Congress debates ‘Taxmageddon’

[alp227]

Five and half months before the deadline for potential disaster, Congress broke into heated debate this week over a January fiscal meltdown that could lead to nearly $600 billion worth of tax hikes and automatic federal spending cuts next year.

The skirmishes included hours of floor speeches in the Senate and a House vote on related legislation Wednesday. Most unusual was the relatively long lead time of the debate, since this Congress has shown repeatedly its eagerness to avoid serious debate except as a last resort, when a deadline and calamity are close at hand.

Not even the most hopeful players expect the tax-and-spending issue to be resolved until after the November elections. But this week’s tit-for-tat served to set the terms of the debate for the fall elections in both the presidential and congressional campaigns.

Full: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/debate-on-year-end-fiscal-issues-sets-stage-for-fall-showdowns/2012/07/19/gJQA0u6pwW_story.html

Thom Hartmann debated a Heritage Foundation scholar about "Taxmageddon" in April:

[demwing]

1. Time for compromise?

republicans pass the jobs bill, and Obama signs an extension delaying the Military cuts

[Booster]

2. I just don't see the Repugs compromising on anything.

[demwing]

3. Neither do I, but a delay in military cuts will be tempting /nt

[Rain Mcloud]

4. Ownidge

The snot nose on the phone who worships Reagan has no idea how much or how many times the gypper raised taxes.
It is ludicrous that a Grover Norquist apologist who works for corporate America's propaganda foundation,knows so little about the basis for their hallowed No Taxes creed.
I remember some of the exchange between Reagan and Bush at their debate,Bush claimed that He would not raise taxes to pull the country out of the recession.
I believe Reagan's reply was,paraphrasing here:He is going to raise taxes,he won't have a choice,he is just not going to call them tax increases.
Reagan went on later in the debate to label Bush's plan Fuzzy Math and Bush claimed Reagan was using Voodoo Economics.
Both of those descriptions were entirely accurate and at the time tickled my funny bone immensely.
Later in the GHWB administration he would implement Revenue Enhancements and Service Charges on top of the old fashioned Tax Increases.

What a lousy state the conservative intellectuals have sunk to.

[Ruby the Liberal]

6. Have you tried to contact Rep Issa's office about the "Mex"

and the fraud concern? He would likely be in a much better position to assist you than blindly posting your phone number on the interwebs.

[Topanga119]

7. Watch what your representatives are doing ...

This is good, I have signed up: govtrack.us As educated voters we should ALL be doing this anyway rather than listening to media blitz. It DOES take work to determine what the bills are completely composed of because they include additional items not specific to the initial bill.
(We should INSIST each bill consist of one topic ONLY however I believe it is structured this way so things can be slithered through.) How is it our congressional representatives go into office with a small net worth and come out millionaires with a congressional pay check?? Insider information?
http://www.govtrack.us/