Former John Locke Foundation Headliner Matthew Continetti of The Weekly Standard pontificates on the tax hike we’ll face in 2011:
In a little more than 90 days, taxes on incomes, capital gains, dividends, and estates are going to rise. Not just for some families. For every family. And the Democrats haven?t lifted a finger to stop it. They haven?t even written a bill. They have not found the time, in the twenty months they?ve controlled Congress and the White House, ever actually to try to block the tax hikes. It?s amazing: The Democrats have no problem passing unpopular legislation. But when they are charged with doing something that the public actually wants, such as preventing the coming tax hike, they turn to jelly.
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The chances for a compromise are nil, at least until after the election. It?s a decision that reveals the depth of the Democrats? ideological commitment. One of the president?s favorite lines during the tax debate has been that Republicans are holding tax cuts for the middle class ?hostage? to tax cuts for the rich. But events have proven that it?s the Democratic leadership and Obama who are holding taxpayers hostage. It?s the Democratic leadership and Obama who would rather have taxes rise on everyone than extend current tax rates for everyone including the wealthy.
This obsessive focus on income redistribution has divided the Democrats and left them in the grip of a political panic. One reason no bill has been brought to a vote is the leadership is afraid they?d lose. They don?t want to be exposed as weak in the run-up to Election Day. Or, if they did win the vote, then Democrats would have supported higher taxes on small businesses. And since that?s not exactly a campaign winner, the Democrats have punted.
