No agreement short of a complete sellout can be reached by year-end
We need to stop operating under the arbitrary year-end deadline
Obama just finished a press statement in which he raised again the urgency of the year-end deadline.
Obama wants the tax rates extended just for those making $250k or less, and says since everyone agrees on that, pass it and we can talk about the other tax and fiscal issues later. That is a prescription for disaster, as the issues important to us (keeping taxes low and spending under control) will not be dealt with under this scenario.
Which brings me to my frustration that Republicans in Congress cannot see that they cannot get a good deal on this truncated timetable.
As long as Obama and the media can scream “fiscal cliff,” the urgency of the moment means that the serious spending and entitlement issues cannot be part of a package.
That same screaming, however, also will make it hard for Harry Reid to table or Obama to veto something which preserves the status quo on everything for 90 days (Plan C a/k/a The Christmas Plan), pending further negotiation of an acceptable, if unpalatable, Grand Bargain.
The only type of deal which will sell — without a complete and total sellout — will take more time. That’s a simple reality.
I wish I had a line to the Republican leadership in Congress. And I wish even more that they would listen.
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Comments
Professor,
Your point is well-taken, but the Republicans DON’T CARE. They just want to appease the Democrats. Boehner is a spineless, treacherous ninny. Talking to him is a waste of time.
Unique in the history of representative government: a political party (GOP) that routinely betrays its base (conservatives) and contemptuously defies their wishes.
Respectfully disagree; Republicans don’t want to “appease” Democrats – they want to raise taxes just as much as Democrats. Spending money is what they do.
We love to blame Democrats for the massive deficits, but truth is the GOP can blow a hole in the budget as well as any Democratic administration.
I believe too many people give way too much credit as to the morals of these Washington clowns. After all, what good is the “authority of the purse” if they can’t spend it on things that enhance their reelections?
Politicians are not leaders – they’re followers. They do what their base (and donors) say. If their base silently fumes and says nothing, then the base won’t get what it wants.
Don’t blame the people in Congress for being who they are – they didn’t all just suddenly show up. Blame yourselves for voting them back into office, over and over and over. Then start to make loud noises and tell them what you want.
They managed a walk-away…
NOW. STAY. AWAY….!!!
Go see your constituents…!
Sorry Professor,
We don’t need games or cheap cop outs. We need leadership in this party. Someone with the command of the legislative process, and the ability to plan and execute big things while fighting pitched battles. That’s what the party, what America needs right now. We need to stop jumping through humps and get on our feet and start running. We need someone like Newt providing the Strategic direction one the issues as well as the Tactical Leadership ramming things through the House. Who do we have like that in the House?
“We need to stop jumping through humps…”
I admit I am evil…
but that had me weak with laughter….!!!
This is akin to the practice of semi hanging oneself to create a sexual thrill. These people rarely go full Monty & do the noose thing from a ceiling but only with a tieto a door knob. However one MI 5 or 6 guy stuffed himself in a suitcase & died because he could not get out. Houdini he was not.
So I expect some new trick here .
Of course they could just pass a simple budget but where is the drama in that ?
It seems that we are losing an important point regarding Obama’s desire to “tax the wealthy”…. Isn’t every American supposed to be afforded equal protections under the law? Not just middle income or lower income? By no means does the bill treat everyone equally – equal protection would be the 50% of those who pay no taxes being asked to contribute to the government they want.
We don’t need leadership, we need an intervention.
The enitre population of this country is addicted to deficit spending. Leading a bunch of addicts doesn’t help anything. We need to let the country fall to it’s lowest point so that people wake up and realize they need to change their ways or face the consequences. It will be better if it happens sooner rather than later. Let the fiscal cliff come and let the sequester happen. That’s the only real solution to curbing these idiots from spending us into oblivion.
There has not been equal protection in the last two hundred years or longer. I am for the flat tax wherein everybody pays the same rate with no deductions. Every bit of money that comes to you has 10% taken out. No income tax reports. No deductions for children, tax shelters, mortgages, etc. It would be like paying sales tax in reverse. Why should I care if you buy a house or have ten children? Why should I pay more in taxes than you do? I would bet that would increase our tax revenues enormously. That is the only way everyone has skin in the game. The truth is that the rich have tax shelters to protect most of their money. However, I am against charging them a higher rate than everybody else. Just get rid of the tax shelters.
After 4 years of hit or miss political gamesmanship, the Obama team hit this one out of the park. With a simple position on ‘taxes on the rich’, they managed to cause the GOP to self-implode and also devour their Tea Party members. This has the potential to go down in history as one of the more successful political ploys of a freshly reelected president. He didn’t have an overwhelming vote advantage. He didn’t control all of Congress. But he was able to make the GOP become highly disapproved in the public’s eye (with Boehner having much lower ratings than even Pelosi!) and to cause a GOP civil war that may live through the next election in ’14.
And in the end, Obama will get the taxes he wants, a shift of monies away from defense, with the ability still to further expand the federal government and distributive programs. One advantage: The future (and current) DC market real estate boom makes the burgeoning growth of cities in China look small by comparison.
Good job, Republicans.
Yes he has been on a truly extraordinary roll from Sept 11with only one setback. – the first Debate.
Absolutely everything & all playing to his tune eg gutless Paul Ryan vp debate.Then sandy then getting saved by the ghetto vote then yet another Sandy. Even Inoue dying has served him well.
Is there nothing in his way or have the normal equal & opposite general dynamics in life suspended?
Even Jesus did not have his luck.
Rush opines that Obama’s first debate loss HELPED him win!
http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2012/12/20/time_obama_appealed_to_low_information_morons_by_losing_first_debate_to_romney
Could somebody please explain why this conversation is even occuring?
I thought Federal budget went from 10/01 thru 09/30?
What’s worse is that going off the “fiscal cliff” won’t even cut the deficit in half.
Obama has manage to make a crisis out of a “down payment” on a “down payment” to a “down payment.”
Professor cites Obama on the topic of raising taxes for everyone above $250K saying, “everyone agrees on that.” Everyone agrees on that? Fascinating. On Fox News in August of this year Boehner called fiscal conservatives “knuckledraggers.” He didn’t say the words Tea Party but that was the message many received. My point is, the GOP deeply despises us, has despised us for a long time. The GOP must be defeated before we can beat the democrats. I don’t know how this can be done, but I think it should be discussed more. I think it’s quite urgent.
If any business ran their accounting department as is done by the government, they’d be in jail.
simple fact. The “method” used by our government is illegal federally and in every state. It will get you fined, audited, and criminally charged. The business would be forced into receivership and any entity that did business with it would also be investigated for any knowledge of criminal acts.
Try it sometime when you’re feeling suicidal. Tell the IRS you can’t figure your quarterly taxes or the state how much sales tax or income tax you owe.
See how quick they come knocking at your door.
Yet the Federal government and it’s minions and the supposed leaders continue on as if nothing is out of the ordinary.
Why does anyone think federal politicians fight so hard to stay there in DC?
Like Dillinger said; “that’s where the money is”.
You must might get that direct line, Professor Jacobson.
House Republicans Circulate Plan to Oust Boehner from Speakership:
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/12/21/House-Republican-members-circulate-plan-to-oust-Speaker
Need do over of Republican Party.
Ragspierre posted re: this subject on Tip Line: https://legalinsurrection.com/focus/tips/comment-page-37/#comment-398747
Not only a sound platform, but the message crafted for maximum appeal.
And all the work that goes into making this actually happen.
I’ve been a Libertarian forever … now do I have to join the Republican Party to try to get into a position to influence the platform? Is that how it’s done?
I would rather stand on principle than give in to their lies.