When the news broke yesterday that Boehner has stated he would not hold Obama’s tax cut for the people hostage to get a huge tax cut for the rich, I correctly opined that his claim was a fraud. Because Boehner knows that, if passes in that form, Senate Republicans will block it. Therefore, he and other House Republicans could make the claim that they supported tax cuts for the poor and middle classes.

Senate Republicans, including Scott Brown of Massachusetts, said yesterday they are opposed to an extension of tax cuts for middle-income families unless cuts also are extended for the wealthiest Americans, setting up a defining showdown with President Obama in the run-up to November’s mid-term elections. Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell dug in with an all-or-nothing approach and his spokesman said he had enough votes to block anything that falls short of a continuation of cuts for taxpayers in every bracket. The Senate signaled its determination after the Republican leader in the House, Representative John A. Boehner of Ohio, stunned Washington on Sunday by saying he was ready to compromise as a last resort and back Obama’s plan to extend cuts for middle-income families while letting those for the highest wage earners expire. Although Democrats continued to accuse the GOP of holding middle-class tax cuts hostage in a bid to benefit the rich, Obama’s position was complicated by the potential defection of some centrist Senate Democrats who also want tax cuts extended for everyone… [emphasis added]

Inserted from <Boston Globe>

Frankly, it’s best to delay a vote in the House. Why give Republicans the cover? Chris Hayes agrees:

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This has the potential to be a defining issue in November and could help Democrats minimize the damage. Keith Olbermann and David Plouffe discuss campaign strategy.

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