LaTourette: Blame Tea Party “chuckleheads,” not Boehner’s leadership
posted at 4:16 pm on December 21, 2012 by Ed Morrissey
Let the recriminations begin! Now that the House Republican caucus has fallen apart, at least momentarily, we can expect a lot of finger-pointing and blame-throwing from all sides — and in fact, it started almost immediately last night. Fox and Friends plays this reaction from Rep. Steven LaTourette (R-OH), who says not to blame John Boehner for last night’s failure of his Plan B strategy. Instead, LaTourette blames the Tea Party “chuckleheads” who have “screwed this place up.”
Republican Rep. Steven LaTourette said that Boehner is not to blame for the stalemate, the Tea Party is.
“I don’t know what the number is but say the number is 40 out of 240 – that’s not a repudiation of his leadership. That’s the same 40, 50 chuckleheads that all year … have screwed this place up. And he has done everything in his power to make nice to them, to bring them along, to make them feel included, but it hasn’t mattered,” he said.
I’m not sure that kicking a few of them out of their committee assignments in the last week or so made them feel particularly included. Here’s a question for LaTourette: why do that before walking out on a limb with this Plan B strategy, since it would obviously alienate them and their allies just before a leadership-affirming vote like this? That goes directly to strategy and leadership. If Boehner and his team wanted to punish a few people for disunity, perhaps it should have waited until after the fiscal-cliff negotiations ended, no?
That’s not to say that LaTourette doesn’t have a genuine beef, either. Steve Doocy defends the Tea Party opposition to Plan B as a response to Boehner abandoning the key principle of not raising taxes. Unfortunately, that doesn’t make much sense as a defense. At some point, we either cut a deal before the fiscal cliff raises everyone’s taxes, or go off the fiscal cliff and raise everyone’s taxes, or cut the deal after raising everyone’s taxes temporarily. To the extent that the Tea Party caucus had an impact yesterday, it was a push toward those latter two outcomes. And if either of the latter two outcomes happen, then Barack Obama will be able to claim credit for a massive middle-class tax cut after the fact, and the media will be more than happy to help build that narrative.
Republicans lost the presidential race and lost ground in the Senate, which means that they’re not going to be able to force a deal that doesn’t include some kind of tax hikes now. Even the “revenue” that Boehner put on the table in his previous offers means tax increases — just not rate increases, a point on which Obama ran and won his second term as President. That is what is meant by “elections have consequences.” Apparently, the implications of the loss in November still haven’t sunk in with some in the House GOP.
Still, the “chuckleheads” to whom LaTourette refers got elected to their offices the same way Boehner and LaTourette did, and have as much claim to a mandate within their own districts. It’s the job of effective leadership to craft strategies that include enough of the caucus to bring them along — and to time punishment so that it doesn’t damage the key strategies in high-stakes negotiations. There seems to be plenty of blame to go around today in the House Republican caucus, and name-calling won’t help resolve the situation.
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And everyone knows. Most ‘normal’ people hate you and your gun toting, narrow minded ilk. Go pollute your own country somewhere far far away from the rest of us.
lostmotherland on December 21, 2012 at 6:51 PM
someone’s holding your brain hostage
Slade73 on December 21, 2012 at 6:52 PM
Typical Obama voter who will be crying in his corn flakes when the U.S. dollar goes under. Again, do you realize that in 10 years just the interest on the debt will pay for China’s military. Or do you just bury you head in the sand and not care what happens to the next generation?
melle1228 on December 21, 2012 at 6:52 PM
Oh, and Bishop. FU.
lostmotherland on December 21, 2012 at 6:52 PM
Someone who lives in an echo chamber doesn’t know what everyone “knows.” You are frankly ignorant, biased, and bigoted.. Go find a hole, and crawl.
melle1228 on December 21, 2012 at 6:53 PM
It was stated above that if we go over the cliff, Obama and the Democrats will introduce and pass a middle-class only tax cut. In my copy of the Constitution, it says that all revenue bills originate in the House, which is controlled by the GOP. The only way that could pass is with the votes of the RINOs, and I don’t believe even they are that stupid. Let Obama raise the taxes and bear the consequences.
FirelandsO3 on December 21, 2012 at 6:54 PM
Well it appears I am not going to get my only thing I want for Christmas? I wanted three weeks without bho’s face on the tube. But I just heard on Fox bho is flying back to dc the latter part of next week to ‘help’ with the cliff.
