Boehner’s Tuesday task: Selling the GOP on the tax hike
The Ohio Republican is set to brief the House GOP Conference on the status of his closely held negotiations with President Barack Obama since conceding an increase on tax rates for millionaires, a risky move by the speaker. Boehner is not going to present a deal to the conference, but their reaction to his briefing will go a long way in determining whether Boehner can strike a deal with the White House to avert the fiscal cliff and put the nation on more solid fiscal footing. …
The outcome of Boehner’s talk with the Republican Conference may not only define the final two weeks of this year, it could shape his legacy as a speaker.
To reach a deal, Boehner is going to have to overcome a lot of doubts among his conservative, tea party-driven members, some of whom would rather go over the fiscal cliff than concede on any increase in tax rates. The 2001-2003 Bush tax rates will expire on Dec. 31 if Congress and the president take no action, and taxes will jump back to the Clinton-era levels for all Americans. Tens of billions of dollars of spending cuts will also kick in for the Pentagon and other federal agencies.
Blowback
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Kicking the can down the road another year or two is NOT putting the nation on more solid fiscal footing. If Boehner isn’t going to get any real concessions from Obama then just let it burn.
Doughboy on December 18, 2012 at 9:18 AM
dernst2 on December 18, 2012 at 9:19 AM
The tax hikes are bad enough but the debt ceiling hike is 10000x worse than the tax hikes.
gophergirl on December 18, 2012 at 9:21 AM
Am I the only one concerned that my tax rate is a bargaining chip for someone else’s credit limit?
Honestly, I’m not totally convinced that Boehner is going to be able to sell the house on an agreement he solely negotiated.
Brad on December 18, 2012 at 9:23 AM
Honestly, I wouldn’t mind paying a bit more in taxes if it meant digging in and not allowing Obama to continue to spend unchecked.
Brad on December 18, 2012 at 9:24 AM
If Boehner gives Obama a 2-year extension on the debt ceiling and gets nothing in return(and yes, a trillion in fake cuts over 10 years is NOTHING), he better be replaced as Speaker immediately. I don’t even care if the House Republicans reject the deal. Just the fact that he had the temerity to cave like that makes him unqualified.
Doughboy on December 18, 2012 at 9:25 AM
DO NOT RAISE THE DEBT CEILING. Boehner, how clueless are you? Obama want’s a two-year extension on the debt ceiling because he foresees that Dems will control the house by then. Wake up!!!!
michaelthomas on December 18, 2012 at 9:26 AM
Ha ha, is that you Speaker Boehner? Just kidding:)
Clink on December 18, 2012 at 9:29 AM
I’d gladly pay more taxes, but only if Congress passed a balanced budget amendment with no loopholes or tricks. But since that day will never happen as long as Obama and Reid are running the show, I remain steadfastly opposed to any hikes(unless of course it’s to let it burn).
Doughboy on December 18, 2012 at 9:31 AM
I live “right across the river” from his district, so I can’t vote for/against him, but I will do everything in my power to work against his re-election.
Clink on December 18, 2012 at 9:34 AM
Good luck Bonehead
TexasJew on December 18, 2012 at 9:37 AM
And Boehner was one of those who were going to hold a President Romney’s feet to the conservative fire. LOL
ddrintn on December 18, 2012 at 9:44 AM
If he wants to convince anyone to put their fingerprints on a tax hike, he’d damn well better deliver on spending cuts. I’d accept the tax hike if there were serious and immediate spending cuts. We can get a tax cut back; we’ve done it plenty of times. But we’ve never gotten spending cuts. Deliver that and Boehner will have a lot more leverage.
Caiwyn on December 18, 2012 at 9:49 AM
What’s to sell? They all know if they don’t do it they’re going up for EVERYONE. Well, except for the moochers that pay no tax.
ButterflyDragon on December 18, 2012 at 10:30 AM
It’s a lot worse than that: actually your tax rate and the debt ceiling are bargaining chips that are being sacrificed so that the rate at which corporate welfare payments to Boehner’s cronies increase each year aren’t reduced.
FloatingRock on December 18, 2012 at 11:46 AM
They will; most of them are on the take. They don’t want the sequestration to go into affect and cut the rate of increase in corporate welfare payments to their cronies either. There are a few good people who will vote against it but only a small minority.
FloatingRock on December 18, 2012 at 11:49 AM
The only leverage Democrats have over the GOP is the sequestration, AKA corporate welfare.
FloatingRock on December 18, 2012 at 11:51 AM
If Boehner would sacrifice the rate of increase in corporate welfare, (we’re not even talking about real cuts, just reduced rate of increase), Republicans would be in the drivers seat.
FloatingRock on December 18, 2012 at 11:52 AM