Thursday, May 24, 2012

The Democratic Tax Compromise Flip Floppers

December 17, 2010 | 10:17 a.m.

It looks like some House Democrats are trying to have it both ways on Pres. Obama's tax cut compromise that passed Thursday night.

Nearly 10 Democrats who vocally criticized the deal were among the 277 members who voted aye Thursday night.

The most obvious flip floppers are Democrats who signed Rep. Peter Welch's (D-Vt.) letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) declaring that the compromise was "fiscally irresponsible" and "grossly unfair."

Those Democrats are:

Danny Davis (D-Ill.)
Luis GutiƩrrez (D-Ill.)
Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio)
David Price (D-N.C.)
Tim Ryan (D-Ohio)
Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.)
Betty Sutton (D-Ohio)

Rep. Joe Baca (D-Calif.) wasn't one of the 54 Democrats who signed Welch's letter last week, but he did put out a statement condemning the deal. "In the worst economy since the Great Depression, millionaires should be giving to charity," he said. "Unfortunately this compromise ensures they will be receiving charity from the government for another two years."

Another Democrat, Missouri Rep. William Lacy Clay didn't outright say he would oppose the legislation, but he did more than just hint that he had problems with it.

"The signature issue of the mid-term election was getting our fiscal house in order," Clay told the St. Louis Beacon last week. "If we're going to add $900 billion to the national credit card, where are the conservative Republicans who spent the entire midterm election campaigns screaming about deficits and cutting federal spending? Is it no longer a priority for them?"

Jamie Shufflebarger contributed to this post

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