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Behind the scenes of a GOP meltdown
Politico ^ | 12/21/2012 | Jake Sherman and John Bresnahan

Posted on 12/21/2012 7:57:24 AM PST by SeekAndFind

Things were so bad for Speaker John Boehner Thursday night, support for his Plan B tax bill so diminished, the limits of his power with his own party laid bare, that he stood in front of the House Republican Conference and recited the Serenity Prayer.

“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”

Boehner nearly cried.

The Ohio Republican accepted that he couldn’t change the minds of his House Republican Conference. He tried to convince them that, facing tough negotiations with President Barack Obama over the fiscal cliff, he needed them on his side — and he fell short. With that, Boehner — a man who has clawed back from the political ledge to arrive at the top rung of power — saw perhaps the lowest moment in his speakership.

It was supposed to be a moment of strength, a way to drag Obama and the Democrats toward them in the high-stakes fiscal cliff negotiations that have Washington teetering on the brink. Instead, it showed the world that either Boehner couldn’t bring 217 of his own members to his side, or they were unwilling to be led by him in this fight.

Rep. Mike Kelly, a burly freshman from Pennsylvania, stood in front of a closed meeting in the basement of the Capitol and said his fellow Republicans were selfish. Boehner, he said, has done a good job.

It was too late. The meeting had adjourned. No heartfelt rhetoric from Boehner. He and Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) simply read statements later delivered to the press, and went their respective ways.

(Excerpt) Read more at dyn.politico.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: boehner; fiscalcliff; taxes
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To: lonevoice

Weeping John take a hint, that crying thing is old and unmanly, it's past time to spend more time with your family, depart.

41 posted on 12/21/2012 9:55:51 AM PST by Covenantor ("Men are ruled...by liars who refuse them news, and by fools who cannot govern." Chesterton)
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To: Vigilanteman
Your ray of hope is hopeless.

1. If things got that bad to literally fight the Fedgov, we will lose. I know, 100 million gun owners, but really? up against the Army? C'mon, maybe a few sporadic gunfights by some brave rural types. I believe the general population will lay down their arms once the Federalized National Guard moves in. Most would rather survive under dictatorship with their children than risk them being orphans (sound familiar?). The few well trained will try and maybe some old farts like me, but we're dying off by the day.

2. The "gimmes" will never ever accept the idea that their Fedgov or Stategov has failed them. They will just riot more and more and deal with the tear gas and/or rubber bullets until the politicians give in. No one has the balls anymore just to shoot rioters/looters as we did before. Oh noes, a human life gone because he stole an HDTV and burned the store down that was some productive innocent's livelihood. Poor guy, must have been from bad parents. F*ck him, as the Koreans thought in the Rodney King riots. They stood their ground on top of their stores and not a ONE was attacked.

3. Good luck with the ChiComs buying and administering certain regions in the USA. Sounds like "Red Dawn 2.0" to me (lol). While China has allowed Hong Kong to exist as capitalist entity, they only do that for the revenues to the communist party, the same as they do in Macau casinos.

4. I'm not a religious person, so I don't believe the Bible, the Torah, the Koran/Hadiths, nor any other theology. They all once thought the world was flat. Let's just agree to let that go. I mean no offense, in fact, I think the best people in the World are Christians and Jews. I'm an absolute supporter of Israel.

Okay now that I've been so negative, let me tell you the one last hope I have and that is States' Rights! We now have some 30 Republican (although questionable if conservative) and state legislatures. Last I read, some 26 States refuse to build an Obamacare health exchange system. Even if the Fedgov can actually build such "exchanges" it saves the State's their sovereign rights and money. Although Robert's should have shot down the entire Obamacare law, we did see a unanimous vote that Congress had over-stepped their idea of the "Commerce Clause". That was a huge win for now.

Anyway to build that many Fedgov "exchanges" will be such a bureaucratic nightmare that it may fall just because of that. Obama can hire all the people he wants as he has done, but I believe there couldn't be enough fat minority ladies and loser minority men (yes, I said that) to possibly administer such a complex entity (think DMV).

Like the b*tch said, "We have to pass it to see what's in it". Their arrogant utopian dream is now becoming a reality while I read every day of another company laying off employees to get under 50, or reducing the hours to less than 30 a week. I can hardly wait until the Boomers start getting shut off from live-saving care on a regular basis.

