December 31, 2012 when the Bush budget tax cuts are set to expire and the Defense budget is automatically set to be reduced by $500 billion.
As I watched Lawrence O'donnel yesterday carefully explain why Democrats in Congress and Senate must call the Republican bluff by allowing the Bush Tax cuts to expire and the Defense budget cut to take effect, I was reminded that these are critical areas of interest to Republicans. Where these actions to take effect Republicans they will find themselves in a bind.
As Republicans have always claimed, by allowing the Bush Tax cuts to expire, Congress will in effect be allowing a tax increase on all Americans because tax rates will go back to what the rates during President Clinton's presidency. And we know how resolute the Republicans are regarding any tax increase.
Secondly, The Department of Defense Budget has always been a sneaky way for Republicans to direct government spending to their friends and allies in the military industrial complex. By allowing the Defense budget cut to take effect, Republicans will come under from their allies.
President Obama has presented a tax bill to maintain the Bush tax cuts for all Americans except those 2% of Americans making in excess of $250,000 a year. But the Republicans have indicated that they will not allow tax cuts for 98% of Americans unless Millionaires also get the tax cut.
The strategy outlined by some Democrats in the Senate to counter the Republican bluff is for Democrats to do nothing and just sit on their hands and allow the Bush Tax cut to expire and the Defense budget cut to take effect as of January 2013. After that they can represent the President's tax bill once again and challenge the Republicans to vote against tax cut for 98% of Americans.
As much as this is a brilliant strategy, my fear is that some democrats in the Senate will play chicken and not stick with their other colleagues to call the Republican bluff.
Please send the following simple message to all Democratic elected officials to let them know that we are taking a pledge that is even stronger than the pledge that their Republicans colleagues made to Grover Norquist:
" Democrats all over the country will be watching and keeping a score of the actions of Democratic Representatives in Congress. Anyone of them who refuses, or bows to pressure against the President or the Democratic strategy to combat the Republicans in this latest Strategy to "go over the cliff", will find themselves a target for a brutal attack and determined opposition to their reelection". It is about time that Senate Democrats grow a spine and stick together.
As I watched Lawrence O'donnel yesterday carefully explain why Democrats in Congress and Senate must call the Republican bluff by allowing the Bush Tax cuts to expire and the Defense budget cut to take effect, I was reminded that these are critical areas of interest to Republicans. Where these actions to take effect Republicans they will find themselves in a bind.
As Republicans have always claimed, by allowing the Bush Tax cuts to expire, Congress will in effect be allowing a tax increase on all Americans because tax rates will go back to what the rates during President Clinton's presidency. And we know how resolute the Republicans are regarding any tax increase.
Secondly, The Department of Defense Budget has always been a sneaky way for Republicans to direct government spending to their friends and allies in the military industrial complex. By allowing the Defense budget cut to take effect, Republicans will come under from their allies.
President Obama has presented a tax bill to maintain the Bush tax cuts for all Americans except those 2% of Americans making in excess of $250,000 a year. But the Republicans have indicated that they will not allow tax cuts for 98% of Americans unless Millionaires also get the tax cut.
The strategy outlined by some Democrats in the Senate to counter the Republican bluff is for Democrats to do nothing and just sit on their hands and allow the Bush Tax cut to expire and the Defense budget cut to take effect as of January 2013. After that they can represent the President's tax bill once again and challenge the Republicans to vote against tax cut for 98% of Americans.
As much as this is a brilliant strategy, my fear is that some democrats in the Senate will play chicken and not stick with their other colleagues to call the Republican bluff.
Please send the following simple message to all Democratic elected officials to let them know that we are taking a pledge that is even stronger than the pledge that their Republicans colleagues made to Grover Norquist:
" Democrats all over the country will be watching and keeping a score of the actions of Democratic Representatives in Congress. Anyone of them who refuses, or bows to pressure against the President or the Democratic strategy to combat the Republicans in this latest Strategy to "go over the cliff", will find themselves a target for a brutal attack and determined opposition to their reelection". It is about time that Senate Democrats grow a spine and stick together.