You have to hand it to President Obama. He appears to be on the path to obtaining his tax increase on the rich and spending cuts that may never materialize, all while fitting in his Hawaii vacation.
Republicans, after failing to pass John Boehner-crafted legislation to raise taxes on those making more than $1 million, seem on the way to having to live with something worse.
I don’t know what’s going to happen. But here is what seems to be shaping up:
Senate Republicans will cave first, with enough of them agreeing to pass legislation that increases tax rates on those making more than $400,000 or $500,000. Unemployment benefits are extended, and the estate tax goes up less than it would have. Meanwhile, agreement on an alternative to the spending cuts called for under the Fiscal Cliff scenario is probably put off until next year, with the Cliff cuts themselves either temporarily in effect or delayed.
This would pretty much be Obama Getting His Way.
The fault for this lies with Speaker Boehner and his utter failure of imagination. It’s the problem with Republicans these days in general and was the trouble with the Romney campaign in particular: The GOP, a home of intellectual ferment in the 1980s and 1990s, is now merely reactive.
Instead of his lazy attempt to pass tax increases for those making more than $1 million, Boehner should have put together a package that encompassed spending cuts and entitlement reform while keeping tax rates from rising.
That would have attracted solid GOP support, and perhaps even some Democrats, and given the country the message that Republicans are serious about averting the Fiscal Cliff and fixing the budget and, unlike Obama, have a plan to do it.
And then the pressure would have been on Obama, not the GOP.
Instead, like Romney, Boehner seems afraid the country won’t like Republicans if they embrace and promote a conservative agenda. So he waited around to see what Obama would do. And Obama did nothing except say, “Like my proposal, sucker.”
And now Boehner indeed might have to like it.
79 thoughts on “Is Obama About to Roll Over the GOP?”
Boehner needs to lose his job. Immediately.
Right on!!!
Should have been gone long ago he’s no leader at all .
*Like* button
Perhaps you meant “buffon like”.
Spell check :” buffoon like”
Where is the LOVE button?
The country is going down the tubes, and Obama will be praised by the press for his political moxie. We’re governed by idiots. I’m like Sylvester the Cat right now: I could just spit!
Ever notice how much Barney Frank sounds like Sylvester?
LOL
I suppose the silver lining (if there is any at all) is Obama getting what he wants means he owns the consequences.
Also, perhaps this will lead to a challenge of Boehner as speaker.
Is Boehner making his last deal as speaker?
I for one hope so. He’s treating Obama as an honorable man, when it’s clear Obama is an unreformed street hustler. The House needs a leader who is willing to call shenanigans on Obama, and publicly scorn him when he gets out of line. Boehner won’t do that.
I’ll be blunt: Boehner doesn’t have the cojones to be Speaker under this preezy.
Amen.
Obama Orders Pay Raise for Biden, Members of Congress, Federal Workers
I think I’m going to be sick.
I don’t think he can order a pay raise for the congresscritters.
US Constitution, Amendment 27:
No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.
It’s after the election. They can’t get a pay raise until after the 2014 elections.
So if he sticks to his guns on that, he’s violating the letter of the Constitution. Not that there will be any consequences for that, of course.
HA HA HA! Like Obama worries about the Constitution!
Remember Obamacare, how it passed, what chamber it started in, whether or not it was a “TAX”, like Jello Roberts said it was? How “constitutional” was THAT? And yet he gets away with it!
And the “National Defense Resources Preparedness” Executive Order? Is there a “Dictator” clause in the Constitution I haven’t heard about?
Let’s not even get started on whether he meets the “constitutional” definition of Presidential eligibility. That one has to go to the folks who have done such a wonderful job of clouding his origins, up to and including HIS OWN WORDS on his origins…
So, sorry, that “consitiution” thing? Over and done with. Meet the New World Order, Obama Style.
Thank you for your wonderful post! You saved me a lot of time and keystrokes!
He did it by executive order. Who’s going to challenge him, Congress?
Heck, the “media” is not even reporting the Executive Order pay raise.
