| It looks like Katy Coil a reporter for the Bluefield Daily Telegraph got a lot more out of our new Senator than most in an article printed in today's paper. As far as the extension of unemployment benefits and the Bush Tax Cuts, Manchin said no agreement has been reached in the Senate.
“Nothing is done,” Manchin said. “It would sunset as of Dec. 1 and tax rates would return on Jan. 1, 2011 to what they were in 2001. From what I have seen, that money would not go to debut reduction but to increase operating costs. There should be a bipartisan compromise, but it’ll take a lot of work to be done. There’s a lot that needs to be repaired.”
On Saturday, two closure votes came up before the Senate. Manchin indicated he voted against the closure of the Baucus amendment, which would provide tax credits for Americans earning up to $250,000, and voted for the closure of the Schumer amendment, which would provide tax credits for those making more than $1 million a year. Both amendments were closed, though Manchin said the Senate is still looking for a way to resolve the issues surrounding the Bush Tax Cuts.
“We are looking at prudent and responsible way to take care of it,” Manchin said. “This provision would protect 99 percent of West Virginias. We didn’t lose one job and not one business would be affected. Both failed as of Saturday.”
Evidently the article was a day late regarding the compromise ransom agreement worked out by the President and the Republicans. I think our new Senator has a lot to learn about the way things are working now in Washington. The U.S. Senate does not work the way our two legislative branches work in West Virginia, and our Joe will find that he will have very little clout in trying to get Republicans to work with anyone who has a "D" after their name. I sure would like to know where he gets the idea that tax credits help the economy when extended to the richest 2% of our citizens. He blusters his way through that issue.... Manchin said not extending the tax cuts would do more to harm the current state of the economy.
“I want to make it clear, I do prefer extending the tax cuts, but based on temporary, fine guidelines of time,” he said. “We must be prudent to make adjustments as needed. There’s going to have to be compromise. We can’t jeopardize in this economy the credits given to Americans.”
He also seems a little unclear regarding extending unemployment benefits as well as he tied improving unemployment to extending the Bush tax cuts... “The next time we get to vote will be on legislation worked out between Democratic and Republican leadership, the president and the White House. If we don’t hunker down and vote, every American will be affected. In this most difficult time, with unemployment at 10 percent, we cannot afford to not make these cuts.”
You can read the article for yourself and attempt to understand his thinking. He has not made his mind up on DADT, and wil push for turning coal into liquid. I for one am even more convinced that he will be just another Blue Dog Democrat. Update: Boy do I ever miss our great Senator Robert Byrd. He stood up for what he believed in and did not compromise his principles! |
