As Clock Ticks to Tax Hike, Obama, GOP Game Out End to Standoff - Polidicks

As Clock Ticks to Tax Hike, Obama, GOP Game Out End to Standoff December 21, 2011 FOX [release] House Republicans appointed to participate in a cross-Congress conference to hammer out differences over a payroll tax cut are preparing to sit at the negotiating table Wednesday, but they face just one challenge -- no one to negotiate with. Conferees met Wednesday morning to discuss their case for getting a year-long extension of the Social Security payroll tax cut. At the same time, Democratic leaders headed to the House floor to push for a Senate bill that calls for a two-month extension. "Our Republican strategy is pretty simple, we're going to stay her and get the work done now," Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, a conferee, told Fox News. "Get the job done first, vacation later and that's our message to the president." "The House GOP leadership must listen to the American people and allow a vote on the bipartisan Senate compromise," Nadeam Elshami, spokesman for Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said in a statement. "Unless they act responsibly and agree to the bipartisan short-term bill approved by Senate Republicans and Democrats, millions of Americans will see a tax hike." But as the standoff unfolds, most of Washington has left town for the holidays, participating in a mass exodus Tuesday night after a partisan vote to reaffirm the House position for a year-long extension to the payroll tax cut. Asked where everybody is, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor told Fox News, "That's exactly what we're left wondering." The House and Senate are in pro-forma session, which in effect means they haven't adjourned but have sent everyone home until they have reason to reconvene and take action. Still, Cantor said, with 10 days left in the year and an obvious wall between the House and Senate, lawmakers need to sit down. "That's plenty of time enough for us to go in, solve the differences, sit down, roll up our sleeves, work through a compromise so we can get the thing done. And that's exactly what we're trying to do," he said late Tuesday. President Obama is also left in limbo, as his family goes on vacation to Hawaii and he remains in Washington, insisting the House take action to approve the Senate legislation and refusing to leave until a deal is struck. That could make for a lonely holiday. House Republicans say isn't plausible to pass a two-month extension. "What the Senate passed is unworkable," Cantor said. "The people that are in the business of payroll administration have said that prescription of a 60-day extension could cause increased uncertainty and costs and could actually hurt workers and small businesses. And I think right now, given the economic times and the tough year that people have had, they don't need that." On Monday, the Treasury Department insisted that while a year-long extension of the payroll tax is preferable, a short-term cut is doable. "While any short-term extension is bound to create some administrative complications, it is feasible to implement the bipartisan Senate bill, and the Treasury Department will work with employers to ensure the smoothest possible implementation," said Jenni LeCompte, a Treasury spokeswoman. Without a deal, Social Security taxes return to their 2010 rate of 6.2 percent. In 2012, that is on the first $110,000 of income. For households making $50,000 a year, that's the equivalent about an extra $1,000. While proponents like the White House say $40 a paycheck helps a lot of people afford a lot of items, critics say the cut does nothing to inspire hiring, and is merely a battle over which party gets to claim the mantle of tax-cutting. The legislation doesn't just provide $19 a week in extra income. Both the House and Senate restore cuts to Medicare doctors' fees that are set to expire on Jan. 1, and they extend unemployment benefits for another year. Trying to find a fix for the doctor payment cuts, Medicare announced Tuesday that, as it has in the past when doctors' reimbursements have been cut through congressional inaction, it would withhold physicians' payments for two weeks. The hope is that the problem gets fixed by then. But given the intransigence on both sides, the leverage to an endgame may just be the ticking clock. "We're here. We're ready to extend those payroll tax cuts," Brady said. "The issue is will Democrats end their vacations and come back with us to solve that problem? Will the president insist that Democrats end their vacations and do their jobs first."[/release] source: [url]http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/12/20/holiday-showdown-over-payroll-tax-tests-obama-gop[/url]

I don't get it. Did republicans show up to some meeting and then democrats didn't? Was a meeting even scheduled? The article is written like the former, except for this: [quote]The House and Senate are in pro-forma session, which in effect means they haven't adjourned but have sent everyone home until they have reason to reconvene and take action. [/quote] Which implies the latter.

Looks Like house Republicans were there for a meeting but the Senate Democrats had already went home

looks to me like we're fucked this government can't do anything it seems

Fox [B]STILL[/B] is not a credible source on politics news.

