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Subscribe to RSSThe U.S. House of Representatives just passed the two-month payroll tax holiday extension by a procedural motion called Unanimous Consent. No one flew to D.C. to object to the motion.
The bill will now go to President Obama's desk to be signed into law.
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Great News.
What a wonderful gift to the middle class, elderly & unemployed!
Thank you Mr. President for protecting those who are the most in need!
Fortunately, he can stand at the bar and just keep switching his weight from one side to the other as he leans against it. My guess is he can stand there indefinitely, with all the practice he's had.
I bet they can taste the bile in the back of their throat at 'losing' one for the American people.
Sorry; but the House Republicans are the epitome of spoiled children. All this drama only to have the ADULTS tell them NO.
And in seven weeks, we'll get to watch the pissing match all over again. Are you tired, yet, America? Start electing adults. Not re-treads of failed politicians (looking at you, Newt, Romney, et al).
Add to that all tea people GOP republicans Clara. They're the problem, not the solution.
Merry Christmas to everyone on FR.
I'm hoping that in the 2012 election that many of these tea people are sent home.
You are in the driver's seat Mr. President! Make the teapublicans eat Keystone! Merry Christmas to all!
Whaaaat? Hey, Fiesty, I was responding to your post #2, in which you wondered how long it would be before Boehner could sit down again. . . and by the time my post pops up, yours has been changed! You're quite the one for magic! How did you do that? (Now everyone is looking at my #2.1 and thinking: What the hell is he blathering about?)
Sorry about that Jack!
I decided to go with the kinder & gentler version of Feisty! ;o)
For those who missed it, I said something about wondering how long it would be before Boehner would be able to sit down, thanks to the SPANKING the President just gave him!
Quoting Reverend Sharpton "We Gotcha". Now we'll see a different President Obama for his next year run to his re-election. No more Mr. Nice Guy. No more cave in's or questionable compromises. He's set the Repugs up nicely for the coming year. He'll take back the House and strengthen the Senate, and we'll see a mass Exodus of TPotty members in Congress. I love it.
Obama in 2012.
Happy Holidays to you Tom!
You're a great addition to the First Read family! {{{hugs}}}
I am SO loving it!
Whaaaat? Hey, Fiesty, I was responding to your post #2, in which you wondered how long it would be before Boehner could sit down again. . . and by the time my post pops up, yours has been changed!
________________________________________
Even the Nasty Redhead has the Christmas spirit of kindness once every couple of years.
Merry Christmas Betty!!!!
Quoting Reverend Sharpton "We Gotcha". Now we'll see a different President Obama for his next year run to his re-election. No more Mr. Nice Guy. No more cave in's or questionable compromises.
______________________________
So, the 2008 candidate of "Hope and Change" that all you lefty liberals worshiped has morphed into just another full-of-sh!t politician, who will use any dirty political trick in the Dem book to get himself re-elected, and you're happy about it??
Says all that needs to be said about lefy liberals who "think for themselves" and consider themselves to be better than the rabble they look down on for votes.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Merry Christmas Joey!
I would of gotten you a gift, but what do you buy for the guy who already has everything...
Hey Feisty,
I bet if the president had a choice of a trip to Hawaii or to spank Boehner hard, the choice would be easy! Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas Wayne.
Hey, Wayne, good one!
Lucky for us, The President gets BOTH! ha ha
Happy Holidays to you!
Merry Christmas Forrest!
Hi Clara! Thanks and Merry Christmas!
LOL Wayne!
Merry Christmas to you & yours as well!
Have a merry Christmas Feisty!
You are so right, Clara. I am working to send my Teahadist "representative" (he in no way represents me) packing. Get the House back and get rid of the obstucitonist republicans. Put some democrats in so we can get something done.
ahh, JUDY! so fitting you would show up today. I hope you all have a lovely holiday. We miss you! Are you going to make Vegas, baby? Next August. I'll get you the details later,...
