So... tell me again, what did Obama win?

January 2, 2013 | Lancey Howard

[LaRueLaDue]

Sometimes I wish that congressmen caning one another on the floor and shooting one another in duels was a better system.

I have recently come around to the thought that duels were beneficial for society. It kept people (mainly men) on their toes, in that:

• you had to watch what you said and how you said it (promoted fore-thought);
• kept thoughts of honor and what it meant in the foreground (made one think about what was said and why);
• kept people civil in interactions with each other, particularly with people they were in disagreement with ("dissing" someone could have lethal consequences);
• was a sort of an Occam's razor on what was important and what could be passed over or ignored (let one focus on what was actually important);
• made you responsible for what you said, and you had to be prepared back it up with decisive action (i.e. you had to put your "money" where your mouth put you);
• and, finally it is a legal way to "deal with" people who really tax you and disrupt your life, and get a bit of satifaction at the same time (assuming you win the duel).

Ah, yearning for the "simple" life of the past...

[Lancey Howard]

Now, instead of the democrats having to be worried about reelection if they support anti-second amendment legislation, they can rest assured that the republicans are in greater danger of losing the house and losing more ground in the senate because they went back on their word regarding taxes.

Have you been following this thing? Taxes already went back up: to Clinton-era rates automatically at the end of 2012 when the Bush rates expired. THEN, yesterday, the Republicans were able to get PERMANENT tax CUTS at Bush rates for 98% of earners. And they did this with an African communist in the White House and a Democrat / communist senate.

So... tell me again how they sold everybody down the river?

[JRandomFreeper]

You keep saying PERMANENT... They aren't.

Anything one congress can do another can undo.

/johnny

[Sam Gamgee]

I agree. We avoided a tax hike to 39% on capital gains. The payroll tax cuts were no more than a scheme to rob Paul to pay Peter, so their roll back was inevitable anyways.

[Lancey Howard]

That’s true, of course, but what I mean by “permanent” is that these tax cuts do not have a “sunset” provision like they originally (and stupidly) did 10 years ago. And as far as another congress raising taxes? As I replied to another freeper who posed the same possibility: Like the rats raised taxes back in ‘93, just before they got swept out of the House for the first time in 40 years? Yeah, they’ll raise taxes again. Sure they will.

[Lancey Howard]

Well, if you’re cool with the tax rate going up, that’s good enough for me.

I'm not cool with anybody's tax rates going up...

Have you been following this thing? Taxes already went back up to Clinton-era rates automatically at the end of 2012 when the Bush rates expired. THEN, yesterday, the Republicans were able to get PERMANENT tax CUTS at Bush rates for 98% of earners. And they did this with an African communist in the White House and a Democrat / communist senate.

I'm not happy about the Republicans' inability to get tax cuts for the top 2% (who actually deserve tax cuts as much as anybody else if not more) but I'm not about to hang myself in the basement over it. But you go ahead and wring your hands and gripe if that makes you happy. I'll take what we got and see if the Republicans can do more now that the major item (tax cuts) has been taken care of and the Republicans have the leverage of the debt ceiling and automatic sequestration cuts to play with.

Revenge is a dish best served cold, and I think the Republicans will ultimately smack the sneer off that African communist scumbag's face.

FRegards,
LH

[Cyber Liberty]

Revenge is a dish best served cold, and I think the Republicans will ultimately smack the sneer off that African communist scumbag's face.

I agree with that, 100%. I'm looking forward to it.

[timestax]

[CynicalBear]

That’s the problem with so many Americans today. They have no idea how the small business was affected by this increase. Even too many here on this forum fail to understand. I’m retired now but owned my own business most all of my life. The vote last night would have cost me a bunch and without doubt people would have lost jobs.

[PeaceBeWithYou]

Hidden in the fog, Teddy's signature health care program CLASS(Community Living Assistance Services and Supports program ) was repealed.

Since the incoming Congress is more conservative/business oriented than this one, I expect more will be going that way.

[left that other site]

Yes...I hear you, and appreciate your prayers!

The Liberals, who are so quick to tout “The Butterfly Effect”, The “Circle of Life”, and the “Whole Human Family” are very quick to discard these notions of ‘Interconnectedness” when they propose “Taxing The Rich”. Is just doesn’t seem to register in their feeble clogged synapses that, in our society, we all have customers, and are customers of someone. As soon as they cripple one section of our society, the rest have the legs pulled out from under them.

[narses]

What he said! Good job Lancey!

[Lancey Howard]

I just heard on the news that there are THREE more "fiscal cliffs" coming in the next three months. First is the debt ceiling, then in early March, the automatic cuts (the "sequestration" cuts that are supposed to be devastating and "painful") that will happen without a deal, and then at the end of March, a battle over another "continuing resolution" to keep the government from shutting down.

The tax issue is behind us, with (sorry to keep repeating it) 98% of all earners now having their lower Bush tax rates made permanent. So guess who basically holds all the cards for the next three "fiscal cliffs"? Let's keep our fingers crossed that the Republicans, led by the tea partiers, will go psycho. It's a great time for all of this crap, too, since it's nearly two years until the next election and the Republicans don't have to be cowards about it.

FRegards,
LH

[narses]

What he said!

[Washi]

So... tell me again how they sold everybody down the river?

Your own little reality doesn't matter.

You won't convince that masses that the republicans won anything here, even if it were true.

The perception (rightly earned) is that Obama crushed the republicans and made them cry "uncle" on their tax pledge.

[xzins]

High on the priority list should be capping the percent of budget that can be interest payments.

Do we want to send our cash to creditors for some long forgotten boondoggle or to social security beneficiaries? That should be an easy argument to make for any politician with half a brain.

[DBeers]

What has he won?

NOTHING if the congress can stop him from circumventing the rule of law.

EVERYTHING if the congress does nothing to stop him from circumventing the rule of law.

Congress will decide through actions if there was elected a tyrant king or an executive limited by the Constitution all elected pledge to uphold and defend.

[Lancey Howard]

The perception (rightly earned) is that Obama crushed the republicans and made them cry "uncle" on their tax pledge.

So, you're saying freepers are idiots who don't understand that tax rates were already - - automatically - - reset to the higher Clinton rates at the end of the year, and that the Republicans worked out a deal to cut taxes back to the lower Bush rates for 98% of earners, despite an Africn communist in the White House and a Democrat / communist senate??

Bunky, you have a pretty low opinion of freepers if you think they are stupid enough to have the false "perception" that the Republicans had anything to do with raising tax rates on anybody. It sounds to me like you should go back to whatever site you are more comfortable with, where they talk about how Ubanga really took the Republicans for a ride.

LOL! Yeah, Ubama really got them good!
Meanwhile, here comes three more "fiscal cliffs" (see post #73) with the Republicans holding all the cards.

[Washi]

So, you're saying freepers are idiots...

I didn't say anything of the sort. Don't attribute your opinions to me. You are the one that started a thread in a desperate effort to explain to the majority of the people of FreeRepublic how they are wrong and you are right.

What has been the ratio of responses agreeing with you vs. disagreeing with you?

You can cheerlead all you like, but the republicans were damaged in this episode and that will have dire consequences for all upcoming legislation, including gun legislation.

[Lancey Howard]

What has been the ratio of responses agreeing with you vs. disagreeing with you?

Most, naturally, are disappointed that the Republicans didn't extract concessions as if they held super majorities in the House and Senate, and controlled the White House, too. But I don't think there is anybody except you who believes that passing tax cuts for nearly everybody means the Republicans violated their tax pledge. You seem to be the only one with a "perception" problem.