Kent Conrad Flip-Flops On The Bush Tax Cuts

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Written By:
Rob Port

Dec 4, 2010
1:32pm

Senator Kent Conrad has been busy riding a fence on the Bush tax cuts. Back in September, Conrad said “The general rule of thumb is that you do not raise taxes or cut spending during an economic downturn. That would be counterproductive.” As late as yesterday, Conrad has said that he supports the extension of all Bush tax cuts but said that he would vote for a deal that only extended the tax cuts for those making less than $250,000/year.

Today Conrad got that chance, despite several of his Democrat colleagues in the Senate crossing the aisle to vote with Republicans, Conrad voted to deny American business owners and investors a tax cut:

The Senate blocked President Obama’s and Democratic leaders’ tax cut plans Saturday in a foreordained symbolic vote that now sends both sides back to the negotiating table to work out a viable deal.

A bipartisan filibuster, led by unified Republicans and joined by four Democrats and one independent, proved there isn’t enough support to back Mr. Obama’s preferred option to extend income tax cuts for couples making less than $250,000 and tax increases for those making more than that.

Here, per the New York Times, are the four Democrats, and one independent, who voted with Republicans:

Republicans voted unanimously against the House-passed bill, and they were joined by four Democrats — Senators Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, Joe Manchin III of West Virginia, Ben Nelson of Nebraska, and Jim Webb of Virginia — as well as by Senator Joseph I. Lieberman, independent of Connecticut.

If Kent Conrad had the courage of his convictions, he’d have voted with his constituents (who overwhelmingly support the Bush tax cuts) instead of his party.