Sarah Palin is one smart Lady. I'm going to be laughing at all those who voted Obambi in twice and let him take their health care system away. I will laugh until my last breath...cough, giggle, cough, giggle, gasp, giggle!

42 posted on 12/21/2012 10:13:43 AM PST by A Navy Vet (An Oath is Forever.)
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To: oldbrowser
"The house passed that bill already, last August, and it has been sitting on Reid's desk ever since. That is the bill that Reid said was DOA."

My bad, I forgot.

Still, why hasn't Boehner and Co. promoted that or the fact that Reid's privately owned Senate hasn't submitted a budget in 4 years? Speaker Boehner is out of excuses. He is not only not PR savvy, he is incompetent.

43 posted on 12/21/2012 10:21:46 AM PST by A Navy Vet (An Oath is Forever.)
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To: lonevoice

Thanks for the ping!


44 posted on 12/21/2012 10:34:46 AM PST by Pride in the USA
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To: A Navy Vet
Speaker Boehner is out of excuses. He is not only not PR savvy, he is incompetent

There is no doubt that he is kind of wobbly, he isn't very inspirational and we are at a tumultuous point in our history. Still he is our leader currently and we have to try to work through him . Hopefully the conservatives will keep him from fainting.

45 posted on 12/21/2012 10:38:14 AM PST by oldbrowser (They are marxists, don't call them democrats)
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To: arthurus
The Republicans should have said at the beginning of this farce,”We sent you our bill already.

Agreed.

46 posted on 12/21/2012 10:44:14 AM PST by oldbrowser (They are marxists, don't call them democrats)
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To: SeekAndFind

The Republican Party should just change their name to the Washington Generals.


47 posted on 12/21/2012 10:45:48 AM PST by dfwgator
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To: A Navy Vet
There is historic precedent for all of this, for instance:
  1. America, 1776, even worse odds. Romania, 1989, the dictatorship in full control in November and standing in front of a firing squad that Christmas.

  2. Napoleon, just after the French got their fill of mob rule during the Reign of Terror. He didn't have to shoot all the rioting malcontents, just enough to send the others a message.

  3. Detroit, THE primary basket case example in America, would be a relative gold mine to the ChiComs. Great location and an infrastructure only needing repairs, not full rebuilding. Yeah, lazy malcontents now run the city, but refer to the Napoleon example. Los Angeles? Even more so.

  4. God does not cease to exist even if a majority ceases to beleive in him. Sodom found that out the hard way. Something bigger than us exists as the Libtrards will eventually find out.

    We don't know what will bring about the end to the nightmare which BO so symbolizes. It could be your scenario. It could be Soviet Union style implosion. It could be the second coming of Jesus Christ.

    All we know is that it well end because it is unsustainable and goes against human nature.


48 posted on 12/21/2012 10:47:17 AM PST by Vigilanteman (Obama: Fake black man. Fake Messiah. Fake American. How many fakes can you fit in one Zer0?)
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To: lodi90
The kenyan will get everything he wants after we go over the cliff. Everything.

That remains to be seen. The "cliff" is not that big of a deal. A bigger problem will be dealing with the expiring unemployment extensions. The biggest deal will be the national debt limit.

I believe that conservatives can bring Obama to heel with these negotiations. We can make him understand that this is not his money he is wasting.

49 posted on 12/21/2012 10:53:16 AM PST by oldbrowser (They are marxists, don't call them democrats)
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To: DoughtyOne
"I’m still here at this point. Be sure to let me know if you get taken out. I’ll do the same. ;^). We’ve got close to six months now. Water is a check, but I need to do better with food. We put in propane for our grill, but I need to bump that up as well. It’s not that hard to do. It’s just taking the time to do it."

Har! I'm still waiting for the end. Could be quite a show. Unfortunately, it's getting bright here in SoCal so unless the Sun melts, guess we'll miss the comet hitting us.

As for preps, see Nitro-Pak. Best site I've found and best prices. They ship quickly. Check out their Mountain House freeze dried foods which many on the Web swear by and have the best prices. I bought a years worth about 3 years ago and they are good for 25 years! Forget MRE's except for a bug out bag. If you're city or suburban, don't bother. The roads will be clogged.

