E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSAnyone thinking Republicans might be ready to accept extending the Bush tax cuts for those making less than $250,000 now, think again.
House Speaker John Boehner (R), the man at the center of negotiations with President Obama, today rejected Oklahoma Rep. Tom Cole’s suggestion to pass an extension of tax cuts for 98 percent of people, declare victory, and go home.
Yuri Gripas / Reuters
U.S. House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) speaks next to Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, November 28, 2012.
"I told Tom earlier at our conference meeting that I disagreed with him,” Boehner said at a Capitol Hill news conference Wednesday morning. “He's a wonderful friend of mine and a great supporter of mine. In my view, raising taxes on the so-called top 2 percent, half of those taxpayers are small-business owners that pay their taxes through their personal income filing every year. The goal here is to grow the economy and control spending; you're not going to grow the economy if you raise the top 2 percent rates. It'll hurt small businesses, and it'll hurt our economy, why this is not the right approach. We're willing to put revenue on the table as long as we are not raising rates."
Cole (R-OK) on Wednesday reiterated his call for Congress to pass an extension of the Bush tax rates for those making less than $250,000 first and then work on the extension for higher-earners later, a major break from the Republican's strategy in fiscal-cliff negotiations.
“In my view, we all agree that we're not going to raise taxes on people who make less than $250,000 dollars, so we should just take them out of this discussion right now,” Cole said after a meeting of the GOP Conference. “Continue to fight against any rate increases; continue to try to work, honestly, for a much bigger deal.”
NBC's Mark Murray and Domenico Montanaro discuss the ongoing fiscal cliff negotiations and how Grover Norquist's no-tax-increase pledge plays into the discussion. Plus, what happened when Susan Rice made a visit to The Hill.
Cole, the deputy whip and former National Republican Congressional Committee chairman, first made the suggestion during a closed-door "whip meeting" yesterday, which was first reported by Politico last night. His comments have drawn criticism from those in his party.
Boehner is not the only Republican to disagree with Cole. Rep. Sean Duffy said on MSNBC’s Daily Rundown Wednesday morning that he believed Cole’s views are in the “minority” of House Republicans. In fact, interviews with other GOP members confirms that.
The lack of support for Cole’s proposal highlights the gap that persists between the White House and House Republicans with the clock ticking toward the so-called “fiscal cliff,” when all Americans would see tax increases and there would be a round a severe Defense and domestic spending cuts unless a deal is struck.
“Cherry picking provisions and rates right now doesn’t solve the problem, and they're not a serious deficit solution,” Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX) told reporters today after a meeting of the Republican Conference.
Brady, who sits on the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee, said he is advocating for comprehensive tax reform, to be completed next year after all rates would be extended.
“I think we're strongly unified behind no tax increases on New Year’s Day,” he said.
Rep. Raul Labrador (R-ID) echoed Brady’s concerns, saying he believes the majority of the Republican Conference, including himself, is opposed to the idea of decoupling the Bush tax rates.
“We have to make tough decisions about our tax rates,” Labrador said. “We have to make tough decisions about our spending; we have to make tough decisions about our deficit. Let's do that today. There's nothing courageous about saying let's raise taxes on a few people today.”
In August, House Democrats proposed a bill that would do exactly what Cole proposed, but it failed 257-170 with no Republicans voting for the bill, and 19 Democrats voting against it.
Related:
Leave a Comment:
Obama winning the popular vote by 2% is hardly an overwhelming majority. Sounds slim to me! This says that nearly half of Americans did not vote for Obama or believe in Obama's principles.
I hate to admit this but I am one of those evil Republicans. Saying Republicans do not care about the poor is ridiculous! My husband and I contribute to charity, I work at a health center that cares for the poor who would otherwise not receive healthcare. Working there is much harder than working at a private practice and pays less, but this was my choice. We volunteer our time to help others and have helped relatives in times of need. I also believe that as a country we should not spend more than we take in. The Senate has not passed a budget for 4 years!! The Senate has been controlled by Democrats for all these years - how are they and the President trying to solve our fiscal problems? By being close minded you are painting an inaccurate picture of the Republican party.
psysh & Willie; FYI, President Obama won the popular vote by 3% or 3.5 million votes, but who's counting!
