GOP Fiscal Cliff Proposal Extends Tax Cuts For The Rich Permanently

WASHINGTON -- House Republicans proposed permanently extending all of the Bush-era income tax rates for the wealthy in their "fiscal cliff" offer made to the White House on Tuesday, according to a CNN report and confirmed by The Huffington Post.

House Speaker John Boehner and his Republican negotiating partners have said they don't believe the White House has made them a serious offer and that President Barack Obama has refused to budge on spending cuts. Tuesday's suggestion that all the Bush tax cuts be extended permanently was a sharp signal to the White House that Republicans don't feel the president is being reasonable.

In the fiscal cliff negotiations, Obama has been intent on raising tax rates for income above $250,000 and seems to feel he has the leverage to do so. Permanently extending the current rates is thus a nonstarter with the White House.

Boehner, for his part, has agreed to as much as $800 billion in additional revenue, but only with commensurate spending cuts.

Sources from both parties closely involved in the talks say that the gulf between the two positions has barely narrowed over the past month.

House Republicans say that the permanent extension of the tax rates will be made moot by their push to do comprehensive tax reform. "Our goal, as Boehner has made clear repeatedly and publicly, is a framework for comprehensive tax reform (which would make that claim moot)," said an aide to the speaker.

The Boehner aide also said that tax reform would raise revenue.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/12/gop-fiscal-cliff-tax-cuts_n_2286096.html

[brice1967]

Man... these people are something else.

Here's what I think regarding the situation.  I think that both sides are stalling and blaming the other side, so..... We get about 400 professional mixed martial artists and pair them up with the first 400 idiots in DC.  We leave the judging to the MMA guys.  If they think Boehner said something stupid, the guy that is on Boehner gets to whip his a$$.

IF the guy on Pelosi thinks she said something stupid or did something stupid, he gets to whip her a$$.  

This goes down the list and covers everyone within the Senate and Congress, the White House... (and even White House aides are not exempt of an a$$ whippin.  All of DC politics is involved.)

(By the way, once they are beaten-they are off the payroll.  The only way to continue to get paid is either get some $hit handled in DC or beat the MMA guys a$$.)  

[orphanedhawk]

They need my old first grade teacher to whip them into shape.
She made taught us to discipline ourselves and get along.

The behavior in DC is pathetic.

[nursegirl6572]

More of the same.

YOU present an unreasonable offer...we'll counter with an unreasonable offer.

This is freaking ridiculous.  BOTH sides are making offers of obnoxious stuff they KNOW damn well the other side is going to laugh at.  Is anyone else horribly embarrassed for our country?  They're trying to be a super power, negotiating peace treaties between other countries and THIS is how we negotiate?  Oh my God...how mortifying.

Here's an example...I go to buy a house, it's listed for $300K.  The seller reveals it needs a new roof, some electrical work, and a new water heater.  I come in with my first offer of $100K, and tell them they to fix all that stuff on top of the price cut.

The seller laughs his a$$ off, and counters with $301K, and says..."fix the sh*t yourself."

This is where we're at in DC. Literally, both sides...BOTH freaking sides are putting garbage on the table...pure absolute garbage...made to be purposely obnoxious and sh*t stirring.

Screw them all.  Really.

[brice1967]

Both sides are talking about compromise and neither is willing to compromise themselves.  They are expecting the other side to cave in.  Everyone is just bull headed enough that this will remain another road block.

[MrsPincince]

The President ran his re-election on increasing taxes for the top 2% and lowering them for everyone else VERY CLEARLY. HE WON on that specific issue. Why would the repubs not just sign that into law and then discuss everything else? From what all the economists are saying, just doing that alone would avoid this so called "fiscal cliff"...

[brice1967]

He won on a lot more than this issue.  Don't sell the man short.  "Why would the repubs not just sign that into law and then discuss everything else?"  

You yourself said the President "threw that out there for $hits and giggles".  That's why...  And vote something in and then iron it out?  Nobody does that.  People need to know what they are voting for.... that is the right thing to do.