Not only will House Republicans not vote on the Senate passed payroll tax cut extension, but they will be going home for Christmas after they raise taxes on 160 million Americans.
Last night, Speaker John Boehner said, “Our members do not want to just punt and do a two-month short-term fix where we have to come back and do this again. We’re here. We’re willing to work. We will appoint conferees and we hope the Senate will appoint conferees because we’re willing to get the work done now and do it the right way.”
Apparently, this willingness to work does not apply to Christmas. Roll Call is reporting,
House Republicans are planning to leave for the Christmas holiday Tuesday afternoon after voting on a Senate proposal for a two-month extension of the payroll tax cut.
,,,
GOP members argue that they are not needed while conferees meet and are only needed when another House vote is required before the current payroll tax cut expires on Jan. 1.
“I’ll stay if they want us to stay, just say the word,” Rep. Michael Burgess (R-Texas) said. “I am not going to stay just to talk to [the press].”
Nancy Pelosi summed up the real House Republican motives, “The reason the Republicans are not taking yes for an answer is because no is their answer. No, to the payroll tax cut. And that is driven, again, by the Tea Party Republicans, who will be responsible for this tax increase—if it happens, which I hope it won’t.”
Later she said, “So why is it, why is it that a couple hundred people in the Republican Caucus, and I think it’s probably a smaller number than that can hold up a tax cut for middle-income people, proper access to Medicare for 48 million seniors and unemployment insurance for American workers. It’s because they do not support the payroll tax cut. Mr. Hoyer referenced their early remark. They were against it. President Obama went around the country with the American Jobs Act. It was one of the most popular features of it. It made the issue too hot for the Republicans to handle—too hot that they can’t put it on the floor, afraid that their own Members will abandon them.”
Eric Cantor’s office is claiming that nothing has been decided yet, but members of the House GOP caucus are telling people that they will be going home for Christmas today. House leadership doesn’t want it to look like they are raising taxes on the middle class and running out of town, but that is exactly what they are doing.
It is unbelievable that that the House Republican leadership is continuing to play this game. Boehner and Cantor are upping the ante. They are going to appoint conferees, and then claim that they are ready to work, but Democrats won’t work with them. That is going to be the talking point that House Republicans are going to repeat again, and again, and again this holiday season.
Just like every other Republican promise, their commitment to work through the holidays on a one year payroll tax extension was an empty on. It is almost like the Republican Party is trying to lose their majority in the House. They are doing everything that they can think of to get the American electorate to despise them.
Merry Christmas, America. By not voting on the extension, the Republican Party just raised your taxes.
PoliticusUSA
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Abe Says
Dec. 20th, 2011 at 2:04 pm
There is no evidence that bill raises taxes on the middle class, the title of this article is contrived by a organization and a journalist who wants to smear Republicans. Please print the facts that make this claim true, Jason. And don’t comment about me being a Republican who wants to hate this article, I’m neither Republican or Democrat.
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Shiva (Moderator)
Dec. 20th, 2011 at 2:14 pm
What? Are you telling us you have no idea what is happening here? The entire thing is to continue a lowered level of taxes or let it expire. If it expires taxes on the middle class go up.
Tell me you were sent here with a $1.00 bill in your hand and a mouth full of nothing
BTW, you are a sniveling little conservative. Stop weaseling
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crystalwolfakacaligrl
Dec. 20th, 2011 at 2:44 pm
There always sniveling! It was about the pipeline too. If the bill was passed there would of only been 2 mos to eval the Keystone pipeline, and it would of gotten vetoed. Kochoctopus couldn’t let THAT happen so boner pulled the plug on us to server his corporate Koch Masters!
Occupy the vote 2012! Vote all GOP—————>out!
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Eric
Dec. 20th, 2011 at 10:18 pm
Abe, you are just an idiot. The Repubes want to let the payroll tax reduction expire. Isn’t that raising taxes? It was certainly considered “raising taxes” by the GOP when the Bush tax cuts were going to expire….
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C.
Dec. 20th, 2011 at 2:20 pm
Republican’s are lying jerks!
I think what happened is; the Repubs voted yes thinking they’d forced President Obama’s hand to say yes on the Keystone Pipeline issue, but realized after the vote President Obama could easily still say no to Keystone because the environmental feasibility study wouldn’t be done in time since in Nebraska they are studying a different route instead of going through the sensitive Sand Hill area.
And this Keystone Pipeline is a sore topic for many who own property where this pipeline will run through, and can bet your sweet bippy they aren’t all Democrats, these are generations old property owners who care deeply and love their land, they sure as heck don’t want to see it ruined for the next generation.
