Can The House Stop The Tax Deal?

Greg Sargent says more feel-good kabuki is on the way, but the deal will pass.

By all indications, the anger and opposition to the deal among House Democrats shows no sign of abating. At the same time, however, House Dem leaders have sent very clear signs that despite their own unhappiness with the deal, they believe it would be irresponsible to sink the compromise and have no intention of thwarting the President's will. What to do?

Here's the challenge for House Dem leaders right now, as I understand it: Come up with a way for Dem members to vent their disapproval of the deal, so they don't feel too stiffarmed and marginalized by the process, without it resulting in changes significant enough to cause Republicans to walk away. The deal is expected to clear the House with a combination of strong GOP support and some backing among moderate Dems. Tweaking the bill in a way that drives away Republicans could imperil its survival.

The result could be a situation in which Dems hold a vote on amendments to the bill that are likely to fail. House Dems are particularly angry about the deal's estate tax provision; Dem leaders could hold a vote amending that provision, allowing Dem members to register disapproval. But the amendment would likely be opposed by almost all Republicans and some moderate Dems. So it would likely lose.

But rank and file Dems would have had a chance to make their voices heard before the final vote passing the deal through the House. 

The 83-15 vote to beat Bernie Sanders' filibuster showed the writing on the wall.   I'm not wild about the deal but it was better than what I expected the Dems to get.  The real issue is that the Tea Party just got thrown under the bus on this one, a mere month after the elections, and that all the Republican carping about the deficit is complete garbage (and always was).

The even larger issue is that they are going to get away with it.  Republicans will vote for this and turn around and attack Obama for the deficit over the next two years, because nobody in the Village will remember that the Republicans had any part in this deal.  They'll simply say "This was passed during the lame duck session when the Democrats were still in charge.  If we were in charge then we would have killed the deal."

And they'll walk away without a scratch.  I wonder if anyone will remember that the deal had broad bipartisan support among Americans too.





And by "broad bipartisan support" I mean a majority of Americans want the super-rich to pay less taxes, but think ordinary Americans shouldn't get a payroll tax break.

We are good little sheep, it seems.

[UPDATE]  And Steny Hoyer signals the el foldo.  Looks like this is a done deal.