If “Everyone” is for Jobs & Tax Cuts, Why Are Democrat Leaders Still Standing In The Way?

As Bipartisan Support Grows, Some House Democrats Prepared to Follow Obama & Pelosi Down a Rough Political Road

• Retiring Rep. Dan Boren (D-OK) announced his support on Monday for the Republican plan for income tax relief, job creation and common sense cuts to government waste, showcasing bipartisan support for the bill. He was joined by Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), who observed that “everyone’s for” the proposal.  
• Yet Democrat leaders are busy working to block the bipartisan package, and unfortunately a substantial number of House Democrats appear inclined to cave to Nancy Pelosi’s pressure.
• One wonders in a time of economic crisis why Democrats want to fight against creating tens of thousands of American-made energy jobs, giving American workers tax cuts and making Washington live within its means.

BACKGROUND

Retiring Rep. Dan Boren (D-OK) announced his support on Monday for the Republican plan for income tax relief, job creation and common sense cuts to government waste, showcasing bipartisan support for the bill. He was joined by Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), who observed that “everyone’s for” the proposal:

REP. DAN BOREN (D-OK): MEASURE “SHOULD ATTRACT VOTES FROM BOTH POLITICAL PARTIES”: “ ‘At a time when many are without work, it is time that we come together in a bipartisan way to pass this legislation which will create tens of thousands of new jobs,’ said Boren, who plans to retire from the House in 2012. ‘I commend the Speaker for including the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline that is supported by business and labor.’

“Boren added that he believes the measure ‘should attract votes from both political parties, because it takes initiatives supported by President Obama including the payroll tax cut extension and the extension of unemployment benefits, while also including initiatives supported by congressional Republicans like freezing federal worker pay.’” (Felicia Sonmez, “GOP Payroll Tax Cut Package Vote Set for Tuesday,” The Washington Post’s 2chambers Blog, 12/12/2011)

SEN. JOE MANCHIN (D-WV): “EVERYONE’S FOR IT”: “I am for the Keystone pipeline … The Keystone pipeline, we’re addicted to oil. I’d rather use oil from my friends in Canada, than I would from the Middle East, that sounds good. … I’m mean, all the trade unions, everyone’s for it, it creates thousands of jobs!” (Remarks from Sen. Joe Manchin, Fox News, 12/12/2011)

Yet Democrat leaders are busy working to block the bipartisan package, and unfortunately a substantial number of House Democrats appear inclined to cave to Nancy Pelosi’s pressure:

DEMOCRAT LEADERS WORKING TO BUILD OPPOSITION TO BIPARTISAN JOB CREATION BILL:

OBAMA “VOWED WEDNESDAY TO VETO ANY MEASURE THAT PACKAGES APPROVAL OF KEYSTONE XL OIL PIPELINE TO HIS PAYROLL TAX CUT EXTENSION”: (Richard Wolf, “Obama Warns Republicans on Keystone Project,” USA Today, 12/7/2011)

DEMOCRAT LEADER NANCY PELOSI: “ ‘The president has said he will veto a bill that has the Keystone pipeline in it,’ House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said Thursday. ‘That doesn’t make a decision as to whether you’re for it or against it, it has no place on this bill. Let’s get serious.’” (Darren Goode, “Dems’ Keystone-Payroll Tax Dilemma,” Politico, 12/8/2011)

SEN. MAJORITY LEADER HARRY REID: COMPROMISE PACKAGE IS “WASTING TIME”: “If the House sends us their bill with Keystone in it, they are just wasting valuable time because it will not pass the Senate.” (Russell Berman, “House GOP Releases Payroll Tax Package Under Obama Veto Threat,” The Hill, 12/9/2011)

POLITICO: “WHITE HOUSE AND CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATIC LEADERS ARE OF ONE MIND IN OPPOSING” COMPROMISE KEYSTONE DEAL: (Darren Goode, “Dems’ Keystone-Payroll Tax Dilemma,” Politico, 12/8/2011)