[quote]"Our Republican strategy is pretty simple, we're going to stay her and get the work done now," Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, a conferee, told Fox News. "Get the job done first, vacation later and that's our message to the president."[/quote] Alright, alright, whatever floats your boat :rolleyes:

[QUOTE=mankind_me;33835631]Alright, alright, whatever floats your boat :rolleyes:[/QUOTE] They should be telling that to Notch, not Obama.

[quote][url=http://www.facepunch.com/threads/1149423]"The House GOP leadership must listen to the American people and allow a vote on the bipartisan Senate compromise," Nadeam Elshami, spokesman for Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said in a statement. "Unless they act responsibly and agree to the bipartisan short-term bill approved by Senate Republicans and Democrats, millions of Americans will see a tax hike."[/url][/quote]

Glaber, I'm not sure you fully understand this. When we say "Fox News is not a credible source" or "stop posting Fox News", we aren't exaggerating and we aren't joking. Every time I open one of your threads, I always scroll to the bottom and read the source - if it's Fox News, I take it with a large grain of salt. Also, this is pretty much the biggest spin that could be put on the story. The Republicans left the fucking building when a debate was about to start so they wouldn't be threatened by the bill possibly passing.

why do you keep posting fox news

Glaber no please, you're convincing me with all of these credible sources. Post one more and maybe I'll be drawn to the dark side.

[QUOTE=MrBob1337;33836746]Glaber, I'm not sure you fully understand this. When we say "Fox News is not a credible source" or "stop posting Fox News", we aren't exaggerating and we aren't joking. Every time I open one of your threads, I always scroll to the bottom and read the source - if it's Fox News, I take it with a large grain of salt. Also, this is pretty much the biggest spin that could be put on the story. The Republicans left the fucking building when a debate was about to start so they wouldn't be threatened by the bill possibly passing.[/QUOTE] Don't expect glaber to make a decent post, or a thread. That's the best advice I can give you.

Unless Fox News tells Glaber to post other sources, you won't see any in his threads.

The other thread [url]http://www.facepunch.com/threads/1149423[/url] [QUOTE]It was rather remarkable this morning to watch the proceedings on the House floor. House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) wanted to try again to bring up the Senate’s bipartisan payroll-tax-break compromise, and instead of debating, Republicans literally walked away from the fight. If you watch the clip, you’ll notice that Rep. Michael Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), who was presiding over the House session at the time, got out of the Speaker’s chair and left the chamber altogether. Other Republicans joined him. Hoyer, of course, noticed, and explained, “You’re walking out, you’re walking away, just as so many Republicans have walked away from middle class taxpayers, the unemployed, and … those who will be seeking medical assistance from their doctors.” When Hoyer finished speaking and turned to Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) to continue the debate, GOP leaders demanded that C-SPAN turn off the cameras so the public couldn’t hear the debate any more. Classy. I know Republicans think they’re in “Braveheart” but I don’t remember the scene in the movie in which William Wallace decided he’d rather run away than fight. It’s worth emphasizing that the House Democrats at this point really just want a vote on the Senate bill. Republican leaders gave their word that they would allow this, but then changed their mind when they realized the Senate compromise might actually pass if brought to the floor. I’d say this just about marks the point at which this fiasco went from tragedy to farce.[/QUOTE] Source: [url]http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_12/literally_walking_away_from_a034239.php[/url] Video: [video=youtube;wV71OKdEqRI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wV71OKdEqRI&[/video]

Well Glaber is obviously someone who as spoon-fed his "own opinions" by his parents when he was little, unless he still is little, then he's still being spoon-fed his "own opinions". [editline]22nd December 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=Catesby;33839412]The other thread [url]http://www.facepunch.com/threads/1149423[/url] Source: [url]http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_12/literally_walking_away_from_a034239.php[/url] Video: [video=youtube;wV71OKdEqRI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wV71OKdEqRI&[/video][/QUOTE] That's also EXACT proof that these tea-party republicans want to watch the world burn if they don't get their way. Even mid-Republicans are appalled at the situation.

Reality is too liberally-biased.

[QUOTE=Glaber;33833859]Looks Like house Republicans were there for a meeting but the Senate Democrats had already went home[/QUOTE] THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON FOX