The 'payroll tax cut' debate is not about the payroll tax cut (new window)

Dusk-You-n-Me: The 'payroll tax cut' debate is not about the payroll tax cut (new window)

Correct. It is another Republican-instigated hostage crisis. These guys never seem to get enough.

No all the senate republicans. Just the ones that live in New England and/or have constituents that aren't drooling retards.

fark it, let it expire, then pound the hell out of the GOP with it for the next 11 months. No matter what procedural hijinks they use everyone knows they are responsible for this. They made their bed, let them lie in it.

IgG4: fark it, let it expire, then pound the hell out of the GOP with it for the next 11 months. No matter what procedural hijinks they use everyone knows they are responsible for this. They made their bed, let them lie in it.

Well, the problem is that if it expires, the rest of the country becomes pretty farked

Obama and the Dems were pushing for a full year extension all along, but the Repubs said "not all tax cuts are created equal" and extending the payroll tax cut would "endanger social security." The were arguing against passing the payroll tax cut extension at all.

Now, Repubs in the house have done a 180 degree turn and are saying that 2 months isn't long enough?

This is so blindingly stupid I can't fathom how are GOP apologists can even try to spin this into an intellectually consistent argument. We're reaching levels of double-think on par with "We've always been at war with Eastasia." I'll be damned.

I assume they have telephones in Congress, right?

So that, say, Mitch McConnell can call John Boehner and find out if he has his ducks in a row in the House before negotiating a deal in the Senate and sending everyone home?

Somebody screwed the pooch here. I'm thinking it was Boehner.

IgG4: fark it, let it expire, then pound the hell out of the GOP with it for the next 11 months.

You do realize this plan requires Democrats to have balls, right? It's DOA.

gilgigamesh: I assume they have telephones in Congress, right?

So that, say, Mitch McConnell can call John Boehner and find out if he has his ducks in a row in the House before negotiating a deal in the Senate and sending everyone home?

Somebody screwed the pooch here. I'm thinking it was Boehner.

Yep, but he chose to run the house this way. He doesn't count the votes ahead of time. And he's proud of that.

gilgigamesh: I assume they have telephones in Congress, right?

So that, say, Mitch McConnell can call John Boehner and find out if he has his ducks in a row in the House before negotiating a deal in the Senate and sending everyone home?

Somebody screwed the pooch here. I'm thinking it was Boehner.

Boehner must not have checked his caucus. He said he would pass it, then talked to his caucus, at which point they revolted and he had to backpedal. Pelosi seems happy to stay out of this, and good for her. This is a Republican war. They wanted the damn pipeline, they should pass it.

I love this little intra-party war. It's fun. Reid needs to stand firm too, and refuse to return to session, and the President needs to stay out of the dealmaking. This is Boehner and McConnell. We don't need the WH bailing out the House again and passing something from under Reid. That was an embarrassment last year and I don't want it again.

Even the conservative pundits are telling the party to knock it off. And these are people whose job it is to promote the party, right or wrong.

what_now: No all the senate republicans. Just the ones that live in New England and/or have constituents that aren't drooling retards.

39 GOP Senators voted for this 2-month extension... that's a pretty high percentage

IgG4: fark it, let it expire, then pound the hell out of the GOP with it for the next 11 months. No matter what procedural hijinks they use everyone knows they are responsible for this. They made their bed, let them lie in it.

It's not just the payroll tax holiday, it's the doc fix too.

The Republicans figure that if they can make it about Senate Democrats trying to save Obamacare, they might be able to at least evenly share the blame w/the Dems.

//Some of the pay-fors in the House-passed version last week take money from ACA programs to pay for the doc fix

Otherwise Just Fine: Yep, but he chose to run the house this way. He doesn't count the votes ahead of time. And he's proud of that.

Well that would certainly explain it. That seems kind of like putting the blast shield down and relying on the force, so to speak.

Maybe someone needs to let Boehner know the Force isn't real.

Angry Drunk Bureaucrat: gilgigamesh: Somebody screwed the pooch here. I'm thinking it was Boehner.

The way this thing exploded in Boehner's face, you kinda wonder if the lunatics in the back benches might try to oust him as Speaker. There'd probably be a risk that the Democratic candidate for speaker might sneak through, but I doubt that they're thinking that far ahead.