DELUSIONAL? DCCC CHAIR REP. STEVE ISRAEL ACCUSES GOP OF BEING “IN CHAOS” FOR SUPPORTING COMPROMISE DEAL: “Keystone Gops: now House Repubs will only support middle class tax cut if they also get keystone pipeline. They are in chaos” (Tweet from Rep. Steve Israel, 12/9/2011)

STRAIGHT FROM THE DONKEY’S MOUTH: JOB CREATION IS “PORK”? “Representative Steve Israel, leading Democrats’ campaign to win back control of the U.S. House, assailed Republicans’ position on extending the payroll tax break, saying it will backfire politically and help Democrats. … ‘Only the House Republicans would decide to load a middle- class tax cut with pork,’ Israel said in an interview for Bloomberg Television’s ‘Political Capital with Al Hunt’ airing this weekend. Democrats need to pick up 25 seats in order to win back control of the chamber.” (Heidi Przybyla, “Israel Says Republican Payroll Tax Position Will Help Democrats,” Bloomberg, 12/9/2011)

HOUSE DEMOCRATS FALLING IN LINE:

REP. HEATH SHULER (D-NC): “Rep. Heath Shuler (D-N.C.) backs the pipeline project but not as part of the payroll plan. ‘I’m for it. Won’t be for it jumbled together,’ Shuler said.” (Darren Goode, “Dems’ Keystone-Payroll Tax Dilemma,” Politico, 12/8/2011)

REP. LOUISE SLAUGHTER (D-NY): GOP PLAYING “SECRET SANTA” WITH “SPECIAL INTERESTS” BY PUSHING JOB CREATION: “Rep. Slaughter accuses GOP of playing ‘Secret Santa’ with ‘special interests’ by including the Keystone pipeline in payroll tax bill.” (Tweet from Chad Pergram, Fox News, 12/12/2011)

CBC CHAIRMAN REP. EMMANUEL CLEAVER (D-MO) FLIP-FLOPS: “While House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) planned to denounce GOP leaders over the bill on Friday, the chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.), said on MSNBC he might support it. A Cleaver spokeswoman, Stephanie Young, contacted The Hill after his appearance to say the congressman misspoke and that he ‘does not and will not be supporting this bill.’” (Russell Berman, “House GOP Releases Payroll Tax Package Under Obama Veto Threat,” The Hill, 12/9/2011)

REP. COLLIN PETERSON (D-MN): “I’M AGAINST EVERYTHING”: “ ‘I’m against the payroll tax package, I’m against everything,’ Rep. Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) said.” (Darren Goode, “Dems’ Keystone-Payroll Tax Dilemma,” Politico, 12/8/2011)

REP. PETER DEFAZIO (D-OR): “Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) said he’s against the payroll tax cut extension anyway and hadn’t given much thought to the Keystone pipeline. ‘Neither of those are my bottom line,’ he said.” (Darren Goode, “Dems’ Keystone-Payroll Tax Dilemma,” Politico, 12/8/2011)

REP. JOHN DINGELL (D-MI): “Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.) supports both the payroll tax cut and the pipeline. But combining them together? ‘Let’s see what comes,’ he said, ‘I don’t know. We’ll see. Sometimes it’s good to do. Sometimes it’s not. I’ve done it both ways.’ ” (Darren Goode, “Dems’ Keystone-Payroll Tax Dilemma,” Politico, 12/8/2011)

REP. CHAKA FATAH (D-PA): DEMOCRATS WILL ABANDON SUPPORT FOR A JOB-CREATION PROJECT TO SIDE WITH OBAMA: “Some Democrats that have previously backed the pipeline project may not go against Obama this time. ‘Republicans want these issues merged and if they are merged, I won’t support it,’ Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-Pa.) said.” (Darren Goode, “Dems’ Keystone-Payroll Tax Dilemma,” Politico, 12/8/2011)

One wonders in a time of economic crisis why Democrats want to fight against creating tens of thousands of American-made energy jobs, giving American workers tax cuts and making Washington live within its means:

GOVERNMENT WASTE TO BE PARED BACK:

