Posted on 12/01/2012 9:47:53 AM PST by LD Jackson
By now, we have all heard the rumor that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell laughed out loud when President Obama's Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner laid out his proposal for "solving" the issue of the fiscal cliff. From what I can gather about the proposal, it is certainly laughable. $50 billion in new spending, $1.6 trillion in tax hikes, and only promises of addressing spending in the future. And don't forget, Obama also wants to tie this all to an increase of the debt ceiling, as well as taking that authority from Congress and into his own hands. Oh, they would be able to override his decision, but only with a two-thirds majority. Surely, he is jesting.
Some observers believe a deal has already been struck. Read Sentry Journal for more on that. I'm not sure I agree, but one can not help but wonder at the ridiculous proposal put forward by the Obama administration. I realize some Republicans have signaled they are ready to break ranks and abandon their pledge to not raise taxes, if the right deal is offered, but surely the Obama administration does not believe the Republicans would not be stupid enough to agree to something this silly. It would be the equivalent of going to the negotiating table and giving our opponent everything they asked for and expecting nothing in return. I don't care if the media does castigate the GOP for causing untold suffering and giving the middle class a lump of coal for Christmas, they should not agree to anything that remotely resembles this proposal.
To the question at hand, should we Republicans take President Obama seriously on the fiscal cliff? I would be interested in hearing what you think about that. Should we call his bluff and force his hand? I have read varying opinions on that. They range from Obama not wanting a real compromise because he has every intention of driving America off the fiscal cliff, to how careful we need to be to make sure we negate the blame that will be assuredly thrown in our direction. Personally, considering Obama's first proposal (I know I keep coming back to that, but it's just so obviously overboard), we should break out our poker face and see just how far he is willing to push the mandate he thinks he gained from the election.
Let me put it this way. I am tired of the political games Obama is playing and the campaign of rhetoric he is using to push the idea that raising $1.6 trillion in taxes is the only possible solution to solving our financial issues. I am coming to the opinion that it would not be an entirely bad idea to refuse to even negotiate with Obama until he comes up with a credible proposal to cut spending. Any deal that may be struck between now and the end of 2012 has to include spending cuts that are in the here and now, not years in the future. Unless that happens, I'm not willing to take Obama seriously when he talks about solving America's fiscal problems.
Privately, take him VERY seriously. Publicly, ridicule him. Hire experts to project his plans into the future and describe to Americans what that dystopian future will look like (such Glenn Beck’s novel, Agenda 21).
But take a page from Pelosi’s playbook and never pass up an opportunity to look him in the eye (or the eye of any of this lackeys) and laugh while you ask, “Are you serious?”
If we don’t start playing smashmouth football (i.e. Alinsky politics), we might as well flee the country or learn to recite Marx. Being nice and taking the high road is the recipe for disaster. Just ask the Redcoats.
Conservatives should take the President at his word. The Ascended 0ne is a cold, calculating ideologue. He is not incompetent nor is he in over his head. The realization of the fiscal cliff is exactly what he wants: higher taxes and deep military cuts. That is the plan.
So why the hell not walk away? At least they'd get credit for having b*lls.
well they will certainly be given media exposure time, right? They will go on talk shows and their press conferences (at least excerpts) will be televised.
So rather than their normal wimpy whining where they beg for scraps they should assume no deal. They should use that exposure to attack dems in a dramatic way that provides soundbites for the MSM. also educate the public as to how we got where we are. Thus far they are squandering those airtime events
Obama also wants to tie this all to an increase of the debt ceiling.
Obama’s idea of forward,he abuses the privledge of stupidity.
Tax spend tax spend tax spend tax spend..................
The problem is not with raising taxes per se. The real problem is that the tax hikes will not be used to actually reduce debt, they will simply be spent, and if past history is any indication, they will be spent at multiplier greater than one.
For every major tax increase since the imposition of the Federal income tax, on average Congress has raised spending by $1.40 for every new $1.00 in increased taxes. Raising taxes by $1.6 trillion implies we will increase spending by $2.24 trillion in addition to the automatic baseline increases already on tap.
This doesn't include any decrease in economic activity from tax hikes, only the static analysis of past political performance.
Conclusion: cut the spending UP FRONT. Then we'll talk about taxes.
As seriously as a toddler wih a loaded gun.
Yes. They're not that stupid. They will wait for the next slightly less ridiculous offer.
Fred-that’s about as serious as “Build the fence first.”
Let me guess where this new spending being proposed will go:
Welfare
Food Stamps
Section 8 Housing
Student Loan forgiveness
Teachers’ Unions
The goal is to turn the US into a socialist welfare state, and we’re well on our way.
0bama will run out the clock so the Democrats can declare ‘a dire emergency’ and that the Republicans are obstructionists and the Repubs will cave. The Repubs should walk away NOW, NOW, NOW and detach themselves from the Fiscal Cliff ENTIRELY. This ENTIRE thing is about discrediting Repubs prior to the 2014 races.
You're right. And the Republicans won't do it. I'm 90% sure of that. Call me a hopeless optimist.
In this case, the money has either been spent or not spent. Cutting is both a necessary and sufficient condition for the tax hike. In fact, go farther: add a tax pentalty for liberals. For every $1 increase in spending in 2013, there will be an additional $1 is tax cuts in 2014.
Spending has to be cut first. There is no way to tax our way out of this.
The Democrats and the press work together to further the Democrat agenda. That’s not even debatable anymore. If the Republicans are going to go on the news shows and have interviews, then they better realize this and prepare for it or just stay home.
I like the idea that Republicans in the House and Senate simply abstain on all measures for the next two years. The results are inevitable, so let the Democrats take the responsibility.
We all agree that Obama and the Democrats are our opponents. What are their goals? Socialism? Destruction of America? OK. Explain to me why they would like the US to be like Cuba. Because their souls are filled with hatred towards America and whites? Man, if a black man can be elected to the top spot here, why would they want to tear that down? I’m going to start a prize fighting company just for Republicans. I wouldn’t even have to be any good. In every fight I’d just say “I’m Muhammad Ali! Boo!” and every Republican would jump out of the ring.
“Understand yourself and understand your opponents, and in one hundred battles, you will not be defeated.”
Keep thinking that the Democrat leaders really want socialism. That’s the ticket.
Is there some reason why the House does not simply pass bills to freeze spending for each of the major appropriation bills(i.e., a budget and appropriation)?
I mean a true freeze - no baseline buget increases. I mean this years spending is the same as last fiscal year’s spending (and maybe less 1% or so). Say “That’s all you got, you decide how to prioritize.” Suspend the civil service laws to allow the President to lay off employees and really freeze or reduce pay for the civil servants. Make the managers manage. The government already has the power to cancel contracts “for the convenience of the government”.
Send the bills to the Senate, and tell them no increase in the debt ceiling until the Senate passes the bills. Additional spending will be considered on a case by case basis.
If the Senate and Obama want to shift money around, use the Senate committee process to do so, but no increase in funding over last year. Let them propose what gets cut.
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