Most people have NO idea what the Constitution says. Certainly the media doesn’t.
I’m going to say exactly three words:
SPEAKER PAUL RYAN.
If he was good enough to be ONE heartbeat away from the presidency, he’s darn sure good enough to be two.
It would be Cantor–not Ryan. Would you guys be happier? Obama said he’d veto any bill keeping the cuts for people over $250K. No? I am not going to blame this on Boehner–or add more on this thread.I think Obama wants everything to fail–and will see to it.
It would not necessarily be Cantor. They can elect anyone they want as speaker. And they don’t even have to be a member of CONgress.
I have three better words …
SPEAKER ALLEN WEST
Keith, I’m willing to consider another explanation for Speaker Boehner’s failure to put together a winning proposal for avoiding the fiscal cliff: he is an ignoramus who doesn’t understand fiscal policy and fiscal conservative solutions well enough to do so.
It doesn’t help that Republican proposals for our fiscal challenges are so easily demagogued by Democrats because we preach to the already converted and never bother to sell our views by answering the objections of our prospective customers. So the Republican message is sold as “We must get those ‘useless eaters’ (the elderly and the disabled poor) off the backs of the taxpayer and let them fend for themselves,” which just creates fear and revulsion in our prospects. We do not give the average voter any clear idea how he or she would fare in the Republican free market paradise when faced by life’s most deadly and overwhelming challenges that very few people have the wealth to meet on their own: sickness, injury, disability, age and frailty. The Democrats’ plans for these exigencies seem concrete and reassuring, even if the reality is that they are unsustainable and rob us of liberty, prosperity and undermine national security.
I agree with you, Cynthia. There are no conservative Republicans in any congressional leadership position, so our message isn’t getting out. If the House elected a true conservative as Speaker we might have a chance to turn things around, but it’s not looking hopeful. We need another Reagan.
Reagen was willing to compromise. The conservatives in the House are not.
akaObama is squatting in the WH, NOT Reagan and akaObama IS NOT WILLING TO COMPROMISE.
From a Wall Street Journal report detailing the broken-down status of talks …
Mr. Obama repeatedly lost patience with the speaker as negotiations faltered. In an Oval Office meeting last week, he told Mr. Boehner that if the sides didn’t reach agreement, he would use his inaugural address and his State of the Union speech to tell the country the Republicans were at fault.
At one point, according to notes taken by a participant, Mr. Boehner told the president, “I put $800 billion [in tax revenue] on the table. What do I get for that?”
“YOU GET NOTHING,” the president said. “I GET THAT FOR FREE.”
BTW, there are dang few “conservatives” in the House.
As far as I can tell, Boehner abandoned his principles long ago. He partnered with Preezy Revenge in crafting this whole “fiscal cliff” farce during the debt ceiling debate of 2011. He will do or say anything to keep his position of power, and that includes destroying any TEA party reps who get in his way.
Last night on Hannity, Bill Cunningham said he talked to two congresscritters who will be given permission to vote no on whatever crap comes out of the Senate as long as they vote for Boehner as speaker. Boehner knows he can count on the Democrats to give him the votes he needs for passage. Power and momentary adulation by the state-owned media is all it’s about to this blubbering corruptocrat.
“All power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely.” ~ Lord Acton
All the establishment Republicans seem to want to throw the Tea Party under the bus. The TP is a challenge to their authority, but I ask you, who is going to vote for in the next elections if the Tea Partyers drop out? The Republican Party is cutting its throat.
While the rich may not care about the rise in taxes, the base of the republican party does. The rich are mostly liberals suffering from some sort of rich guilt. I have no idea why they would be okay with government stealing their just rewards, but hey, not for me to figure out. The republican party is suppose to stand on principle. It is my fear that whatever happens today will affect the GOP later. Raising taxes on anybody while we are spending 600K to study online dating practices at Universities is just completely insane. The number of useless programs we are funding is absolutely ridiculous and boggles the mind.
Do these individuals really believe that an administrative type individual is going to put that money towards debt reduction?
