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Democrats Play Holiday Hardball
After a year of being held hostage by Tea Party naysayers, the party that controls the White House and Senate is finally gift-wrapping a package of gotcha for their tormentors.
At the President’s urging, Senate Majority Leader Reid has told Speaker Boehner he will not hold a vote this week on government spending until there is agreement on the payroll tax and unemployment compensation issues, for which House Republicans have insisted on paying with cuts for federal workers and Medicare beneficiaries instead of taxing the income of the richest Americans, as Democrats propose.
A White House aide explains, “When the president said Congressional Republicans weren’t going on vacation until they passed this middle class tax cut, he meant it. They don’t get to finish their business until the payroll tax cut and unemployment insurance are extended.”
In a reversal of the debt-ceiling crisis, Democrats can pass a stopgap government spending bill to go past this Friday’s deadline and hold Congress in Washington next week to hammer out an agreement on the other issues.
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8 Responses to “Democrats Play Holiday Hardball”
It’s about time…
If anyone listens to the news, the house passed the bill last night. It extends the tax cut, it eliminates the doc cut that Obama tried to get through to pay for his healthcare bill on the backs of seniors, it provides for additional cost sharing for rich seniors on Medicare to cut federal spending and it provides for a vote on the pipe line to bring Canadian oil to the refineries in Texas to help reduce our dependance on middle east oil. That will provide a number of construction jobs and full time jobs after it is completed.
Reid will never allow this to come to a vote since he can not be associated with allowing his party to vote against a tax cut for the middle class nor a reduction in social programs like the cost sharing for rich Medicare recipients. Can you imagine the negative ads this fall running against Democrats that voted for the bill that cut benefits for Medicare. Taken out of context, it would make them look like the grimm reaper!
I do beleive that our founding fathers screwed up big time when they provided that two people could block anything coming up for a vote. Reid and Boehner should not have full control of what other elected officials can vote on. Maybe we would get something accomplished if they did not have all the power with individuals voting to make this country secure in all respects from ecominic decisions to national safety.
@RP
We are not dependent on Middleeastern oil, we import most of our oil from Canada, Venezuela and Mexico.
Reid has said he will not bother with the House bill (Dead on arrival). The stupidity of passing bills in the House without checking to see if they have any hope in the Senate needs to stop. Meanwhile, the stupidity of not voting on things in the Senate due to the THREAT of filibuster needs to also stop (make them filibuster or get off the podium).
The House bill would also reduce unemployment benefits from 76 weeks to 36 weeks (gee, thanks guys).
Paying for a cut in the SS tax by increasing expenses for Medicare millionaires does not seem all that fair when compared to asking all millionaires to contribute–at least not in my book.
@rcoutme, this is still a lack of leadership in Washington when 2 or 3 individuals can not get together and work out a solution.
The deficit reduction committee had two individuals that showed leadership and was able to get an agreement from both sides on the committee to cut spending and increase revenues. But what happened when it hit the political scene. Obama bailed, Reid bailed and Boehner bailed.
There is no leadership in Washington and all we are stuck with if divisive politics that provide negative results for our country now and into the future.
There needs to be a fourth branch of big government specifically designed to usurp members of the House and Senate that oppose big government.
Allen, the 4th branch of govt used to be the 4th estate, what we now refer to as the MSM. Needless to say, they have (with some exceptions) become fairly useless anymore since they give equal weight to all points of view regardless of their value. You might also say the electorate used to be the 4th branch of govt, but their success in holding leaders accountable requires a threshold of knowledge that isn’t exactly dependable. Maybe this will change… I hope sure so.
Jspencer-
Well President Obama is certainly leading!
It’s a shame that the electorate is far too dumbed down and beguiled by partisan media to see it. So many of them rant on with the most ridiculous political assertions and stick to the most discredited economic philosophy, in the face of all reason, that I seriously suspect mass insanity is taking hold in this country.
Allen – I think you may be on to something with that “mass insanity” business… sorry to say. (Ben Franklin is rolling in his grave)