KY Congressmen Divided on Fiscal Cliff Deal

Although the tax agreement preventing the fiscal cliff has passed in both the House and Senate, Kentucky congressmen remain divided on the issue. In the Senate, minority leader Mitch McConnell who was heavily involved in the negotiations voted yes while small-government proponent Rand Paul voted no. Kentucky’s representatives in the House were also equally divided. Both Democrats Ben Chandler and John Yarmuth along with Republican Harold Rogers supported the tax increase on the wealthiest of Americans. Republicans Ed Whitfield, Brett Guthrie and Thomas Massie all voted against the measure. The tax agreement permanently extends tax cuts for middle class families while raising taxes back to 39.6 percent for individuals making more than $400,000 a year and couples making more than $450,000. The agreement also postpones the sequester by putting temporary spending cuts in place across the board through February.