Merry Christmas Clara, Merry Christmas to all, I don't want to forget anybody.
Thanks Forrest and to you and Mrs. Grump, as well!
Joe that was a dirty trick Obama pulled on Boehner, letting the Speaker of the House believe he could actually speak for his house! Damn dirty trick, almost as dirty as McConnell leaving him hang out to dry instead of pressuring Reid to call the senate back to DC. What a dirty trick by the president and the senate not to let Boehner's problems become their problems.
I'm gonna leave this one alone, let you have your celebration in peace. I'm a little tired of it all right now anyway.
Merry Christmas EVERYONE!
Bah Humbug!
Let's Argue!
Wrote this to post on First Thoughts this morning before remembering there wouldn't be any. So just in case there are no second or third thoughts either, I'll throw it in here.
My calendar says that today is a holiday - The Emperor's Birthday - in Japan. So Happy Birthday, Your Imperial Majesty! Sorry, but from the looks of things around here this morning, it's not a holiday my company celebrates. No offense, though - we're not exactly doing much for Christmas, either. Not like the good old days, when my old boss used to grouse about there being a "&#@%!*! Christmas tree on every &#@%!*! desk in the office!" - though even then, there'd be Christmas music on the radio, we'd all be decked out in our snowman and reindeer sweaters, the smell of meatballs and roast beef would already be wafting from the kitchen, we'd all be mentally spending our Christmas bonuses, somebody would already be spiking the
eggnog, and all those many trees would be twinkling brightly. It might not have had much to do with the birth of Christ, but it had everything to do with being joyful and feeling like a family and a spirit of goodwill ruled the day.
Over the years, as the company has dwindled in size - where we once had well over 100 employees, we now have less than 12 full-timers - so has the Christmas spirit. No party.....no tree.....no Secret Santa.....and certainly no Christmas bonus. Just an underlying relief that hey, at least I still have a job for one more Christmas. Some of my co-workers who were still here this time last year now don't. Some might blame President Bush, since our downward spiral began on his watch. Some might blame President Obama for not making it all better again faster. Personally, I blame the various combinations of partners the many evolutions of this company have had over the years, who let that once thriving business fall apart simply because they couldn't get along with each other, and who kept tripping over themselves splitting up and becoming competitors instead of working to resolve their differences. It was a competition that to this day, no one has ever won.
I think there's a lesson in there somewhere that applies to our divided government, our increasingly combative election season, and of course to our ever more negative tone of discussion here. I'm more likely to believe in angels and wise men and mangers in a stable than I'm likely to believe we're ever going to change. But given my current avatar, you had to know this was coming today:
Let there be peace on earth
And let it begin with me.
Let there be peace on earth
The peace that was meant to be.
With God as our father
Brothers all are we.
Let me walk with my brother
In perfect harmony.
Let peace begin with me
Let this be the moment now.
With every step I take
Let this be my solemn vow:
To take each moment
And live each moment
With peace eternally.
Let there be peace on earth,
And let it begin with me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPH4LRASWbo
Merry Christmas to everyone - to our hosts and all the First Read contributors and staff, to veteran posters and
newcomers, to liberals and conservatives and everyone in between -even to Chuck U Farley, wherever you are! - and most especially to all my fellow "sniveling sycophants" (thanks for that one, NoJoe, I love it!) - may you all be blessed with the true spirit of the holidays.
Very nice JoAnne. Thank you.
Nice post JoAnne form PA.
And a vary Merry Christmas to you.
Great post, JoAnne. I've been enjoying your posts for some time now, and wanted to respond to something funny you wrote a day or two ago, but ran smack into work that was sitting on my desk. Glad to have a quick moment now.
Peace.
Merry Christmas JoAnne!
Terrific thoughts!
Great post JoAnne
With God as our father
Brothers all are we.
Let me walk with my brother
In perfect harmony.
I remember as a kid they used to sing this song in my church procesional, ending of the service.
