FTFA: We already told you yesterday about a handful of vulnerable Senate GOPers who are loudly telling their House colleagues to get with the program. Expect those numbers to increase as the standoff continues - with Democrats grinning the whole way.

There's probably only really one Republican incumbent in any serious danger of losing re-election -- Scott Brown.

Angry Drunk Bureaucrat: Back the fuq up! Is the WSJ saying that tax cuts don't work?

Pretty much. None of the targeted plans that came out of the last two Congresses really worked. The rebate in 2008. Making Work Pay in 2009. Payroll tax holiday in 2010. None were as effective as expected.

But it's not like you'll see many politicians running on raising everybody's taxes. My Representative is, but he'll only be out of Congress when he dies or retires, whichever comes first.

It was a mild scolding basically saying (admitting) that:

1) The Republican position is grandstanding.
2) The tactics that the current congress is using are full of fail.
3) The Republicans need to reverse this course in order to really fark things up later.

Someone's going to get a spanking from Rupert.

I like how the WSJ calls it a "temporary" "payroll tax holiday" "extension" while letting the catastrophic Bush tax cuts expire is "one of the largest tax increases ever". Never mind, I don't like it.

This is going to sound elitist, but...

The modern GOP just isn't that smart. Yes, individual members are intelligent, but the party as a whole is a thick-necked brawler. Men like William Safire and William F. Buckley provided intellectual heft to the party, but now they've given way to the Palins and Bachmanns who distrust intellectualism. Obama seems to have finally figured out that he's not going to win by getting into the gutter with the GOP, so instead he sits on the wall throwing rocks. The rocks don't do much damage, but the GOP gets so enraged they repeatedly charge headfirst into the wall hoping to knock Obama off of it. When that doesn't work, they start brawling with each other because brawling is all they know how to do.

Demetrius: Someone's going to get a spanking from Rupert.

I hope it's not Mitch McConnell because that's a mental image I don't need.

..and now it's too late.

I_Am_Weasel: Demetrius: Someone's going to get a spanking from Rupert.

I hope it's not Mitch McConnell because that's a mental image I don't need.

..and now it's too late.

Somehow bunny ears are involved.

Mentat: This is going to sound elitist, but...

The modern GOP just isn't that smart. Yes, individual members are intelligent, but the party as a whole is a thick-necked brawler. Men like William Safire and William F. Buckley provided intellectual heft to the party, but now they've given way to the Palins and Bachmanns who distrust intellectualism. Obama seems to have finally figured out that he's not going to win by getting into the gutter with the GOP, so instead he sits on the wall throwing rocks. The rocks don't do much damage, but the GOP gets so enraged they repeatedly charge headfirst into the wall hoping to knock Obama off of it. When that doesn't work, they start brawling with each other because brawling is all they know how to do.

First of all don't worry about elitism, you're a mentat for chrisakes.

Secondly, the anti-intellectualism within the Republican party is for showmanship. They know that at least one-half of the populace has an IQ under 100. The arguments that they make are simplistic answers to complex questions. They are easily digested in sound bites and understood by people who don't care about consequences. Many of their actual positions (like this payroll taxcut) really run counter to the lip service.

I don't think they're stupid. I think they are trying to get stupid people to support them.

Angry Drunk Bureaucrat: From the WSJ op-ed in question:

House Republicans yesterday voted down the Senate's two-month extension of the two-percentage-point payroll tax holiday to 4.2% from 6.2%. They say the short extension makes no economic sense, but then neither does a one-year extension. No employer is going to hire a worker based on such a small and temporary decrease in employment costs, as this year's tax holiday has demonstrated.

Back the fuq up! Is the WSJ saying that tax cuts don't work?

It is almost comical how tax cuts are suddenly bad when they are for the middle class.

Because People in power are Stupid: I don't think they're stupid. I think they are trying to get stupid people to support them.

Individually, no. But the intellectual heavyweights aren't running the party right now.