They were greedy trying to tie this pipeline issue into passing this bill, it bit them in the ass and used political capitol, IMO. Ha, couldn’t happen to a more worthy political party.
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C.
Dec. 20th, 2011 at 2:25 pm
I should also add that it’s not just ranch property owners who are not liking this pipeline, it’s also hunters who are concerned it will affect all game via polluted water.
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crystalwolfakacaligrl
Dec. 20th, 2011 at 2:47 pm
C
Exactly!!!
This poison pill would of backfired on them.
We must email our Senators to not accept Leg with poison pills called “Riders” and
Not accept anything with Keystone aka Kochoctopus!
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Abe Says
Dec. 20th, 2011 at 2:26 pm
Shiva, There is no fact that taxes will go up on the middle class, you believe because it is written in this article, please contribute some factual information in your claim instead of reacting by lashing out at me because you lost your cool that someone challenged what someone told you.
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C.
Dec. 20th, 2011 at 2:34 pm
Um Abe, if the Repubs say no to continuing the tax cuts, then come Jan. 1 they WILL not continue to be there, they expire, thus we will be paying HIGHER taxes.
I don’t understand why this is hard to understand?
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Reynardine
Dec. 20th, 2011 at 2:37 pm
It’s called selective stupidity.
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crystalwolfakacaligrl
Dec. 20th, 2011 at 2:48 pm
Or Teabagger think or NOT (thinking)
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DannyEastVillage
Dec. 20th, 2011 at 7:52 pm
Apparently English is not Abe’s first language. He evidenty doesn’t understand what the word, “expire” means.
It’s clear as can be. NOTHING has to be written IN the bill for that to happen. They are ALLOWING TAX CUTS TO EXPIRE, Abe. Even Bonehead admits that saying he doesn’t want to renew the tax cuts for only two months–so he’ll just allow us–THAT INCLUDES YOU, ABE–to pay more taxes.
What part of this is so hard to understand? Or are you so bamboozled that you’ve let them convince you that what’s good for the Koch boys is good for you?
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Brown cow
Dec. 20th, 2011 at 2:41 pm
Abe-are you stupid ? How can you not see that ending the payroll tax cut will not raise our taxes? If you don’t understand that, then there is no way possible that any of us can dumb it down enough for you so that you can get it.
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Ole Ole Olson
Dec. 20th, 2011 at 2:48 pm
Remember to mindlessly think that “both sides are the same” like the corporate right wants you to think!
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Abe Says
Dec. 20th, 2011 at 2:50 pm
Raise taxes or end tax cuts?
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dje
Dec. 20th, 2011 at 3:26 pm
Why don’t you ask your teabagger friends that question.
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Arelius705
Dec. 20th, 2011 at 7:38 pm
End tax cuts. Kinda like extending the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy in exchange for extending unemployment checks last year, troll.
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DannyEastVillage
Dec. 20th, 2011 at 7:54 pm
abe, the net result is the same. how can this possibly be so hard for you to understand??
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hey dipshit
Dec. 20th, 2011 at 2:59 pm
ending a tax cut is raising taxes. you are a drooling moron
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lish
Dec. 20th, 2011 at 3:05 pm
46% of congress are millionaires they do not want their taxes raised. So we the 99% will suffer. Republicans are more concerned with playing politics and keeping their paychecks then doing their jobs and serve the American people. From day one the Republicans said anything President Obama tried to do they would stop and they meant it, it’s just sad it’s at the cost of the American people’s lively hood.
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john R
Dec. 20th, 2011 at 3:25 pm
i am not going to dignify the antitheseis of the thread, with a comment.. was kind of hoping that the GOP would leave the Senate unattended during the break, man we could sure use the recess appointment to head the consumer office dictated by Dod-Frank..
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1voice1vote
Dec. 20th, 2011 at 3:26 pm
Merry Christmas from the 1%
and to 1.6 million children
another homeless night
Republicans, I hope your eggnog curdles.
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Brown cow
Dec. 20th, 2011 at 3:27 pm
By voting no or not voting, the cuts will go away which raise your taxes. Now do you get it, Abe ?
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Pleasesayitaintso
Dec. 20th, 2011 at 3:37 pm
What a cry-baby Speaker Boehner has proven to be… cannot lead his House, so he cries in agony for Obama’s help. Come on Speaker Boehner, man-up, do your job & call for a vote. What a whimp to take the coward’s way out & beg for the President to rescue him.
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C.