Yes, water is the biggest problem. However, if it's not the end of the world, you have 50 gallons of drinkable water in your hot-water heater that most people forget about. Attache a hose connection for quick access. No one ever mentions that in the survival threads. Yes, everyone is suppose to drink a gallon day...how many really do? Plus you have what's in your toilet tanks, and if enough notification as in Cali earthquakes or dirty bomb before the water pipelines or pumping stations stop, start filling your bathtubs and sinks and have a high quality filter (Katadyn). Also, make sure you know where the nearest water supply is how you will access it, if only a lake or reservoirs. Again, think high quality filter.

Plus, have a crank radio that are multi-band and includes a flashlight and can recharge cell phones and such, multiple shake flashlights, many oil fed lamps, potassium tablets for nuke radiation, and look at a generator to run your fridge and microwave at the least. Also look at this if it works for you, which I think you're in SoCal and we met at BobJ's house or other...Sun Oven.

If you have the above or buy the above do NOT let your neighbors know you have such supplies. Trust goes out the window in survival mode.

Most importantly, have weapons.

Freepmail me if you want to be part of our neighborhood watch in an extreme emergency.

50 posted on 12/21/2012 11:29:19 AM PST by A Navy Vet (An Oath is Forever.)
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To: A Navy Vet

“We now have some 30 Republican [state governors). Sorry.


51 posted on 12/21/2012 11:43:42 AM PST by A Navy Vet (An Oath is Forever.)
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To: ladyjane
"These guys care only for their own jobs and the power that comes with those jobs. They care little to nothing of their constituents and their country. They’re a bunch of hack lawyers who are too lazy and tired of working in law firms and want to hang onto the power (and sex) of being in congress. Oh yes, and their pensions and gold plated health insurance. Term limits!!

Thank you Mamn, I've been saying the same thing about term limits for years, so has VetsCoR. Not only term limits, but reduced congressional sessions. The less time they are in DC, the less damage they can do. That is one reasons why Texas is one of the most free States in the union. Their legislature meets every other year.

Besides repealing the 17th Amendment (big mistake), we need an Amendment for term limits and/or reduces Congressional sessions - think Newt gave it a shot.

Yeah, I know I'm dreaming. Still, with some 30 something Republican State Governors, the time may be ripe, providing enough are actually not RINOS. It doesn't take a Constitutional Convention to pass an amendment. Without pulling out my Constitution handbook, I think it only takes a majority of States to suggest an amendment. However, it takes 3/4ths to pass it. I'm tired, so I could be wrong.

52 posted on 12/21/2012 12:02:39 PM PST by A Navy Vet (An Oath is Forever.)
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To: A Navy Vet

If you are tempted at any point to be optimistic, and you aren’t religious, then read “Coriolanus” by Wm. Shakespeare. Timely as the morning Free Republic and absolutely on-target with human nature. Quick version at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coriolanus.


53 posted on 12/21/2012 12:27:05 PM PST by Chaguito
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To: A Navy Vet
If things got that bad to literally fight the Fedgov, we will lose. I know, 100 million gun owners, but really? up against the Army? C'mon, maybe a few sporadic gunfights by some brave rural types. I believe the general population will lay down their arms once the Federalized National Guard moves in.

Friend, if the fedgov orders its troops to begin disarming the people, you're going to see a second American Revolution. Guaranteed.

Forced disarmament will be the final signal that There Is Nothing Left To Lose. Millions will know that once they're turned over their guns, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness will be a thing of the past, and that nothing but gulags and death are in their future.

Even if nine out of ten Americans were stupid enough to willingly surrender their guns, there'd still be an army of ten million Americans who would resist, or die in the attempt. They would outnumber the fedgov jackboots by ten to one, and would be more motivated to prevail, than any foreign adversary our military has ever faced.

Buck up. We'll never be taken by force.

54 posted on 12/21/2012 12:56:34 PM PST by Windflier (To anger a conservative, tell him a lie. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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To: A Navy Vet

Not incompetent , complicit. How could he be anything other than a Progressive stooge?


55 posted on 12/21/2012 2:20:52 PM PST by itsahoot (Any enemy, that is allowed to have a King's X line, is undefeatable. (USS Taluga AO-62))
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To: A Navy Vet

4. I’m not a religious person, so I don’t believe the Bible, the Torah, the Koran/Hadiths, nor any other theology. They all once thought the world was flat.

Wrong. The Bible NEVER thought the world was flat.
Isaiah 40:22 ~ It is he that sitteth upon the CIRCLE of the earth...


