Posted on 09/13/2010 4:40:30 PM PDT by Kaslin
Fiscal Policy: House Majority Leader John Boehner suggested he would be OK with Democratic plans to raise taxes on those with the highest incomes. If he didn't misspeak, it was a huge mistake.
Appearing on CBS' "Face the Nation," Boehner said: "If the only option I have is to vote for those at 250 ($250,000 in income) and below, of course I'm going to do that."
Of course, it won't be the "only option" if Republicans don't allow it. So why give the opposition the idea that you would settle for less even before the negotiating begins? Given the strong position the GOP is in right now, it just seems foolish.
Maybe this is the result of President Obama's increasingly personal attacks against Boehner, who was mentioned 10 times in one presidential speech alone.
To Boehner's credit, after the White House said it "welcomes" Boehner's remarks, he responded that Obama's plan was a "job killer" and accused the White House of provoking "class warfare."
And Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell immediately on Monday said he had pledges from every Senate Republican to filibuster any plan to extend Bush's tax cuts to all but the wealthy.
We should also note that Boehner is the lead proponent of a plan to extend all the tax cuts for two years — and to freeze federal spending at its pre-stimulus level of 2008. These are good ideas.
But if Republicans sign off on only a partial extension of the Bush tax cuts, instead of the whole package, they'll regret it.
(Excerpt) Read more at investors.com ...
Some have suggested that Boehner took this position to put pressure on the Democrat’s wealthy liberal supporters. The Republicans will cut them off it they insist on supporting Obama’s policies.
bookmark
Someone better suggest to Bonehead that the days of Politics as Normal are over. The American people, conservatives, independents, and even some moderates are just sick and tired of the games and want LEADERS. Men and Women of conviction who will stand and speak TRUTH. Not who will play games and mince words and try to 'pull on over' on the other party.
John's little stunt MAY have been the way the game has been played for the last 80 years or so, but those days and those game need to come to an end.
And if the smack down push back he's gotten and getting isn't enough to wake him up, then he is UNSUITED for a leadership role in the new Congress in 2011. And if he doesn't like that, then he needs Primaried.
Then they must be accompanied with spending cuts.
Rush was talking about this today. This was meant to play the class warfare angle the left is so fond of. Evidently they even had the ads ready to go. Another example of the leftist press trying to help the dems. By answering the way he did he made it impossible for them to play the “party of the rich” angle.
Cindie
The snipit you posted misrepresents what he said, and doesn’t take into account what he and mitch mc connell, have done. Basically if the dems refuse any other option then as long as there are no other tax increases till the end of the lame duck session, He’ll go along with the extention excluding the 250k+ earners. Mc Connell has offered a bill extending all the bush cuts, and both have said any bill that prevents the proffering of amendments by the repubs will be unaccetable. The dems think they pulled a fast one on the R-leaders, but they are going to have to justify tax increases in a down economy just before 11/2. Something 68% of the usa population opposes.
I posted what was in IPD. I didn’t write it
I just saw the actual interview on TV and Boehner said something like, “if that’s all I’m possibly left voting for, yes, I will vote to keep the tax cuts for the middle class.”
He then followed by saying that he was not in any way giving up on fighting to extend all the tax cuts.
Why don’t these people check the original source before writing their pieces?
“By answering the way he did he made it impossible for them to play the ‘party of the rich’ angle.”
Ha! The day they drop that angle is the day they stop being Democrats.
IPD is IBD
EXACTLY.
This was staged. Even down to calling it a blunder.
1. The blunder supposedly is that now it looks as if the republicans are divided, and it makes it look as if they’re stalling for political reasons.
2. On the other hand, it makes it appear that Boenher is not in charge and never was. In truth, it looks more like Cantor is.
3. This enables all republicans to strongly support tax cuts for all in a recession. (Since many dems are doing the same, it casts Obama as the one outside the norm.)
4. Other dems get to go against tax cuts for all.
5. It enables Republicans to sum up by saying: “When the company you work at makes less money, someone’s job can’t be afforded. That’s why Obama and his democrats have destroyed millions and millions of jobs.”
Good point, but since when do they ever?
Our local paper had this headline in big bold letters:
GOP Leader backs middle-class only tax cut
So the average person, not a political news addict, sees this and gets a favorable impression.
How is this not a win for Boehner? And does anyone here really think that the White House wants to compromise? With the Republicans?
That’s exactly right. The Dems got undercut. They had their ads ready to go to accuse Republicans of wanting to impose massive tax increases on ‘working families.’
The pubs are just the back side of the rats or vice versa, either is the lesser of the two evils, whatever—if we are to have the Constitution back, they all must go, and take in some rookies of neither party—and be prepared to sh!tcan them too, under watchful eye, as soon as they make their evil move.
Like Davvy Crockett says...
“Then they must be accomplished with spending cuts”
There are zillions of things to cut. Wasn’t it posted on FR today that an $800,000 federal grant was given to teach Aficans to wash their genitals after sex?
” Not a blunder. “
It was a pretty good strategic move on Boehner’s part.
He took the talking points away from the Democrats by saying what he did.
But, the rest of his comments and his rebuttal to Gibberish last night make it clear that Boehner wants all of the Bush tax cuts to remain.
In addition to halting spending.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.