General Discussion

babylonsister

(171,070 posts) Sat Dec 22, 2012, 05:34 PM Dec 2012

"...a Grand Bargain is preferable to going over the cliff."

http://www.boomantribune.com/story/2012/12/22/135644/33

Breaking Their Back

by BooMan
Sat Dec 22nd, 2012 at 01:56:44 PM EST

Ramesh Ponnuru and most of the crew at the National Review are somewhat mystified about why the Republicans knifed their Speaker on Thursday night. Yet, I think Mr. Ponnuru has identified the cause correctly. The ideologues in the party do not want to vote for tax increases (even if the result is lower taxes for more people) because it will make it harder for them to criticize the Democrats on taxes. It will mess up their brand and damage their message.

And this is precisely why a Grand Bargain is preferable to going over the cliff. A Grand Bargain that forces half or more of the House Republicans to vote for a tax increase and for economic stimulus and for extending the debt ceiling will take away their ability to coherently continue their idiotic Tea Party campaign.

The backbenchers know this. And they don't want to give up their stupid arguments, let alone vote for all the things they said they were against. That's why they knifed their Speaker, and that's why their Speaker can't find a compromise that his caucus will accept.

4 replies

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Highlight:

"...a Grand Bargain is preferable to going over the cliff." (Original Post) babylonsister Dec 2012 OP

So it's better... TDale313 Dec 2012 #1

Precisely politics. GeorgeGist Dec 2012 #2

the way it sits now, everyones' taxes are going up Angry Dragon Dec 2012 #3

They wouldn't vote for tax increase and have it on their record julian09 Dec 2012 #4

TDale313

(7,820 posts)

1. So it's better...

Reply to babylonsister (Original post)

Sat Dec 22, 2012, 05:48 PM

Dec 2012

To get a bad deal on the 31st than a good deal (or less bad deal) on the 1st just so we can say "that congressman raised taxes once on the top two percent". Disagree with that.

GeorgeGist

(25,321 posts)

2. Precisely politics.

Reply to babylonsister (Original post)

Sat Dec 22, 2012, 06:20 PM

Dec 2012

Not a damn thing more.

Angry Dragon

(36,693 posts)

3. the way it sits now, everyones' taxes are going up

Reply to babylonsister (Original post)

Sat Dec 22, 2012, 06:58 PM

Dec 2012

and that is what the republicans are pushing
the democrats' way is to give everyone a tax break

I am surprised that very few see this

julian09

(1,435 posts)

4. They wouldn't vote for tax increase and have it on their record

Reply to babylonsister (Original post)

Sat Dec 22, 2012, 08:22 PM

Dec 2012

because Sen Reed would defeat it in senate, if he even brought it up for vote. If by some miracle it became law, Obama would veto it.
They would be voting for tax hike, going nowhere and have it used against them a in primary challenge.
Dems should do the opposite and use their votes against tax hikes on the top 2% against them.

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