Posted on 11/29/2012 4:47:55 PM PST by Hojczyk
Mitch McConnell, the Senate Republican leader, says he “burst into laughter” Thursday when Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner outlined the administration proposal for averting the fiscal cliff. He wasn’t trying to embarrass Geithner, McConnell says, only responding candidly to his one-sided plan, explicit on tax increases, vague on spending cuts.
Geithner’s visit to his office left McConnell discouraged about reaching a “balanced” deal on tax hikes and spending reductions designed to prevent a shock to the economy in January. “Nothing good is happening” in the negotiations, McConnell says, because of Obama’s insistence on tax rate hikes for the wealthy but unwillingness to embrace serious spending cuts
Geithner suggested $1.6 trillion in tax increases, McConnell says, but showed “minimal or no interest” in spending cuts. When congressional leaders went to the White House three days after the election, Obama talked of possible curbs on the explosive growth of food stamps and Social Security disability payments. But since Geithner didn’t mention them, those reductions appear to be off the table now, McConnell says.
(Excerpt) Read more at weeklystandard.com ...
Right before the election, the DemoRats were offering a skimpy $1 cut for $1 in new taxes. Now they don’t even offer than, because Dingy Harry Reid says they already cut $1Billion, doncha know. That’s not even toilet paper money for the bureaucrats.
The Republicans ought to go home and celebrate the Savior’s birth with their families. It’s not worth the aggravation to try to save this rotten economy.
You don’t do deals with liars and cheats and expect anything but humiliation in return.
Why in the HELL, do the Republicans not harp on the same message that Obama (and the damn media) were SCREAMING about during this past election!
Why the hell don’t the Republicans scream about the “vagueness” of Obama’s “cuts?” One of the biggest messages that the media and Obama were complaining about Romney’s plan was the lack of details - turn this crap around for a damn change!
IDIOTS! If they aren’t idiots, then they are in on the game! This is getting as obvious as the Democrat voter fraud!
“The man is ITCHING to give in.”
You have no idea what you are talking about.
They already caved. The tax issue is a smokescreen. They want spending hikes for federal funding to state and local governments (regulator/teacher/other increases). BTW, the $1.6 trillion is over 10 years, and the Dems are appealing to the upper middle class by limiting the expiration of tax cuts to a smaller, higher income demographic.
High profile members of that same demographic have agreed to tax hikes (liberals). Most of the Republican politicians want the scheduled, automatic spending cuts stopped, as most, if not all Democrats do.
A bunch of spelunkers.
Agree. Let the bastards own it.
“It cannont be fixed with higher taxes. They own it!”
With respect; nonsense.
They will blame Republicans again and again and it works.
Government policy, these days, is based upon how badly the press villifies Republicans as it characterizes the Progressives as the saviours of mankind.
Disgusting and amazing.
IMHO
“Mitch McConnell, the Senate Republican leader, says he “burst into laughter”
Yeah, I burst into laughter too when I heard that McConnell had potentially damaging information on Petreaus, and therefore on Obozo, that he withheld until after the election!!!! Freaking cowardly moron!
Want to place a bet? Oh wait... Intrade is not in the US anymore. lol
It seemed like a good idea at the time: Supposedly there would be $3 worth of spending cuts for every $1 in tax increases.
But it didn't work out that way.
The tax increases were imposed, but the spending cuts failed to materialize. As Reagan later wrote, "The Democrats reneged on their pledge and we never got those cuts."
We are witnessing a similar bait and switch today. ...
**** My Comment: This is how we ended up giving TAX REFUNDS to people who paid NO TAXES! It's called the "Earned Income Tax Credit"!!!
Congress has the power of the purse, so it’s not like the Repubs have been impressive with the economy, either.
The meeting was in McConnell's office. Though that might have been an action typical of a Beltway Republican.
No spending cuts? Heck, they proposed a $50 Billion stimulus today!
Christmas is coming. Adjourn and go home, the results won’t be any worse. These Democrats have no intention of cutting anything. The Republicans are the only ones doing any lifting.
Free Republic doesn’t dissapoint, the hatred for Republicans here is just as strong or stronger than anything I’ve seen on PMSNBC or DU.
Many here on FR hate the Republicans and want them to die, and so do the Democrats.
No difference.
McConnell and Bohner just need to tell Obama and Reid...
Vote for whatever you want...we will vote present..
It’s your ball of wax...you live or die by it...
We are done playing your idiot games...
They have the majority in the House, and all appropriations start in the House! Have a vote and pass these:
1) Give them the Ryan budget
2) Extend all Bush tax cuts
3) Kill the AMT forever
4) Defund Obamacare
Then say “this stops the automatic cuts and the major tax hikes, so sign it” And go home.
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