Now think about this, bho/mo/kids/the hundreds they need to make them comfortable goes to Hawaii today. Then bho flies back to dc on AF1 with all he needs to make him comfortable to get his face on the tube trying to do squat. Then when squat doesn’t get done bho flies back to Hawaii to finish his vacation. And then the whole bunch flies back to dc. NOW one has to ask, HOW much is this thing costing the taxpayers? The 4m they said it would cost isn’t gonna be the cost?
L
letget on December 21, 2012 at 6:55 PM
lostmotherland is upset
and they’re not gonna take it anymore!
The preezy has taught them new words like “intransigent” and “obstructionist” and they’re gonna use them damn it!
Slade73 on December 21, 2012 at 6:56 PM
@ lostmotherland
why is it always ditches and Slurpees with you Dems?
Slade73 on December 21, 2012 at 6:59 PM
From what I hear they were none too popular with rank and file and that might have had a little bit to do with the fact that they lost some committee assignments, but so what? Are they going to screw things up for everyone else because they did not get some assignment they want? What are they? 12? It is not all about them. It is about those pesky bothersome voters out there who actually think that Congress is there to represent them and run the government..not get pud assignments and then pitch a tantrum when they lose them.
I am just so disgusted with the whole thing I could throw up.
Terrye on December 21, 2012 at 6:59 PM
Yep, but you are missing the fact that those they “represent” voted them in office to “not raise taxes” and lower the debt. Plan B didn’t represent their constitutients.
melle1228 on December 21, 2012 at 7:01 PM
Oh Look: Another Bolshevik with LaTourettes’ Syndrome.
LegendHasIt on December 21, 2012 at 7:05 PM
Another Pseudointellectual with a beard.
diogenes on December 21, 2012 at 7:05 PM
Are they going to screw things up for everyone else because they did not get some assignment they want? What are they? 12?
Terrye on December 21, 2012 at 6:59 PM
topdawg on December 21, 2012 at 7:05 PM
Perhaps their constituents are idiots who aren’t capable of the kind of elementary-level of analysis Ed did in his post.
alchemist19 on December 21, 2012 at 7:08 PM
Or perhaps the follow the news, and knew plan B wasn’t going to even make it to the Senate floor. Why vote against something you campaigned on. You think that the next house race, those same reps won’t get hit by their opponent for their vote? You do realize that that is how we get split primaries and people like Akin right?
melle1228 on December 21, 2012 at 7:11 PM
Ed doesn’t do more than elementary-level analysis
so that was redundant
Slade73 on December 21, 2012 at 7:11 PM
*facepalm*..
Dire Straits on December 21, 2012 at 7:15 PM
Memo to LaTourette:
It was Tea Party and other conservative voters who were instrumental in putting that gavel in your buddy Boehner’s hands. And then they have to kiss his butt to keep their committees and chairs?
Buzz off.
predator on December 21, 2012 at 7:16 PM
gots to get my Ed digs in ;)
Slade73 on December 21, 2012 at 7:18 PM
If we go over the cliff, then the GOP is the party of higher taxes.
I agree that higher taxes don’t mean higher revenue, on the contrary. Obama even said that he doesn’t care if the revenue goes down, as long as the “rich” pay higher taxes. That’s insane.
Boehner’s plan didn’t compromise to the Dems, because we knew that it wouldn’t pass the senate. That was actually the point of Plan B. I don’t want to defend Boehner, he showed terrible leadership and I think he should resign.
The “narcissistic sociopath” (h/t Mary Matalin) must be defeated. But we can’t defeat him if we play into his hands.
Gelsomina on December 21, 2012 at 7:21 PM
Plan B passing the House gave the GOP a fig leaf, and while a fig leaf isn’t much it is better than the nothing we’re going to have when Barack Obama passes the largest middle class tax cut in history in a couple weeks.
Politics is the art of the possible and what seemed possible during the campaign (i.e.: total GOP control in Washington) when those promises were made no longer is because the people voted for the party of higher taxes. We should be doing everything we can to get a deal done now because it’s likely to be the best we can ever get but some people seem more interested in their political careers (you did talk about how their future opponents will hit them for their votes) than doing everything that can be done to get the best deal and slow our journey down the path to financial ruin.
