Senate Rejects Republican Tax Travesty

Good News for us ordinary folks.

Breaking: Senate Rejects Trifecta

Moments ago, the "Trifecta" fusion legislation died in the Senate.

The Senate fell four votes short of cloture, virtually guaranteeing that the November election will come and go without a minimum wage increase, the tax extender legislation, and a permanent reduction of the estate/death/inheritance/family farms/Paris Hilton tax. ...

...Jim Manley, spokesman for Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV), sent along this statement: "Americans are too smart to be tricked into cutting the wages of 136,000 Nevadans, so 8,100 multi-millionaires can enjoy $800 billion in tax breaks. Americans are too smart to be tricked into forgoing middle-class tax relief, so America can borrow hundreds of billions of dollars to give tax breaks to a wealthy few. And Americans are too smart to accept anymore debt and deception from this Do Nothing Republican Congress." (Source = Hotline On Call)

Earlier this evening over at NPI Blog Senator Cantwell explained why she would vote against the Republican tax plan.

... "I am not buying this cynical Republican ploy."

It isn't, however, the first time Republicans have tried to convince us that we can't have strong businesses and a living wage. In Washington State we have been proving them wrong for almost a decade. In 1998, Washingtonians overwhelmingly voted to raise our minimum wage for every worker to one of the highest in the country, and our economy continues to thrive. Why would we change course now?...

... The Republican proposal is a bait and switch. They wrote the language so that it preempts our state law. What they're calling a minimum wage increase is in fact a minimum wage penalty for 122,810 workers.

The Republican proposal would cut these workers minimum hourly wage by $5.50. That means workers who earn $7.63 an hour plus tips could see their wages drop to $2.13 an hour plus tips.

The Republican plan directly targets Washington families already struggling just to get by. Many of the workers who would be most affected are already juggling multiple jobs just to make ends meet. These workers' average annual income is only $16,000. That's the poverty line for a family of three. The Republican proposal cuts these workers' income to $4,400 annually plus tips. ... (full source)

Although I've never thought much of M!ke McGhastly, his comments to an AP reporter makes him sound even more ridiculous and out of touch than usual.

...McGavick immediately denounced Cantwell's announcement, charging that she was siding "with her party's leaders over the interest of our state."

In opposing the bill, Cantwell "is voting against a permanent solution to the federal estate tax, against extension of state sales-tax deductibility, against tax relief for our timber companies and against extension of the research-and-development tax credit," McGavick said.

Cantwell also is voting against an increase in the federal minimum wage, McGavick added, calling her position "profoundly disappointing."...

But fortunately for McGhastly, a National Republican Senatorial Committee spokesbozo stepped forward to make even stupider pronouncements.

Brian Nick, a spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, also criticized Cantwell's decision.

"When given a chance to deliver for the people of Washington state, Cantwell instead folds like a cheap tent and bows to her party leadership's wishes. She should look no further than this vote when given her pink slip in November." ... (source)

Although, Cong(R)essman (and Doug Roulstone contributor) Zack Wamp was crowing about a Republican trifeca:

Rep. Zach Wamp (R-TN) went on the House floor to brag about this ploy, which has little chance of passing the Senate. Wamp said to his opponents, "I know why you're so mad and why you say things you don't really mean. It'’s because you have seen us really outfox you on this issue tonight." ...(source)

It appears in the end, he's the one who got whomped.