Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) is making the loudest filibuster threats in the Senate right now, vowing to do all he can to block President Obama’s tax cut compromise.
Here’s how: “Find a handful of Republicans who are willing to vote no on this agreement and then come back and come up with a proposal that is much stronger and much fairer,” he told reporters today.
“What I’m saying as a progressive should appeal to conservatives all over this country,” Sanders added. “I think we have a winnable fight here. I think the American people are with us and I intend to do everything that I can to defeat this proposal.”
No doubt a few Republicans will break from the GOP, but it will take a full 41 members to guarantee that the plan goes down. So far, Sanders won’t say if he has any allies on the right.
“I’m not into naming names,” he said, “but let me tell you something: Obviously I come from a more progressive state than most. But I will be willing to bet — and you ask them — dollars to donuts, that in R states all over this country there are people saying, ‘Wait a second, it is insane to give tax breaks to billionaires when the rich have done phenomenally well in recent years.’”
Brian Beutler
Brian Beutler is TPM's senior congressional reporter. Since 2009, he's led coverage of health care reform, Wall Street reform, taxes, the GOP budget, the government shutdown fight, and the debt limit fight. He can be reached at brian@talkingpointsmemo.com.
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