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Obama Tells Boehner No Negotiations, Vote On The Senate Bill
President Obama phoned Speaker John Boehner today and informed him that there will be no negotiations on a longer payroll tax cut extension until after he passes the Senate bill.
From the White House:
Today, the President made separate calls to Speaker Boehner and Leader Reid. In his call to Speaker Boehner, the President reiterated the need and his commitment to work with Congress to extend the payroll tax cut for the entire year, and the fact that the short-term bipartisan compromise passed by almost the entire Senate is the only option to ensure that middle class families aren’t hit with a tax hike in 10 days and gives both sides the time needed to work out a full year solution. The President urged the Speaker to take up the bipartisan compromise passed in the Senate with overwhelming Democratic and Republican support that would prevent 160 million working Americans from being hit with a holiday tax hike on January 1st.
The President also spoke with Leader Reid and again applauded him for the work he conducted with Minority Leader McConnell to achieve a successful bipartisan compromise that passed overwhelmingly in the Senate on Saturday, and Senator Reid reaffirmed his commitment to secure a bipartisan year long tax cut after the House passes the two month extension. The President urged the Speaker to allow a vote on the one compromise that Democrats and Republicans passed together to give the American people the assurance they need during this holiday season that they won’t see a significant tax hike in just 10 days.
Obama made it clear to Boehner and the tea party that the Senate is not coming back, there will be no negotiations, and there won’t be a longer extension until the House passes the Senate bill. When Boehner wouldn’t allow the Senate bill to come to the floor for an up or down vote, he made it clear to everyone that he thinks he would lose an up or down vote. The House doesn’t have the votes needed to reject the Senate bill. Odds are that if it were voted on, the House would pass the two month extension.
The tea party has taken another hostage, but it isn’t Obama or the U.S. Senate. The hostage this time is the Republican Party. The mentality of the tea party caucus was best expressed by Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-GA) when he said on Fox News, “This is a ‘Braveheart’ moment. You, Mr. Speaker, are our William Wallace.”
What the tea party is doing to the Republican Party is less Braveheart and more kamikaze. Since the Senate left town, the House’s usual hostage taking tactics are not going to work this time. Obama is not going to make the Senate return to Washington. Reid is not going to appoint conferees. No one is going to help Boehner out of the mess that he created this time.
Boehner created a crisis within his own party, and he is going to have to find his own way out of it. The Republican Party is panicking because they see their 2012 election hopes vanishing right before their very eyes. The House tea party Republicans are in the process of both getting Obama reelected and giving the Democrats control of the House.
John Boehner only has two options. He can allow an up or down vote on the Senate bill or he can raise taxes on 160 million Americans.
The choice is his, but either way Obama has already won.
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13 Responses to Obama Tells Boehner No Negotiations, Vote On The Senate Bill
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BooksMoore
Dec. 21st, 2011 at 4:38 pm
Obama needs to talk to Boehner like the spoiled rotten immoral imp that he is.
1voice1vote
Dec. 21st, 2011 at 4:50 pm
Hey, I thought that was our job. :)
President Obama is the adult in the room.
Best I’ve seen today:
Boehner, “King me.”
Obama, “Checkmate.”
wilbert pritchett
Dec. 21st, 2011 at 4:46 pm
Why is speaker boehner so spineless when it comes to looking out for the 99% of Americans , but somehow finds the strength to bend over backward to protect the richest 1%!!!? His failure not only affects 160 Million Americans but, is making a mockery out of our political system!!! We afterall set the tone for all of the world to follow! If this is the republicans idea of leadership, then I feel sorry for the Gop!!! The American people can clearly see who is on their side and who isn’t. the choice to be made come November is so clearly between the foolish clowns on the republican side versus Substance and Intelligence on the other!!! I think the American people will choose the latter!!!! I know I will!!!
Robert Chapman
Dec. 23rd, 2011 at 7:08 am
Good morning Mr. Pritcnett- I think one has to feel a little sorry cor the GOP House leadership. Since 2008 when hte economic meltdown began, we have seen Boehner time and again make commitments to the President- both Bush and Obama- teh Democratic House leadership, and the Senate leadership and then not be able to deliver the vote he promised.
Boehner is the leader of a caucus that was ruled with an iron hand through highly unethical processes by Dick Armey and Tom DeLay. The GOP caucus- despite the large number of newcomers cannot function without the largesse delivered by Mr. Abramoff. Even though those days are over, the GOP House rank and file still expect the schmiergeld to accompany every vote.
