Some legislative dope off of the Senate side.
One reason not to count out a successful vote in the Senate on
both ending the Death Tax, pension reform and some other tax issues
is the number of tax and tax credit issues tacked onto the pieces
of legislation by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and House
Leader John Boehner.
Frist actually deserves more credit, because while reporters
were running around worrying about Republican political failings,
Frist and his leadership team were pushing through appropriations
bills with far too few earmarks to Senators' likings. Now the
Death Tax and minimum wage bill have some earmarks to meet the
needs of Democrats. If they vote that bill down, it is doubtful
they get a shot at them for the rest of the year.
It is still a 50-50 proposition that they get it through, but
the comparatively unlarded approps bills will be interesting to see
move onto the floor later this year.
Another byproduct of the minimum wage bill is that some Senate
insiders think they will have a shot later this year at some decent
fixes to the Medicare system.
topics:
John Boehner, Earmarks, NATO, Medicare
