HEATR was the subject of a post here and rebuked by Danger Democrat and Dr. Bob Johnson on his blog McHugh Watch in which they claimed the bill would never make it out of committee and accused McHugh of election year politics.Well, what might they say about some of the co-sponsors, listed here? They include Democrats; Kirsten Gillibrand, Mike Arcuri and none other than the Chair of the Ways and Means Committe, Charlie Rangel. The bill just happens to be in Ways and Means, would Charlie kill a bill he is co-sponsoring?
A final point that Johnson and Danger Democrat might want to make a note on, Senator Hillary Clinton has sponsored a companion piece of legislation in the Senate.
This is a direct lift from her press release.
The HEATR Act – Senator Clinton will introduce a Senate companion to Congressman John M. McHugh's (R-NY) HEATR Act. This legislation would provide a $500 refundable tax credit for individuals and families who spend more than $1,500 on home heating costs during the coming winter season; those who spend below $1,500 would receive a credit equal to one third of their heating costs. The HEATR Act would apply to both homeowners and renters, providing relief for consumers across the board. Individual tax filers making under $50,000 would be eligible for the credit as well as joint filers making under $100,000; only one credit would be allowed per housing unit. Above those income levels, the credit would phase out at $60,000 and $110,000 respectively. Eligible heating fuels include, but are not limited to, electricity, natural gas, propane, heating oil, kerosene, wood, and wood pellets.
Political IV kind of enjoys watching Danger Democrat eat a little crow, careful swallowing those feathers.
4 comments:
Hello "IV". Is it out of Ways and Means yet? Keep me posted.
Do you think it really is gonna make it to the floor?
I know you are making plans but don't start counting them crows till the eggs actually hatch.
Pretty crappy of you Piv. DD links to you, gives you props on the Hilton video, and you skewer him within the hour. Says a lot about the kind of guy you are.
I wonder now as before, why didn't Mr. McHugh introduce this bill this time last year if he were sincere about it passing? Why now as a heated (no pun intended) campaign season is getting under way?
A tax credit (within the very, very complex IRS rules) is not much... and it only applies when they spend more than $1,500 for heating - so a family of 4 pays $1,499 for heating = no credit (within the IRS rules).
McHugh is good at this = giving a credit or break or whatever you want to call it when the item's price goes above a "certain point."
That still panders to the big guys (read: business), and not the little folks (read: those hurting) ... like recently McHugh voted for oil to be released from the "reserves" if and when gas stays above $4.00 a gallon.
Notice how fast the gas prices went down? Big oil and bigger gas (not the Indies dealers) know how to play the public ... because it takes time for those bills to kick in.
Political IV --
Talk is cheap.
Here's the deal: If it gets out of committee to a vote on the floor, dinner on me at Tin Pan Galley. I won't make you eat crow though. I'll bring a brace of pheasants from my annual pheasant hunt in the Fall. I'm sure the chef could make a delicious dinner of them.
What the heck, we can have Danger Democrat come too.
You on?
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