Split primaries aren’t how we end up with Akins, stupid electorates are.
alchemist19 on December 21, 2012 at 7:34 PM
Yep time for conservatives to take over the GOP or time to start a new conservative party…these RINOs are making me made..and i’m a proud ‘chucklehead’
sadsushi on December 21, 2012 at 7:52 PM
Which will do more to move the U.S. economy toward economic and fiscal reality?
a) Staying the course: “avoiding the fiscal cliff” by spending more and taxing more?
or
b) Hitting the fiscal wall: spending less and taxing more?
ROCnPhilly on December 21, 2012 at 8:22 PM
Boehner and Cantor Must Go
Speaker John Boehner’s “Plan B” (B as in “Big Bomb”) is as dead as a Cowsills’ 45 record. Vinyl doesn’t wear well in the digital age, and Speaker Boehner’s plan to raise taxes didn’t woo GOP House caucus members or tea parties and grassroots conservatives across the republic. Boehner and his team were effectively trying to legislate against their party’s conservative base and the outcome was thankfully predictable.
Boehner and Cantor were clearly knocked off their strides after Mr. Obama’s unexpected victory (for many on the right) over Mitt Romney. They haven’t seemed to recover since that Tuesday night in November. Like other establishment Republicans, Boehner and Cantor read too much into the president’s narrow popular vote win. Moreover, both men are clearly overmatched in their duel with the president, who sticks to his principles like superglue.
Read more: http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2012/12/boehner_and_cantor_must_go.html#ixzz2FjwVn0UQ
Follow us: @AmericanThinker on Twitter | AmericanThinker on Facebook
Green eyed Lady on December 21, 2012 at 8:30 PM
I never expect liberals to be able to do math or critical thinking …
… so either we have a lot of liberals on here pretending to be Republicans (because they most certainly are not conservatives) …
… or the low information voters include more RINO’s than I want to contemplate after a nice dinner.
Example:
.
We had one RINO come out of the closet on the other thread last night. Let’s see if this individual has equal courage – because there are zero reading comprehension skills.
Let.It.Burn! has nothing to do with the transitory political shifts of the moment OR the question of raising taxes. It is entirely about being constrained on an unsustainable path into global financial oblivion with the U.S. government leading the way.
From last night’s thread:
.
Or just go back to defending John Boehner endlessly repeating the same failed “chess moves” he has used every time he has squared off on the SCOAMF.
Just one problem, while “Weepy” Boehner is playing chess …
… the SCOAMF and the MSM are planning another ambush.
PolAgnostic on December 21, 2012 at 8:46 PM
Oh yeah, that’s the ticket. Have the Republicans in the House oppose a tax cut.
Priscilla on December 21, 2012 at 9:11 PM
Hmmm. Not really. See this post.
ddrintn on December 21, 2012 at 9:12 PM
I like the chuckleheads.
EM is a marsmallow RINO.
Sherman1864 on December 21, 2012 at 9:31 PM
It’s a shame this didn’t pass. The GOP strategy usually works so well. I mean, we’re in this awesome position because of an accumulation of awesome GOP strategy. Why didn’t those ruffians want to continue?
Dongemaharu on December 21, 2012 at 10:02 PM
Ed is not a conservative, never has been one, never will be one. He is an establishment Republican who adheres to the party line.
bw222 on December 21, 2012 at 10:15 PM
Cram it, Speaker Boehner.
Kent18 on December 21, 2012 at 10:18 PM
“Ummmm… errrrr… ahhhhhhh… damn that snow vixen, Sarah Palin! DAMN her, I say!”
/s
Kent18 on December 21, 2012 at 10:23 PM
Fixed for truth.
Kent18 on December 21, 2012 at 10:30 PM
I could give a fig about the millioniares and their taxes going up. The fact of the matter is that capital gains taxes are the tax on the rich. Income taxes going up won’t hurt the rich they will just move their money into capital gains. taxing the “rich” means taxing the small businessman, the upper middle class professions like doctors. This isn’t about “taxing the rich” this is about destroying the middle class. The Speaker created the cliff to get this stuff off the table before the election. We shouldn’t even be here. But guess what at some point in the day you have to stand on principles. If the GOp caves on taxes it stands fro absolutly nothing. they have caved on everything else. If you believe the government is the problem, that spending is too much, that high taxes hurt the ecoonomy then you shouldn’t vote for taxes for the middle class the poor or the rich.
SPending is the problem. It has always been the problem the bush tax cuts increased rev by almost a $ 1 trillion dollars. That is a fact. the GOP congress spend it all. the GOp in the house should change the conversation. Pass bills to raise rev by passing tax cuts and cutting spending. By opening up drilling and royalites of said drilling, selling federal lands, unused buildings. Why hasn’t the speaker did any of this? Because he wants the tax rates to go up. He has already decided to increase taxes he has siomply tried to not have his hands dirty in the process.