56 posted on 12/21/2012 2:46:25 PM PST by bimboeruption (Clinging to my Bible and my HK.)
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To: A Navy Vet
Didn't mean to leave you hanging this long.  I dropped out for a few days.

I’m still here at this point. Be sure to let me know if you get taken out. I’ll do the same. ;^). We’ve got close to six months now. Water is a check, but I need to do better with food. We put in propane for our grill, but I need to bump that up as well. It’s not that hard to do. It’s just taking the time to do it.


Har! I'm still waiting for the end. Could be quite a show. Unfortunately, it's getting bright here in SoCal so unless the Sun melts, guess we'll miss the comet hitting us.  Ahhhh... we made it.  Whew.

As for preps, see Nitro-Pak. Best site I've found and best prices. They ship quickly. Check out their Mountain House freeze dried foods which many on the Web swear by and have the best prices. I bought a years worth about 3 years ago and they are good for 25 years! Forget MRE's except for a bug out bag. If you're city or suburban, don't bother. The roads will be clogged.  Thanks for the mention.  I'll bookmark and check the Nitro-Pak out.  Seems your emphasis is the MREs have a short shelf-life.  I've not been in a position to work with them, so I wasn't aware of that.  As for roads being clogged, I would imagine so.  I would also imagine the powers that be would care less about clearing those roads.  Keeping folks bottled up is probably the way they want to go in these situations.

Yes, water is the biggest problem. However, if it's not the end of the world, you have 50 gallons of drinkable water in your hot-water heater that most people forget about. Attache a hose connection for quick access. No one ever mentions that in the survival threads. Yes, everyone is suppose to drink a gallon day...how many really do? Plus you have what's in your toilet tanks, and if enough notification as in Cali earthquakes or dirty bomb before the water pipelines or pumping stations stop, start filling your bathtubs and sinks and have a high quality filter (Katadyn). Also, make sure you know where the nearest water supply is how you will access it, if only a lake or reservoirs. Again, think high quality filter.  Those are good tips on water.  I think most folks focus on drinking water too.  Water is important for cleaning also.  While you wouldn't need to clean as often as we do now, it's important to have water to clean with ever few days, even if it's a sponge bath of the important parts.  The good quality filter is a good idea also.  Care should be used to study how much water it will filter, before you need to change it.  Before a problem is the time to study these things, and I think a personalized manual isn't out of line.  If you make your own modeled after a public domain one, you're probably going to be a lot more in tune with your setup.  Keeping the public one too is a good idea for reference.

Plus, have a crank radio that are multi-band and includes a flashlight and can recharge cell phones and such, multiple shake flashlights, many oil fed lamps, potassium tablets for nuke radiation, and look at a generator to run your fridge and microwave at the least. Also look at this if it works for you, which I think you're in SoCal and we met at BobJ's house or other...Sun Oven.  Honestly, I think the sun oven thing is something that we have underused even in times of no social unrest.  If this were utilized to heat water and run a generator, we could come a lot closer to providing for our electrical needs off the grid, and perhaps even tap as a resource for limited income.  I have several crank radios.  They have the ancillary devices you touched on too.  I also have a chargeable device for jumping vehicles, and running 110 for small devices.  It can also charge phones via a USB connection.  With a solar or diesel generator, it could be recharged as needed too.

I may be a little repetitive here, but I'd like to move toward diesel.  You can store it for a lot longer.  It's not as dangerous to have extended tanks.  You can keep it in five gallon cans without some of the negatives of gasoline.  And if push came to shove, you might be able to use vegetable oil in a pinch.  You could also use it in a generator for your home.

You could keep 100s of gallons in your garage without it being a bomb waiting to go off, and for extended periods of time.  I wouldn't want to do that with gasoline.


If you have the above or buy the above do NOT let your neighbors know you have such supplies. Trust goes out the window in survival mode.  I agree, but if you look healthy beyond a certain point, you're going to be a target no matter what.  IMO, unless you can get out of the urban area in short order, you better be part of a group.  Even keeping a few acres in some remote area, should be a must for any serious survival plan.

Most importantly, have weapons.  Agreed.  Heaven knows what good that will do you, if you have twenty neighbors targeting you and your stash.

Freepmail me if you want to be part of our neighborhood watch in an extreme emergency.

57 posted on 12/27/2012 12:24:46 PM PST by DoughtyOne (How about a waiting period for putting crazies out on the streets, say a million years or so.)
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