Tom Cole urges GOP caucus: Let’s make a deal with Obama to extend the middle-class tax cuts
The Oklahoma Republican said in an interview with POLITICO that he believes such a vote would not violate Grover Norquist’s anti-tax pledge and that he’s not alone within Republican circles.
At a meeting of the House GOP whip team earlier in the day, he made the case that Republicans would strengthen their position by joining hands with President Barack Obama now to give most taxpayers what he calls “an early Christmas present” of ensuring their taxes don’t go up on Jan. 1.
Cole’s position is striking because he’s hardly a “squish” — Norquist’s term for a weak-kneed lawmaker — when it comes to Republican orthodoxy. Cole served as chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee and in other official posts within the party.
He might also provide cover for other Republicans looking to make an agreement to avoid a sharp fall off the so-called fiscal cliff.
Blowback
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Just pass two separate bills.
One extending the highest rate and the other extending all the other rates.
You don’t violate your pledge but you also don’t let taxes go up for middle/lower income earners.
Not that complicated
commodore on November 27, 2012 at 11:38 PM
Hey, I gotsa idea. Why don’t we wait and see what Obama and his little friends have for a plan before we commit to hara kiri?
arnold ziffel on November 27, 2012 at 11:45 PM
So… give Obama whatever he wants?
malclave on November 28, 2012 at 12:21 AM
Hey Tom, I have an idea. How about no?
xblade on November 28, 2012 at 12:31 AM
Fluke Obama.
Schadenfreude on November 28, 2012 at 12:54 AM
first good idea that has come out of the GOPe since the election. After the middle and lower incomes tax cuts are safe then and only then should you have a discussion about the rich. Because once you have Obama agree that tax cuts are needed for the middle class and poor because of the economy then its a short step to showing that taxing the “rich” will not bring any rev at all.
the GOP should also at the same time introduce bills to expand our drilling and gas exploration as a revenue bill for the royalites that the government will get from said exploration. and the GOP should introduce a bill to raise revenue by selling off unused buildings property cars etc. And the GOp could introduce a bill to raise revenue my means testing welfare. There are so many ways to raise revenue besides raising taxes but the GOp for some strange reason doesn’t seem able to thing of any I wonder why?
unseen on November 28, 2012 at 1:16 AM
The GOP is allowing itself to get played
The GOP will betray you
True_King on November 28, 2012 at 4:54 AM
Ha. Someone else on here pointed it out: it’s a sham; Obama outright goaded the GOP to call him out on Benghazi and they didn’t say a thing.
If you still believe the crying orange b-turd and his ilk (McCain, Maine Sisters, Gov. of NYC, most Repubs on Fox, all Repubs on prog networks/publications, etc. etc.) have our interests at heart, think again. They’re eating us up. They drink our milkshake :/
WeekendAtBernankes on November 28, 2012 at 5:03 AM
Where are all the freaking great ideas the GOP used to have? Why don’t we ever hear any new ones?
The Democrats always come up with new schemes to burden us. To regulate us and restrict us. Can’t the Republicans come up with anything new? What happened to some of the good ideas they used to talk about.. like the flat tax? Oh.. that’s dead. It’ll never pass? It’s dead because the GOP let it die. Democrats never let anything die. They will keep pushing and keep pushing until they get what they want. But the GOP comes out with something like the flat tax or inner city school choice vouchers and if it doesn’t take off the first week the drop it. But they keep repeating crap like “closing loopholes.” It’s dribble.
JellyToast on November 28, 2012 at 6:45 AM
Is Mr. Cole saying that the middle class is not patriotic? Don’t they want to pay their taxes? Wasn’t it a Democrat idea to have the tax cuts be “temporary” and thus expire at a certain point? Well the Democrats should pay the price for their decisions and let them expire. Its the patriotic thing to do. Let the chips fall where they may.
txmomof6 on November 28, 2012 at 7:01 AM
Why are they still referred to as the Bush tax cuts? Obama authorized the existing tax rates; so if nothing happens, taxes rise. Extending the present rates are not a tax cut.
FirelandsO3 on November 28, 2012 at 7:04 AM
How about coming from a position of:
1) Set the current tax rates (Not “extend tax cuts” — yeesh) without an expiry date.
2) All governmental budgets are capped at 2012 levels for three years so we avoid 2014 election B.S.
3) Propose a series of “budget reforms” rather than benefit cuts. Like that pesky Ryan thing
AND then ask the President for his proposals in response, since he has never put forth anything other than rhetoric.
Be sure to have everyone saying “We’re waiting for the President to put forth in writing HIS proposals. He hasn’t done that in four years, but now that he has four years ahead of him, it is time he took his job as effective CEO of the US seriously.” (Ties him to being head of an “evil rich organization.”)
Change the language of the debate.
ProfShadow on November 28, 2012 at 7:27 AM
Republicans need to pass a flat tax right now along with gutting spending and tell the American people that if they don’t like it they should vote in complete Democrat control in 2014.
The House doesn’t need to compromise at all with the Democrats. It’s a complete fallacy to expect that Americans want Republicans to compromise with the ‘rats. The only Americans who want that are those who will never vote Republican anyway.
If Republicans are going to compromise with Democrats, then it’s better that the Democrats control everything, and Republicans should help that along in 2014. Complete Democrat control from 2014 to 2016 is the only thing that makes a Republican president possible in 2016 because it’s the only way Republicans don’t get blamed for the disaster that is coming. The alternative is to kill liberalism now with the power of the purse and they won’t vote to bring it back.
Buddahpundit on November 28, 2012 at 7:37 AM
This is the highly polished rube helping the Jihadi’s infiltrate indian tribes in the US.
http://pjmedia.com/blog/stunner-turkey-infiltrating-native-american-tribes-%E2%80%94-and-may-get-congressional-help/
Oklahoma thinks their reps are conservatives…. they’re not. They’re republicans. Nowadays that’s two completely different things.
lm10001 on November 28, 2012 at 7:41 AM
GOP should just sit back and let the Dems own the blame when the country defaults.
bgibbs1000 on November 28, 2012 at 7:49 AM
Your advice to people who have been seeking political power their entire lives is that they should voluntary give up political power? This is why the GOP will never win anything again….
libfreeordie on November 28, 2012 at 8:12 AM
I just discovered the GOP is the Wile E Coyote Party:
batter on November 28, 2012 at 9:08 AM
Chairman of the NRCC is supposed to inoculate him from being identified as a squish? Hah! Next you’re going to tell me the same about Cornyn and the NRSC.
besser tot als rot on November 28, 2012 at 10:56 AM