McConnell urges Democrats to support Thune's extender bill

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Thursday urged his Democratic colleagues to support a substitute amendment to the so-called tax extenders bill authored by Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) that will be voted on later in the day.

Thune's bill accomplishes many of the Democratic priorities on taxes and spending, but it is fully paid for. The Democratic alternative adds approximately $60 billion to the deficit.

McConnell cautions that opposition to the Thune bill would go against public sentiment on deficit spending.

"If you're even remotely attuned to what Americans are asking us, this would be an easy choice," the senator said. "They [Democrats] can either vote to reduce the deficit or they can lock arms with the Democratic leadership and dig an even deeper hole of debt when most Americans think that $13 trillion is far too much already."

The minority leader also blasted Democrats for using increased payments to the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund as an offset for the bill. The revenue going into the fund is dedicated to cleaning up present and future oil spills, and will not be used to offset the legislation's cost. The double accounting means that deficit spending in the bill is actually higher than the aforementioned $60 billion figure.