Has kind of a jarring ring to it, like “Alcoholics Against Drunk Driving,” but a number of Democratic Senators broke with their party on “Show Vote” Saturday — joining with Republicans to defeat two separate proposals for extending the Bush tax rates. As Senate Minority Mitch McConnell indicated, there is indeed bipartisan opposition to anything less than an extension of the current tax rates — not a tax cut, as many insist on claiming — to all Americans.
The first measure — which would have extended the rates on incomes up to $250,000 — failed a cloture vote 53-36. Four Democrats sided with Republicans to defeat it: Sens. Joe Manchin (W.V.), Jim Webb (Va.), Ben Nelson (Neb.), and Russ Feingold (Wis.). Joe Lieberman (I., Conn.) also voted no.
The second, introduced by Sen. Charles Schumer (D., N.Y.), would have extended the rates on incomes up to $1 million, also failed by a vote of 53-37. This time, Democratic Sens. Dick Durbin (Ill.), Tom Harkin (Iowa), Jay Rockefeller (W.V.) and Feingold, as well as Lieberman, voted with the Republicans.