November 16, 2010
TWO FOR FIGHTING:
On tax cuts, a deal begins to take shape: Both sides in Congress take a wary post-election step away from the partisan edges. (Lisa Mascaro, 11/16/10, Chicago Tribune)
For months, Republican lawmakers have been bitterly at odds with President Obama over how to extend tax cuts approved early in the George W. Bush administration, with especially sharp disagreement over breaks for higher-income taxpayers.But overtures from both sides now point to a possible deal.
"It's incumbent on all of us to try and find a way to address this issue," said Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.). "The American people said very clearly they want to see us work together, and we need to work together to get this done." [...]
Republican leaders had been insisting on a permanent extension. But with indications that the president is open to temporarily continuing the tax breaks for the higher income households, some Republicans and their top supporters also appear to be softening their stance that all tax cuts must be permanently extended.
"I'd love to see a longer extension, but I think two years gets us to where we need to go and then we can focus on these other issues coming forward," said Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.).
So the UR wants to fight the next election on his imminent tax increases too?