So the base of the Republican Party should decide tax policy for the rich no matter what the rich or the American people want? And you wonder why conservatives are losing influence with this kind of arrogance.
I’ve come to the sad conclusion there is only a one-party system and we’re not invited. DC has the hats, noise-makers and party planners. We get to stand in the cold in winter or the heat in summer and watch the charade-parade march in and out every election that we fund. We owe .43 cents on every dollar. Is it any wonder that the dollar buys only .57 cents worth of goods.
“Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.”
This little ploy of getting the Senate Republicans to cave first is just the latest example of how unmoored from the Constitution this government has become. Article I, Section 7 of the Constitution states all bills for raising revenue shall originate in the House. It says nothing about rogue presidents taking the route of least resistance to accomplish legalized theft from the American people.
It was the GOP in the House that said it was up to Obama and the Senate to solve the issue. The Senate is going to amend something the House already voted on and send it back to them so it will in fact meet Constitutional requirements. Obama wanted to continue meeting with the house leadership, it was the house leadership that decided that the Senate should deal with it. Perhaps if you and others would quit hating all the time you would see what is really going on.
Takes one to know one, Ray. Since you’re so much more informed than I am, what is the number of the House bill that the Senate is taking up? I’d sure like to take a peek at what these crooks are amending.
I have no idea which bill it will be but it will be a revenue bill. No need to look at it though since it will be completely changed. Business has been done like this since the beginning of our nation. The Constitution was written by our Founders to be flexible because they knew compromise was a necessary part of governing. The conservatives in the House need to learn that lesson.
BS. The Constitution is not a living, breathing document. Rather than believe everything you hear from leftists, why don’t you read both the Federalist Papers and the Anti-Federalist Papers for enlightenment on how this nation was founded.
Sure it is Susan. That’s why at one point in our Country’s history “seperate but equal” was constitutional and now it’s not. There are numerous examples of this. And these things didn’t require Amendments to the Constitution to fix. Of course by being able to amend the Constitution it becomes an even more living and breathing document. Your ideology is so narrow you would never accomplish anything in politics. Just like the Tea Party. They aren’t for anything they are just against everything.
No sense trying to reason with a leftist ideologue. You live in your own little utopia where you know everything about everything and, of course, you are always right. Troll on…
Facts Susan. I gave you facts. The best you could do is accuse me of being something I am not. That’s your problem you have no facts. You claim something but have no facts.
Obama Orders Pay Raise for Biden, Members of Congress, Federal Workers
12:50 PM, Dec 28, 2012 • By DANIEL HALPER
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President Barack Obama issued an executive order to end the pay freeze on federal employees, in effect giving some federal workers a raise. One federal worker now to receive a pay increase is Vice President Joe Biden.
According to disclosure forms, Biden made a cool $225,521 last year. After the pay increase, he’ll now make $231,900 per year.
Members of Congress, from the House and Senate, also will receive a little bump, as their annual salary will go from $174,000 to 174,900. Leadership in Congress, including the speaker of the House, will likewise get an increase.
Here’s the list of new wages, as attached to President Obama’s executive order:
“A new executive order has been issued providing for a new pay schedule beginning ‘on the first day of the first applicable pay period beginning after March 27, 2013,'” reports FedSmith.com. “The pay raise will generally be about 1/2 of 1%.”
Jeryl Bier points to an example of the pay increase for average government executives:
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“Not much of an increase, but an increase all the same,” Bier notes.
And the timing isn’t great either: Just as President Obama and Congress try to avert going over the “fiscal cliff,” he doles out pay increases to federal workers.
UPDATE: According to a senior Republican congressional aide who has reviewed the executive order and consulted with the Congressional Budget Office, Obama’s pay raise will cost $11 billion. “The CBO told us that the President’s pay raise for federal workers will cost $11 billion over ten years,” says the aide.
