Mitch McConnell Stands Firm: No Partial Bush Tax Cut Extension

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell insists Republicans in the Senate will filibuster any attempt to let the Bush tax cuts lapse for wealthy Americans.

/ AP

Updated at 2:50 p.m. ET.

The House Republican leader on Sunday suggested he may be willing to concede to Democrats who want to let the Bush tax cuts lapse for the wealthiest Americans, but the Senate Republican leader today said he is standing his ground.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) said on the Senate floor today that he is introducing legislation "that ensures that no one in this country will pay higher income taxes next year than they are right now."

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for McConnell said today that every Senate Republican has pledged to oppose any attempt to extend the Bush tax cuts that doesn't include an extension of the tax cuts for the wealthy. McConnell himself has given similar remarks.

"That's the kind of debate that unifies my caucus, from Olympia Snowe to Jim DeMint," McConnell said, the Washington Post reports, referring to one of the most moderate and one of the most conservative Senate Republicans.

On the Senate floor today, McConnell said, "Only in Washington could someone propose a tax hike as an antidote to a recession."

The Bush tax cuts are set to expire at the end of the year, and Mr. Obama has strongly urged Congress to extend them for everyone except for Americans making more than $200,000 or households making more than $250,000. Republicans, by contrast have called for a extension of all the tax cuts.

However, House GOP leader John Boehner -- whom the White House has in recent days portrayed as their primary adversary -- said Sunday on CBS' "Face the Nation", "If the only option I have is to vote for some of those tax reductions, I'll vote for it."

Boehner's remarks changed the nature of the showdown over the Bush tax cuts, but McConnell's firm opposition speaks to the challenges that remain for the White House.

President Obama has taken a firm stance on the issue, arguing the nation cannot afford to extend the tax cuts for the wealthy.

"The president does not believe that we should be borrowing $700 billion, most likely from overseas, to extend tax cuts for folks, quite frankly, that weren't asking for them and don't particularly need them," White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said on the CBS "Early Show" this morning. The White House has refrained to say whether the president would veto a plan that includes more tax cuts for the wealthy -- saying that they are confident Republicans will come around on the issue.

Yet while Mr. Obama digs his heels in, Senate Republicans are also holding firm. Perhaps more critically, five senators who caucus with the Democrats -- Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), Evan Bayh (D-Ind.), Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) and Jim Webb (D-Va.) -- have voiced support for the Republican proposal to extend all the tax cuts.

Furthermore, Boehner's flexibility on the issue complicates the Democrats' midterm election communications strategy -- which portrays the Republicans as the "party of No" -- while shifting pressure to moderate Democrats.

A number of politically vulnerable moderate Democrats in the House have also come out in favor the Republican position. Four House Democrats are currently collecting signatures for a letter they will send to House Democratic leaders this week, Politico reports, urging them to support a tax extension for all Americans, including the wealthy.

One Democrat who supports the Republican position -- Rep. Gerry Connolly -- represents the Northern Virginia district where Mr. Obama will travel today to meet with local families and talk about the economy.

The story was also updated to reflect a correction from the Associated Press. The story originally included an inaccurate AP report that every Republican senator has pledged to filibuster an extension of the Bush tax cuts that does not extend the tax cuts for everyone. The story was amended to clarify that every Republican is opposed to the plan; they have not pledged to filibuster it, however.

More coverage:

White House Hopes Boehner Serious About Tax Cuts
Boehner: I'll Drop Tax Cut for Rich If I Have To
Geithner Welcomes GOP Support for Tax Plan
White House: No Veto Will be Needed Over Bush Tax Cuts
Obama: GOP Holding Middle Class Tax Cuts "Hostage"

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Stephanie Condon is a political reporter for CBSNews.com. You can read more of her posts here. Follow Hotsheet on Facebook and Twitter.

[valerie1900]

McConnell knows which side his bread is buttered on.
"Money holds the politician in its hands and is the roadmap on which he travels."

