Republicans weigh swallowing tax hike on the wealthy

Yahoo! Health ^ | 12/5/12 | Richard Cowan - Reuters

[NormsRevenge]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - While Republican leaders in the House of Representatives insist that raising tax rates on the rich is an impossibility, some Republican lawmakers now see it as inevitable to avoiding the "fiscal cliff" of severe tax hikes and spending cuts set to start January 1.

Congressional aides, who asked not to be identified, said Republicans are losing the public relations battle over keeping low tax rates for the rich and are getting battered by President Barack Obama and his fellow Democrats in Congress following their November 6 election victories.

On Capitol Hill aides often play an important role of communicating what members are thinking but cannot say themselves. In recent days, increasing numbers are putting out word through news organizations that Republicans now feel they cannot win on tax cuts for the wealthy, at least not now.

Without a deal by December 31, $600 billion in across-the-board spending cuts and tax increases, which are so severe that they likely would shove the economy into recession, are scheduled to begin.

Republican Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee told reporters that his fellow Republicans are beginning to see a possible upside to giving in to Obama on tax rates so the party can then try to gain the upper hand in subsequent negotiations - maybe next year - to make savings in expensive "entitlement" programs such as Medicare healthcare for the elderly.

"If the House were to give that to him, where does the discussion then go? It goes to entitlements, which is where it ought to be in the first place," said Corker, who added, "I'm hearing whispers of a light going off in some people's minds."

[Liberty Valance]

Ha! Sometimes i think they should all just go home and let Bronco Bama
and his presidential signing orders jump into the fiscal abyss ...
just Bronco and his Unicorn.

[dagogo redux]

There’s an Uncle Remus Tar Baby story somewhere in this whole sordid mess.

Or a Roadrunner/Wiley Coyote cartoon.

Or a Casino Royale Texas Hold ‘em scene.

Or something.

Just take the darned thing over the cliff already! We’re ready out here!

[Venturer]

Warming up to Fold up.

[Terry Mross]

All of this distruction would not be happening if the republicans had done something about voter fraud in 2001. This last election was a farce and every democrat, AND republican, in congress knows it. I’d bet that many obama worshippers/voters would admit it was fraud. But not one republican office holder, even state and local, will say anything about it.