Senate GOP pledges to block all bills until tax dispute won

[frigidmagi]

CNN

Senate Republicans promised Wednesday to block legislative action on every issue being considered by the lame-duck Congress until the dispute over extending the Bush-era tax cuts is resolved and an extension of current government funding is approved.

All 42 Senate Republicans signed a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, vowing to prevent a vote on "any legislative item until the Senate has acted to fund the government and we have prevented the tax increase that is currently awaiting all American taxpayers."

"With little time left in this congressional session, legislative scheduling should be focused on these critical priorities. While there are other items that might ultimately be worthy of the Senate's attention, we cannot agree to prioritize any matters above the critical issues of funding the government and preventing a job-killing tax hike," the letter said.

The 2001 and 2003 tax cuts enacted by former President George W. Bush will expire after December 31 if Congress fails to reach an agreement on their extension. Top Democrats and Republicans disagree sharply over whether the current tax rates should be extended just for families earning $250,000 or under per year or for everyone regardless of income.
The real cost of tax cuts 'We can't afford tax cuts for the rich' Reed:

Republicans contend that a failure to extend all of the tax cuts would hamper an already-sluggish economy. President Barack Obama and Democratic congressional leaders argue that the roughly $700 billion price tag attached to an extension of the tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans would be fiscally irresponsible.

White House and congressional tax negotiators began deliberations Wednesday morning. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner characterized the initial talks as "very civil" and said that while everything was discussed, there were no surprises.

House Democrats, meanwhile, announced their intention to move forward with a vote Thursday to permanently extend the breaks only for families earning $250,000 or less.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, called the move necessary to show "our position very clearly that Democrats support tax cuts for the middle class."

House Minority Whip Eric Cantor, R-Virginia, called it a "non-starter" and "political chicanery" that threatened to undermine the talks.
On the spending side, a continuing resolution responsible for funding the government is scheduled to expire Friday.

Democrats are trying to pass several pieces of legislation before a more Republican Congress is sworn in in January, including the START nuclear arms treaty with Russia, a repeal of the ban on gays and lesbians serving openly in the military, and the so-called DREAM Act, which would create a path to citizenship for young illegal immigrants.

Reid blasted the GOP letter on the Senate floor Wednesday morning, calling it part of a "cynical" and transparent" Republican strategy to "obstruct" and "delay" legislative progress while blaming the Democrats for failing to effectively govern.

"Last month, the American people issued their verdict on the Democrat's priorities," replied Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky. "We need to show the American people that we care more about them and their ability to pay their bills than we do about the special interests' legislative Christmas-list."

Arrggghh... Ahhhh....

vowing to prevent a vote on "any legislative item until the Senate has acted to fund the government and we have prevented the tax increase that is currently awaiting all American taxpayers."

Uh, Damn it... Ah

vowing to prevent a vote on "any legislative item until the Senate has acted to fund the government and we have prevented the tax increase that is currently awaiting all American taxpayers."

Oh Fucking hell you Ass Sucking Shit for brains! You can't have both! YOU CAN'T HAVE BOTH! MATH DOES NOT WORK THAT WAY!

*Deep breaths*

I apologize. But my objection stands, we cannot balance the budget without higher taxes. It simply isn't possible for us today. I'm not happy about that, I don't imagine anyone is, but this is about the nation, not the wealthy, not the poor, not the Democrats and not the Republicans or at least it should be!

Also I find it suspious that this is happening when the Lame Duck Congress is moving to kill Don't Ask Don't Tell and allow kids who were transported here by their parents a path to citizenship. It stinks. It stinks of bullshit. Of being petty and spiteful.

[Derek Thunder]

By the way, because of this obstructionism unemployment benefits ran out for 1.2 million Americans yesterday, with another 800k losing benefits at the end of December.

It stinks. It stinks of bullshit. Of being petty and spiteful.

It might appear that way, but I think it's more a calculated and cynical political strategy that unfortunately works really well as evidenced by the 2010 election. I also wonder if this is a prelude to a government shutdown - Republicans have clearly shown in this case that they're willing to play serious hardball in the name of their primary special interests.

There have already been rumblings that republicans will vote against raising the debt ceiling next year (which will be necessary, as we can't close a 1.3 trillion dollar gap within a year) unless major concessions are made by the administration. I'm really not sure what we can accomplish as a country when one party has shown that it simply has no interest in governing.

The next two years will be as such: The republican house majority will resemble the hard-faced, cut-throat hierarchical gangs from "The Wire" while 1994's Gingrich-led clique will look more like one of the street gangs from "West Side Story" in comparison.

And Omar ain't comin'.

E: Of course, this really all raises the question of what we can do about this, and the answer is nothing. Absolutely nothing (unless someone posting on this board has their own well-funded PAC). Even in small states votes are statistically insignificant, and social media is probably more of a hindrance than a help to grassroots movements.

I find politics interesting but in the end it's all just navel-gazing. Finding comfort in friends, food, and intimacy with your significant other (where available) is the only advice that still seems valid.

[General Havoc]

Well then that begs the question of why you are posting here

[Derek Thunder]

Well then that begs the question of why you are posting here

Your walls of text, they nourish me. They're the balm that heals my soul of its scars and wounds.

Also, navel gazing can be a useful exercise in keeping the mind sharp.

Which is good, as mine is dull. Oh, so very, dreadfully dull.

[SirNitram]

Of course, we cannot fund the government. The GOP is blocking the Military Appropriations Act. It's also not letting the Veterans appropriations bill pass.

At current pace, everyone in the military is going to suffer. Because the GOP refuses to let even that go by until their rich pimps are paid off.

[Charon]

"We're gonna do it my way or I'm taking all my marbles and going home!"

Real mature guys...