Boehner has nothing to offer his members to force compliance. His continual willingness to accept the worst and most extreme House measures in exchange for continuation as Speaker is all too painfully exposed in incidents like the one we have just gone through.
The upside is that with his jelly fish spine, Boehner can be pushed into spaces and positions that serve the public interest, despite the rancorous malificence of the GOP House rank and file.
Cha
Dec. 21st, 2011 at 5:08 pm
Thanks Jason.. Yeah, Braveheart ended up with his head on a spike. And, before that they all showed their asses to the enemy. Poor boner..his job is so hard because he has to answer to KOCH’s man Cantor. What’s a weeper of the House to do? WAH.
Reynardine
Dec. 21st, 2011 at 5:15 pm
Well, and first he got his peepee cut off.
LCDR S.
Dec. 21st, 2011 at 7:05 pm
Braveheart? Really? This is no Hollywood epic, dude. This is the wellbeing of millions of citizens and all he can can do is allude to is Braveheart? Give me a break…
Obviously this Gingrey guy is not taking things seriously.
Sally
Dec. 21st, 2011 at 7:25 pm
Go Obama! Stand up for Americans. Tell Boehner to take a hike. I say, if he keeps stickng to his lies, that we put a hold on all of the House members entire salary until they pass this bill that Amercians support. The GOP has painted themselves into a corner, and we have no pity.
C.
Dec. 21st, 2011 at 8:47 pm
The Repubs thanks to the Tea Party might as well fall on their swords. Get it over with. No wonder the establishment Repubs are standing up saying “we voted, don’t go “there”, trying to defend their party.
What an embarrassment. But hey, they invited the Tea Party freaks in, let them deal with it and suffer the consequences. Actually John McCain is the “father” of bringing them (the tea party) in by selecting Sarah Palin. So it is fitting he did come out and say something.
So Thanks John, a whole lot late on your part, especially since you are responsible!
Stephen in Portland
Dec. 21st, 2011 at 9:00 pm
Obama has pointed out that the senate acted responsibly and allowed themselves some wiggle room for further discussion after the first of the year. But Boehner’s out of control Teatards have shown that they would rather screw 150 million middle class workers than give the president even a semblance of a victory. No wonder Boehner drinks like a fish. His grasp on the reins of power is down to hanging on by his fingernails.
The Republican mask is off for all that are WILLING to see. The Tea Party conservatives are willing to spit in the face of the working class rather than surrender their “principles”. So be it.
I hope they all try to go back to their old jobs after their historically short stints in congress, and find those jobs have been wiped out by their own actions. How will they feel about unemployment and welfare then?
Deborah Montesano
Dec. 22nd, 2011 at 1:47 am
Their jobs wiped out by their own actions…what a delicious image!
John Franklin Mason
Dec. 22nd, 2011 at 1:20 am
Mr. Boehner, the real job creators, whether jobs are created in America or overseas, are the American Consumers. How much Americans consume is contingent upon the consumers ability to purchase.
You like to talk about taxing the “job creators” however you don’t seem to know who the job creators are. You have gotten the “job creators” confused with the “Profit Takers. I will concede that “Profit Takers” can be and often are the “job providers” and the “job providers” provide jobs due to the demand of the consumer or “Job Creators” whether that job is provided to American Capitalist Consumers or Chinese Communist Workers.
Robert Chapman
Dec. 23rd, 2011 at 7:20 am
It is worth noting that the Senate bill was passed with certain measures that the House leadership could expunge or modify in order to save face. The reporting measure that the House rejected gave Boehner the fig leaf he needed to pass the bill without caving entirely. The Senate negotiators showed great ingenuity and savvy in crafting their version of the law.
Senator Reid deserves great credit for passing the Senate version and adjourning. This cut off the possibility of the House leadership sending back another stupid bill and continuing the deadlock- Reid removed their leverage when he adjourned the Senate.
President Obama played a key role in his refusal to dicker with the House and offer them baubles and geegaws in exchange for their votes. Obama has come under criticism for not operating in the manner of the great legislative craftsmen, LBJ and Reagan and going onto Capitol Hill to twist arms and make deals. Obama has shown that mastery of the bully pulpit, well-crated legislation emerging from his Senate allies, and the willingness to be firm with the GOP House leadership is a formula for success.
The lion’s share of the credit goes to Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell who showed the most delicate timing- keeping his own silent counsel until the moment came in which he called his GOP colleagues in the House to pass the tax cut extension. McConnell has given us hope for comity and bipartisanship in dealing with the serious and difficult problems before us.