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\f0\fs24 \cf0 \cb2 (Image source: {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0712/78241.html"}}{\fldrslt
\kerning1\expnd2\expndtw10 \ul Politico}})\
\'a0\ \'a0\
\pard\pardeftab720\sl320
\b \cf0 \kerning1\expnd2\expndtw10 BY ZACH TOOMBS
\b0 \kerning1\expnd0\expndtw0 \ \'a0\
\'a0\ Senate Democrats will meet Tuesday to find
common ground \'97\'a0and a common message \'97\'a0on taxes. The caucus comes one day
after President Barack Obama\'92s call to let tax cuts expire for the top 2 percent
of the nation\'92s income bracket.\ \'a0\
House Republicans are calling for a one-year extension of tax cuts \'97 but unlike President
Obama, they want it extended for the wealthy, too. They\'92re planning a vote this month.\
\'a0\ Pundits say any tax increase \'97\'a0even
on top earners \'97\'a0is a risk for lawmakers in an election year. {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK
"http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20120709-711605.html"}}{\fldrslt \kerning1\expnd2\expndtw10
\ul The Wall Street Journal}} reports Senate Majority Leader {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK
"http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/CourtHealt"}}{\fldrslt \kerning1\expnd2\expndtw10
\ul Harry Reid}} aims to use the meeting Tuesday to bring party unity to the issue of tax cuts.\
\'a0\
\b \kerning1\expnd2\expndtw10 \'93A hitch at the Tuesday meeting: Democrats
are not of one mind on the threshold at which to allow the tax cuts to expire."
\b0 \kerning1\expnd0\expndtw0 \ \'a0\
In California and New York especially, some Democratic lawmakers have shown opposition
for tax increases for families making more than $250,000 each year. House Minority Leader
Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats have previously pushed for letting tax cuts expire only for
those making $1 million or more.\ \'a0\
But Politico reports Senate Democrats took an important step to avoid infighting Monday
\i \kerning1\expnd2\expndtw10 \'97\'a0
\i0 \kerning1\expnd0\expndtw0 when \i \kerning1\expnd2\expndtw10
\i0 \kerning1\expnd0\expndtw0 New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, originally opposed to a tax
increase even for top earners, agreed to fall in line with the president. A source close
to Schumer tells {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0712/78241.html#ixzz20AvDdB4A"}}{\fldrslt
\kerning1\expnd2\expndtw10 \ul Politico}}:\
\'a0\
\b \kerning1\expnd2\expndtw10 \'93[Schumer] still believes that the millionaire
strategy is the best one. But he believes more that party unity at this time is even
more important \'85 He\'92s going to be a team player for the president.\'94
\b0 \kerning1\expnd0\expndtw0 \ \'a0\
Likewise, {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/wp/2012/07/09/pelosi-schumer-abandon-tax-break-for-americans-earning-up-to-1-million/"}}{\fldrslt \kerning1\expnd2\expndtw10
\ul The Washington Post}} notes Pelosi is also willing to fall in line.\
\'a0\ But on {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/"}}{\fldrslt
\kerning1\expnd2\expndtw10 \ul CNN}}, Anderson Cooper questioned whether
the whole debate is anything more than political theater. He notes this isn\'92t the first
time the president has made a pledge to end tax cuts for the wealthy.\
\'a0\
\b \kerning1\expnd2\expndtw10 \'93He could not fulfill it, despite Democrats
controlling both the House and the Senate. Republicans opposed letting any of the cuts
expire and so did a number of Democrats \'85 The bottom line, just like last time, is that
this may not be settled until after the election.\'94 \b0 \kerning1\expnd0\expndtw0 \
}