Tax cuts carving a divide in Florida

WASHINGTON -- Barack Obama's push to let tax cuts for the richest Americans expire is emerging as a campaign issue in Florida, putting some Democrats in tight reelection races at odds with the president.

Democratic Reps. Ron Klein, Suzanne Kosmas and Allen Boyd are calling for all of the Bush-era tax cuts to be temporarily extended -- disputing Obama's assertion that tax cuts for the ``very wealthiest Americans'' are too costly and would ``do little to add momentum to our economy.''

Obama wants to extend tax breaks only to individuals making less than $200,000, and married couples making less than $250,000, who represent an estimated 98 percent of all taxpayers. But the trio -- top targets of Republicans hoping to regain control of the House in November -- have joined a number of moderate Democrats urging House leaders to extend all the cuts, which expire at the end of the year if Congress does not act.

It's unclear when and if a vote will be held; Congress will soon head home to campaign.

Klein is asking for a year extension; Kosmas, too, backs at least a one-year extension. Both said they believe the country's fragile economy should have more time to recover before any taxes are raised.

``As we get out of the recession, I want to do everything we can to encourage people to start businesses, create jobs and I think that's where our tax policy needs to go,'' Klein said.

Republicans have seized the issue, accusing Obama of pushing a ``job-killing tax hike,'' but Klein rejected suggestions that his position is an attempt to blunt attacks from his GOP opponent, Allen West, who has accused Obama of ``fomenting'' an ``insidious class warfare'' by seeking to raise taxes on the wealthy.

``I'm reflecting my district,'' said Klein, who will appear with Obama at a Coral Gables fundraiser next month. Asked whether he was uncomfortable opposing the president, the Boca Raton Democrat said, ``I've taken a stance contrary to him on oil drilling. . . . When I agree with him, I'll say I agree with him. When I disagree, I'll say I disagree.''

Klein and Boyd, a leader in the House's conservative Blue Dog caucus, were among 31 Democrats writing this week to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, urging her to extend all the tax cuts because ``in times of economic recovery it makes good sense to maintain things as they are in the short term.'' Kosmas sent her own letter in July.

The move puts them at odds with Democrats like Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Orlando, who is also facing a tough reelection campaign, but contends the tax cuts -- enacted by the George W. Bush administration in 2001 and 2003 -- ``eviscerated an unprecedented budget surplus and weakened our nation's fiscal health.

``It is critical that we pass the Obama middle-class tax cuts -- not providing an even greater lift for the wealthiest Americans who don't need it,'' Grayson said in a letter to House leaders, noting the money instead should be used to close the gaping budget deficit.

Republicans are less divided -- and Democrats accuse them of looking to hold the middle class tax cuts ``hostage.'' Nearly every member argues that raising taxes during a recession would hurt the economy. House Minority John Boehner this week backtracked from remarks he had made earlier in the week suggesting he could support extending the cuts only for those making less than $250,000.

The GOP is looking to make it an issue in the Florida Senate race, knocking Rep. Kendrick Meek for backing Obama's plan, with the National Republican Senatorial Committee accusing the Miami Democrat of ``standing with his out-of-touch party leaders in Washington instead of taxpayers in Florida.''

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