Because People in power are Stupid: I don't think they're stupid

No, the GOP actually IS this stupid, and that's the scary part.

Mentat: Because People in power are Stupid: I don't think they're stupid. I think they are trying to get stupid people to support them.

Individually, no. But the intellectual heavyweights aren't running the party right now.

They aim for shrewdness, street smarts and short-term gain. None of which is any match for long term strategy.

Lumpmoose: I like how the WSJ calls it a "temporary" "payroll tax holiday" "extension" while letting the catastrophic Bush tax cuts expire is "one of the largest tax increases ever". Never mind, I don't like it.

Yeah, this is one of my favorite things about the right these days.
I really loved the time of the Great Healthcare "debate" when the right was screaming that Obama wanted socialized heath care and that was the worst thing in the world. Later in the next or even in the same sentence they would then scream that Obama wanted to make cuts to Medicare and that was simply evil.

lordaction: 95% of Congress needs to go, not just the Republicans.

Please name for us the 26.75 Congresscritters that deserve to stay. I mean, if you know 95% of them need to go, you must know the good ones, right?

Unless of course it's just another pointless value statement.

lordaction: GAT_00: lordaction: 95% of Congress needs to go, not just the Republicans.

Please name for us the 26.75 Congresscritters that deserve to stay. I mean, if you know 95% of them need to go, you must know the good ones, right?

Unless of course it's just another pointless value statement.

GAT-00, is there absolutely no statement you can't find a problem with? With a disapproval rating of 86% I don't think my statement is that controversial. Source: Link (new window)

I'm sorry, it is rather mean to demand specifics, which your comments seem to be notoriously lacking without hammering your for specifics. And no, I don't approve of value statements, and no, an 86% disapproval doesn't come close to translating voting out 95% of Congress. It may translate to voting out around 20% of Congress, which isn't close to the same thing or matching to your comment.

So, another pointless value statement, or specifics? Which ones specifically need to be kept or which one specifically need to go?

Editorials in OH, CA, WI, CO, NV, WV, PA, OK, NY, WA, MT, OR hit House Rs for risking #40dollars /paycheck for families wh.gov/D6X

- Jesse Lee (@jesseclee44) December 21, 2011


Ya dun goofed, GOP.

Limbaugh Explains WSJ Editorial Critical Of Republicans: Maybe Hillary Clinton Visited Paper With Her "Testicle Lockbox" (new window)

Not your greatest work, Rush.

Rupert "The Dirty Digger" Murdock is just sending a reminder to his minions to obey at all times.

A Dark Evil Omen: Mrtraveler01: Boehner can kiss his Speaker of the House job good bye in 2012.

Even if the GOP does keep the House in 2012, I don't think anyone would want this incompetent goof in charge again.

He'll be retiring to take up a private consulting position with Wonka Candy.

Don't we know it.

Steve Doocy Absurdly Asks, "Where's The President Been On" The Payroll Tax Cuts? (new window)

They're just flailing now. Well, still.

Mentat: This is going to sound elitist, but...

The modern GOP just isn't that smart. Yes, individual members are intelligent, but the party as a whole is a thick-necked brawler. Men like William Safire and William F. Buckley provided intellectual heft to the party, but now they've given way to the Palins and Bachmanns who distrust intellectualism. Obama seems to have finally figured out that he's not going to win by getting into the gutter with the GOP, so instead he sits on the wall throwing rocks. The rocks don't do much damage, but the GOP gets so enraged they repeatedly charge headfirst into the wall hoping to knock Obama off of it. When that doesn't work, they start brawling with each other because brawling is all they know how to do.

Anti-intellectualism and suck up to the religious nutjobs is why I left the party.

Temporary tax cuts are bad and should be allowed to expire!

Temporary tax cuts are the only thing saving the United States of America and should be made permanent!

/make up your mind, GOP.

I was going to update this one...but there's really no reason to bother.