The aide explains, “On the cost-estimate, CBO says the (discretionary) cost of the .5% pay-hike the President is calling for in the Exec Order – relative to a freeze – is about $500m in FY 2013 and $11 billion over the ten years from FY 13 – FY 22. The reason why the FY ’13 savings is only $500 million is because the pay hike as proposed by the President’s Exec Order would not go into effect until April 1st, 2013 – when the current CR expires. So it only covers half the fiscal year. The annualized cost of the pay hike is about $1 billion/year.”
More Daniel Halper »
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They’re all in collusion. The party was infiltrated with progressives.
And George Soros will sell you Progressive Insurance to boot.
As if there would be any other outcome. Obama does a lot of things poorly, but playing ruthless politics isn’t one of them.
Here is the real deal. With out significant revenue, there is nothing Boehner could have proposed that would have made a significant enough cut in the deficit to satisfy the conservatives but not be so draconian to Social Programs to not be hated by the public. Boehner can preach all he wants that it’s a spending problem but the reason we haven’t seen specific proposals from the GOP on what they would cut is because they know how the public will react. Look what happened to the Ryan budget. It met with much public anger. And those are the kinds of cuts necessary with out significant revenue. Boehner knows it and he also knows if he proposes those kinds of cuts he will weaken the GOP further and strengthen Obama even more.
That’s one of the biggest problems with the Republicans – there is no preaching going on. Where has Boehner been for the last two years? He sure hasn’t been spreading the conservative message.
Boehner needs to grow a pair and for once in his life put saving America ahead of his own self-interest. He can’t weaken the GOP any further than he already has. Why isn’t he taking a stand by forcing Harry Reid to follow the Constitution and take up the tax bill that was passed by the House months ago? If the Republicans all get together and sing kumbayah with Preezy Revenge, it will be over for them anyway. He’ll be laughing all the way back to Hawaii about how he won the class warfare battle and got the GOP to self-destruct, both at the same time…
Too late for Boehner to grow a pair.
He was neutered many years ago.
Hell, he can’t even take down the POTUS !!!
Take up the tax bill that the majority of Americans have clearly indicated they oppose? Yeah that is a great strategy.
The majority of Americans clearly oppose Obamacare. What’s your point?
Either way we will pay more taxes and yes boeh should lose his job asap.
Paul Ryan would be a good speaker-at least he has guts
I would rather see Allen West as Speaker.
Obama can’t intimidate him.
You do not have to be a sitting member of congress to be elected Speaker.
I would LOVE to see Allen west as speaker but he wasn’t reelected – does that matter?
(he should have run for president gosh darn it!)
Sure you have to be a member of the House to be Speaker. The Constitution is very clear in defining the House. Here is the very first sentence in Article 1 Section 2 that defines the House and that the nut job that proposed that someone that wasn’t a sitting member could be the Speaker. That nut job did what many do and forgot about the rest of the Constitution. “The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States, and the Electors in each State shall have the Qualifications requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch of the State Legislature.” You will notice the language that specifically says the “House…shall be composed of…” There is absolutely no allowance for the House to bring in anyone else to lead them. The are welcome to hire staff to assist in their duties but not to bring someone in that would take over any of those duties. Sorry but the Speaker must be an elected member of the House.
I’ll believe Mark Levin’s interpretation of the Constitution over Ray’s any day. There is no requirement for the Speaker of the House to be a member of Congress.
Yeah sure Susan. That’s why the Speaker has come from the members of the House consistently since the House was first established. I believe what the Constitution actually says not how some conservative twists it when he isn’t getting his way. But you know what it doesn’t really matter because the House won’t elect an outsider anyway. They won’t give up that power. So you people keep festering in your delusions. While the majority of the American Public put a stop to the mess the conservatives have created. You really aren’t going to enjoy what is to come over the next 20 years as this country turns further away from your conservative principles. Good luck with your narrow minded views.
Thanks Susan !
Ray, if you are referring to me as a ‘nutjob’ I would appreciate it if you didn’t.
Name calling makes one look childish.
Article 1 Section 2 does not specify that the Speaker must be a sitting member of the House.
The last sentence reads, “The House of Representatives shall choose their Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.”
