Obama predicts GOP will cave on taxes
“I’m pretty confident that Republicans would not hold middle class taxes hostage to trying to protect tax cuts for high-income individuals,” Obama said today in an exclusive interview with ABC News’ Barbara Walters.
“I don’t think they’ll do that,” he said of Republicans forcing tax-rate increases for families earning $250,000 a year or less…
“I think the tone was good,” Obama told Walters. “I believe that both Speaker Boehner and myself and the other leaders want to see a deal happen. And the question now is can we get it done. The outlines, the framework of what a deal should look like are pretty straightforward.”









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Predicting that the GOP have neither spines nor testicles?
Feh… why not just wager that the sun rises in the east, high roller?
Jeddite on December 11, 2012 at 11:02 PM
He’s right
mrscullen on December 11, 2012 at 11:03 PM
I believe that it is Obysmal, who is holding the Bush tax rates hostage in order to spend massively and cut the deficit not so much, if at all.
“and I,” blockhead. Learn some grammatical usage.
onlineanalyst on December 11, 2012 at 11:07 PM
He hopes so. But Boehner might just swat that hanging curve and refuse to roll over, just to prove he’s a good GOP boss.
Then Little Choom Boy can explain why he doesn’t care.
platypus on December 11, 2012 at 11:08 PM
The best thing to do is for the Rs to cave on taxes, take away Obama’s best argument, and then use the debt ceiling to demand entitlement reform.
Illinidiva on December 11, 2012 at 11:09 PM
he is a harvard scholar so that must be the correct usage .. /s
and there is no doubt that the GOP will cave …
I like the idea of passing the tax cuts for 250 and below
and passing one for 250 and up .. separately
and letting the dems own it …
conservative tarheel on December 11, 2012 at 11:10 PM
Pass a tax cut bill, lower than the Bush rates.
Vote present on Obama’s plan, see if Democrats will actually pass it.
Send the House home.
Obama will either have 1-2 or 0 bills to sign or veto.
The Count on December 11, 2012 at 11:13 PM
Is Boehner really this dumb? The GOP does not have to vote for any tax increases.
Just extend the highest bracket and all the other brackets as two separate bills. The Dems will ignore the former and get what they claim to want, along with blame for the inevitable recession. And the GOP will not have violated any pledge.
So simple. What the heck is Boehner doing?
commodore on December 11, 2012 at 11:13 PM
I’d be fine with the reverse of what Obama proposed:
Spending cuts now. Modest tax increases later when the economy is robust (robust compared to pre-recession levels, not compared to the bottom-of-recession level).
Of course if economy bounces back, tax increases may not be needed.
G. Charles on December 11, 2012 at 11:19 PM
Even a stopped clock.
WeekendAtBernankes on December 11, 2012 at 11:24 PM
The devil likes Boehner.
Schadenfreude on December 11, 2012 at 11:30 PM
No. You can’t “take away” O’s argument (well logically you can, but not practically) because he will still argue that Republicans are greedy anti-middle-class b@stards that didn’t allow for high enough taxes. No matter what Republicans do, Obama will blame them, therefore, they must not cave, unless the “cave” is to accept the concept of raised taxes in the future, provided there’s a robust economy at that time.
Likewise, the debt-ceiling consequences (potential shutting down of gov’t) will be blamed on the Republicans. Obama and Dems will lie through their teeth about what the GOP wants, and as always, the press will back them up.
G. Charles on December 11, 2012 at 11:32 PM
Yeah, that could work. The republicans should just cave on their most basic principle. I doubt there will be any fall out from the base over that come 2014, or 2016. Meanwhile, despite caving on their most basic principle, they will stand strong on the debt ceiling in the face of democrat claims that republicans want to push grandma off the cliff while holding social security checks and military paychecks hostage. You know, just like they did last time when right out of the gate Boner surrendered his strongest weapon by admitting he would not allow the government to be shut down.
That’s silly talk. The debt ceiling is a magic issue, see. If we just cave on tax rates for the rich, magic will take over and Obama won’t be able to find some way to demonize republicans when it comes to the debt limit. But if he does, Illinidiva has a suggestion….give in so we can take that argument away from him. I mean, it’s so simple. Who knew we could be winning all this time if we simply let the dems do whatever they wanted? It’s brilliant I tells ya…BRILLIANT!
xblade on December 11, 2012 at 11:59 PM
It still blows my mind that this guy was reelected in November. Can’t we have a do over? A mulligan?
dczombie on December 12, 2012 at 12:04 AM
This type of argument from so-called Republicans never ceases to annoy me. Can you point to a single instance where Dems have caved on their “principles” so as to take away our best arguments?
Sigh…
TheRightMan on December 12, 2012 at 12:08 AM
The solution is so simple, isn’t it?
Unfortunately, when you have GOP leaders that privately tell the Dems that they agree with them in principle… this is what happens.
Everything you are seeing now… the so-called impasse in negotiations, etc… is just dust being thrown in the eyes of the conservative “rubes”.
TheRightMan on December 12, 2012 at 12:11 AM
arrogant little weasel, got the lsm behind ya of course, the squishy gop will cave
but he won’t do SQUAT about entitlements
dear leader = lucy
cmsinaz on December 12, 2012 at 5:51 AM
agree with ya there…
cmsinaz on December 12, 2012 at 5:53 AM
Maybe you should check that. It’s okay to use “myself” when you’ve already used “I” in the sentence.
http://public.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/myself.html
triple on December 12, 2012 at 6:51 AM
And in other news, Obama predicts the sun will rise in the east.
Sorry, that’s not a prediction you got there.
A prediction would be the GOP would NOT cave on taxes and will NOT cave on the debt ceiling.
Now THAT would be a prediction… and I’m not predicting either happening.
ajacksonian on December 12, 2012 at 7:06 AM
All they need to do is call for a return to the Clinton Tax rate. It is not a tax increase over that number but it is a tax increase from the Evil Bush Tax cuts for the rich that did nothing for the middle class unless you what to remove them.
tjexcite on December 12, 2012 at 7:25 AM
DAng…finally something about which I agree with Barry
Dingbat63 on December 12, 2012 at 7:31 AM
the FSA sez no …
conservative tarheel on December 12, 2012 at 8:02 AM
They will and they should. There is no reason to keep hurting our brand as coddlers of the rich. You dont have to die on every hill to win the battle. Especially considering a lot, 50% maybe more of that 2% voted for O
snoopicus on December 12, 2012 at 8:02 AM
did you missed my /s for sarcasm ?
conservative tarheel on December 12, 2012 at 8:03 AM
Another thought, how many of that top 2% are over 65 and recieveing SSI and Medicare bennies? I bet a lot more than half.
snoopicus on December 12, 2012 at 8:06 AM
Cave = RIP for the GOP
Lucano on December 12, 2012 at 8:27 AM
And I predict the sun will rise in the East.
What do I win?
Washington Nearsider on December 12, 2012 at 9:06 AM
Grammer and capitalization are important.
I helped my Uncle Jack off a horse.
I helped my uncle jack off a horse.
See?
Washington Nearsider on December 12, 2012 at 9:06 AM
It’s still not offcial; the electors meet in the state capitols on the 17th, to cast their votes.
Ward Cleaver on December 12, 2012 at 9:35 AM
Official
Ward Cleaver on December 12, 2012 at 9:36 AM
Oh goodie—The grammar police are on patrol!!!
I’m agreeing with him and it disturbs me.
conservative pilgrim on December 12, 2012 at 10:33 AM