Dems disappointing

Plan to ease middle-class taxes falters

WASHINGTON - House Democrats' promise to permanently protect millions of middle-class families from a mostly unknown tax increase is faltering before it's even unveiled.

Senate Democrats are pressing a Band-Aid approach to delay for just a year or two the alternative minimum tax, or AMT, from adding $2,000 more in taxes on average to families with incomes between $100,000 and $200,000 a year.

That way Democrats wouldn't have to go into next year's election after having tried, and probably failed, to raise income taxes on wealthy taxpayers — those making $500,000 or more — back to almost what they were before President Bush took office.

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