Keith, why don’t people listen to you and read the article you wrote; it made absolute sense to me and was, probably, the only article I have read lately that really really made sense; send it to John B!
Well said!
I am not understanding why boehner gets the final say-what about the rest of the house? isn’t he supposed to ‘speak’ for them? are they all caving too?
Guess I need to brush up on some subjects
The final say is up to Harry Reid and ultimately Obama.
Make no bones about it.
What I don’t understand is how the Republican House members could turn down Boehner’s Plan B which raised taxes on $1million and above and now vote for a ‘compromise’ which will raise taxes on $4 or $5 hundred thousand and above. I hope there is a revolt among the Republicans elected in 2010.
It doesn’t matter what happens. We’re screwed anyhow. Obama is the newest dicktator on the block.
As much as I would like to see an extension proposal such as this http://legalinsurrection.com/2012/12/mcconnellpress-and-speakerboehner-stop/#comments or at the very least voting present I know that will not happen. The Republicans will vote to raise taxes with no offer to cut spending in sight. Then they will agree to raise the debt limit. With a compliant Congress Obama will rule by Executive Order when necessary or regulatory enforcement. This will all be supported and heralded by the 4th Estate as laudatory. President Revenge cares not one whit for the welfare of this country and there is not a legislator or court who will stand in his way. Geithner is a nothing more than a corrupt mouthpiece. And with all due respect, we are all just pissing in the wind.
Call me a cynic, but I tend to agree with Ron Paul’s overall assessment:
CNBC interview – Dec. 28 Video
“We have passed the point of no return where we can actually get our house back in order,” Paul begins, adding that “they pretend they are fighting up there, but they really aren’t. They are arguing over power, spin, who looks good, who looks bad; all trying to preserve the system where they can spend what they want, take care of their friends and print money when they need it.”
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2012-12-29/ron-paul-fiscal-cliff-we-have-passed-point-no-return#comments
I agree with him too. For me it
He absolutely right and truthful. It’s not cynicism so much as pessimism. Over and over I repeat my favorite mantra which I got from Paul Scott’s Raj Quartet: there is nothing I can do. Now, if I could really accept that!
Cynic…. :)
weeper of the House!
Don’t forget Preezy’s lacrimose displays–the in thang these days.
Obama is the Teflon Man.
Now that he’s won a second term in the Oval Office, the gloves will be off. Big time!
God help us.
Where’s Hillary ?
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2012/12/hillary-clinton-so-sick-she-had-to-travel-to-punta-cana-resort-to-celebrate-new-year/
The State Dept is denying it now with some rather harsh words (reprinted in the gatewaypundit link). Same State Dept that blamed the Benghazi attack on a bad video ?
She does seem to be a little accident-prone….not good for her .prospects in 2016
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/video/2011/01/12/VI2011011202047.html
OK. The State Department claims the Clintons are NOT at some posh resort for the NewYear’s celebration, but what’s missing is the claim that she’s ?? at home ?? in DC??. Where is she?
Maybe Keith can call “phillipe” from his bat phone :D
There’s basically been a media blackout on Hillary since mid-Dec, but we’re getting daily updates on GHWB’s health ? He’s out of the ICU and feeling better btw :)
Wonder who the source was for the original Dominican press release? Perhaps that was written before Hillary became ill ?
Phillipe is not very skilled in social etiquette either. Thought I remembered his name from an email exchange with a Buzzfeed reporter regarding Ambassador Stevens journal that was found by CNN after the Benghazi terrorist attack…
http://www.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeedpolitics/hillary-clinton-aide-tells-reporter-to-fuck-off
I have been thinking of Bush Sr–those hospitals are miserable places. I sure hope he leaves….As for the dopey cliff mess, this will end of neither fish nor fowl, cans kicked, debt ceiling more open-ended, everyone mad at everyone, fingerpointing…the usual low-rent kindergarten crap we now expect from our (um) leaders. If you think you will get a non-House member as speaker, try some more maui wowie.
Of course he is about to roll over the GOP as they hand him gold engraved invitations to do so.
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