It had to be Cantor making another debt ceiling-style power play

gilgigamesh: Otherwise Just Fine: Yep, but he chose to run the house this way. He doesn't count the votes ahead of time. And he's proud of that.

Well that would certainly explain it. That seems kind of like putting the blast shield down and relying on the force, so to speak.

Maybe someone needs to let Boehner know the Force isn't real.

No, no, they've earned this. Let them believe whatever nonsense they want. They have no idea how much they are hated.

what_now: No all the senate republicans. Just the ones that live in New England and/or have constituents that aren't drooling retards and are up for re-election in 2012.

gilgigamesh: I assume they have telephones in Congress, right?

So that, say, Mitch McConnell can call John Boehner and find out if he has his ducks in a row in the House before negotiating a deal in the Senate and sending everyone home?

Somebody screwed the pooch here. I'm thinking it was Boehner.

The report has been that, during a conference call, Boehner endorsed the compromise deal for the 2 month extension prior to the Senate's passing of it. Boehner only went against it a day afterward when it was clear that some of the members of his caucus will not accept it.

Worst. House of Representatives. Ever.

Nadie_AZ: Worst. House of Representatives. Ever.

possibly true. certainly the least productive in a generation. coming off the heels of the most productive. pretty sad. and boehner is undoubtedly the weakest speaker in decades.

John Boehner is the best Speaker of the House ever.

Just look at all those jobs the job creatin' Republicans have created since taking over the House...

Farkin' idiots....every one of them.

RexTalionis: The report has been that, during a conference call, Boehner endorsed the compromise deal for the 2 month extension prior to the Senate's passing of it. Boehner only went against it a day afterward when it was clear that some of the members of his caucus will not accept it.

What do the tea tards have on Boehner? While they're a loud bunch, they are still just a small chunk of the total Republican's in the House. Surely if he wanted to he could move forward without them, especially on a bill like this which will get widespread support from the Dems. He only needs to get a few Republican's to vote for it, and the rest can vote against it and go back to their constituents bragging they voted against extending a tax cut.

ShawnDoc: RexTalionis: The report has been that, during a conference call, Boehner endorsed the compromise deal for the 2 month extension prior to the Senate's passing of it. Boehner only went against it a day afterward when it was clear that some of the members of his caucus will not accept it.

What do the tea tards have on Boehner? While they're a loud bunch, they are still just a small chunk of the total Republican's in the House. Surely if he wanted to he could move forward without them, especially on a bill like this which will get widespread support from the Dems. He only needs to get a few Republican's to vote for it, and the rest can vote against it and go back to their constituents bragging they voted against extending a tax cut.

He doesn't have the majority if he doesn't have the Tea party. If he can't rally the requisite votes for stuff he wants, then he looks is weak.

"At least five GOP senators" != "Senate Republicans", subby.

Also, Boehner's right. This two-month at a time crap has to go.

GAT_00: Reid needs to stand firm

So what's going to happen when he doesn't?

Kibbler: Can we get a ruling from Ted Nugent on this?

He's too busy hunting varmits.

Keep it up, GOP.

CNN|ORC Poll, December 16-18, 2011 ±3% (new window, .pdf)


Do you have more confidence in President Obama or in the Republicans in Congress to deal with the major issues facing the country today?

March 2011
Obama: 44
Republicans: 39

December 2011
Obama: 50
Republicans: 31

Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as president?

January 2011
Approve: 55
Disapprove: 44

December 2011
Approve: 49
Disapprove: 48

Do you approve or disapprove of the way Congress is handling its job?

January 2011
Approve: 26
Disapprove: 72

December 2011
Approve: 16
Disapprove: 83

Net favorability rating
Democrats: +14
Republicans: -9
Tea Party: -16

Among registered voters
Obama v Mitt: Obama +7
Obama v Paul: Obama +7
Obama v Perry: Obama +18
Obama v Gingrich: Obama +16
Obama v Bachmann: Obama +12

Dusk-You-n-Me: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Congress is handling its job?

January 2011
Approve: 26
Disapprove: 72

December 2011
Approve: 16
Disapprove: 83

Jesus. I didn't think you could get 83% of American's to agree on anything.

I've always hated the word "asshat". The prime example of the sort of cringeworthy LOL RANDOM humor that has become such a fad in this day and age now that every basement shutin has a voice on the internet.