With national unemployment hovering near 10 percent and Florida’s unemployment rate increasing to 11.5 percent last month, a number of leading Democrat Senators and candidates are abandoning embattled U.S. Representative Kendrick Meek (D-FL), embattled U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), and other Democrat party bosses as they prepare to implement the largest tax increase in American history later this year. 

During just the last two weeks, three Democrat Senate candidates in key swing states joined a group of Meek’s colleagues in D.C. who oppose the Obama-Reid-Pelosi tax hike, which Meek has promised to rubberstamp. 

“For a reminder of how painfully out-of-touch liberal Congressman Kendrick Meek is with voters in his state, Floridians need look no further than what his own fellow Democrats are saying about Meek’s tax-hiking agenda,” said National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokeswoman Amber Marchand. “While many of Meek’s Democrat colleagues have stepped forward and finally acknowledged that raising taxes will hurt families and small businesses in the midst of a recession, he continues to firmly support President Obama, Harry Reid, and Nancy Pelosi’s massive tax hike on the families, seniors, and job creators in his state.”

On Friday, Louisiana Democrat Senate candidate U.S. Representative Charlie Melancon (D-LA) became the latest Democrat to announce that he now opposes Meek’s efforts to raise taxes by repealing any of the 2001 and 2003 tax relief measures. Melancon’s announcement comes on the heels of two other leading Democrat Senate candidates, Rubberstamp Robin Carnahan (D-MO) and liberal trial lawyer Jack Conway (D-KY), who recently flip-flopped on their positions.

In addition, several sitting Democrat Senators, including Budget Committee Chairman U.S. Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND), have announced they will oppose Meek’s efforts, while Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke said recently that extending the tax cuts would strengthen a still struggling U.S. economy. Yet Meek is standing firm with Harry Reid, insisting on a September fight in the Senate over this issue. 

Background Information:

“[Orlando Sentinel]: Do You Support Phasing Out The Bush Tax Cuts? Meek: Yes. He Said The Cuts Benefited The ‘Superrich’ And ‘Exploded Our Deficit.’” (Jim Stratton, “Dems Meek, Greene Face Off On Issues,” Orlando Sentinel, 8/1/10)