Sen. Bob Menendez Likens GOP Talk On Bush Tax Cuts To 'Terrorist' Negotiations (VIDEO)

Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) vented some of his frustration over the GOP's insistence on extending the Bush tax cuts in their entirety on Friday, saying that the debate between the parties on the issue had grown akin to negotiating with terrorists.

"Do you allow yourself to be held hostage and get something done for the sake of getting something done, when in fact it might be perverse in its ultimate results?" Menendez asked at a press conference on Capitol Hill. "It's almost like the question of do you negotiate with terrorists."

Two critical votes are set to take place on Saturday, after plans to hold them Friday were delayed by a Republican objection late Thursday night. Senate Democrats first plan to vote on a measure passed Thursday by the House that would allow just tax cuts for families making under $250,000 annually to be extended. Should that fail, Democrats have crafted another proposal that would extend the cuts for all families making under $1 million a year. The GOP Senate has maintained that they will only accept a total renewal of the Bush tax cuts for all income earners.

A spokesman for Menendez later attempted to tamp down criticism of the senator's jab, asking critics not to blow his comments out of proportion.

"This shouldn't be taken out of context from the full question and answer," Menendez spokesman Afshin Mohamadi wrote in an e-mail. "The critical point for middle-class Americans remains that Republicans have chosen to jeopardize tax cuts for every middle class family in order to guarantee an average tax cut of $104,000 for each millionaire."

Menendez wasn't the only exasperated Democrat on Friday. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) seemed to imply that the path Republicans were on concerning the matter could lead to some sort of angry "pitchfork"-wielding mob.

"I'm trying to figure out how anyone can keep a straight face and say they are for deficit reduction when they insist on a permanent tax cut for the wealthiest Americans, completely unpaid for," McCaskill said. "If they think it is OK to raise taxes for the embattled middle class because they are going to pout if we don't give more money to millionaires, it really is time for the people of America to take up pitchforks."

WATCH (via ABC News):

Comments

[Dacktyl]

08:24 PM on 12/05/2010

What does he mean "almost"? The Repugs ARE terrorists - and just like terrorists they are wedded to a dead-ender ideology that they insist on inflicting on the rest of us. Every terrorist organization has one. The Repugs have theirs - wealthy giveaways for the rich, socialism for transnational corporations and unfettered deregulation (with some good ol' divisive scapegoating and Bible thumping for recruitment and distraction purposes thrown in) - and no matter how much destruction it causes for 98% of the American population, the global population or Mother Earth herself, they won't let go of it through intelligent "negotiation." There is no difference.

Another day, more http://RepublicanDirtyTricks.com

[AwakeinOregon]

02:13 AM on 12/06/2010

Brillantly put Dack~ Kudos !!!

[SonyaInTx]

01:09 PM on 12/05/2010

Why not use the reconcilliation process like Dubya did in his years in office for what he wanted done??

[tinarm]

10:09 AM on 12/05/2010

I would rather let all of the tax cuts expire then face extending them to freakin' millionares who already have loop holes and off shore banks to cover their butts. I knew this kind of crap was going to happen when no one came to vote in November. The only people we can blame for this bullcrap is ourselves. Some people were mad because of Gitmo, some were mad because of DADT. Well, guess, what come 2012 who do you think you are going to be mad at? It's not a game people, if you get upset and don't vote millions suffer because of pouty behavior. Thanks for staying home and not casting a vote. The next two years are sure to be a blast!

[cabo]

10:47 AM on 12/05/2010

The taxes should expire. The repunigcans are looking out for their pocketbooks and/or their friends who are in high places. What a shameful bunch of hypocrites who would probably serve their mothers' heart on a platter if it meant they would accumulate tons of money.

[AwakeinOregon]

02:19 AM on 12/06/2010

Yes but what do you call the Dems while holding a Royal Flush on this one and caving already ???
Watch, they're going to cave even more and then claim victory when they get unemployment beneifts which should NOT be played here. Rather than Call Out the Right, the Dems concede and look for room to negociate us into futher debt while giving candy to the RICH.. How much of us are they willing to give away. They already have us bleeding~~~ What more are they (the Dems) willing to do to US for they sure dont DO for US.

[Grada3784]

08:57 AM on 12/05/2010

Just the tax cuts?

Republicans feed on fear like vampires drink blood.

[saljas]

11:57 PM on 12/04/2010

This guy is a dangerous guy.

[WarriorLemming]

10:46 PM on 12/04/2010

Can you imagine the multi-millionaires/billionaires all snug in their warm homes quite above all the fray not caring one way or another if they receive this tax cut. And certainly not needing it for survival but thankful that somewhere in Washington D.C. there are those fighting for them and they'll probably win this fight on their behalf. How it must feel to be so warm and cozy by the fire this holiday and knowing that out there in the cold air of winter someone cares so much for you. God Bless America.

[hetrose]

07:55 PM on 12/04/2010

They learned their tactics form the Taliban wing of the party, "Lay down your weapons and leave our country, then we'll talk", only the Taliban have more of a credible position.

