Republicans say they will not back down

[cali]

Congressional leaders took a hard line on taxes ahead of a meeting Friday at the White House, with rank-and-file Republicans expressing opposition to a “fiscal cliff” deal that would bring in more revenue to the government.

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) has said Republicans could accept new revenues, but not tax-rate hikes, as part of a broad deficit deal, but President Obama and Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) said it was unlikely that eliminating loopholes and capping deductions could raise enough revenue to gain their support.

snip


Earlier in the day, Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) speculated that Obama was merely engaging in a “charade” that would end with him blaming Republicans for taking the country over the fiscal cliff.


“That looks to me like that might be his goal,” King said. “In the end, the president has a very strong hand. If he holds the line and vetoes everything and does nothing, he gets almost everything he wants.

http://thehill.com/homenews/house/268119-gop-says-it-will-not-back-down

[snappyturtle]

1. Is King's language 'hate speech' ? nt

[glacierbay]

23. How in the world would that be considered hate speech?

Stupid, idiotic, crazy speech yes, but not hate speech.
And I agree that the repugs will be blamed if we go over the fiscal cliff, as they should be, there is no reason whatsoever for them to oppose a small tax hike on the 2% of the rich to help bring down the deficit.

[goclark]

2. k and r

[Live and Learn]

3. Double dare you Congressional Repugs! nt

[dansolo]

4. Notice how they never specify where the revenues are supposed to come from

I've even heard one Tea Party guy claim that the increased revenue will come from ... tax cuts.

[theKed]

6. Math is hard!

[railsback]

5. If the House makes a deal and raises taxes on the wealthy

they'll lose a lot of seats in 2014. We're looking at another 2 years of obstruction from the House GOP, as they fight for their political lives, the U.S. citizens be damned. We'll go off the 'cliff' and the GOP will try to blame Obama, even though polling shows Americans will blame the GOP.

This is why filibuster reform is IMPERATIVE. The Senate can't just sit idly by as the House mucks everything up trying to protect their own hides.

[Live and Learn]

8. You mean to tell me those idiots that voted those idiots in to begin with

would suddenly vote Democratic in the next election and risk giving us both houses?

Nah, that can't be what they are afraid of. I think there are bigger issues and money at stake here than the average repug voter.

[railsback]

21. Well, no

It means that the incumbents may be challenged in their primaries by teabagger extremists. That doesn't work out so well in districts that aren't dominated by red.

[GeorgeGist]

10. Meanwhile the Bush tax cuts expire.

[HereSince1628]

7. The only way to get them off the cliff is to let them jump.

Jump! JUMP!!!!!!!

[reformist2]

9. No deal. We will get 20 of them to vote for tax increases. Tax *rate* increases.

Next year, that's all we will need, thanks to a 200/235 house.

[jmowreader]

11. The GOP's deal with the devil prohibits revenue increases

Norquist has always been very specific about this: anything that brings more money into the treasury is counted as a tax increase.

He has also been very specific in his intention to destroy the career of any Republican who violates this pledge.

We need about 40 non-signatories on that side of the aisle, plus all our people, to blow off Boehner and do what's right for the nation. Yeah, ATR will be pissed but no one elected them.

[Tigress DEM]

12. They have 2 choices - Help America by WORKING WITH the Prez or CONTINUE to Obstruct Progress.

If they DON'T work with the President, of course it's their fault if we go over the cliff.

IF we go over the fiscal cliff because Obama has to veto all CRAZY ASS plans that don't get the job done, then Obama DOES NOT GET "what he wants". He WANTS some cooperation and some legislation that moves the country FORWARD into PROGRESS AND PROSPERITY.

Going over that "cliff" isn't the GOAL - it's the GOAD to get these Congress Monkeys to settle down and do some actual legislative work.

NO ONE WANTS that option, but the DEMs are TIRED of having the 99% tossed under the bus to save the 1% from having to pay their fair share of taxes and tired of the rethugs who defend them.

[John2]

13. The

solution for the GOP would be opening their party up for more ethnicity in their Party instead if just having their base of a small minority. They need to look at the long view for their Party's survival. The country is changing every year. They can no longer just appeal to southern whites. The votes Mitt Romney got was 88 percent white. That is untenable for the Republican Party's survival. They don't need to repackage and sell the same old policies which cater just to certain whites and mainly in one region of the United States. It has a connection to what happened before the Civil War broke out.

The status quo, by reciting the past is not reasonable. By the year 2050, the minority would be in the majority. It is a sign of the times, which means certain groups will gain more political power. The Democratic Party is diverse and has adjusted to the future where power is shared among racial groups. It is not by accident, these same racial groups have the most poverty,unemployment or less education than the group that has been the most predominate group in U.S. history. What future means is more equality. So when Mitt Romney talks about gifts and stuff given to those groups,that is what the predominate group has been given for decades. They want the status quo. That is not sustainable.

[Eddie Haskell]

14. Expiration before negotiation!

The American people know who won this election and they will not forget who refused to compromise. If the reptiles want to play hardball ... I say let em sweat.

[GoCubsGo]

15. Elections have consequences.

Right, Mr. King? Isn't that what you and your ilk spewed incessantly after the 2010 election? And, no "charade" here. If the country goes over any alleged "fiscal cliff", it WILL be all your party's doing. Don't like it? Tough shit. Try acting like grown-ups for a change.

[gollygee]

16. I hate the term "fiscal cliff"

It makes it sound worse than it is. It's like this huge vague threat that must be avoided at all costs. It isn't that big a deal. We will not fall off a cliff, literally or figuratively.

[HereSince1628]

17. When dealing with brinksmanship there is always a figurative cliff/impending bomb.

The real problem isn't caused by a chasm, it's caused by a now forgotten CEILING, which can be raised.

[The Magistrate]

18. King, Ma'am, Is Invoking The 'Stopped Clock's Right Twice A Day' Rule Here

The intransigence of House Republicans will prevent any compromise the President could sign or the Senate accept, and House Republicans will be blamed for any adverse consequences, as well as being identified and isolated as the problem with Washington.

[RC]

19. Well, if the Republicans will not except tax increases, how about

Fees on their income? A stepped percentage on anything above $250,000! That could work since fees in place of tax increases are a Republican idea.

[rock]

20. Uh-oh there's gonna be a gum fight

Toothless, hairless, dirty old white men versus the Pres! (Gum fight, did you catch that?)

[lpbk2713]

22. More obstructionism from the Greedy Obstructionist Party

They are the reason this Congress has the lowest approval
rating ever and we need to shout it from the roof tops.