We should be talking about tax cuts not tax hikes. About reducing waste, fraud and abuse. Of closing the loopholes. So what if Obama doesn’t sign it. Keep passing it and use the debt limit as your threat until Obama caves.
unseen on December 22, 2012 at 8:40 AM
Good morning!!!! lostermotherland appears to be upset! As for the Tea Party members, both side’s regulars hate them, because they are against the status quo. The vast majority of inhabitants of DC are fine with things going on and on just as they have been. Trust none of them.
Cindy Munford on December 22, 2012 at 8:51 AM
At least he didn’t call them teabaggers. Thanks for keeping it civil, Rep. LaTourette. This plan B was totally unnecessary since the House had already passed 2 bills covering taxes and cuts earlier this year. They reside in Dingy’s ignore til hell freezes over file. Boner was trying to pass a bill that was against the House’s previous bills interests.
Kissmygrits on December 22, 2012 at 8:54 AM
Funny, I’m just not feeling the love from you lost. Shallow grave?
Bmore on December 22, 2012 at 9:05 AM
I enjoy my position within the Tea Party. But then I enjoy anonymous cowards hurling insults my way. Good times!
Bmore on December 22, 2012 at 9:07 AM
Until we get rid of Boner, Cantor, all the bushie’s, their hanger-ons conservatives will be screwed. These establishment morons think it’s better to make a deal (raise taxes) than to fight fore principle.
Start the revolution, those 40 tea party reps can stop the establishment in their tracks. DO IT!!!!
I’m sick of bailouts, tarp, raising the deft, raising taxes etc. BY THE F*cking GOP, then having them tell me it was good to do.
NO MORE, we have 40 rep patriots, I stand with them!!!!!
Danielvito on December 22, 2012 at 9:33 AM
True words. The TEA Party folks understand actual math, as opposed to DC Unicorn math. Taxing billionaires who earn over 250,000 a year will fix nothing and Bonehead should never have agreed to it, nor should he have met with Oblamo.
A man with so little understanding of his situation and his real resources has no business running the house of representatives.
dogsoldier on December 22, 2012 at 9:42 AM
It’s the only thing Democrats, establishment Republicans and the media can agree on.
Cindy Munford on December 22, 2012 at 10:06 AM
The party of discipline, order and loyalty lost all of those values. Giving Obama and the progs the victory. If you want to win, you need to unify. The progs are lovin this red on red violence.
tommy71 on December 22, 2012 at 10:10 AM
And some wonder why we cling to our guns.
Old Country Boy on December 22, 2012 at 10:12 AM
Sanctomony from the man who writes:
Just go away.
lostmotherland on December 22, 2012 at 10:33 AM
The Democrats plan, wait until the last possible minute and then try to shove their plan down the Republicans throat. The Republicans plan=???????????????????????????????
bflat879 on December 22, 2012 at 10:33 AM
The irony escapes it. Apparently the moderators also. Had I said this……………..
Bmore on December 22, 2012 at 10:35 AM
Any legislator, who wants to spend money, doesn’t like the tea party. Most of them are Democrats, but there are a lot of Republicans who wish they could just spend like Democrat lite and let someone else deal with that tacky debt problem.
bflat879 on December 22, 2012 at 10:37 AM
Recycled from a long-ago and unrelated thread, yet somehow oddly appropriate:
$250,000 billionaires, indeed.
/.
CaveatEmpty on December 22, 2012 at 10:39 AM
Maybe the TeaParty needs to actually go as an actual Party. Lets do it.
johnnyU on December 22, 2012 at 10:41 AM
Stolen from another poster, elsewhere:
Any “loyalty” being misplaced, here — any “red on red violence” (such as, f’rinstance, Weepy’s cowardly tantrum/purge of all dissenting voices from congressional committee seats) — Boehner is ultimately culpable for; and for which Boehner must (and will) ultimately be held accountable.
That’s reality.
Kent18 on December 22, 2012 at 10:54 AM
We know Obama’s leadership isn’t to blame. Something has to exist to blame it.
RSbrewer on December 22, 2012 at 11:11 AM
Look at the budgets passed by the GOP during the last 12 years and then decide who’s been screwing things up.
