“Funny how the WSJ always brings out the long knives against Republicans anytime there’s a showdown like this in Washington.”
Well, they know how BHO/Dems will use this against us in the campaigns. It’s true. Alarming how MANY people out there are so ignorant to the facts, don’t do any research and only believe the MSM’s spin about the “do nothing (i.e., Repub) Congress” and “refusal to cooperate” by the Republicans.
There are many sides to this particular issue. On the one hand, a temporary 2-month anything is bad for businesses who need to do long-term planning. And the Dems will continue to pass BS bandaid bills, knowing the Repubs won’t go for them and thus look even worse in the public’s eyes. On the other, WHY do Repubs want a year extension of cuts in the only source (other than borrowing/printing money) of funding for Social Security? (Even Allen West is for this.) Rush was talking some about this yesterday, but I missed most of it.
So, help me out here - who’s right?
"There are many sides to this particular issue...So, help me out here - who’s right?
I believe the GOP (the House at least) wants the long-term extension so that it takes the issue out of Obama's hands. Despite what the WSJ editors (and even some gullible people on this thread) believe, if it is extended for only two-months, the Dems will go right back to their playbook and call for massive tax increases on the "rich" to pay for it. And they'll keep dragging it out before the election as long as possible.
My two cents on the issue: There are two big aspects of it:
1). The "tax" issue. Obama wants to look like the great "tax cutter" here... and the hapless GOP has let him do it. I've been saying for months now that a big issue is the massive tax increase on everybody going into effect in January, 2013. Instead of just accepting that this will happen, the House should tie the payroll tax and this together, and put Obama on the spot now for wanting to raise you taxes. (The tax hike he is proposing by allowing the Bush tax cuts to expire will far outweigh the piddly $3 a day people will be "getting" from the payroll tax cut.). Make him admit NOW that he wants a massive tax increase.
2). Unemployment insurance. I'm not in favor of perpetually dragging this on... but the GOP has bungled this issue, so there's little choice at this point, I'm afraid. I would just say "we have to extend this past the election because Obama's economic policies have massively failed- as much as we disapprove of more unpaid for spending, we're not going to leave people high and dry because of a disastrous president. Soon he will be out of office...", and leave it at that. On this issue, I would fight that battle for another day.