Posted on 11/15/2012 6:56:36 AM PST by SeekAndFind
John Boehner isn’t selling out conservatives on taxes. All he has done is reiterate that Republicans are open to a tax-reform deal that generates extra revenues, so long as the entitlements that are driving our long-term debt explosion are also addressed. He has also said that this reform should not raise marginal tax rates, and should indeed lower them. A deal along those lines might be worth supporting, depending on the details.
The White House is, however, insisting that the top tax rates have to go up as scheduled under the law — and that even more taxes should be placed on high earners. Unless the administration is prepared to give an awful lot on entitlements — holding Social Security benefit increases to inflation, and implementing premium support in Medicare — Republicans would be crazy to take that deal.
Republicans who are inclined to give more ground to Obama make two arguments. They fear that failing to reach a deal, and thus letting taxes rise across the board, will throw the economy into recession. Maybe so. But the most economically damaging tax increases that are scheduled are the ones on high earners, and they’re the very ones that Obama wants to make worse. That’s not an argument for acquiescing to his demands.
Second, they worry that if no deal is cut to avoid tax increases for everyone, Democrats will succeed in blaming Republicans for middle-class tax hikes. House Republicans can avoid that trap, however, by passing a bill that extends the current tax rates for everyone. If taxes do go up anyway, voters are likely to hold the party in control of the White House responsible. And Republicans have already shown they are willing to be flexible on revenue.
Republicans should be willing to negotiate with the administration. But it won’t be a real negotiation unless they’re also willing to walk away.
What about that statement on Obamacare being the “law of the land?”
Yes he is...he’s been hot to do a deal with Obama ever since January 2009, but the TEA Party freshmen stood in his way. Now, he feels confident enough to strong arm the GOP House caucus into rubber stamping whatever devil’s agreement he cuts with Obama.
I’m very tired of hearing about long-term solutions. We have a short-term problem every year. Every year we fall a trillion dollars further in debt because of excessive spending. All spending bills start in the House. Pass a balanced budget, and the short term problem is solved, and if the short term problem is solved every year, abracadabra, the long term problem disappears.
not yet..give him time
The National Review, like the Weekly Standard and the Wall Street Journal editorial page, are now establishment mouthpieces. Couldn’t be bothered with any of their articles.
Boehner will be fooled yet again. Harry Reid will wait till the very last minute, claim emergency, and Boehner will be afraid and strongarm the House to pass the senate’s worthless plan.
Let everything expire. The tax cuts, the unemployment benefits, the student loan interes reduction, the payroll tax reduction, all of it. Let the people feel the policies of liberalism. The House needs to pass its own bills, and ignore any meetings with the senate. Let the senate pass their own bills then meet in conference. But Boehner will go along.
>> John Boehner isn’t selling out conservatives on taxes.
I’d love to believe that premise, but the rest of the article fails to substantiate it.
It does establish that Boehner and his bunch very well MIGHT end up selling out.
RE: What about that statement on Obamacare being the “law of the land?”
It isn’t?
I thought Congress ( the one the people voted for from 2006 to 2010) passed it. Did it get repealed?
Please, oh please.
Get real.
Bonehead will sell us out.
It’s as certain as an Obamadork lie.
At this point I say give Obama “everything he said he needs to turn this economy around”. Let him 110% OWN IT when that inevitably fails.
The day after the election Boehner bent over, grabbed his ankles and invited Bathhouse Barry to have his way. I call that a sellout.
BS Boner will pimp it just like he did last 3 times. Anyone who believed the drunk bonehead speaker is a fool. In fact after the party reelected him as speaker anyone who remains a registered republican is a likely fool and enabler ( in my humble opinion)
There is always a huge "yet" when dealing with Boehner.
There have been many “laws of the land”—The Fugitive Slave Act comes to mind. It was odious and subsequently overturned.
By declaring Obamacare the “law of the land,” Boner sends the signal that he’s rolling over and leaving conservatives/TEA Partiers (who, by the way, made it possible for him to become Speaker) to fend for themselves.
(And let’s not overlook the fact that Congress exempted itself from the provisions of Obamacare.)
Well, if the National Review says there’s no fire despite all the black smoke to the contrary, it must be so! Sorry, NR editors, this pig will not fly.
As long as the economy sucks and he can blame the GOP we will continue to lose.
Give him what he wants and make him own it in 2014.
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Exactly as I have been saying...and do it now or else face the consequences of being blamed ourselves in 2014.
“Give him what he wants and make him own it in 2014.”
This would be nice if it would work, but it won’t.
This is what will happen:
1. Boehner will take an initial stance that Republicans will not raise tax rates or that Republicans will only allow tax rate increase for the wealthy in return for defined spending cuts.
2. President Obama, Democrats, and the press will talk for weeks about how Republicans are holding tax rate increases hostage for the middle class.
3. As the fiscal cliff approaches, President Obama will refuse to budge on spending cuts, knowing that Republicans will take the blame for the impasse.
4. Boehner will cave, either just before the fiscal cliff, or within a couple of weeks after the fiscal cliff.
5. In the end, Republican intransigence will be blamed for causing a crisis in consumer confidence and the resulting economic slowdown. Note, this will be just like how the Tea Party still gets the blame for the U.S. government credit rating downgrade.
The entitlements aren’t driving it as much as unemployment. Raise the tariffs and get our people back to work. Focusing on entitlements while people are unemployed is just going to guarantee more rat victories at the polls.
It will not make any difference at all in the economy which will suck for the next cycle (2014) regardless of what is done.
If we don't give it to him then he will campaign to win back the house by arguing that he needs friendly faces to get his tax increase in place.
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