Dec. 20th, 2011 at 5:05 pm
The cold hearted tea party Republicans don’t care if millions of families don’t have an extra 1000.00 to spend next year, they don’t give a rip if those unemployed get no more unemployment checks or that seniors may not get doc check ups.
They simply do not care.
This would hurt the slowly recovering economy, which would make President Obama look bad. This would drive up crime, which will make President Obama look bad. Many seniors could die which would make President Obama look bad. But all of these dire things would make the tea party jerks very happy because they hate President Obama and don’t give a rats ass about people.
They are ruthless and dangerous
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lish
Dec. 20th, 2011 at 5:50 pm
I concur
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Corey Mondello
Dec. 20th, 2011 at 5:10 pm
Norquist said this IS NOT a tax increase, therefore, the Repubs can deny its continuance.
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Brown cow
Dec. 20th, 2011 at 5:48 pm
Where did Abe go ? Did we scare him away ? He probably went back to his equally ignorant tea pals and said: Look at these comments ! (sniff sniff) They won’t agree with me and they’re so mean ! (sob sob)
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Abe Says
Dec. 20th, 2011 at 10:49 pm
I had to go out and do some Christmas shopping that’s why I couldn’t continue the debate
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Abe Says
Dec. 20th, 2011 at 10:25 pm
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid insisted he would not reconvene the chamber. Reid has won backing from some Republicans in the Senate, who have called on their colleagues in the House to back the deal.
Reid “will stick to his guns” and refuse to reopen negotiations, a senior Democratic aide said after the House vote. “Taxes will go up – or Boehner will cave,” the aide said.
the top Republican in Congress, demanded Obama order Senate Democrats back into session to haggle over a year-long extension.
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Enjay in E MT
Dec. 20th, 2011 at 10:26 pm
I want to say thanks to Boehner, Cantor and majority of the GOP for this awesome middle finger gift for 2012 to the middle class.
In Feb. 2011, Boehner said ‘so be it’ with potential federal worker job losses.
In August 2011, he proudly bragged that he was happy because he got 98% of what he wanted in the debt deal as the dow dropped over 500 points, affecting retirement funds of millions.
My Christmas wish for the GOP will be a 98% loss in the next election.
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Abe Says
Dec. 20th, 2011 at 10:55 pm
In context a tax cut is not a measure to raise taxes, it just means tax cuts end, yes taxes will go up but republicans didn’t pass a bill to raise taxes. It’s entertaining to see how people loose their mind and make angry comments, refer to name calling and type in caps, don’t lose your mind, write to Reid and tell him to order senate back in to session so tomorrow an article doesn’t come out saying Democrats raised taxes.
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Shiva (Moderator)
Dec. 20th, 2011 at 11:16 pm
Sorry abe. Thats not how it works. Boehner already agreed to the deal and the tea thugs then told him not to. Everyone gave in to their demands and they just kept asking for more. Its over for Boehner
Cant blame this one on the dems abe. This is the tea thugs and boehner all the way.
“n context a tax cut is not a measure to raise taxes, it just means tax cuts end”
No one is that stupid abe. I don’t know who told you to say that but you obviously have no idea of what you are saying
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Abe Says
Dec. 20th, 2011 at 11:25 pm
Obama had asked for a one-year extension worth $1,000 per person. That one-year extension is in the House bill, which the Senate rejected.
Boehner isn’t a senator. Write your senator and ask him to return to Washington.
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Shiva (Moderator)
Dec. 20th, 2011 at 11:46 pm
Sorry abe. Its not what Obama asks for its what the congress comes up with.
They tried the 1 year thing, the thugs tacked more and more on till no agreement could be made.
And worse abe, the senate Republicans and Dems did a bipartisan bill. To which one tea thug was heard to mention we wont let the senate push us around.
Say goodbye to boehner on your way out
Goodbye abe
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Rich
Dec. 21st, 2011 at 3:15 am
Im mad as hell. BUT just like the sheep that most americans are, they will not do anything about. If THIS does not get people motivated to protest in the steets and on capitol NOTHING WILL!!!!!
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Rich
Dec. 21st, 2011 at 5:26 am
We get what we deserve. This should be enough to cause a uprising in this country that we have not seen in decades. But my prediction is no one will have the time or GUTS to do anything about it. I WEEP FOR AMERICA
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Rich
Dec. 21st, 2011 at 5:31 am
For you abe… keep listening the propaganda that you hear from Rush,Hannity, Fox ETC. Your opinion is just verbatem of what they spew out all the time. Learn to question and examine you veiws at all times. Never forget that ALL of us are mistaken from time to time.
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