Leader McConnell said, “Earlier this week, President Obama reiterated his long-standing desire to raise taxes on small businesses earning over $250,000 a year. I and all of my Republican colleagues oppose this tax hike for the same reason the President opposed it two years ago — because raising taxes would only make a bad economy worse. But here it comes again, like a bad penny, the liberal crusade for more government, regardless of the circumstances, the impact it would have on working Americans, or the broader economy.”

He asked for two votes, “One on the President’s proposal to raise taxes on nearly one million business owners in the middle of the worst economic recovery in modern times, and one that would extend current income tax rates for one year and task the Finance Committee to produce a bill that would enact fundamental, pro-growth tax reform. The Senate should make itself clear which policy it supports. This is our chance to do it. On Monday, the president said if the Senate passes this tax hike on small businesses, he would sign it right away. That’s what he said Monday, two days ago. I can’t see why our friends on the other side wouldn’t want to give him the chance.”

But Reid objected and strangely accused Republicans of filibustering the current bill on the floor simply by offering these amendments.

The AP headline basically says it all: “Democrats block Senate vote on Obama tax plan.” The Hill adds, “Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Wednesday rejected a Republican request to vote on President Obama’s income tax plan amid defections within his caucus on tax policy. . . . Senate Democratic leaders are worried about potential defections within their caucus on taxes. At least seven Democratic senators have declined to rule out supporting a temporary extension of the Bush-era income tax rates. Several Senate Democrats running for reelection and Democratic Senate candidates have balked at Obama’s proposal to extend income tax rates only for families earning below $250,000.”

Following Reid’s objection, McConnell responded, “Let me simplify this for everybody. The president on Monday asked that we have the vote that I’ve just offered to the majority. We have a clear contrast here, 41 straight months of unemployment over 8 percent. If this is a recovery, it’s the most tepid recovery in modern times. The President’s solution to that is to raise taxes on about a million small business owners representing about 53 percent of small business income and up to 25 percent of the work force. . . . And so my recommendation is we give the President what he asked for. He wants to have a vote on raising taxes, on individuals making over $250,000 year which, of course, includes almost a million small businesses that pay taxes as individuals, not as corporations, either S corps or LLC’s. The most successful small businesses in America, in fact. That’s a vote we welcome. It’s a vote the President’s asking for. It’s a vote I just asked for. . . . Why not have those votes today? And that’s what my consent agreement was about. I’m a little surprised that we’re not willing to give the President what he asked for, which is a vote on a clear distinction for the American people. So they can understand how the two sides look at this important issue.”

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