EddieC on December 22, 2012 at 11:13 AM
We’re “narrow-minded” but what is the Progressives’ solution to every political, social, economic and moral problem ever encountered? Total autocratic State control and management. An approach which has failed and is failing in its every manifestation.
The Right wants to empower and unleash the individual to solve problems in ways and at levels the State imperium cannot imagine and fears even trying to.
We know exactly who is “narrow-minded.”
rrpjr on December 22, 2012 at 11:34 AM
Oh I think he was conservative at one time. He’s moderated substantially since hitting the “big time” though.
He may have lost his way a tad….but hopefully he’ll be back.
Tim_CA on December 22, 2012 at 11:35 AM
It’s time for a third party.
Perhaps the Republicans will vote in step with that third party on occasion.
ElectricPhase on December 22, 2012 at 11:50 AM
B9 said Boehner is The crying RINO.
LOLZ.
Anyway the RINOS have destroyed the party. We tried to warn you this would happen.
SparkPlug on December 22, 2012 at 11:55 AM
ROTFL
Forget the trolls, I wanna see those who defend the GOP no matter what on this thread. If they say and do the right things some of the time, but screw Americans over most of the time, then by some strange default they’re A-OK in the minds of those who think Reagan is still alive and well.
This “RINO” stuff is wearing thin. With the exception of a few here and there, this is what the GOP is. A bunch of self-serving politicos who have and will sell us out in order to feather their own nests. Just like the “Liberal” Dems intent on getting rich themselves while pretending to give a damn about the poor and the minorities.
We’re being played against each other, but the time may come when both Lib and Con are forced to drink out of the same sewer and share MREs while the true chuckleheads of both parties are playing golf together and drinking champagne in some fortified enclave.
Anyone read Animal Farm?
Dr. ZhivBlago on December 22, 2012 at 11:56 AM
The old saying-you either hang together or you hang alone-was never truer. I’m totally against the so-called “rich” tax increase but if the only way we can avoid tax increases on 98% of the population (for which Republicans WILL be blamed) is to have some sort of compromise here-I say get the best deal we can.When you lose, delay if you can, deny if you’re able and compromise if you can’t or are unable.
The whole point is pragmatism. Because of Obama’s policies retention of the Bush tax cuts for 98% will makes things slightly better (mostly for Romney voters) but will not be able to avoid a recession (which will follow mainly on the backs of Obama voters). And then comes Obamacare-and unlike the Mayan doomsday dud-this one will be real. But the point is the Dems will get the blame they deserve. By mid-terms there should be Republican majorities in BOTH house IF we hang together.
MaiDee on December 22, 2012 at 11:57 AM
I did.
SparkPlug on December 22, 2012 at 11:59 AM
Somebody in Ohio needs a good primary. Loved seeing the established GOP goons’s finally getting stopped. Time to compromise with the the conservative base. Yep, if you can fold so easily for the dems, laying your cards down for your own base should be easy.
Panther on December 22, 2012 at 12:01 PM
“Plan B” plays into his hands, I don’t know why you guys don’t get that. It would hand Obama and the Dems the biggest anti-GOP stick they’ve had since Daddy Bush raised taxes 20+ years ago, violating his ‘read my lips’ campaign pledge. Remember how well that worked for him?
And you want the GOP – that’s been running on ‘tax increases are bad’ to turn around and less than 60 days post-election vote to raise taxes?
LOL, good heavens.
Midas on December 22, 2012 at 12:03 PM
Usually I abhor agreeing with GOP leadership, but Boehner was right with this one: give Obama exactly what he wanted, and then point out that he won’t even accept that, proving that Obama simply wants to go over the cliff to blame Republicans.
Instead, having the GOP sabotage a bill that would extend tax relief to 99.81% of Americans because the last 0.19% don’t get an extension is absurd. It makes the GOP exactly what it’s stereotyped to be: the party of wealthy fatcats and country-clubbers.
The GOP just got their butts handed to them running a candidate lik that. You’d think they’d learn their lesson, but I suppose there’s a reason it’s called the stupid party.
