Eric Cantor Leads GOP Charge Against Senate Cliff Bill

Newsmax ^ | 01/01/2013

[SeekAndFind]

Last-minute efforts to step back from the fiscal cliff ran into trouble on Tuesday as Republicans in the House of Representatives balked at a deal that would prevent Washington from pushing the world's biggest economy into a recession.

House Republicans complained that a bill passed by the Senate in a late-night show of unity to prevent a budget crisis contained tax hikes for the wealthiest Americans but no spending cuts. Some conservatives sought to change the bill to add cuts.

That would set up a high-stakes showdown between the two chambers and risk a stinging rebuke from financial markets that are due to open in Asia in a few hours.

The Senate would refuse to accept any changes to the bill, a Senate aide said, and it appeared increasingly possible that Congress could push the country over the fiscal cliff after all, despite months of effort.

Strictly speaking, the United States went over the cliff in the first minutes of the New Year because Congress failed to produce legislation to halt $600 billion of tax hikes and spending cuts that start kicking in on Jan. 1.

But with financial markets and federal government offices closed for the New Year's Day holiday, lawmakers had a little more time to work out a compromise without real-world consequences.

The Senate bill drew overwhelming support from Republicans and Democrats alike when it passed by a vote of 89 to 8.

But Republicans who control the House expressed wide dismay with the measure, which includes only $12 billion in spending cuts along with $620 billion in tax increases on top earners.

Majority Leader Eric Cantor, the No. 2 Republican in the House, told reporters after huddling with other Republicans that he does not support the Senate's bill.

[LibLieSlayer]

My three... all repuke-licans voted for big government and I am proud to say that in the primary last year... I voted AGAINST all three. My more conservative choices were beaten by the machine. I had to vote for them in the main election as I would rather cut my own throat than to vote for a satan party rat.

thad cochran
roger wicker
tim palazzo

All three have a single horn for a nose.

LLS

[Hoodat]

My Rep, Tom Price, surprised me last night. He is #5 in GOP House leadership, yet he voted against Boehner. I never would have guessed that would happen. Numbers 2,3,4 & 5 all went against Boehner, which to me spells the end of his reign as House Speaker. Cantor is next in line.

As for our elected officials, I will not vote for someone simply because they have an 'R' after their name. In the last two Senate elections, I voted Libertarian rather than have to vote for Isakson or Chambliss. I don't regret it one bit. I am 100% confident that their Libertarian opponents would have voted against any and every spending increase.

[LibLieSlayer]

Amen!

LLS

[District13]

Right on!!! They are ruining our heretofore wonderful country.