Peace
Thanks to all of you - you all make it a pleasure to come here. Keep up the good work in 2012!
Merry Christmas JoAnne.
And a very Merry Christmas to you, too, Forrest, as well as a happy - and healthy! - new year. Take care, my friend.
Ha, if the cure don't kill me, I'll live, evidently I'm a little too toxic even for cancer.
Merry Christmas to everyone.
Have a safe and happy holiday.....and with all the hustle and bustle...Practice Random Acts of Kindness!
Make the teapublicans eat keystone! You are in the driver's seat Mr. President! Merry Christmas to all!
Hear, hear! Make'em all eat blueberry pie cause they were the ones with blueberry pie all over their faces! They were the ones eatin the pie anway!
JC,
You have NO idea how much I ♥ that promo!
Doesn't matter how many times I see it, it always brings a smile to my face!
Happy Holidays!
@ Feisty,
I love it too! Happy holidays to you and yours!!!
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all - feel fortunate that even in our differences we still enjoy the right to agree to disagree - May the peace and joy of the season bring to all FR readers and contributors the wonderfulness of the season and to all...a good night!
One way or the other, John Boehner will not be the Speaker of the House at this time next year. Even if the Republicans maintain their majority in the House the lack of support for Boehner amounted to a vote of "No Confidence" for him and his "leadership".
Kudos to Dr. Maddow last night for equating Boehner's crusade this week to Will Ferrell going streaking in the movie Old School.
I spit out my drink when I saw that! lmao!
Then she said how difficult it was to 'blur out' certain parts...
Yeah, I saw it, too. Very funny. My 15-year-old son has no interest in politics and rarely pays attention when I'm watching Rachel, but I could see him glancing up from his Droid, thinking: What the hell. . .? Sort of like, What does this have to do with politics?
I have to agree with California Tom way up there in #2.8 that this gives the President the kind of boost he needs going into the New Year. He didn't blink; he demanded that the House act. Psychologically, this is going to have a major, positive impact on his leadership. I think the Republicans just lost the election, right there.
I didn't want to add this to JoAnne Pa, great threadabove it would've ruined the theme. Maybe my inner Grinch is showing through. Maybe my inner Grinch will see the light and see that I am wrong, but still not certain to say this is a great victory.
Posted last night after watching the Young Turks Cenk Ungur. The House has now accepted the bill but my questions still stand.
Last note on this subject. Although Democrats try to claim victory, at what cost? The Social security draining tax cuts continue for two months. The devil will be in the details when the House votes on the Senate bill but then trys to reconcile it in conference. So I've been told that Obama can say no to the pipeline all Obama has to do is show that the XL pipeline is not in the national interest. How is he going to convince that it is not in the national interest to the general public and republicans? To me a green and environmentalist sure the pipeline is not worth the risk of the oils spills. However the GOP will say he is against domestic drilling (even though it is not), they will say he wants to be beholden to the middle east oil countries. The pipeline will be set through the most cost effective route a triangular route through the Sandhills and over the Ogalalla aquifer. The House negotiators will not accept it any other way. The GOP won more then the democats did. The GOP will not agree to anything more substantial than 2 months without the XL pipeline immediately routed through sensitive areas.
I also heard that the unemployment benefits will be cut from a max of 99 weeks to 79 weeks per the house bill. The GOP negotiators will stand strong on that I'm sure. The Devil is in the details. If by a miracle the payroll tax cuts are extended for a year it just weakens SS. SS is for the poor and elderly, I want it to be there when I retire. The GOP goes along with this because their grand plan is to have everyone over 55 opt out of SS, remember the Ryan plan? Small short term win for the democrats at the cost of a huge longtime loss.
Is all this worth two months extra in your pocket at $80 a pop? Why can every get along when it only is to pass Tax cuts.
Truce fellow liberals, but don't anyone complain about the Bush tax cuts 2001 and 2003. Apparently liberals are for tax cuts, worse yet tax cuts that help deplete liberalisms finest acheivement Social Security.
