Taxes: Democrat Division Spreads

Bill Clinton: Extend Bush Tax Cuts!
Just a minute - I mean through 2012!

Even More Democrats Are Breaking With President Obama, Signaling They’re Open To Extending ALL Tax Rates

‘Multiple Democratic Senators Refused’ To Echo The White House

“Two days after the White House said it would not extend the Bush tax cuts for the rich under any circumstances, multiple Democratic senators refused to rule out the same scenario.” (“Three Democratic Senators Refuse To Rule Out Extension Of Bush Tax Cuts For The Rich,” Think Progress, 6/8/12)

“…Democrats might defect and support a temporary extension of all the Bush-era rates…” (“Democrats Paralyzed On Tax Cuts,” The Hill, 6/8/12)

• SEN. CLAIRE McCASKILL (D-MO): “If you want to do something in the spirit of compromise, you don’t start out by saying, “I refuse to do this” or “I refuse to do that… I want to keep every option open...” (“Democrats Paralyzed On Tax Cuts,” The Hill, 6/8/12)
• SEN. BILL NELSON (D-FL): “…declined to rule out support for an across-the-board extension of the rates. Said Nelson, ‘I can’t get into a hypothetical.’” (“Democrats Paralyzed On Tax Cuts,” The Hill, 6/8/12)
• SEN. MARK PRYOR (D-AR): “…who is up for reelection in 2014, said he is undecided about whether to support another temporary extension of the Bush tax rates for all income brackets.” (“Democrats Paralyzed On Tax Cuts,” The Hill, 6/8/12)

Sen. Kent Conrad: ‘Going To Have To Be Done’

“Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), a member of the Gang of Six, said in an interview that it ‘might make some sense’ to extend all the taxes in the short term if lawmakers need more time to fundamentally reform the current corporate and individual tax system. ‘But on a short-term basis … I think something like that is going to have to be done,’ he said of a temporary tax cut extension.” (“Secret Talks Under Way On Fiscal Cliff,” Politico, 6/6/12)

President Clinton: ‘Economy Already Is In A Recession’

“Former President Bill Clinton told CNBC Tuesday that the US economy already is in a recession and urged Congress to extend all the tax cuts due to expire at the end of the year.” (“US Already In 'Recession,' Extend Tax Cuts: Bill Clinton,” CNBC, 6/5/12)

• “Those comments angered the Obama re-election campaign…” (“Summers’s Comment Adds to Confusion Over Extending Tax Cuts,” The New York Times, 6/6/12)

PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON: “I think what it means is they will have to extend… have to put everything off until early next year. That's probably the best thing to do right now… I don't have any problem with extending all of it now.” (CNBC’s “Closing Bell,” 6/5/12)

• CLINTON: “What I think we need to do is to find some way to avoid the fiscal cliff, to avoid doing anything that would contract the economy now, and then deal with what's necessary in the long-term debt reduction plans as soon as they can…” (CNBC’s “Closing Bell,” 6/5/12)

Larry Summers: ‘Gotta Be The Top Priority’

MIKA BRZEZINSKI, MSNBC: “You heard Bill Clinton talking about the tax cuts, obviously we had some pretty terrible unemployment numbers come out late last week. What would you advise the President to do at this point?” LARRY SUMMERS: “Look, the real risk to this economy is on the side of slow down, certainly not on the side of overheating and that means we’ve got to make sure that we don’t take gasoline out of the tank at the end of this year. That’s gotta be the top priority.” (MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” 6/6/12)

---

Tags: Democrats, US Senators, Mark Pryor, Arkansas. Bill Nelson, Florida, Claire McCaskill, Missouri, Kent Conrad, South Dakota, extend, bush tax cuts, taxes, President Bill Clinton, Larry Summers, former treasury secretary To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!