PREVENTS WELFARE FUND WITHDRAWALS FROM BEING MADE AT STRIP CLUBS, CASINOS AND LIQUOR STORES: “The legislation ensures that welfare funds cannot be accessed at ATMs in strip clubs, liquor stores, and casinos.” (“Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Extension,” House Committee on Ways and Means, 12/9/2011)

ALLOWS STATES TO DRUG-TEST UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE BENEFICIARIES: “Allow States to screen and test UI applicants for drugs by overturning a 1960s-era Labor Department interpretation of Federal law.” (“Unemployment Insurance,” House Committee on Ways and Means, 12/9/2011)

PREVENTS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM COLLECTING THE REFUNDABLE CHILD TAX CREDITS BY REQUIRING A SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER: “This commonsense reform allows the IRS to refuse to pay the credit to those who have not provided an SSN and are therefore ineligible, rather than paying out cash and later trying to recoup it, which is often impracticable and very expensive to the IRS”(“Protecting Taxpayer Dollars,” House Committee on Ways and Means, 12/9/2011)

FREEZES SALARIES FOR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS: (“Sec. 5421: Extension of Pay Limitation for FederalEmployees,” H.R. 3630: The Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act, House Committee on Ways and Means, Accessed 12/12/2011)

ENDS UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE FOR MILLIONAIRES: “Under the Middle Class Tax Relief & Job Creation Act, millionaires would effectively be prevented from receiving unemployment compensation. Taxpayers with adjusted gross income (AGI) beginning at $750,000 ($1,500,000 in the case of a joint return), would have to start paying back a portion of unemployment compensation they received.  At an AGI of $1 million or more ($2 million in the case of a joint return), taxpayers would be required to pay back ALL of the unemployment compensation they received.” (“Cuts Government Spending By Ending UI For Millionaires,” House Committee on Ways and Means, 12/12/2011)

THOUSANDS OF NEW JOBS:

KEYSTONE PROJECT WAS PROJECTED TO CREATE MORE THAN 20,000 “SHOVEL-READY” JOBS: (Editorial, “Keystone Cop-Out,” The Wall Street Journal, 11/11/2011)

LONG-TERM JOBS IMPACT: UP TO 130,000 JOBS: “Many of those 20,000 jobs on the construction of the pipeline would have been filled by skilled union members. Eventually, the completed pipeline was expected to result in as many as 130,000 jobs, many of them on the upper Texas Coast, where the heavy oil would be refined into 700,000 barrels of oil daily.” (Editorial, “Keystone Pipeline is the Wrong Call,” The Houston Chronicle, 11/11/2011)

FMR. TOP WHITE HOUSE ECONOMIST AUSTAN GOOLSBEE: KEYSTONE OPPONENTS “NAÏVE”: (Sean Pasternak, “Goolsbee Says U.S. Opponents of TransCanada’s Keystone Pipeline are Naive,” Bloomberg, 11/28/2011)

MORE GOOLSBEE: CANADIAN TAR SANDS WILL BE DEVELOPED WHETHER AMERICA GETS INVOLVED OR NOT: “ ‘It’s a bit naïve to think the tar sands would not be developed if they don’t build that pipeline,’ said Goolsbee, speaking today in Toronto at the Economic Club of Canada. ‘Eventually, it’s going to be built. It may go to the Pacific, it may go through Nebraska, but it’s going to be built somewhere.’”(Sean Pasternak, “Goolsbee Says U.S. Opponents of TransCanada’s Keystone Pipeline are Naive,” Bloomberg, 11/28/2011)

FORCING EPA TO SLOW DOWN ITS JOB-DESTROYING REGULATORY RAMPAGE: “President Obama’s Environmental Protection Agency has been unrelenting in its regulatory approach, developing rules that are costly, burdensome, and a threat to our struggling economy. For example, its rules affecting more than 200,000 boilers, process heaters, and incinerators have generated widespread concern because of their cost, their lack of achievability, and the short period of time allowed for compliance. … The Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act gives EPA additional time to develop rules that balance protections for jobs and our environment, and gives affected facilities the time they need to comply with new rules.” (“Energy and Commerce Provisions in the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act,” House Energy and Commerce Committee, 12/9/2011)