Yellowdog, understand the down look but why does a pipeline have to be connected to a payroll tax cut. separate them and let them stand alone, as for the tax cut it is time to start paying for these cuts, rewrite the tax laws and increase the taxes on those making over 250,000 a year, give the middle a break for change, same with benefits cut, who says the repubs have to have their way. If enough public opinion as we have just seen is laid at the feet of the repubs and the dems stand up to them and continue not to blink it will change the outcome. Its time to stop bowing to the republican and the TP as if they were gods instead of god damn idiots. Bills can be rewritten and this one needs to be, and it needs to be paid for by raising taxes on those who have benefited the most over the last decade, back to the pipeline why do we have to concede to big oil, to they run this country or does the government by and for the people. Why do we have to sacrifice water just to save them some of their large profit. Time for you and the rest of us to raise our heads up, look them in the face and say enough its our time now.
Good points Tis.
For some good clarification on the topics, check out:
http:/ /www.americanprogress.org/issues/2011/09/obama_bush_taxes.html
Great comparison of Bush tax cuts vs Obama tax cuts and future results of each. Interesting!
Yellowdog, asked
So I've been told that Obama can say no to the pipeline all Obama has to do is show that the XL pipeline is not in the national interest. How is he going to convince that it is not in the national interest to the general public and republicans?
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Simple, in the next stanza of this GOP/Teabag poison pill,of Keystone pretence, the dems will add all the Potus job act deals that the President has been going around the Country calling the GOP to pass the danm job bill into it and lets see who will be the winners and loosers. How about the 1% tax on the 1 percenters to fund the bill. You know Obama can swallow the Keyston thing but will the GOPers swallow tax fees on the millioniars and billioniars to fund the job act?
All Bull crap aside... the old people got screwed once again ..this is not paid for ..The drop in FICA taxes means social security wont be funded ...its already shaky...maybe if we cut off all foreign aid to all the countries ..we bribe maybe just once the American people will get what they pay for !
Presidents and Congress have borrowed from SS any number of times by using the General Fund to compensate. This has gone on throughout political history, why would they stop now?
Agreed Say it Ain't So:
Either way this is not a win for the American people. If you extend the payroll tax cut, then Soc. Sec. gets starved off. If you do not, then an additional small amount gets taken from American paychecks.
The Democrats should hate themselves for allowing the GOP to paint them into this "no win" corner.
I say allow the payroll tax cut to expire, and allow the Bush tax cuts to expire with them. Install a compulsory corporate tax to prevent companies from offshoring their loot and the American jobs they support.
Then remove the current income cap from Social Security and allow the system to be replenished to Clintonian levels.
Think of it: If we had not lived through the Bush years the Federal budget would be balanced now, Social Security would be even more solvent and some 7,500 more Americans would be alive today. Not to mention the World Trade Centers towers would still be standing, 3 more airliners would be in the sky, the Pentagon would be whole, and government would be smaller as stated by this article from that Left-Wing, Liberal newspaper called the Wall Street Journal:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123275512887811775.html
Social Security will be funded in the future because baby boomers are going to be retiring in huge numbers for the next 15 years now, and many of the people who vote republican when it is not in their best economic interest will figure out they desperately need their SS benefits. They will vote in a manner to protect their benefits once they realize it is not a "socialist" program just for "lazy liberals", even Fox will have little effect if their checks don't arrive. Republican voters are figuring out they are unemployed as well as democrats, they have to eat too, wall street gets over on them too, corporations get over on them too, bottom line is nothing changes their minds faster on social safety net issues faster than they themselves being in need. The fact is you don't hear much from republicans these days about democrats wanting to take their guns away, they are finding that the only people getting their guns are the pawn shops so they can buy gas, groceries, and medicine. Supporting government welfare for the top 1% and corporations is getting less popular every day, and it is ironic but this is due in part because of their own support of a party that has an agenda of blocking of any significant spending on infrastructure and jobs bills that would have helped these people just enough to continue to be duped into voting republican and hence against their own economic best interests. Nothing turns a conservative republican into a liberal democrat faster than a pink slip, and a personal need for the programs and policies that they were formerly conditioned to complain about.