*cough*
3.49%
Electoral landslide.
The last landslide in a presidential election was in 1984.
Losing the election by 126 Electoral College votes lol
Boy! You can just feel the suction from the Tan Man's lips on the butts of those 2%-ers. The voters of this country have decided which way this country is going to operate, and it's not the Tan Man's way. He wouldn't even show up to support his Presidential candidate, Romney. Anyone remember him getting up in front of anyone and saying something nice about his potential leader. Never happened. He's been country clubbing, rubbing elbows with his huge contributors, and getting a little on the side so long he really does think he's running this country.
I guess you forgot about the fact that the intrenet records all history.
Way to go again NBC! Another fine piece of journalistic opinion. Anyone read the first line or two? Not slanted at all was it? Just objective factual reporting. Anyone read through the entire article? Increse spending, tax business. We can't pay the bills people. Plain and simple. If we move to taxing those horrible rich people making 250k and their businesses to 70% as in Europe, it isn't going to help anything. The new dem plan is to use the media to try and divide the GOP. Thats all this administration does is divide people up, and then eat them up.
Obummer and all the Democrats have no idea how to cut spending or government. They never will. The idiot Republicans will never raise taxes. I don't particularly like tax increases, and I agree that we should all be paying way less taxes, but we're going to have to pay for all this crap somehow. First...cut big gov't wasteful spending. You can save huge by doing this alone and not touching taxes. Why can't Democrats fathom this??
Obummer's plan is to tax everything...no other plan. He has no idea what he's doing, and Congress will never decide on anything because they are lame ducks. We have a completely dysfunctional gov't. Both sides can't agree because proposals are either way too far left or way too far right. Obummer raises taxes, but that money will go everywhere but paying out debt off, because that's what ALWAYS happens...tax increases goes into the pockets of the politicians, political supporters, special interests, and more gov't. There is no concept of paying down our debt, getting a balanced budget, or installing accountability. They spend money like a party animal teenager with a trust fund...totally out of control and it is sickening where they are taking this country.
Republicans have been an absolute disaster for the United States and it people since 2000 (at least). They, and their voting base are the cause of the situation we are in now. Put another way, frauds have been voting for frauds and he results have been disastrous for us and the world. The best thing for America and the world would be to put the Republicans and Tea Party out of business - permanently. Then maybe we can start solving problems instead of creating new ones...
This republican problems is not about the majority of the American people. Their problems is that many of them are owned by one elite muti-billionaire lobbyist named Grover Norquist. That told them if they don't support him, they will not win their next election. The question is still up in the air. Will these republican support the 98% of Americans or will they only support one multi-billionaire lobbyist dude Grover Norquist.
Most elite rich people are good people. I think of three other evil multi-billionaires during the election. Telling their employees if they don't vote for Romney, lay offs will come. (They love the black mail tactics) Exactly as Grover Norquist does. To these evil people, it's just a game with their multi-billion dollars.
We need to go off the cliff. These idiots need to cut expenses and raise revenues and fast. They can't make the difficult decisions so let the cliff do it for them. 46 million people are on food stamps. A record. Why isn't poverty a problem anymore? It was when Johnson was President. And it was a big deal. 1 in 5 children go to bed hungry. Why isn't that a problem?
Since the only way this ecomony can pay off it's debt and pay it's bills is through higher taxes then tax everybody. And when that doesn't make a dent then cut or take away all social programs . This is the future but it's not here yet so it doesn't really hurt yet.. But it will.
Isn't there anybody out there smart enough to figure out a way to increase the tax base ? I think the answer to that is that it's not the governments job to increase the tax base but to collect taxes. The government will never be able to increase the tax base. It is not in the job creating business. At least not jobs that last and aren't funded by the government.
The Right Wingers still don't get it! I guess they have to lose a few more elections!
