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Even before voters finished casting ballots in House races across the country, the Republican leadership in the chamber began girding for a major battle over taxes and spending in the weeks after the election.
Confident that Republicans would retain their majority in the House, Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, told POLITICO that GOP lawmakers would reject any new taxes on households in the highest income tax bracket.
"We’re not raising taxes on small-business people," Boehner said. "Our majority is going to get re-elected ... We’ll have as much of a mandate as he will — if that happens — to not raise taxes."
Al Behrman / AP
Speaker John Boehner talks with reporters outside Ronald Reagan Lodge after voting, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012, in West Chester, Ohio.
Consider Boehner's comments the first public salvo in a coming battle over how to best address the so-called "fiscal cliff," the mixture of automatic tax hikes and spending cuts set to take effect at the beginning of 2013.
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The fiscal cliff involves the expiration of the 2001 Bush tax cuts for all tax brackets and a two-year payroll tax cut, both of which are scheduled to sunset at the end of this year, barring action by Congress. Also set to take effect are the automatic spending cuts set forth in the 2011 debt ceiling deal, which were designed to be so distasteful that lawmakers would reach a compromise on how to best address mounting U.S. debt.
A standoff between the Obama administration, a Democratic Senate and a conservative Republican House of Representatives yielded no deal, leaving the fiscal cliff in its stead. Economists have warned that, if nothing happens to change those deadlines, any economic recovery would be imperiled. Moreover, the cuts fall heavily upon the defense budget, a cut which military leaders have warned could endanger American security.
GOP vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan votes at the Hedberg Public Library in Janesville, Wisconsin.
This gridlock might dissipate if voters elect Romney as president on Tuesday. But if Obama wins a second term and the Senate stays in Democratic hands, the stalemate that helped produce so much disillusionment and nastiness this election could rear its head again in the coming weeks.
"You have to do something, and the best way to do it is by growing the economy," California Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the Republicans' whip in the House, said Tuesday on MSNBC. "Now, we are going to have a fiscal cliff between now and the end of the year -- from the debt limit to the looming tax increases to sequestration. But all those ideas have been passed by the House to solve those. It's the Senate that has not acted."
That rhetoric might sound familiar to any reader who has tracked the incessant bickering between the Obama administration and Congress over the past two years.
But amid the bluster that has begun to emerge from Capitol Hill, President Barack Obama's team seemed more upbeat.
Before the president made his way home to Chicago, he made one final campaign stop where his journey to the Oval Office began – in Iowa. Obama Senior Adviser Robert Gibbs discusses.
"This election, when the president's re-elected, should break this fever of Washington gridlock," Obama adviser Robert Gibbs, the former White House press secretary, said on MSNBC. "It's time that Republicans come to the table and understand that we've got to get something done on the big pressing issues of our time."
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"If" Obama wins... I think the GOP needs a rethink... Since Christie was on TV I've had dozens of our church members say that they would vote for Christie in a minute. And you can bet that Christie isn't stupid enough to try to come back to the middle.... he may not survive the primary... but he's sure as heck better than anyone else the GOP can come up with.....
The GOP/TeaBeggers at their "Caucus Conspiracy" in Washington D.C. Drew their line in the poltical and economic sands on Janruary 20, 2009. The "Fourteen Felon's" of the GOP/RNC made it clear in their "Blood Oath." To 'conspire' against the US Economy, the American People, and the Office Of The Presidency. On this evening the "Fourteen Felon's" of the GOP/TeaBeggers 'conspired' against the US Constitution Of The United States. Get out and vote America!
Why don't they just soak themselves in gasoline and light a match. They're already toast anyway. They haven't learned anything from the last 4 years. Doing nothing in the GOP congress didn't set well with the American people. Another 4 years of this behavier will just about insure that the Democrates will sweep in 2014. Then we'll get some things done. These guys are dumber than dumb.
Republicans made this announcement today to firm up the a**hole vote.
How about this, I can not wait till all of this is over. I have grown to hate this time of year. I have a question like i like to do. Even though almost everyone in politics is a lawyer. Why is it that ads can be run on TV that are evaluated as being false without anyone getting sued? We are the most important democracy in the world but yet, all these lawyers can flat out lie with no repercussions. If I go on TV and call my neighbor something I get sued for slander, but you have free rein to put out all kinds of lies when it comes to politics and nothing! why is that? Oh and before anyone gets too wound up both sides do it. so don't give me that of we don't
So we can balance the budget with no new revenue created due to taxes while increasing the military? Yea . ok.. I guess all those economics professors and textbooks from college have been lying to us the whole time..Spending cuts can only go so far within the government
When Romney becomes President next January he will eliminate many of the restrictions that Obama has imposed on business. That will create more jobs, meaning more taxpayers and more taxes while at the same time removing those new wage earners from the government dole.
yes back to the wall street melt downs and pumping oil into the gulf. I miss those days
Jobs will magically appear and businesses will hire simply based on fewer regulations? It that how easy is is?