@Forrest Grump 2.0: Hear, hear! Well said!
Yes, Forrest, very well said.
GOPisextinct, interesting article. I was onboard all of the way until close to the end where they claim Reagan brought about the end of the Cold War. Ahh well, that myth is going to take quite some time to die.
Joe in Albany
Quoting Reverend Sharpton "We Gotcha". Now we'll see a different President Obama for his next year run to his re-election. No more Mr. Nice Guy. No more cave in's or questionable compromises.
______________________________
So, the 2008 candidate of "Hope and Change" that all you lefty liberals worshiped has morphed into just another full-of-sh!t politician, who will use any dirty political trick in the Dem book to get himself re-elected, and you're happy about it??
Says all that needs to be said about lefy liberals who "think for themselves" and consider themselves to be better than the rabble they look down on for votes.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@joe in albany:
Pres Obama is not the one who has tried to lie, cheat, and confuse the voting public. John Boehner and the now creepy GOP are guilty of those crimes against humanity. The GOP has used every dirty trick in the book to try to stop Pres Obama's momentum but various polls show the nation is on its way to recovery; no thanks to the RePUPs! "We have one agenda going forward, to make sure that Barack Obama is a one term president!" They have done little else and everyone sees it now! Its THEM; NOT HIM! If the GOP isn't very careful from now on; they will become the Party of No-MORE!
@et al: It just really seems to me that someone in the GOP camp should have possessed the perspicacity or at the very least, common sense, to predict a GRAND failure if they would be exposed at trying to hurt Pres Obama chances at reelection by scheming and conniving against the working class, the middle class, and the poor. THEY don't have just egg on THEIR faces, THEY have the shell and the whole chicken on THEIR faces. Did THEY seriously fail to give credit to the American voter for being a bit more sophisticated today as opposed to yesteryear? We now have access to 24 hour news stations, channels and programs that were once heretofore unimaginable. Yet, here we are, in the day of satellites lacing the skies, magazines, sirrus radio; my goodness! We no longer live in the Dark Ages and the people have learned to keep up; especially in an election year. The GOP may have committed political suicide because who can trust them now to tell the absolute truth?
As in the story of Ahab and the great white, Moby Dick; Ahab's obsession with vengeance, served only to bring about his own demise! The GOP, its followers, and the Tea Party, which I do not recognize as a separate entity because they are RePublicans by another mother; are on a road to self destruction because they hate that black man in the White House so much, they are ready and willing to risk it all if it will destroy Pres Obama. Its racism on crack and everybody who can be realistic, can see what is going on. The GOP has already lost one leg to Moby Dick, to continue the metaphor; are they now ready to sacrifice ALL?
I grew up in Chicago on the Westside. Me and friends always hung out 2gether after school and we would run home knowing our mothers were still at work, and search the kitchen for cookies or pie! After a while of finding NOTHING, we would ask, "Hey, who ate all the damn cookies and pie?"
Later, our mothers would come home from work with blueberry pie all over their faces and claim to have been at work all day; BUT, we finally figured it all out after about 5 years of this; IT WAS THEM! They were the ones Eatin' the damn pie!
Feliz Navidad Prosperos Año y Felicidad...En Gelukkig Kwanzaa vir almal!
Feisty the ole bag said,
What a wonderful gift to the middle class, elderly & unemployed!
Thank you Mr. President for protecting those who are the most in need!
What a nice present for Mr. & Ms. Middle Class... a new tax/fee when they refi or buy a home... woo hoo...
We beat the republicans and stuck a knife in the housing industry all in the name of "protecting the middle class" ...
Thank you Mr. President for continuing to tear down the middle class and destroying the fraglie housing industry!!
Now that's leadership!!