Unbelievable.
I actually feel sorry for John Boehner. He presides over a Caucus that isn’t simply stubborn or contentious–thanks to its most ideological members, it is simply ungovernable. These members are unwilling to move an inch for the good of the country or even their own party. It’s stunning.
What I don’t get is the fanatical refusal to raise taxes even a small amount for even a few of the very richest Americans. Boehner’s “Plan B”–which crashed and burned thanks to that refusal–allowed the Bush tax cuts to expire only for those making more than a million dollars a year. Protecting those few Americans from a slight raise in the marginal rate was evidently so important to the Tea Party fanatics that they were willing to knock the props from under their own party’s leader and reinforce a growing public perception that the GOP has become far too extreme. (A recent poll found that 52% of Americans hold that view of the party–and that was before this latest embarrassment.)
Presumably, Boehner’s inability to get what he wanted from his caucus will strengthen the President’s hand as the fiscal “cliff” nears, although it’s increasingly difficult to predict anything in the Never Never Land that is Washington, D.C. The only thing that seems certain is that we’ve elected a lot of people who haven’t the faintest idea what governing is all about.
If I could explain why they are willing to go down with the ship rather than raise taxes on anyone, I’d be delighted to share that explanation in this space, but I can’t. I’m baffled.
They don’t want a deal.
They plan to go off the “cliff” and raise everyone’s taxes to address the nations financial problem, then they will point figures at each other.
Typical Washington, No action is action.
These are VERY stupid people. They are so dominated by their hatred of “that guy” in the White House that they won’t do anything that they don’t have to. Idiots. Off the Curb we go.
Happy Landings everyone !
Boehner is a legend in his own mind, he is a bully, he is abusing his power, he is a pouty child who has picked up his marbles and going home because the entire House won’t play his game. I’m sure this was planned beforehand and works to his advantage for the time being. He was elected Speaker; can he be unelected? He is not acting in the best interest of his constituents, his party or for this country; he is acting in the best interest of Boehner to maintain his level of power over his subjects. I, for one, am sick of looking at his scowling face, his condescending attitude and his belief that he rules this country. Bullies always run into a bigger bully eventually and like King Kong atop the Empire State Building, he will be shot down…but we will pay for it until that happens.
And then in the next hour we had the NRA “press conference”, except that the press was bashed and no questions permitted. Can’t wait to see your take on that one, Sheila.