[anothervoter]

07:54 PM on 12/04/2010

I thought we didn't negotiate with terrorists?

[John Mainstream]

07:18 PM on 12/04/2010

Basically, Menendez is calling most Americans terrorists since we oppose the trillion dollar deficits. His political career is over.

[d1sergo]

07:29 PM on 12/04/2010

What about the trillion dollar deficits caused by the Bush tax cuts and wars? I'm tired of Obama negotiating with people who want to hurt this country.

[Grada3784]

08:58 AM on 12/05/2010

It's OK if you're a Republican.

[douglasFirCountry]

08:47 PM on 12/04/2010

This comment is a straw man argument. It misquotes Menendez and then attacks him for something he never said. Menendez never said he was in favor of the deficit. In fact, the proposal he opposes, i.e., tax cuts for millionaires, would increase the deficit.

[CalculatedRiskTaker]

06:50 PM on 12/04/2010

At this point, I really don't care about the debt or paying higher taxes. I just want to see the rich pay a lot more and the GOP lose

[christasleeve]

06:09 PM on 12/04/2010

I wish there were more like Bob Menendez. I've been saying this all week. This whole "do what we want, or else" attitude from the GOP isn't how anything is going to get fixed, and frankly, isn't why Congress should exist. Compromise and flexibility are badly needed.... and the GOP needs to start taking into consideration the 98% of the country that's crushing beneath them.

[DoremusJessup]

03:28 PM on 12/04/2010

Tax the Rich!

[hetrose]

07:56 PM on 12/04/2010

Because their taxes are too damned low!

[douglasFirCountry]

08:50 PM on 12/04/2010

The problem is that when we lower the taxes on the rich and the corporations, they do not invest the money to create jobs for American workers. Instead they bring in tens of thousands of H1-B workers and make the false assertions that Americans are not educated or qualified for jobs like software development and software testing. This argument doesn't cut it when a company that hires tens of thousands of H1-B contractors is a half hour away from a state university with 25,000 students.

[Frogz]

09:57 PM on 12/04/2010

No.

(1) Employee wages and benefits are deductible to the employer. How exactly would increased tax rates deter a business from hiring an employee, when wages and benefits are not taxed to the employer?

(2) Businesses don't start hiring people just because they pay less taxes. All things being equal, business owners pocket increased increased revenue. Businesses ONLY hire people when there is more demand for their product or service, and they need more employees to meet demand. End of story.

[MeinNH]

03:08 PM on 12/04/2010

These Republicans are Terrorists and there is no negotiating with them....or do we now negotiate with Terrorists? Aren't they hostage takers? How about doing something about that...millions are being held hostage over allowing a measly 3.9% tax increase for the richest of the rich. What is done to hostage takers in the real world...AKA outside of the LALA land that has become Washington DC. They need to be held accountable and made to resign. This is without a doubt the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard...why we cannot help the unemployed...because we "can't afford to"... but can allow tax cuts for the rich to continue...THAT we can afford???? Another term bandied about is "small businesses"....what like JP Morgan, CitiBank, AT&T?...seriously this is beyond the pale. They need to be strung up on the steps of the Capital Building for this...and let it be a warning to the rest of them....this is BS!

[Chucktheman]

02:49 PM on 12/04/2010

Tax Rates on the Wealthy.  This is how far the tax breaks for the wealthy have moved. Obama wants it set just a bit more generous than it was when Clinton had a surplus. The wealthiest would pay less than they did under Clinton but more than under Bush. Here are the figures. The Republicans just won’t budge. I’d Veto eveything they put forward, but that’s just me.
1951 91.0 %
1952 91.0 %
1953 91.0 %
1954 91.0 %
1955 91.0 %
1956 91.0 %
1957 91.0 %
1958 91.0 %
1959 91.0 %
1960 91.0 %
1961 91.0 %
1962 91.0 %
1963 91.0 %
1964 91.0 %
1965 70.0 %
1966 70.0 %
1967 70.0 %
1968 75.3 %
1969 77.0 %
1970 73.5 %
1971 65.0 %
1972 60.0 %
1973 60.0 %
1974 60.0 %
1975 60.0 %
1976 60.0 %
1977 60.0 %
1978 60.0 %
1979 60.0 %
1980 60.0 %
1981 60.0 %
1982 50.0 %
1983 50.0 %
1984 50.0 %
1985 50.0 %
1986 50.0 %
1987 38.5 %
1988 28.0 %”

[Tadduck]

03:02 PM on 12/04/2010

Thanks for posting this info. Now I am even angrier. Can we lay off congress? That would take a healthy chunk out of the deficit right there.

[hetrose]

07:57 PM on 12/04/2010

Hmmm. Up for a 1950's retro party anyone?

[Chucktheman]

02:43 PM on 12/04/2010

Strong armed by the wealthy, held hostage by the same party that supports eco-terrorism by mega multinational corporations that harm our environment, and yet the majority of Americans voted for them because they are in denial about the changes that have taken place in their party and what it truly represents. If we survive until the 2012 elections, we may be able to show how much more damage has been done by the party of No.