John Boehner blinked. I feel sorry for the guy. The Republican tea party caucus threw him under the bus. Boehner had to come out and take a position that some have described as handing Barack Obama the keys to the White House in 2012. Why? He didn’t have the votes because of the recalcitrant uber conservative members of Congress.
Moderate and mainstream Republicans quickly saw the handwriting on the wall and turned on him. Poor Boehner is getting ridden like someone’s old rented mule by all the Democrats and many Republicans. No one from the Uber-Cons could explain why they couldn’t just give a temporary pass to this piece of legislation.
The bottom line is, the Democrats drove the tea party Uber-Cons into a canyon, boxed them in, and not even John McCain or Mitch O’Connell would come to the rescue. Regular Republicans don’t want to be seen as raising taxes…not today..not any day.
The sad thing is, I am not sure poor John Boehner deserves the blame. I know people are calling for his head on a platter. I don’t see that the Uber-Cons gave him any choice. No one wants to be John Boehner today. Just think….he took the job away from Pelosi who is bound to be having a chuckle right now.
So…what could Boehner have done to have avoided such a trap? What were his options? Did he cave with grace?
Speaking of traps… What is that substance Ron Paul has stepped in? Could it be reindeer doo? It looks like it is sticking to him like glue. He is being accused of saying some pretty stupid things in his newsletter, in print. Of course, he didn’t read them.
Ahh, more liberal analysis of the Republican party.
“Handing Obama the keys to the White House 2012”. That’s a good one, I have to remember that one. The newsletter had Paul’s name on it, but HE didn’t say that stuff. I would put the newsletter things in the same container as being allied with an unrepentant domestic terrorist (Ayers), and that didn’t seem to matter for Obama. Funny thing is, we knew the newsletter thing was going to get big over the Christmas weekend as early as three weeks ago.
Hey, Boehner stepped in it, he pulled a real Turkey move. Enjoy it, but let’s not get carried away with the outcome. I wouldn’t give the gavel back to Pelosi just yet.
Various posters have railed on and on about how they paid into social security and expect it to be there during retirement, but then they support a payroll tax holiday that reduces revenue to social security. The general argument for tax cuts is that they spur growth, which produces increased tax revenues due to an expanding economy. However, social security contributions are limited to the first $110K of income, so economic growth does not increase FICA revenue and thus cannot make up for the reduced withholding.
If a Republican had come up with this stupid idea, (s)he would be castigated by the media and many on this blog for attacking the viability of social security, and rightly so. The AARP class is being screwed, and either it does not know or does not care. It is clear that we have quite a few purple cool-air drinkers.
Obama’s chances of getting reelected seem to be much better than 50%. If he does get reelected, it will be interesting to see if he is forced to reduce social security on his watch. He certainly did not mind cutting Medicare as part of Obamacare.
@SlowpokeRodriguez
I would think it was more an analysis of the great unwashed–you know those of us moderates who are out there in the middle….who really decide the outcome of elections. It doesn’t matter what die hard republicans or die hard democrats do in a general election. Its the independents out there who are going to be the king maker. This election is no different and if you would take off your party blinders, you would understand that the R’s got out-foxed as it were, by the D’s and made it look like the R’s were opposing a tax break. Guess who walked away owning the day to all of us non-party people.
Once you accept that neither Democrats or Republicans are the real decision makers, You won’t have to “love liberals analyzing Republicans” because you will see that isn’t what is being analyzed.
Or was that really just lashing out at me because your guys (Beohner and Paul) stepped in reindeer doo and it pisses you off?
Pokie, remember the supervisor’s race? Remember this blog being extremely silent on the chairman’s position? You know why? It didn’t matter if Corey’s challenger had mortgage issues or not. It was out there. If it took more than a soundbite to explain, he was a goner over his mortgage problems.
We didn’t hurt the guy or help him. He was toxic because of the questions surrounding his mortgage, at least to the general public. The story was out regardless of what he said or what he did…it wasn’t going to go away.
Ron Paul is now in the same boat. Ayers is nothing. He’s an old hippy. That isn’t going to bounce off anyone. No one other than people my age are going to have any memories of the weather underground. The only one who might still pack a punch is Jane Fonda and that is because of of her Hollywood connections. If she had just been a plane old jane fonda she wouldn’t even pack a punch. Even Joan Baez and Bob Dylan are acceptable nowadays.
Racism or perceived racism is going to be like having a funny-money mortgage issue stuck to the bottom of your shoe. It isn’t going to just go away. He was too controversial anyway. He was seen as a nut case and someone who could never be president. Now he’s going to come across as the ghost of George Wallace.
@Kelly3406
The poster most railing against messing with social security is Moonhowler, your not so humble blog owner. Actually, I didn’t support the holiday on it in the first place. However, that is beside the point. What I do support is lifting that ceiling from $106k. The rate could be reduced even past the ceiling. But that too is immaterial.
