Tax avoidance gimmicks? Important national and domestic security priorities? Offshore tax loopholes? How stupid do you think we are, Senator? This bill is packed with more pork than an Oscar Meyer weiner.

Consumer tax credits for buying plug-in motorcycles, tax relief for algae-based fuel, film and television producers, NASCAR track owners, tuna factories in Samoa, a rum tax rebate, the list of handouts goes on and on.....

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323320404578216583921471560.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_LEADTop

It's astounding that we continue to elect the likes of Levin and Stabenow who claim to be standing up for the middle class, while handing out our money to their corporate cronies.

And this. How much more greed has to be exposed.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/03/wegelin-co-pleads-guilty_n_2403572.html

Any of these companies that get tax breaks and subsidies better create more jobs. And that includes the Koch brothers oil companies.

No country ever taxed themselves into prosperity.

Spending needs to be kept under control. If a household doesn't have enough money to get by for the month, you don't take money from the neighbors just because they have more -- you cut your spending down to essentials.

Old Ben Franklin states he "would have preferred an agreement that better addressed our historical shortfall in revenues..." He means a shortfall in TAXES when mentioning revenue. What shortfall are you referring to? My taxes keep going up. Are you kidding me Senator Levin?!?! How about just cut spending!

The repubs blew it when they didn't/couldn't simplify for John Q the biggest problem with the economy. The simple explanation that the more money that is circulated in the private sector, the more revenue it efficiently produces to pay for (what should be reasonable government services). In other words, if you allow people (especially those that own or invest in businesses) to spend the money to improve the business (and hire more people), and build a nice home (builders hire more people), and buy a new car (manufacturers hire more people), and buy products and services (that hire more people) that all above buy more products and services; each time the money exchanges hands, it is taxed in some fashion. When you send a large portion of your money to the government, the cycle stops, or significantly slows. A strong economy is the ONLY way (in addition to reasonable spending) to reverse the debt and that can only be done by allowing people to keep more of their (hard earned) money! Every body should know this, but yet we elect those that haven't a clue; or worse, know better and wish to change us to their (failed throughout history) dream of perfect Socialism. Let's see George Clooney work for min wage...

The Levin boys are another set of useless politicians that somehow keep getting voted in term after term (as does Candy Miller). All you guys commenting have some smart, true and interesting comments. Good going!

senator, to say that the public no longer has any faith in politicians wud be a lie. when you and yr cohorts decide to have the same medical, pensions and other perks that we have then you wull get my confidence back. the small "raise" we seniors received was a joke, especially compared to your pay raises. still can't figure out why government employees do not pay into social security.
and then there's government waste.....

Carl Levin & Debbie Stabenow have got to go. Maybe one of these days the public will WAKE up and quit accepting the lies of these policians that protect only themselves & their cronies at the effect of the hard working americans who may just decide NOT to pay their TAXES anymore. The pork exposed in that bill should have been grounds for disqualification and deemed that bill null and void. The politicians do not listen to the citizens of this USA. They are self centered, greedy, and out of touch only concerned about power & control. The 8 policians that voted against this bill are the only ones that have any self respect. The others that voted for it should be embarrased to defend such recklessness. Since when did Carl Levin decide preserving the Bush tax cuts was important....all you heard about was how the Democrats said they benefited only the "rich". Our Republicans aren't very reputable either. This country is in TROUBLE. When the policians have to participate in the programs they decide are so GOOD for the citizens in this country, and forego their elitist status in Washington and become one of us, they just might care that THEIR social security is being raped, and vote against a program like OBAMACARE, and the fiscal cliff agreement because they would be affected because they would NOT be able to opt out and have superior coverages and raised to offset the tax increase. Many people in this country haven't gotten a raise in 5 years. Shame on you Carl Levin.

Carl Lenin, the Marxist has been an advocate of wealth redistribution his whole career. His tenure in office is approaching 40 years. HE is part of the problem. He has been living off his success at saving Chrysler in 1980. Had Chrysler been allowed to go bankrupt then they may have emerged as the premier auto company saving them from bankruptcy this time around., Whenever the government bails you out it kicks the can of efficiency down the road and sets up failure for the future. The Commandant Lenin has been a failure to the Republic for his entire tenure but since he plays the emotional hand of the Liberal democrats and gives everyone else's efforts away he'll be continually re-elected.

By the way, that (Star-Kist) tuna company is owner by Nancy Pelosi's husband if I'm not mistaken.

Now that the sequestration deadline has passed, if nothing else changes, I'll be hit with a mandatory one day off work with no pay per week for 22 weeks starting sometime in April. Meanwhile, federal legislators in both chambers of Congress continue to receive at least an annual salary of $174,000.00 with no interruption in their paychecks.

Article I, Section 9, of the U.S. Constitution requires that Congress pass a federal budget. Yet the U.S. Congress hasn't passed a federal budget since April 29, 2009; instead, they've opted for a Continuing Resolution year after year since then to avert a US Government shutdown.

Since April 29, 2009, which the was the last time the U.S. Congress passed a federal budget, the average U.S. Congressman, senators as well as representatives, has earned roughly $522,000.00 in annual minimum salaries. Yes, that's a half-million dollars. As a DoD Civilian, I haven't done one damned thing to earn a 20% furlough-induced pay cut. And I can assure you that I have not received a half-million dollars in pay since April 29, 2009. Yet the six-figure-a-year masterminds of the federal budget universe can go to bed each night safe in the knowledge that their pay will not be negatively impacted at all.

Can you sense my anger?

Retired Army Tanker you could support Claire McCaskill and Bill Nelson both Democrats:Congressional Overspending Pay Accountability Act. Reduces Congress's pay by the greatest percentage of any federal worker furloughed as a result of the sequester

It just amazes me that republicans have no problem advancing their lives through government then tell their constituents to hate government.

Romney ran on closing loopholes, although he wouldn't say which ones. Now the party of NO says NO.