Immediately refuting the campaign lies spewed by Republicans guaranteeing across-the-board tax increases from a Congress controlled by Democrats, incoming Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) opened the lame duck Senate session yesterday by calling for tax relief for middle-class Americans.

In what will be one of his last opening statements as Senate Minority Leader, Reid called for the passage of tax breaks for middle-class families and businesses as well as appropriations bills that include funding for veterans’ health care, education and energy programs.

“For too long, Americans have watched as Washington has ignored their needs, and concentrated on special interests instead,” said Reid, Monday on the Senate floor. “Families have struggled with high health care costs… only to see big drug companies get billions from Congress. Ranchers in Nevada have struggled to fill their tanks with gas… only to see Big Oil companies get tax breaks. In the weeks and months ahead, Democrats will focus our energies on the real challenges facing America, and take concrete steps to protect the country and help working families get ahead.”

Reid proposed that the post-election Congressional session be used in part to extend critical middle-class and business tax cuts including the following:

• Deductions for college tuition

• Deductions for state and local sales taxes

• Deductions for out-of-pocket expenses incurred by teachers

• For business, extending the Research and Development, Work Opportunity, and Welfare-to-Work tax credits

Reid pointed out the fact that, despite the GOP-controlled Senate moving heaven and earth in the last two years in attempts to pass the "Paris Hilton" Estate Tax Cut for the wealthiest Americans, they have allowed tax breaks benefiting the middle class and working families to languish and expire.

And, after a campaign season that saw the GOP trying scare every voter in America with talk of Democratic tax hikes, the Republicans' refusal to extend these cuts would -- in an ironic bit of truth -- effectively result in a GOP-instigated tax increase for middle-class families next year.

"Unless we act to extend this relief in the next few weeks, families will be facing a tax increase next year," said Reid. "That is unacceptable. We need to act."

How much you want to bet that lame-duck GOP leader Bill Frist tries to join it with a whopping tax cut for Ms. Hilton?

You can read more from Bob at BobGeiger.com.