Yesterday, the Democratic Congress voted to not only raise Americans' taxes, but to increase spending as well. This is first substantive action that reflects the Democrat vision for the country.
All three presidential candidates voted on the bill, with Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama supporting the tax increase and Senator John McCain opposing it.
The Senate on Thursday rejected the idea of renewing many of President Bush's tax cuts as all three major presidential candidates interrupted their campaigns to cast their votes. The House approved a budget blueprint that would raise taxes by $683 billion over the next five years.
The House budget plan would provide generous increases to domestic federal programs but still is designed to bring the government's budget back into the black by letting all of Bush's tax cuts expire at the end of 2010. That plan passed the House on a 212-207 vote with Republicans unanimously opposing it.
Senators voted 52-47 to reject a move to extend tax cuts for middle- and higher-income taxpayers, investors and people inheriting businesses and big estates.
The Senate was debating and voting into the night on a $3 trillion Democratic budget blueprint for 2009. The nonbinding plan envisions a balanced budget in four years and promises generous increases for many domestic programs, but achieves those goals only by assuming major tax increases when Bush's tax cuts expire.
Obama and Clinton both promise to reverse Bush's tax cuts for wealthier taxpayers, but the Democratic budget they'll be voting for would allow income tax rates to go up on individuals making as little as $31,850 and couples earning $63,700 or more.
Taxes will inevitably become an issue in the general election; especially with a potential recession looming. The Democrats have now gone on record that they oppose policies that promote economic growth and are in favor of tax increases. And as John Kerry will tell you, that stance does not win elections:
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