Back on December 1st, the Huffington Post published an interview with Governor Strickland in which he said the following:
Talking, unprompted, about the debate over the expiring Bush tax cuts, Strickland said he was dumbfounded at the party’s inability to sell the idea that the rates for the wealthy should be allowed to expire.
“I mean, if we can’t win that argument we might as well just fold up,” he said.
Well, Governor, I’ve got bad news for ya.
From ABC News:
The worst kept secret in Washington right now is that President Obama is set to cave on tax cuts. This marks a reversal of a long-held position, dating to the early months of Obama’s presidential candidacy, to allow tax cuts for couples making more than $250,000 a year to expire.
Oops.
But what’s most amazing to me is the decision by Democrats to extend our tax status quo for two more years.
Considering the unpopularity of raising taxes in any way, Democrats seem set on allowing them to once again become a point of debate in the 2012 elections.
Note to Democrats: Suggesting any kind of tax hike in an election year is really, really, really dumb.
So, if you want to have this debate again in 2012, I welcome it. After over a decade of Americans paying the same tax rate, it won’t be about any “extension of Bush tax cuts”, it will very simply be about raising taxes on Americans. That doesn’t go over well.
In the meantime, I guess Governor Strickland will have to find himself a new Party.
UPDATE: Rumors swirling that a deal may be announced this evening for a full extension along with a 2% payroll tax cut over the next two years.