Wood, it will take a year or more due to the mess that Obama's created, but consider that unemployment averaged under six percent while Bush was is office and has averaged over eight percent under Obama's policies.
the Real.. tell me which restrictions on business are you talking about..the premise of his arguement to balance the budget and reduce the deficit while nto raising taxes is illogical
During superstorm sandy, politicians have come out to say they will cut through the red tape to help. EPA restrictions removed to bring more gas to the areas. The government is in their own way, how could they not be in the way of business.
How can you libs cry obstruction when your old goat Reid will not even look at any bills out of the house,you cant all be that uninformed can you? If it wasn't for Boehner your kids would already owe the sum of 70,000 dollars each because in Oblamo's own words"shameful" running up the deficit.
Is it the Post-Obama Era yet?
John Boner can say what he wants. All it takes is inaction by the lame duck congress and the Bush era tax cuts will expire for all. The break on payroll taxes will also expire for all working Americans. The GOP will then be responsible for RAISING taxes on all working Americans to protect tax breaks for the weathy. Reid will most likely hold the job of Senate leader and can introduce legislation. After Jan 1, ANY legislation to reduce taxes can be restricted to incomes below a specific income level, say $250K and retroactive to Jan 1. The GOP can then vote for that legislation because not to do so would continue the higher taxes, and they would then be responsible for not only RAISING taxes, but failing to REDUCE taxes. If the GOP in the House try to pass the renew the full Bush era package, all the Dems have to do is filibuster. The GOP is still responsible for its failure to pass effective legislation. Gridlock, but hopefully it comes back to bite them in 2014 with a Dem sweep of House seats.
A sweep of house seats?Reality bites doesn't it?Wake up woodchuck.
John Boehner is the worst person ever to be in Congress. He is all about the power for himself. He does not care about the nation at all. They need to work together or there will be no nation.
agree thomas but don't tell boehner that he will cry
It's Obamas fault that the Dems and the Gop aren't working together. That is his job. He is the problem! He is a divider!
The GOP met the night of the inauguration and pledged not to pass any legislation. They have kept their word. Looks like grid lock until they are swept out in 2014.
get a clue.....you haven't got one yet
Sorry, it takes both sides to come together. And when one side is absolute in their refusal to come together, then there is little hope. It is wrong to publicly state you will not work with someone and then blame them for the lack of collaboration. President Obama has shown a willingness to work across the parties. The Republicans refused time and again.
"We’re not raising taxes on small-business people," Boehner said. "Our majority is going to get re-elected ... We’ll have as much of a mandate as he will — if that happens — to not raise taxes."
So the upper 1% are all small business people? I think that is their code word for protecting the highest income folks.
Tax cuts and the Grover Norquist pledge is what the GOP is ruthlessly about. These republicans (Boehner and McConnell) are the one percent for the one percent. They are not for the 99% or for the 50% or for the 47%. Republicans are full of greed, bile and venom against those struggling in America. These republicans who would kick the neighbors dog and shot the neighbors cat. They have no compassion, on integrity and no desire to see this country a better place for anyone but themselves.
There will be no deadlock in Obama's second term. With no need to worry about re-election Obama can play hard ball with the idiots in the House. The constitution has provided the President ways to work around a do-nothing Congress. Those Executive Orders you conservatards were so outraged about are going to multiply by the dozens if not by the hundreds. President Obama is going to open up a huge can of whup-arse on these morons, and I can't wait to see Boner crying for good reason for a change. Last time it was play nice and try to get along. That didn't work so this term it's kick arse and don't bother to take names. These lunatics can and will be politically destroyed one way or another. Fortunately we play chess, and you dummies can't even handle checkers.
boehner and the rest of the gop idiots better start working in a bipartisan way or they will find themselves out of a job in 2 years...the country is sick and tired of this do nothing congress!!!!!
Either Boehner is going to have to agree to let the Bush tax cuts expire for the very rich, or he's going to be the one in the driver seat driving the country over the "fiscal cliff".
These guys are pathetic. They say they want fiscal responsibility, yet they only wnat to spend money on wars and military related items. The hell with everyone else. And the art of compromise is now a foreign term to the modern republican party. In another few years, with the way they treat everyone except the very rich and the very white, they will become a party of irrelevance.