Stoic Patriot on December 22, 2012 at 12:04 PM
@MaiDee Pragmatism? I really doubt that. Not with this atmosphere of red on red violence. Your comment is spot-on.
tommy71 on December 22, 2012 at 12:05 PM
No, I think I’m going to blame leadership and side with the chuckleheads right now. I’ve seen some ideas that would enable the Republicans in the House to begin to go on the offense rather than always playing defense….Boehner doesn’t seem to be aggressive enough. He hasn’t been able to change the narrative, heck, he can’t even stop using the term ‘the rich”. That’s a label that has been used by the left successfully against our message. Polls show that if this question is rephrased as to whether the economy would be helped if upper-income couples had their tax bills increased substantially, most Americans are opposed to the hikes. Most people will “get it”… and the Speaker should be adept at communicating the Republican message. He doesn’t seem to be too good at that either.
And for what it’s worth, is it too much to ask to hear our side speak with a little passion?….Boehner is about as exciting as garden tools.
This is an extremely critical time for the Republican party and we need a leader who is tactical, bold and creative. Boehner doesn’t appear to be the guy.
lynncgb on December 22, 2012 at 12:07 PM
Offhand, I can think of at least four legally elected and seated Republican congressmen who’d be the first ones to agree with that sentiment.
Damned shame that Boehner didn’t.
Kent18 on December 22, 2012 at 12:07 PM
Hmmm, I can’t really see where Old Country Boy was wrong at all.
I heavily agree with the part about immigrants. The point is to come here to be Americans, not to turn America into the dump where you just came from. Some groups have had a harder time with that than others. I have no problem with Americans acknowledging their “roots” in other cultures, but that should not be what they’re entirely about.
If the American and Mexican systems and ways of thinking and doing things (not the populations) were inverted, for example, the current U.S. would be a dump run by drug gangs and South of the Border would be an economic and industrial dynamo.
It’s not about race, it’s about failed vs. successful systems of government and economics. Anyone of any race or religion can enjoy prosperity under Jeffersonian Democracy and free enterprise. But as we’ve seen, when those two things are modified (by Communists, crooks, meddling foreigners, populist demagogues), that is no longer true…but the enemies of prosperity and Liberty try to convince us that they are inherently failed systems.
Dr. ZhivBlago on December 22, 2012 at 12:10 PM
Amazing isn’t it.
So many people with such incredibly short memories.
Tim_CA on December 22, 2012 at 12:11 PM
Furthermore, “Plan B” doesn’t address the issue, doesn’t fix our problem, means negligible tax revenue, and includes no spending cuts.
Wow. What a great plan.
You’re afraid the GOP will be blamed when we go over the cliff? Well, you’re right?
You think if they had passed “Plan B”, to be scolded by Reid and not passed, or vetoed as promised by Obama if it made it through the Senate… guess what – we go over the cliff anyway, the GOP gets blamed anyway, *and* they’re now on record as having voted FOR tax increases anyway, and we’re back to ‘how did that work out for Daddy ‘read my lips’ Bush when he went against his campaign promise (and GOP main plank) to not raise taxes?
I’m sorry, guys – you’re delusional if you think “Plan B” would’ve resulted in Obama/Dems getting the blame for the cliff at all. Did you see the election? With the media’s help, people still blame BUSH for the disastrous outcomes of Obama/Dem policies for the last 6 years.
“Plan B” = worse than the cliff, because a) we go over the cliff anyway when Reid/Obama refuse it, b) GOP gets blamed anyway for passing something that they were told was going nowhere resulting directly in going over the cliff which scares the hell out of you *now*, and c) it destroys a main plank of GOP philosophy on taxation.
Wake the hell up, please.
Midas on December 22, 2012 at 12:11 PM
I understand this argument, and even agree with it, but I’m pretty sure the Dems are going to use that stick anyway, since there will be a tax increase as part of the eventual fiscal cliff deal. Had Plan B passed the House, it may have helped push the income limit up – but now it is more likely that Obama’s $250K baseline will prevail.
I understand individual congressmen who don’t want to vote for any tax increase, even an automatic one, but the politicial damage to the House leadership will strengthen Obama’s hand here, and possibly cause the Repubs to lose the House in 2014 anyway.
Priscilla on December 22, 2012 at 12:12 PM
And yet, there are actually some furry little things hereabouts chittering and chattering relentlessly that such an obvious pratfall on the GOP’s part would (God alone knows how, precisely) end up being a gargantuan PR boon for the party (!!!).
You. Just. Can’t. Make. This. Stuff. Up. ;)
Kent18 on December 22, 2012 at 12:16 PM
Stoic Patriot, excellent comment. And the stereotyping is being solidified by the actions of the GOP themselves. Thats what the general electorate sees. Sadly, the pubs are intent on red on red lynching.
tommy71 on December 22, 2012 at 12:18 PM
Sure the Dems are going to use that stick anyway – we can’t control what they do, but we can try not helping them by actually *doing* what they’re accusing us of doing – *voting* *for* *tax increases*.
