Politico
Republican Rep. Tom Cole urged colleagues in a private session Tuesday to vote to extend the Bush tax rates for all but the highest earners before the end of the year — and to battle over the rest later.
The Oklahoma Republican said in an interview with POLITICO that he believes such a vote would not violate Grover Norquist’s anti-tax pledge and that he’s not alone within Republican circles.
At a meeting of the House GOP whip team earlier in the day, he made the case that Republicans would strengthen their position by joining hands with President Barack Obama now to give most taxpayers what he calls “an early Christmas present” of ensuring their taxes don’t go up on Jan. 1.
Cole’s position is striking because he’s hardly a “squish” — Norquist’s term for a weak-kneed lawmaker — when it comes to Republican orthodoxy. Cole served as chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee and in other official posts within the party.
He might also provide cover for other Republicans looking to make an agreement to avoid a sharp fall off the so-called fiscal cliff.
“I think we ought to take the 98 percent deal right now,” he said of freezing income tax rates for all but the top 2 percent of earners. “It doesn’t mean I agree with raising the top 2. I don’t.”
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So if they start breaking this promise of not raising taxes, where will it end???? Why not just jump in bed with Obama and help him destroy this economy completely. Didn’t the GOP learn their lesson in the 90s when they tried to outspend the democrats? Republicans have to be the party that stands up for America because we can never out spend or out tax the democrats! Tom Cole needs to quit trying to play nice and get a backbone! Making deals with a democrat only result in one thing… higher taxes, an economy that is crashing, and Republicans losing!
With our republican progressives it never ends.
First – letting Obama lead our country down the wrong road. Second – how long will this keep the Bush Tax Cuts in place?? When you do business with a liar like Obama – you can expect to be cheated and lied to.
Bob Moore
What are the real choices here? Given the law and Obama’s victory, aren’t the choices A) raise taxes on everyone when the Bush tax cuts expire or B) raise taxes on the wealthiest 2% when the Bush tax cuts expire. To me, Cole takes the conservative position. If we go for Option C — fully extend the Bush tax cuts, we get an Obama veto and Republicans are blamed for raising taxes on everyone — because that is where the MSM will go.
The compromise will be worse than the cliff.