I don’t think this is the time to be raising the rates on the American people. There are people out there that it would kill, especially in colder weather. People are just coming off of Christmas and people need more money to stay warm.
But most importantly, it was a good game of political jockeying. Like I said, the nay sayers got boxed in the canyon. The real power brokers weren’t coming to the rescue. Fine political sport. They were standing on principle. I just haven’t figured out what principles those were. Any ideas?
Kelly, I am not so sure what happened to medicare under ‘obamacare.’ Not much, despite your efforts to scare people. I think it might have been something to do with duplication. There was some consolidation.
Do you know of something specific?
MH: According to this op-ed (see the link below) in the Wall Street Journal, Obamacare cuts 30% from Medicare payments to doctors in the first three years with total cuts to Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B of $1.87 trillion over the first 10 years.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703649004575437311393854940.html
Thanks. I had to find a date on it. Sept. 2010. I expect that will all be hammered out. Yes, it is cause for alarm if that is how things stand now. However, there are a lot of baby boomers coming along during that time period mentioned and they will not allow themselves to be dissed. Think Oliver Stone. He yells everything at the top of his lungs. That is an earmark of that generation. It will be fixed or people will simply be voted out of office. I feel confident about this.
I also think that death with dignity laws will change, much for the same reason.
Kelly – I am glad (seriously) that you are concerned about the solvency of SS. One of the hold ups, I believe is how to replace the money. I also think that a two month extension is indicative of how dysfunctional Congress really is.
But, what is the difference – really – about cutting taxes, while we are in deficit spending already and the debt is increasing. The Bush Tax Cuts were enacted by Congress, and then they went on a spending spree. No concerns from the Right back then.
What gets me with many people, is that they are applauding Newt’s want to reduce the capital gains tax to zero. I have not heard of an outcry from the Right. What also gets me, are the people that voted in Medicare Part D, hailed by the Right- with no outcry – with no additional funding – what is the difference of adding on a new entitlement with no funding, or reducing the funding (although the reduction is temporary)?
Reducing the FICA, even temporarily, gets a few extra dollars into every working family’s pocket – as opposed to say, reducing a tax rate, which does not affect every working family.
I wish Congress could get its act together and stop catering to all these small interest lobbyist that the Congress is beholden to, and start legislating as they are supposed to do.
How come no one ever mentions all the millions of $$$ getting poured into SS coffers annually from the paychecks of illegal immigrants, who will never see that money again? I know that many believe that “all” or “most” illegal immigrants are paid cash under the table, but that is simply NOT true. It is accurate to say “some” do, just as “some” legal workers do, but by no means the vast majority. SS will be in even more trouble if the 11 million or so working illegal immigrants are no longer paying in.
Here is a thought – anyone worried about the FICA Holiday can just send 2% of their income in, and 6.4% of the income over 110K – to make up for the difference. No one says that you have to take the cut. /sarcasm.
@Pat
Excellent point. Too bad we can’t provide forms to make it a little easier.
@Pat.Herve
I would rather take the opposite action which is to eliminate all contributions, since it is highly doubtful that social security will be viable when it is my time to collect. So I would be willing to give up any future claims to social security benefits (including what I have already put in) in return for being able to cease all social security contributions starting now.
My statements above were more out of concern for those who have already retired or are near retirement. But I have no hope that I will ever recoup the dollars that I have already contributed.
As a result, I will also fight any contributions beyond the $110K limit, since larger contributions do not entitle one to a larger retirement benefit.
Funniest thing about thinking SS won’t be around. Believe it or not my generation all heard the same thing. So Kelly, there is hope. If we allow people to doom and gloom out of it, then it won’t be there.
One of the main problems is that other things have attached themselves from social security from time to time. I sure don’t mnd orphans and widows getting it but it seems to me that there sre are a lot of bad backs out there getting a SS disability check. That should come from a different fund.
I don’t care if Boehner “survives” or not. He’s incompetent at political infighting and getting his message out.
@Cargo,
As I said, the tea party threw him under the bus. What would you have liked for him to do?
It’s just a question. I do feel sorry for him though.
Can John Boehner survive?
Who cares?
Is there such a thing as a right-wing Democrat? Remember, Moon, you promised cookies on your side…
Emma, I am giving more thought to your question….I have left both the R’s and the D’s. I think its the parties I don’t like. I have been a middle wing with both parties. Something just didn’t work.
I think it started here locally with the D’s. With the R’s it started nationally.
You need cookies laced with something to figure it all out. I love Eddy’s Peppermint.
I would have like for him to throw the premise of the Democrats that a two month gimmick of a FICA “cut” had any meaning.
