Some urge Boehner: Let Dems pass fiscal cliff bill
An Obama-backed deal presumably would draw the overwhelming support of House and Senate Democrats. But even if every House Democrat backed it, it would need another 25 votes in that chamber. Some Democrats say Boehner should let a few dozen willing Republicans provide those votes by putting an Obama-blessed bill on the floor.
“If Speaker Boehner is willing to bring to the floor of the House a bill, and just let this House work its will, Democrats and Republicans voting as their conscience determines, then I believe we can get something done,” Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., told Bloomberg TV.
He noted that Pelosi, as House speaker in 2006, violated the “majority of the majority” rule by letting Republicans provide most of the votes for an Iraq war funding measure she disliked.
Hastert, the Republican speaker from 1999 to 2007, overrode the rule at least twice. In one case, he let Democratic votes carry the load on a stem cell research bill everyone knew President George W. Bush would veto. Hastert also yielded to pressure to let the McCain-Feingold campaign finance bill pass even though most House Republicans opposed it.
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No.
Follow the “lead” that Harry Reid has given … don’t bring anything up because “it has no chance to pass the House.”
Mimicry. Do unto others as they have done unto you.
ProfShadow on December 26, 2012 at 10:33 AM
Barely a week until I withdraw from the economy so I don’t care what these skidmarks decide; I’m out and you statists can pound sand.
Bishop on December 26, 2012 at 10:37 AM
I say do it… but strip any spending out of the bill.
if they want to raise taxes, let the Dems own it.
dforston on December 26, 2012 at 10:50 AM
How ya going to do that, Bishop?
BacaDog on December 26, 2012 at 11:05 AM
No. While I am in favor of the “let it burn” strategy, there should be no Republican fingerprints on the legislation that passes.
Let the Democrats write it, offer it, vote for it. Republicans should simply vote “present.” They shouldn’t vote “no,” which would kill the bill, but they also shouldn’t vote “yes,” which would give Obama the “this passed with bipartisan support” talking point and allow blame to be shifted.
Shump on December 26, 2012 at 11:11 AM
I’m not buying jack or shiite whenever possible and I’ve already got a network of people to barter/trade with. For example, last month I traded some welding and fab work to get half a cow of beef from a farmer acquaintance; no involvement with the guvment whatsoever.
Bishop on December 26, 2012 at 11:20 AM
Interesting. Barter society.
I saw that firsthand in the early 90′s in the Ukraine. I spent months there, traveling all over the country doing due diligence work for my company. Inflation was over 10,000% and the workers there were paid in goods. The tire factory worker got a tire each Friday. The sugar worker got a couple of kilos of sugar.
Every train station was a lively trading market where you could find any damn thing you wanted. Especially if you had US dollars or German marks.
It was amazing to watch how those goods were traded and moved through the economy. Hell, I was out in a little village about 200 kilometers SE of Kiev. I went in a cafe to try to find some food and they had Mars bars, Budweiser beer and cans of beef stew.
BacaDog on December 26, 2012 at 11:47 AM
I even got myself a FB page for the local barter/trade economy here, I’ve sold stuff to people from my area that would normally go to Goodwill or in the trash. I’m cutting myself off and the moochers can figure out another place to get their money.
Bishop on December 26, 2012 at 11:49 AM
Careful Bishop, the IRS has already prepared for this:
ChunkyLover on December 26, 2012 at 12:22 PM
They should send single issue bills thru that the senate can pick up and vote on, and forget “Paying for” tax cuts, which should not have to be “Paid For.”
When your boss cuts your pay, does he “Pay For” it in some other envelope? uhhh, No.
I would send a 2012 AMT Fix, Patch, or other adjustment, like returning AMT to “originalist intent” to the Senate, today.
Then announce the start of working on Tax Reform, permanent tax rates. Set new tax rates, without “Paying for them.” Call them New Tax rates. Abolish the old. They don’t have to be paid for. Stop pretending the government can expect a certain amount of revenue from tax rates that have not existed in a decade, and gets to borrow that amount if we don’t pay it.
Do the same for the Democrat-Congress set Payroll Tax. Obama gave “working people” a payroll tax cut without fixing Social Security, which democrats set the rates for. Fix SS. Tell people what they owe, tell them who gets some, and when, and don’t give any of it to people who are not 70 years old. No SSI, No disability checks, let that program be optional. You can pay in extra if you want it, or get yourself some “quack quack.”
Look at the way the Sequester affects the various departments and Send Bills correcting the choices they make for cuts. They will make the squeaky wheel choices, the congress should tell them what to do.
For those of us who already pay a lot of taxes, we know we will pay more when the Bush tax cuts go away, but it will feel good to see the 47% pay their fair share again, it is the only silver lining in the whole thing. Over the cliff! let the Obama voters who have not been paying contribute to their neighbors once again, and remember what Romney was talking about that they made so much fun of, people who don’t pay taxes won’t vote based on promising them a tax cut! They thought they meant YOU would pay, revenge is sweet.
Obama and the dems cleverly say that the taxes are going up on the middle class, but who they really mean are their voters. Remember, if you were not paying any federal tax under the GWB tax cuts, you WERE NOT MIDDLE CLASS. If you are collecting food stamps, you too, have no business calling yourself middle class. It’s high time they remember what it means to “Give Back, what they have taken.”
So on Jan. 1 stop calling this the fiscal cliff. I am sorry the Markets are too stupid, if they get all upset and harm themselves, whose fault is that? Obama and the Congress will have all year to set next years tax rates…or not. Obama = Uncertainty. Let’s all share equally in the uncertainty.
It could be fixed right away, at debt ceiling time. Roll back government spending to pre- Stimulus levels, 2009/2008, it was too big THEN and needed fixing then. It is not a lot to ask. I am willing to sacrifice, shut it down.
Fleuries on December 26, 2012 at 12:22 PM