Letting them lapse without a vote is better than getting the same result but having voted *for* tax cuts first.
That said, I’ve posted elsewhere that what they SHOULDVE done was pass a bill that includes:
– tax cuts for everyone – not just leaving them where they are today, but lowering them
– spending cuts, significant ones, such that it yields a budget surplus
– a promise delivered on national television that the House, who controls the pursestrings, will not fund a single penny towards anything that anyone remotely thinks might be a priority for the Democrats (fill in your own list – no funding) – then dare Reid to not pass it and Obama to not sign it – then go home.
Elections have consequences – and from the House majority perspective, that means doing what *they* were sent to DC to do – not to cowtow to Obama et al.
Get a new leader in the House, pass this bill with probably 100% Republican support on Wednesday after Christmas, then make it clear that if Obama/Reid don’t do it, *they* will be the ones responsible not only for taxes not going down, but going up; that *they* will be responsible for the economic ramifications of not passing budgets and not passing a bill that would reduce taxes for everyone, etc.
My two cents.
Midas on December 22, 2012 at 12:20 PM
“red on red lynching”
It has consequences.
Kent18 on December 22, 2012 at 12:25 PM
First off, most of the “chuckleheads” likely didn’t get elected the same as Boehner bcuz most of them didn’t run unopposed like Boehner did this year.
Second, for LaTourette’s benefit, those 40-50 chuckleheads are what put the speaker’s gavel in Boehner’s proving-to-be not-so-capable hands.
Third, there’s no room for “punishment” in any branch of our gubmint, perpetrated by one elected official onto another unless they’ve broken the law and we supposedly have mechanisms to take care of that. I’ve heard this punishment BS from the idiot in the WH, the flunky in the Senate, and now it’s okay to say it’s okay for the leader in the PEOPLE’S House to punish other members bcuz they don’t agree with him? REALLY?! And a conservative blogger will consider that that’s okay? What the hell has happened to the United States of America? Where has our representation gone when the despots in leadership roles can act like playground bullies to get their way? Where is my representation in that? Unbelievable!
I still say the House should pass a bill retaining current tax rates for millionaires, lower them a point or two for the middle class, and then let Obutthead and Harry Reidiculous explain and defend why they wouldn’t support that.
stukinIL4now on December 22, 2012 at 12:34 PM
.
Dittos … totally.
listens2glenn on December 22, 2012 at 12:37 PM
While I fully agree with the tea party position, the above is the scenario I fear most.
There is a saying called “dead right”, which means even if you are technically right, you still end up dead in the process. For example, if you decide to walk into the street in a legally marked crosswalk while a vehicle is speeding at the crosswalk at 50 miles per hour and not slowing down, and you get struck by the car, you may be technically right in your opinion that you can legally cross in the crosswalk, but you are still dead when the car hits you. Being dead right doesn’t help your position.
That’s the position, unfortunately, I believe our tea party conservatives find themselves in. And I would want to tear my hair out if we go over the cliff and Obama and the dems propose tax cuts on the middle class only, and they will salivate in daring the republicans to vote down the “Obama tax cuts on the middle class”. Obama and the media will wipe the memory of “Bush tax cuts from the history books, and replace it with Obama’s tax cuts. No matter what concessions Obama makes after we go over the cliff, he and the Dems will still be able to say they created the tax cuts for 98 or 99 percent of the country in 2013. I don’t see how republicans recover from that scenario.
Cavalry on December 22, 2012 at 12:56 PM
Keep repeating that over and over as Romney is sworn in Inauguration Day. The Tea Party didn’t lose it for him. But keep up and tow the establishment line. Will be the GOP’s great undoing. Whigs.
