BTW, does it seem strange that Ginny Brown-Waite and Adam Putnam missed this vote entirely? Maybe Putnam is in transition mode for Agriculture Commissioner. But has Brown-Waite just completely checked out already?
Update 2: Omigod, Ron Klein ended up voting Nea? Even when Boyd flipped? Perhaps I need to send some vitriol toward the East Coast as well.
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Right after the elections were done, I noted that I wished I hated Allen Boyd as much as many liberal bloggers hated the Blue Dogs. If so, perhaps it would have softened the blow of losing every single competitive Congressional race in Florida.
Today, I say happily that Boyd has given me enough reason to spew venom his way. Boyd was among 33 Democrats who crossed party lines to vote against a test vote on the tax cut for the middle class. Combined with his recent railings against Nancy Pelosi, I have lost all respect for the outgoing Democratic congressman.
It is one thing to be conservative on gun rights and other social issues which simply don't play well with Panhandle voters. Heck, I can even believe Boyd holds those views sincerely. But today, he voted against the interests of his constituents. And if he really cares about keeping taxes low, he missed the chance to reduce them for 98-99 percent of those living in his district.
Of note, other Democrats who supported extending all the Bush tax cuts still ended up voting for this legislation. For example, Suzanne Kosmas supported all of the Bush cuts. But she wasn't about to vote against extending them just for those making up to $250,000 so she could hold out for the top 2 percent of Americans. She is in exactly the same situation as Boyd now, having cast very centrist votes but still getting punished by Republicans on Election Day.
Of course, Kosmas will likely have a chance later to vote in favor of the tax cuts for the rich. Fine. So will Boyd. But today, he said he wouldn't help the middle class unless he was certain the rich got theirs.
Congressman Boyd, you will not be missed by many Democrats in Florida. Don't believe for one second that you can come back in two years and run as a Democrat. Your plan to be a Republican in Blue Dog clothing finally backfired in November, and as your legacy, you have dropped all pretense of being a Democrat at all. The middle-class tax cuts passed despite your objection, so all you earned with your 'no' vote was a helping of shame.
But at least you have made otherwise difficult-to-stomach election results a little easier to swallow.
The only acceptable compromise would be to give tax breaks to the over 250,000 income group for each job they create. No new jobs created, no tax break. If the theory is that they would not create jobs without the tax break, then let them prove it. Just how many jobs did they NOT create over the last 10 years that they had the tax breaks.
ReplyDeleteI'm a physician in private practice.
ReplyDeleteWhat the Republicans have been saying about the consequences of raising taxes on the producers and entrepeneurs in our country is true.
I earn over 250,000 a year.and, as an S corporation, I pay the individual tax rate on the proceeeds of my business.
If my marginal tax rate goes up by almost 5%,
I'm going to have to look to cut costs. That possibly means laying people off.
In discussions with other physicians and small business people..that seems to be unanimous.
Please tell me how that would THAT be good for the economy?
Just letting you know.. Actions have consequences.