Failing to Prevent Tax Increases Will Intensify Political Headwinds for the Majority in Congress
If Congress adjourns without stopping or delaying tax increases set to go into effect only months later, Democrats who control Congress will face intensified political headwinds in November. In addition, such a decision will signal to voters the majority’s intention of using a lame-duck session of Congress after the mid-term elections to pass their agenda. In late July Resurgent Republic conducted a survey of likely voters in battleground Senate states and found that these voters are less likely to support the majority in Congress if they fail to stop or delay the scheduled tax increases before the election and use a lame-duck session of Congress to pass controversial legislation.
Members of Congress who have yet to voice opposition to the scheduled tax increases or refuse to state how they would vote in a lame-duck session are running against the grain of public opinion.
If the Democratic leadership decides to postpone consideration of the scheduled tax increases until after the election, they will further alienate Independent voters.
In order to reduce the federal deficit, voters believe Washington must first reign in spending, not increase tax revenue.
If the majority in Congress walks away from a tax vote before November, it will not be too late for members of Congress to rule out voting for controversial legislation after the election.
The majority in Congress faces a challenging political landscape this November, but their own actions have intensified the headwinds.
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Resurgent Republic
9/29/10
Magnolia Tribune