The "fiscal cliff" is a bunch of BS. Those who are saying it will happen are the ones who will be most affected by the tax "hikes" on the rich. What everyone seems to forget is that when this thing expires, the tax rates will go back to the way they were before Obama took office. So the taxes aren't actually going up, they're just going back to the rate they should be.
You mean back when Bush was President right?
Boehner said. "Our majority is going to get re-elected ... We’ll have as much of a mandate as he will — if that happens — to not raise taxes."
That's why I suggest to people we vote a straight Democratic Ticket. I used to vote across lines for who I considered the most competent. But, these fools aren't going to negotiate ... they are obstructionists! The only way you get anything done in government is a principled compromise. The Party of No has got to GO!
The Boner won't get anything passed into law regardless of who is President. What he fails to remember is that on Jan 1, taxes go up for all if HE does not bend. Any failure to extend the Bush era cuts for middle income and below and/or the payroll cut extension will fall squarely on the GOP.
The fact that you ignore is that taxes will go up for everyone if Obama doesn't bend. It's not just Boener who disagrees with Obama, it's the majority of the House and much of the Senate. Obama is the road block that will be removed today...
Think you're wrong. Majority of Americans think that wealthy should pay the same rate they did under Clinton. The GOP does not. All taxes will go up because the GOP will not compromise.
Meridian: Very interesting revisionist history that you're putting forward. On the very night Obama was elected in 2008 a group of Republican honchos, including Newt Gingrich, agreed on a strategy to block every initiative Obama proposed. As evidenced by the debt ceiling debacle, the Republican party with its debt to the Tea Partiers and Grover Norquist have become the party of rigid ideological voting, regardless of the consequence.
The point is it wouldn't matter if they paid higher rates than under Clinton. Obama's policies have created massive spending increases which would not be offset by raising taxes on the wealthy even if the wealthy were taxed at 100%. Obama is playing politics with America's future. That's one reason he has to go.
Boehner is the one who is in charge of all spending. Obama can't spend a dime unless the house passes a spending bill. But I wouldn't expect a FOX News watcher to know where spending bills originate.
What has created massive spending increases is the need to pump money into an economy that was crashing. I'd like to see that alternative history book you're reading. You sound like the L. Ron Hubbard of politics.
Windy, Obama had super majorities in both houses of Congress. Nothing was blocked: Obamacare, the so-called stimulus, Dodd-Frank, and hundreds of bills restricting business. That's precisely why we're in the economic mess we are in right now.
It appears that if the " repub leaders" continue to fight education they will have a dumbed down population which is easier to control and we will be closer to the return of feudalism. The few will be aristocrats and the majority will be serfs and wage slaves. The congress does not rep the majority of voters or the population in general. They rep their own self interests.
The thing is, the tax cuts will expire. And then Boehner can either play ball or explain to the American people why he would rather see everyone's tax rates go up than just those of the best paid.
If our tax cuts expire it will be because Obama is an ideologue who really doesn't care about the middle class. His insistence on raising taxes on the "rich" is the reason he won't budge, and the money that would be raised would not offset a fraction of the extra deficit that Obama adds to our debt EACH YEAR.
Keep telling youself that TheRealMerridian looking back on the clinton years I remember a surplus...
The real.. Which fantasy world are you living in? Or are you that irrational that you believe what the pundits over at FOX are feeding you..Cmon. Obama has said all along and has PROVEN the middle class is his priority. Raising the taxes on rich only will not raise nearly enough to offset the deficit. It is a start to try and bring some equity back into the equation
Very funny Meridian, calling Obama an ideologue. Is he a socialist ideologue? If so, then why did he bail out the banks? Is he an anti-corporate ideologue? If so, why did he bail out the auto industry? Is he an anti-military ideologue? If so, they why did he double down on Afghanistan and increase drone strikes? Grover Norquist is a true one-idea ideologue. Paul Ryan is an Ayn Rand ideologue. Mitt Romney is a...well, we don't know what he believes, do we?
Oh, Goody... The republicans are going to continue to sabotage the economy!
By Boehners statement you can tell he is as sure of keeping the House as he is of losing the Presidency.
So after the Bush tax cuts expire, Boehner and House Republicans are not going to lower taxes for the majority of households, holding them hostage, to get tax cuts for the rich?
VOTE THE BUMS OUT!!!
Does that surprise you? It isn't like Boehner or any of the rest of the republicans have lifted a finger to help the middle class over the last few years. Why should they start now?
I can see why they bitch about Obama not working with them. How could he resist?