People or I should say CITIZENS should CALL, E-MAIL, TEXT, SEND LETTER, COMMUNICATE TO IN ANY FASHION. Better yet YELL and SCREAM with Hatchets in hand at the CONGRESS FRONT DOORS.
The RIGHT WING NUTS OR DING BRAINS including the TEA-RINGERS should ALL BE THROWN OUT single file and thrown to the STREETS.
DO THEY NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT the MAJORITY OF CITIZENS outside of THEIR CHAMBER of GREED is TELLING THESE SLUGS. CAVE-IN TAX THE RICH AND BE DONE WITH YOUR DEVIL DOING DEEDS. You are there for the MAJORITY THAT VOTED. Who cares about your FAILED VOTE OF MINORITIES in this NATION.
Talk about THICK TAR PIT BRAINS !! Get with the MASS of CITIZENS, PERIOD.
Are these slugs in a CACOON, inside their own 4 walls????
obviously you don't understand that we are a constitutional republic, not a winner take all democracy
Just let Bush tax expire, let the cliff happen....people suffer then people will decide who should have the job...hope R'll come to their sense...
Wille, it's because it's Congress' job to do that task. The presidents' efforts in this area is meaningless aside from some guideline of expectations.
Boehner admitted that he is holding the middle class hostage to the rich.
The best way to solve our fiscal problems is to improve our economy instead of obstructing and sabotaging our recovery like the Republicans and Tea Party have been doing. They crashed it and are now sabotaging it...
one can't sabotage something that doesn't exist. With dems in control, it is their responsibility to put forth the coveted compromise bill. Oh, no compromise?? trust us?? figure out the details later?? THAT is what got us into the current mess
Diddy is short on memory and short on facts...
Consumers are the job creators. Put more money in the pockets of the middle class and the economy will grow and the deficit will damn near solve itself. Businesses do not expand or hire if they don't have customers, PERIOD. As for Obama, I think he should run the whole thing off the cliff by doing nothing right now. If it's about playing chicken then lets do it. If Boehner wants to use the debt ceiling debate as leverage again then lets see who blinks and who gets blamed.
The Republicants didn't learn anything from the last election.
So as Boehner continues to have his strings pulled by the elite, we all get stagnated job growth. Republicans have all but become a joke. I can't even address them as serious or seriously.
We are going over the cliff. End of discussion. Done with the obstructionist. Not worth the time.
Time to finish this once and for all.
Obama should negotiate no further with John Bonehead.
Let him drag the country off the cliff.
Then the democrats can pass a package to cut taxes and protect social security and medicare.
The GOP can oppose it if they want.
Obama should then raise the debt ceiling on his own.
Let the GOP losers howl. No more negotiation with GOP terrorists.
Scomma, Why do you fall for the fingerpointing blame game? If we go over the political cliff, we will simply make good on the deal that was struck the first time around...or is it the second or third now?
Ever Dollar Counts -- Cuts Or Revenue Generated!
Mr. Speaker Please Define Small Businesses! Like Those Huge Small Business Hedge Funds Maybe So They Can Get Richer?
Or Obama -- Real Small Businesses With Up To $250,000 Owner Incomes So Continue Breaks So They Can Grow!
Republicans -- No Real Details As Usual -- Because It Hides The Real Bottom Line On Who Reaps From It The Most!
Been There Done That -- Sorry Just A Bad Re-run On What You Want -- Not What Americans Want!
Remember That Little Thing Called An Election You Lost AGAIN Because You Didn't Listen AGAIN!
This Is Not A Case Of Republicans Vs Democrats -- It's Republicans Wants Against Americans Wants!
The People That EMPLOY You!
Why did people vote this lowlife scombag Boehmer in office in the first place. He and his republican coksokers should all be thrown out of the congress, tarred and feathered. Bastardes, I will remember next time.
ps. I know how to spell some of my more colorful words have been intentionally misspelt to pass the stupid filters.
I say let the republicans be the reason why THEY drove the bus off the cliff, and don't pay them one cent in salary until they do the peoples work the way it will benefit the people, not their sorry asses, and their 1%er backers.
