Will GOP allow “Bush tax cuts” to become the “Obama middle class tax cut”?
Democrats were opposed to both rounds of Bush tax cuts in 2001 and 2003 and have spent a decade blasting them as reckless policy that represented nothing but a giveaway to the wealthy. Yet even though these tax cuts were scheduled to expire after 2010, they were extended an additional two years. And now, they could still preserve 80 percent of them. If 80 percent of the cuts were made permanent, it would forever enshrine the “Bush tax cuts” as major middle class tax relief. Viewed narrowly, allowing rates to go up on those earning more than $250,000 would be a defeat for Republicans. But viewed in a broader context, the fact that a Democratic president coming off of a reelection still has to embrace 80 percent of the dreaded “Bush tax cuts” on the grounds that they’re good for the middle class, could be seen as a victory.
If the nation goes over the cliff, the most likely outcome is the worst of both worlds for Republicans.
Blowback
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The House can name the bill anything they want. They should name it something like “the establishing the Bush Tax Cuts for the Middle Class Act of 2013″.
Problem solved.
Are they that smart though?
gonnjos on December 28, 2012 at 10:10 AM
Heads, Its the Obama Tax cut on the middle class. Tails, its the Republican Tax increase on the middle class. Whatever happens, the Republicans are getting played and our government spending is still unsustainable.
Shtetl G on December 28, 2012 at 10:12 AM
That’s a silly-assed Pelosi tactic. Example … “Affordable Healthcare Act” … when it’s not affordable. It’s a circus trick and only the clowns are fooled by it.
HondaV65 on December 28, 2012 at 10:13 AM
I just don’t understand GOP leadership.
Let’s put this in the context of a platoon of infantrymen at war.
They’re surrounded by the enemy – who takes no prisoners. They can go down fighting – or surrender and be summarily executed. Most infantrymen I know that have BALLS would elect the former.
Even a cornered dog will lash out – and the GOP couldn’t be any more “cornered” than they are right now.
WHY NOT FIGHT?
HondaV65 on December 28, 2012 at 10:16 AM
The only ones who care about cutesy procedural tricks are the political junkies. Whenever I hear Republicans saying “Just wait until the public sees the three dimensional chess we’re playing with our latest symbolic victory!!!” I roll my eyes.
Why Boehner’s supporters think anyone will be impressed by procedural tricks after they manifestly failed to impress anyone or improve the situation in 2011-2012 is beyond me.
Doomberg on December 28, 2012 at 10:17 AM
seeing how the media won’t let the GOP stand in the way of them spinning for Obama does it matter? They should drive over the fiscal cliff, not raise the debt ceiling, shut down the government until the senate bother to pass a budget and go the hell home.
bannor on December 28, 2012 at 10:19 AM
Too late. In defeating Plan B the conservative House GOP members have already assured it will be the Obama middle class tax cuts. Good job guys!
Zaggs on December 28, 2012 at 10:24 AM
Not if Let It Burn people, like myself, have anything to say about it.
BigGator5 on December 28, 2012 at 10:38 AM
Of course.
Heck.. Republicans have allowed Obama to claim Abraham Lincoln as their own. I think if Obama said today that Abraham Lincoln was a Democrat, most Republican leaders would be embarrassed to disagree. And they’d shout down any who did by calling them extremists.
JellyToast on December 28, 2012 at 10:39 AM
I now longer care about what’s bad for the GOP. As a conservative, the DC GOP is NOT my party.
If they had guts or an inkling of conservative principle, they would make sure we go over the cliff- getting the cuts that go along with that- they make clear they will ONLY support the ‘Bush tax rates’ on the 250K and under IF MATCHING spending cuts are tied to their restoration.
michaelo on December 28, 2012 at 10:45 AM
Someone is actually wringing his hands over what the status quo will be named? Really?
“It’s amazing what you can accomplish if you don’t care who gets the credit.” -Ronald Reagan.
JohnTant on December 28, 2012 at 10:48 AM
The GOP doesn’t fight back ever. For all intent and purposes we have a single party system in this country and it isn’t GOP. Sure they may put up some show of resistance but they always cave in the end because if they don’t they get endlessly derided in the media.
