Dems dreading pending tax deal

The deal that Democrats, Republicans and the White House appear to be stepping gingerly but inexorably toward to wrap up the lame-duck congressional session is generating some grumbling from Democrats that they won't be particularly pleased with the likely outcome.

"We're only moving there against my judgment and my own particular view of things,” Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said Sunday on CBS's "Face the Nation."

Democrats and Republicans appearing on the Sunday morning political talk shows all described or hinted at the same broad outlines for a deal: Expiring Bush-era tax cuts would be extended, probably for two years, and expiring unemployment benefits would be extended to cover Americans who have long been out of work during the deep recession.

While Democrats sounded grudging in their support for such a compromise, GOP senators sounded more upbeat about the direction of the debate.

“I think it’s pretty clear now taxes are not going up on anybody in the middle of this recession,” McConnell said on NBC’s “Meet The Press.” “We're discussing how long we should maintain current tax rates. And there are other issues that many people feel are important to address.”

The year-end wish list for many Democrats includes an immigration liberalization measure known as the DREAM Act, as well as a Defense budget bill that contains a mechanism to repeal the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy banning openly gay servicemembers.

However, Sen. Dick Lugar of Indiana said in an interview broadcast Sunday that President Barack Obama is stirring up resentment within Democratic ranks by trying to whittle down the agenda in order to allow time for the Senate to consider and ratify the START arms control treaty with Russia, in addition to the tax and unemployment-related measures.

“The problem with this, I think, is that Senator [Harry] Reid, the majority leader, has found that many Democrats don't want something quite that abrupt. They say, ‘We made a lot of promises out on the campaign trail. We have demanded that certain things come up, all sorts of things across the board. Don't cut us out of this,’” Lugar told CNN’s “State of the Union.”

“Now, the president is putting very strong pressure to cut them out of this…And they're resentful of that, as a matter of fact,” Lugar said.

Lugar, who has been a strong proponent of the START treaty, did not specify which agenda items the White House was seeking to jettison. On Friday, the White House summoned top advocates for “don’t ask” repeal to deny the existence of any deal that sacrifices their issue, which faces little prospect for legislative action in the next Congress.


Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories...#ixzz17H3p5Ikz

I don't think he wants to remove the DREAM Act from the agenda, but it doesn't seem to me like he's putting the full weight of his power on the issue.

it seems that one of the Democrats "wish list" bills will be thrown out to make some room for START treaty. It looks like "Don't Ask" bill would likely be kicked out.

If they are going to vote for the Dream Act, It should be to pass it and just to show Hispanics in most cases the "we tried to pass it" bullshit.

In one part, they are serious about the Dream Act because there are other bills the Democrats would like to pass. We will see what happens on Weds.

Based on where things appear to be heading, I couldn't help but think of the Democrats as really bad negotiators. Obama and the Democratic leadership in the Senate need to stop acting like cream puffs and should stop caving in to the demands of Republicans without getting something in return. The fact that the Democrats aren't happy makes me believe that they are indeed not getting something substantial in return. But as I always say, I hope I'm wrong.

I saw Sen. Lugar's interview on CNN today, and I have to say that he was very candid about working with the Democrats in passing legislation to benefit the country. Something just clicked while reading this post, and I think Obama is playing EVERYONE right now. START can easily be done by the Republicans next month. A month makes no difference to it - it is not an emergency. No. Risking legislation like the DREAM act, repeal of DADT and such is not worth for something that isn't dead and which doesn't have much opposition (START).

He is only thinking about himself on inauguration date 2013. He will only try to pass immigration reform when it suits *him*; ie, when he's locked in re-election because he knows he blew his support with Hispanics in this term. Lugar seems like a very decent man and a man of his word; I hope DREAM passes on Wednesday, and that they work to include those that will be excluded - those with final orders of deportation and those 30-35.

the ones with final orders of deportation still are eligible IF

they got the order UNDER 16 yrs old

OR

have been under the "color of law" after such order was issued (not be a fugitive)

Dude...what do you think were all of those that have been paraded around in the media by "DreamActivist" and "change.org"??? They were all fugitives, and yet they were all let out of detention in case DREAM passes. Some of them have only been here 5-7 years. Many have just recently enrolled in college. Many have had brushes with the law for reasons other than immigration. Yes, you were brought here as a minor, yet once here, you decided your behaviour. Some knew of their oder and ignored it; others had one in absentia. The order is still outstanding until the deportation is executed. Being let out of jail doesn't erase it. So they are all NOT under the color of law. Just think , what's the point of allowing them to remain if they won't qualify? They will be forced to litigate their cases and pay thousands of dollars unless they change that rule. How many know about the fugitive doctrine? Or more challenging, how many were told by their attorneys that such an option exists?

Every immigration case is individual - I wish nothing but luck to all of us.

P.S. Whose unfortunate picture is that in your profile?