[bavetta]

Contrary to what John Boehner and Mitch McConnell say repealing the Bush tax cuts for wealthy Americans won't kill small business hiring because employee costs are a tax deductible business expense?

[cybervigilante2]

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for McConnell said today that every Senate Republican has pledged to oppose any attempt to extend the Bush tax cuts that doesn't include an extension of the tax cuts for the wealthy.
================
That tells you who the repugs really work for, in a nutshell.

NOT FOR US!

[steeepe]

It's good to see how clearly the difference is between Democrats and Republicans. The GOP in both houses wants mainly to extend tax cuts on the rich that have never been shown to do anything other than benefit the rich. They save the money and don't spend it investing in American jobs. Why not just let them pay no taxes at all? Wouldn't that be the biggest stimulus to the economy, according to the GOP? The rest of us can pay for everything , including Bush's unfunded wars. Heck, that's only a couple trillion dollars.

[gig76]

We the American people will defeat McConnell and all his empty threats. We will beat down his ideology to a pulp and non existance. He and his rich Republicans (all inclusive Tea Bagger Party, Libertarians, Far Right, Dysfunctional Christian Right, etc of the Republican Party) will run to their trenches only to find them filled with their own filth and dirt. Republicans have no place to hide and will end tax cuts to the rich. McConnell works for taxpayers and we say NO to tax cuts for the rich. McConnell will either do as we want or be impeached from his senate seat. All we have to do is infiltrate is state, become citizens of his state, then vote him out of office. And we the people will do just that. We own McConnell, we the people own him. So either do as we say or become one of the poor folks McConnell. We are more powerful than Tea Party Express ever even dreamed of being. We are the invisbile force you don't see since we don't externalize our feelings on camera. We are the silent force that removes politicians from office. Beware McConnell. Your days are numbered in the Senate unless you do as we the people wish and want. Be fair warned McConnell. Be fair warned.

[hillarynow]

It is becoming all too obvious that the Obstructionist Republican Party of No is determined to kill progress and relief for struggling families yet again here. The same way they fight, every one of them to stop the unemployed from getting a check. The Republicans will fight for their HUGE tax cuts for the wealthy and end up sabotaging the tax cuts for the average middle class American with their filibuster when these cuts expire all together for everyone due to this rampant Republican greed. So go right ahead and vote for the Republicans in November stupid people, don't say the smartest among us didn't warn you. Here I will say it RIGHT NOW, when the Republicans some of you plan on voting for get elected and then screw you over the same way they did under that pinhead Bush, remember these words -- What did you think they were going to do?!

[Dave_P6]

Hey middle class: Republicans want your Bush tax cuts to expire if they can't extend the tax cuts for people making over $250,000 a year.

Also, the Federal deficit has gone down 8% in the first half of 2010: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN1221782220100413

[worlhood]

I am so thankful for the Republicans and the naively manipulated Tea Party members who are standing up for the few of us who earn more than $250,000 per year. Without them who knows what the current administration would do to our privileges, special interest and unique opportunities. Afterall, why should those of us who can afford to pay our fair share to reduce the deficit actually contribute to its reduction? OK our friend, George Bush, created most of it and we benefited wildly during those years while middle income people slipped further behind in comparatibe income, but facts be damned. For my benefit, please vote for those who will extend my tax cuts. Cut something we need somewhere instead. Thanks ? we won?t forget you! ?honestly?

[ghendric]

We wouldn't have this financial problem if it wasn't for the Federal Reserve. We were born into servitude to the Federal Reserve. The monetary system they created is set up so that they never fail and lose money. That makes us their slaves. Our money isn't real money anyway. It's a Federal Reserve note. Read the book, "The Creature from Jekyll Island: A Second Look at the Federal Reserve". You will have a eureka moment, I promise..

[nearl451]

Good Ol' Mitch could make so much more money outside the Senate.

His picture would be a great advertisement for Kaopectate or Imodium. He suffers from terminal consipation of ideas.