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Presidential Cojones: Obama Gives House GOP No Credit For Payroll Tax Extension
In his statement praising the payroll tax cut extension, President Obama praised and thanked the American people, and made sure that House Republicans got zero credit.
Obama said in a statement:
For the past several weeks, I’ve stated consistently that it was critical that Congress not go home without preventing a tax increase on 160 million working Americans. Today, I congratulate members of Congress for ending the partisan stalemate by reaching an agreement that meets that test.
Because of this agreement, every working American will keep his or her tax cut – about $1,000 for the average family. That’s about $40 in every paycheck. Vital unemployment insurance will continue for millions of Americans who are looking for work. And when Congress returns, I urge them to keep working to reach an agreement that will extend this tax cut and unemployment insurance for all of 2012 without drama or delay.
This is good news, just in time for the holidays. This is the right thing to do to strengthen our families, grow our economy, and create new jobs. This is real money that will make a real difference in people’s lives. And I want to thank every American who raised your voice to remind folks in this town what this debate was all about. It was about you. And today, your voices made all the difference.
Notice who was missing from Obama’s statement? Did you happen to catch who wasn’t mentioned in any way, shape, or form? President Obama got one final shot in at the House Republicans by completely ignoring them in his statement. Unlike after previous House temper tantrums, Obama did not sound a bipartisan tone this evening.
By not mentioning the Republicans, Obama didn’t try to give them any of the credit that they didn’t deserve. The message was clear. The president was not going to praise House Republicans for finally doing what Speaker Boehner agreed to do in the first place. Obama tried to give the credit to the American people, but the truth is that much of the credit goes to the president.
Last year, the Republicans successfully used the threat of millions of people losing their unemployment insurance to get the Bush tax cuts extended. When House Republicans tried the same holiday tactic again in 2011, Obama and the US Senate were prepared by making sure that the Senate passed the bill first and then leaving town for Christmas recess. Obama and the Democrats took away the House’s leverage.
With the only hostages that the House tea party might have had already out of town, their ransom tactics were toothless. Their only hostages were the members of their own caucus who were willing to support the Senate bill. Faced with the prospect of being solely to blame for raising taxes on 160 million Americans, John Boehner had no choice but to allow the Senate bill to come up a vote and pass.
His statement tonight made it clear that bipartisan Obama is dead, and President Cojones is in the house.
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9 Responses to Presidential Cojones: Obama Gives House GOP No Credit For Payroll Tax Extension
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Reynardine
Dec. 22nd, 2011 at 10:47 pm
Ah, if but I could post a picture here, I would send one of a pear orchard.
Churchlady
Dec. 22nd, 2011 at 11:25 pm
Last year though the tax cut extension for the rich amounted to only 14% of the entire package that got passed. The other 86% helped all of us, small businesses, parents of college kids – and the GOP thought they’d “won”. In three years the only thing Obama has actually given up was the two year extension on lower rates for the rich. The rest he GOT – and the GOP never saw that coming. Nor this – the GOP got snookered by both Obama’s deft hand AND our universal outpouring of democracy in action telling the GOP to vote for the cut for working families or ELSE.
The GOP looks more and more foolish and the president looks stronger every day. But it’s democracy – our voices in action – that’s looking the very best! Keep it up!
DenguyFL
Dec. 23rd, 2011 at 4:54 am
While you are correct that he did not credit the Republicans for coming around, he did was place the blame on ALL Congress as his usual M.O. “I congratulate members of Congress for ending the partisan stalemate by reaching an agreement that meets that test.” It’s as if there was not already an agreement before the House Republicans balked. In my opinion that is worse than not calling them out.
Tina
Dec. 23rd, 2011 at 6:01 am
YES WE CAN!
prddem
Dec. 23rd, 2011 at 8:54 am
And, YES WE DID! Just the father in the movie “A Christmas Story”, we won the MAJOR AWARD. So tonight I’ll be turning the “Leg Lamp” on, go out into the street and admire how brightly it shines. It’ll be exceptionally wonderful this Christmas knowing the Dems finally got the MAJOR AWARD.
shamus
Dec. 23rd, 2011 at 12:49 pm
I’m not as bright as our political class, but I was always under the impression that $1,000.00 a year was about $20.00 a week – not the $40.00 a week they’re all talking about.
Chris Sumpter
Dec. 23rd, 2011 at 7:01 pm
It said “$40 in every paycheck.” I think that’s assuming bi-weekly pay.
David Tharp
Jan. 1st, 2012 at 1:11 pm
It is not a cut for the average working person. It is a tax cut for every person who gets a check. The $50K is the Household medium. The average worker earns $27,000 or $540 gain per year. The upper 50% still get 66% of the benefit of the payroll tax cut. Tom Brady, Senators, Congressman, most CEOs, Wall street and upper paid bankers will get $2,202 to $4,404. The Walmart families, Warren Buffet and probably the Koch brothers will get $2,202 to $4,404. The dems may have good intent, but the Repubs are so hateful against anything Obama proposes they did not see the Trojan horse bearing gifts for them.