US News

Dems back W. cuts

WASHINGTON — Some congressional Democrats are considering extending the Bush tax cuts for everyone — even high-income earners — for a six-month period, running counter to President Obama’s position to exclude the wealthy.

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the second-ranking Democrat in the Senate, is shopping a proposal that would extend the tax rates at their current levels for six months beginning in January in order to come up with a sweeping agreement on spending cuts, raising the national debt ceiling and preventing tax increases for the middle class.

Other House and Senate Democrats have said they’re open to the extension in return for other revenue sources or changes in the tax code. But the White House said yesterday Obama’s goal remains extending the Bush tax cuts to all but the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans.

“He has also made clear that he will veto any legislation that extends the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest two percent of individuals,” White House spokesman Amy Brundage said.

Congress will have only several weeks in a lame-duck session following the Nov. 6 presidential election to come up with a deal by Jan. 1. “If we want to solve the deficit problem, kicking the can down the road would be at best premature and at this point would clearly not be helpful in getting a long-term bipartisan agreement,” Schumer said.

“Democratic leaders are bowing to reality,” University of Virginia political scientist Larry Sabato said of the Democratic overtures. “Eventually, Obama will too.”

Obama wants to allow rates to rise on individuals earning $200,000 and couples making $250,000. The Democrats will have trouble convincing staunch opponents to the full extension such as Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY), who considers reducing the tax cuts for the rich an imperative.