By Kim Dixon

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The House of Representatives, in the waning days of Democratic control, was poised to take a symbolic vote on Thursday to renew tax cuts for the middle class enacted under former President George W. Bush, letting cuts for the wealthiest expire.

The measure passed a procedural hurdle on Thursday and was set to come to a vote later in the day. But it will surely die in the Senate, where Republicans have the votes to block the measure.

Republicans insist that any tax rate cut renewal must include the wealthy.

The House action comes as congressional leaders and the Obama administration negotiate behind closed doors for a compromise that would allow Congress to extend tax rates before they expire on December 31.

The top Republican in the House blasted Thursday's vote as political maneuvering that is undermining those separate, ongoing talks.

"This is nonsense, all right? The election was one month ago," said John Boehner, who is in line to become House speaker when Republicans take over in January.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and White House budget chief Jacob Lew met with two Republicans and two Democrats twice on Wednesday on the tax issue and are set to meet again later Thursday.

President Barack Obama repeated his optimism that a deal could get done. He has indicated a willingness to compromise in recent weeks, even as Republicans have dug in their heels.

"I believe it will get resolved," Obama said at an unrelated event. "That doesn't mean there may not be some posturing over the next several days."

If no agreement is reached, all tax-paying Americans could face higher bills next year, giving Republicans a chance to score politically by making tax cuts their priority when taking control of the House of Representatives in January.

Finding common ground before then will be tricky.

EXTENSION LIKELY

Many people, including some Democratic aides who asked not to be identified, believe a one-to-three year extension of all the Bush-era rates is the most likely scenario.

In exchange, Obama administration officials hope to win Republican consent to an extension of long-term unemployment insurance and to Senate ratification of the New Start nuclear treaty with Russia.

Any deal is likely to be coupled with an extension of business and individual tax breaks have expired this year, including the research and development tax credit.

Democrats had a tough time getting the votes necessary to continue debate on the symbolic measure on Thursday, with 33 members of their party voting against it. A few dozen conservative Democrats back the Republican stance that all lower tax rates for all income groups should be extended.

They say raising taxes would hurt job growth and the economic recovery.

Democrats, however, say the United States cannot afford the tax cuts for the wealthy - estimated at $700 billion over 10 years. Some say the wealthiest Americans do not need the extra income.

"Today we have the opportunity to do the right thing and put the American people ahead of millionaires and billionaires," Maine Representative Chellie Pingrie said. "We are only voting on extending tax cuts for the middle class, and this is something I sincerely believe we should all agree on."

A senior Democratic aide called the closed-door talks between congressional leaders and the administration "constructive" but said they are still at the beginning stages.

"I'm not sure real negotiations have begun," the aide said.

"They are going to continue to meet. That is a good sign."

A Republican aide said the talks were going "slowly but in the right direction."

(Additional reporting by Thomas Ferraro and Matt Spetalnick; Editing by Jackie Frank)