He should have forced them to vote for a House bill that cut FICA for a year…and by more…because if the Democrat’s premise that lower taxes are good and cutting the SS fund by that amount is ok……..then more is better…..right? Give them a clean bill. Up or down. Then presented the Pipeline bill and forced them to either vote for jobs or vote against jobs. Two bills. Force the President to openly oppose more jobs by his veto or approve the pipeline.
NO increase in taxes…In fact, I would have sent up a bill that simplified the tax code. And I would attach that to every following bill.
He fell for their premise. He fought THEIR fight. Heck, I could have done a better job exposing this gimmick for what it was. A Republican should always fight the narrative presented by the liberal Democrats and the liberal press. That is the attraction of Newt. He exposes the liberals gimmicks and their self-serving narratives.
Why do you want to destroy the social security system?
Weren’t federal taxes involved in that deal also? I don’t think that the tax rate is cut, just what has to come out of the pay checks. At least that is how mine works.
I was opposed to deferring social security payments in the first place. It solves nothing and just postpones the inevitable. However, that is another question for another day.
I am confused by all your their and theys. The mainstream republicans wanted to pass the bill also.
You are kidding about Newt, aren’t you? Who exposes his gimmicks and self serving narrative? He is the most disingenuous of all of them. I think you just want someone to pay lipservice to telling off Obama. He has no principles other than serving himself.
Party over principles over country over Americans?
Twinad,
You make an excellent point. Additionally, when all the baby boomers retire, our working demographic will look much different in the next generation. We need to be supporting the kids who are interested in productive!
DREAM Act!
That will be a long wait. The end of the baby boomers were born in 1964. I found that amazing.
Yes. The ESTABLISHMENT GOP went along. That’s the problem. A two month holiday from paying FICA for SS is a gimmick that solves nothing. It was a short term political gimmick to force the GOP into a Gotcha moment.
And the Congress is going to penalize some of us to “pay” for the FICA “holiday” but they didn’t advertise that. I AM SICK TO DEATH OF THE IDIOTIC GAMES THAT THE DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS ARE PLAYING WITH OUR ECONOMY, MONEY, DEFENSE, AND LIVES.
The GOP should have called their bluff and forced THEM to put up or shut up. Either a tax reduction is good for the citizenry or its not. NO MORE GAMES. But, the establishment GOP doesn’t want to rock the boat. They like the status quo too. THEY don’t want the Tea Party messing things up for them either. So here we have more wealth redistribution. The GOP and the Democrats increased the amount of socialism and theft by government. Sickening.
The more I see of this type of shenanigans, the more I lean towards a more strict libertarian approach to government. I want all of these supposed conservatives shunned and kicked out of office.
http://taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog/2011/12/irs-to-.html
Under the terms negotiated by Congress, the law also includes a new “recapture” provision, which applies only to those employees who receive more than $18,350 in wages during the two-month period (the Social Security wage base for 2012 is $110,100, and $18,350 represents two months of the full-year amount).
Btw, I refuse to accept the title “baby boomer.” 1964 is too long after the war. The boomers were those conceived right after the war. It shouldn’t be any later than 1959.
@Cargo
I guess they didn’t want your opinion when defining the baby boomers. I believe it has to do with the birth rate and the Census Bureau is tho defined it.
You need to stand outside your own head and look at what you are saying. You, as a tea party person, whatever that means, have declared that really the GOP is yours and that the establishment GOP really don’t fit in and should leave or be shunned, in their own party. That really is what you just said.
I expect that probably is going to get to tea party shunned if more than one person is ranting that.
I left the R party years ago because it got taken over by outsiders who started dictating how things were going to be. They pretty much did a take over of the party and redefined what being a republican was. Jerry Falwell was one of the leaders, Ralph Reed, those Christian Coalition guys. I really don’t see much difference. I see some of those same names resurfacing in tea party groups. I never believed it was all about taxes anyway.
The tax holiday is really about helping Americans put a little more money in their pockets. Is TAXED ENOUGH ALREADY now a thing of the past? I would think any tax relief, even deferred until tax time would be headed in the right direction.
Wealth distribution? Phooy. I am tired of that expression. Its another sound bite.
But the “tax holiday” is a fake. They are increasing taxes on other people. Two months? Really? That’s a gimmick. If its worth doing then let’s do it for good. Reduce the taxes on FICA or get rid of SS taxes and pay out the current recipients from the general fund. Let people invest their money where they wish or spend it where they wish.
Wealth distribution is a reality. What else do you call it when one is taxed and that money is handed to another? Just because you’re tired of it doesn’t make it any less true. Its used because its accurate.
But you don’t seem worried about lessening the size of government at all or reducing spending. Or taxes, as long as those taxes are on “rich people”, which in this case are people making $110,000.
Class envy and hatred is so petty.
No, they didn’t ask my opinion, but so far, I don’t see anything in common with baby boomers. I relate more closely to Gen X. But even there, people my age don’t fit. There is a small window of people born around 1960-1966 that seem to not fit anywhere.