If we really had an unbiased media this country would be different with a real two party give and take. But the reality is that the left has a massive propaganda machine that cannot be overcome.
Dr. Frank Enstine on December 28, 2012 at 10:49 AM
Who calls it the Bush tax cuts? Perhaps I’m hanging out at the wrong locations but the average guy/gal on the street doesn’t refer to it as the Bush tax cuts. The Republicans allowed the liberals to brand it as a tax break for the evil rich.
These types of arguments are fabricated to marginalize the conservative side of the GOP – if there is one. If the GOP is worried about someone taking credit for a tax cut, they should have run on that.
Panther on December 28, 2012 at 10:54 AM
The left wants it to burn too. You think it will bring people to their senses but what it will really do is allow the coup to be completed. They don’t give a crap about the current governmental model. They want to change it into a leftest hell and fiscal collapse is the first rung of a very short latter to reach their goal.
Dr. Frank Enstine on December 28, 2012 at 10:55 AM
I used to believe the media was the issue, but it’s only a part of the problem. A far more serious issue is that large secions of the GOP seem to agree with the Obama agenda and are just putting up symbolic fights to try to trick the base. Of course, this tactic is proving less and less effective.
Doomberg on December 28, 2012 at 11:15 AM
Let It Burn says fiscal collapse isn’t an option, it’s an eventuality. Why fight inevitability?
BigGator5 on December 28, 2012 at 11:18 AM
LOLZ you guys think that LIB will solve all issues. I see it the other way where the Republicans will get total blame ( you already see this via the polls ) and then they get nailed with it for years to come.
Giving in on the tax raise will take away a huge talking point from the libs. Cuts down the whole class warfare meme.
watertown on December 28, 2012 at 11:28 AM
Yes. Idiots.
besser tot als rot on December 28, 2012 at 11:30 AM
Let It Burn isn’t a solution or an answer. It’s letting go. Giving into Obama or doing anything to advoid fiscal collapse, is only delaying what is an inevitability.
Let It Burn is allowing the fiscal house of cards to collapse, sooner rather than later. Once we let inevitability take over, we can rebuild sooner rather than later.
BigGator5 on December 28, 2012 at 11:35 AM
Well said, Zaggs. Bwhahahaha, just as I predicted. When a few pragmatists like us cautioned the so-called ‘Truecons’ here that making Boehner the enemy was a mistake, and not getting Plan B through was a huge blunder, the ‘truecons’ here were spouting bout ‘Conservative Principles’ and such ideological talking points. We were shouted down. Lol. As you sow, so shall you reap. And when the Obama middle class tax cuts pass, guess who’ll be the tax cutting party? But I’m sure the ‘Truecons’ here will still have their heads in the sand, and spout the same old stuff. And they wonder why they lose elections. Keep eating your own, GOP, don’t concentrate on your enemy, and whine when you lose. Keep taking comfort in ‘Conservative Principles’. Lol
tommy71 on December 28, 2012 at 11:55 AM
Who’s getting a tax cut???
MT on December 28, 2012 at 12:05 PM
Conservatives in the GOP caucus of the Senate have to get vocal and expose the lack of leadership of Reid and put the Dem senators in the spotlight.
Stop negotiating behind closed doors.
http://spectator.org/archives/2012/12/27/fiscal-cliff-diving
onlineanalyst on December 28, 2012 at 12:25 PM
I like your post
They should have, but GOP leadership decided to fight its own, by Boehner and Obama setting up a deal in the WH, instead of the House, and putting it to a vote Boehner had to know the conservative wing of the House would reject. For some reason the GOP leadership wanted to hang its own by the thumbs
Boehner staged the vote to create exactly the reaction shown in the Zaggs post. He knew what votes he would get, coming in, but he did the roll call anyway.
No one does a critical vote knowing it is going to fail, unless he wants to prove something or he is a total jack ass. Assuming he is not a jack, he made a move to undercut his own House.
I can find a million reasons Boehner et al played this game, and every one sticks in my craw.
Of course there is an open roll call vote for Speaker coming up. Guess he was showing the kiddies what he can pull out of his sleeve
HondaV65 is correct. Cornered dogs wouldn’t pull this stunt.
entagor on December 28, 2012 at 12:30 PM