Bmore on December 22, 2012 at 1:17 PM
Crazy, ain’t it? The way these CINOs burble on and monotonously on, “gifting” us with their vast, encyclopedic knowledge of all things electoral: you’d think they’d actually managed to keep an open and unapologetic socialist OUT of the White House, two elections in a row. ;)
Kent18 on December 22, 2012 at 1:21 PM
You all think Obama’s the idiot. But he’s manoevred the TP into a corner. Now it’s up to the GOP moderates to dump you. Which they will. After Christmas. Happy NEw Year.
lostmotherland on December 22, 2012 at 1:21 PM
@Cavalry Excellent analysis. Next month, Obama and the democrats are going to follow ‘Conservative Principles’ and propose the Obama tax cuts. Guess whose a** gets handed to them? Here, the self-described Conservatives won the battle (against their own Speaker, ironic, ain’t it?), and they’re rejoicing. But next month, they lose the war. And ’14 looks very iffy for the pubs, with the Obama tax cuts in place. Zero strategic vision by the CINOs.
tommy71 on December 22, 2012 at 1:24 PM
Each and every time I hear someone intimating dourly that Republican control of the House in ’14 is (magically; somehow) dependent upon Ol’ Weepy retaining control of the sippy cup he’s currently using as a gavel: I simply can’t help but to start giggling, uncontrollably.
Kent18 on December 22, 2012 at 1:29 PM
says the mean who predicted a Romney landslide in November.
lostmotherland on December 22, 2012 at 1:40 PM
The tea party idiots spoil everything.
rubberneck on December 22, 2012 at 1:43 PM
lol.
And you think he’s the Messiah.
Now what?
Tim_CA on December 22, 2012 at 1:43 PM
awwwww….a butt-hurt little lib.
Let me call you a waaaaaambulance.
Tim_CA on December 22, 2012 at 1:44 PM
lost has his entire beings hopes pinned to 0′s election victory. He thinks it will benefit him greatly. Funny!
Bmore on December 22, 2012 at 1:49 PM
lost is , well, lost. A vile little creature, never to succeed at anything. Pins all his hopes on others. Pathetic, but funny as HeII. You will perish and your life will amount to nothing. You will have no accomplishment. Hey, but 0 won an election at least. Funny!
Bmore on December 22, 2012 at 1:52 PM
lost?
Bmore on December 22, 2012 at 1:55 PM
‘Toon of the Day: Christmas Future
Resist We Much on December 22, 2012 at 2:52 PM
This is a post from another thread now in archives:
Entagor replies to Sheldon comment: The spin is getting tedious
Entagor replies to unseen:
entagor on December 22, 2012 at 3:32 PM
It is time for the GOP to say bye-bye. They are nothing but Boehners, a bunch of country club Republicans who want nothing more than to stay in power a don’t give a crap about this country, the constitution or the people they supposedly represent.
The Tea Party has demonstrated that they care about this country and they are willing to fight for what they believe and not bend over and take it from the Democrats EVERY FRICKIN’ TIME!
flytier on December 22, 2012 at 4:01 PM
Give the GOP some slack.
They only have the academics, the pop culture, the media, over half the voters and now many of their own against them.
I wrote it before and I say again President Obama hasn’t exactly set the world on fire with leadership, new ideas or legislation. The problem is that his policies and ideas are toxic as Drano. But he will win any PR war.
BTW, the Dems believe that W was doing this divisive bully tactic for eight years.
Don’t ask me what tactic, since there are so many….
IlikedAUH2O on December 22, 2012 at 4:09 PM
Yes, and former Governor Palin led the Tea Party to victory in the presidential election of 12.
Or was it that Aiken guy?
IlikedAUH2O on December 22, 2012 at 4:12 PM
Wasn’t aware Aiken was Tea Party.
Bmore on December 22, 2012 at 4:26 PM
Yeah, cause Romney was such a tea-party conservative.
And tea-party groups split their votes among Brunner and Steelman, which is how Akin got the nomination.
topdawg on December 22, 2012 at 4:56 PM
To music.
Go find a ditch to die in.
lostmotherland on December 21, 2012 at 6:49 PM
Bmore on December 22, 2012 at 4:59 PM
To music.
Silly me, forgot the quote thingy. More difficult on an iPad thingy.
Bmore on December 22, 2012 at 5:02 PM
ROTFLMAO!!!! Pulled straight out of your @ss, loser; as even the most cursory review of my postings hereabouts readily demonstrates.
Troll harder… or at least smarter.
Kent18 on December 23, 2012 at 1:09 AM
Good thing you put ‘normal’ in quotes. That way we all know you are referring to the small percentage of progressive fascists and their drooling idiot followers as ‘normal’. I suppose when you live in a tiny echo chamber it is easy to become confused what is normal and what is not.
In terms of moving away, it does sound like you would be much happier someplace like France. They have elected a fascist, so you should be very happy there–at least until the economy finishes crashes and you end up eating from garbage.
iconoclast on December 23, 2012 at 1:59 AM
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