Seems Boehner and his boys are hell bent on pulling off another four years of obstructing not only anything President Obama's administration attempts, but plans from their own party too.
It's pathetic to listen to so many talk about making someone else pay more.
Fools think the tax rate means something when ALL politicians create loopholes for their cronies.
The only fair tax is a flat tax with zero deductions and exemptions.
The best way to end poverty is to make it uncomfortably for those that can earn a living.
Government cannot create wealth, only destroy it.
And it's the GREED of the filthy rich which is going to destroy America, not the poor. It's happened many times in history, and they do say, history repeats itself.
Fine, give me what you have, it's still the same GREED.
There will always be someone with more than someone else.
If it were not for the "filthy rich" this country would never be what it is.
I've got to hand it to Obama. He's manipulated the situation beautifully. He can just sit back and wait. He's put the onus on the House Republicans to agree to tax increases for the 2% or go off the fiscal cliff where the increases are automatic. If the House Republicans agree to tax increases on the 2% before the cliff, Obama wins. Yet, Obama also wins if we go off the fiscal cliff, because he still gets his tax hikes on the wealthy (and everyone else) and big defense cuts, which the GOP is trying to avoid. Assuming we go off the cliff, he can then propose tax relief for the 98%, which the House Republicans could only oppose at their extreme peril (i.e., they would ironically become the party of tax increases if they oppose it).
Obama has every motivation to wait out the House Republicans. They have to offer him a better deal than the fiscal cliff, which for him isn't all that bad of a deal. He's term limited so he has no fear of another recession.
Obama has masterminded the situation perfectly. Checkmate to Obama. I didn't vote for him and don't really care for him as President. But he has the House Republicans exactly where he wants them.
Why aren't you in charge of the Republican Party? You use facts, reality and history well.
I'm a life-long independent, voting for the candidate, not the party. Thus, I can launch my barbs at whoever I chose!
The House Republicans have been so badly outmaneuvered that they can't even see the writing on the wall anymore. Unless they agree to increase taxes on the 2% (essentially giving Obama his victory), we will go over the cliff, period, raising taxes on everyone. And Obama will then propose tax relief for the 98%, thus becoming a middle-class hero. Obama can't lose. And the best the House Republicans can hope for is to at least share in the victory or not lose badly. But they cannot win; the top earners will see their taxes go up. It is as inevitable as gravity. I don't particularly care for Obama's governing style, but he's in a very enviable position now.
How about a million of us march on the Capital Building with a message to the Republican-Tea Party saboteaurs: Get out of Dodge - or we will kick your corrupt asses out! It's called a "Revolution", only designed to save our economy and democracy - not screw to death....
In the next 2 years YOU the OBSTRUCTIONIST AND DESTROYERS of DEMOCRACY are DONE. Your CLOSED MINDS OF GREED and PROTECTION of SELF WEALTH and the TOP 1-10% which is DEVIL DOERS WORK is finished.
THE GUILLOTINE is at your DOORSTEP. TIME TO REALLY CHANGE AND GO INDEPENDENT ONCE AND FOR ALL.
1. This is not a tax increase, it is resumtion of a tax rate.
2. Removing the tax break for the middle class is political suicide. It will not happen.
3. Why not do this in steps, to help the middle class (who buy stuff) first?
Basically this is a ploy to tie the two together, so that the Republican's, who are indebted to the 2%, can use it as a hammer, to insure their "friends" won't have to lay off one of their butlers. Come on Congress, let's get real. We see through your veil. We are talking about individual earnings, not Corporate taxes. Most every small business is some type of a corporation, and a "real small business" does not produce $250,000, in SALARY for it's owner. A company providing that kind of income for its owner is not a "small business. If it does then the company should be a 401C or at least an LLC. This is not a tax on small business. It is a tax on INDIVIDUAL INCOME! How does reverting to prior tax levels hurt small business? If these Bush Tax Cuts worked, would we have not seen an increase instead of a decrease in jobs? Guess my 99 year old mother (who recently passed away) was right. The Republican Party IS the party of the RICH.