GOP Playing Politics With Payroll Tax Cut...Again

[J.E.D]

Defying Obama's veto threat, Boehner insists on adding the XL pipeline to their proposal for extending the payroll tax cut. The same guys decrying Obama for - in their opinion - playing politics, Republicans seem perfectly willing to play politics themselves.

WASHINGTON -- House Speaker John Boehner heard President Obama's threat to veto a payroll tax cut if Republicans add a controversial pipeline project, and ignored it Thursday.

The Ohio Republican rolled out the bare bones of a GOP plan to extend the tax cut that not only would expedite approvals for the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline from Canada to Texas, but would also waive clean air rules for boilers and many incinerators.

"The president says that the American people can't wait on jobs. Well, guess what? We agree wholeheartedly with the president, and the Keystone pipeline project will create tens of thousands of jobs immediately," Boehner told reporters on Capitol Hill.

"If the president is serious about his commitment to economic growth and jobs in this country, he'll sign this bill," said House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.).

"Mr. President, we will have some of your ideas in this bill," said Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas), "But maybe it's time to try some of ours. Do not veto this jobs bill."

But after a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper just a day before, Obama said he would not accept attaching the pipeline project, which his administration recently delayed over environmental concerns.

He stood by his threat Thursday.

"When I hear the speaker or the Senate Republican leader wanting to dicker, or wanting to see what can they extract from us in order to get this done, my response to them is just do the right thing, focus on the American people," Obama said in the White House briefing room.

"The suggestion is somehow, this Keystone issue will create jobs," Obama added. "However many jobs might be generated by a Keystone pipeline, they are going to be a lot fewer than the jobs that are created by extending the payroll tax cut and extending unemployment insurance.

Payroll Tax Cut Proposal In House Defies Obama Veto Threat, Adds 'Poison' Pipeline Provision

 

[grunt11b]

 

[J.E.D]

Good for you. Anymore childish comments or would actually like to address this serious issue?

 

[Claudette]

They should add the pipeline to the bill.

The pipeline has been vetted for three years and is good to go. If Barry holds off on it till 2013 to appease his base the Canadians will head West with it. I'm sure the Chinese would love the oil.

The House should attach the pipeline to the bill. Let Barry Veto it and explain to the jobless why. Smart move on their part.

 

[J.E.D]

Dumb move on their part. It won't pass the Senate and Obama has threatened a veto. All the House GOP is doing is playing politics and bringing a tax hike to the middle class that much closer to reality. I wonder how Grover will feel?

 

[imbalance]

Is there a legit reason why Brobama can't compromise and include the pipeline project? And no, the Huff Post calling it "poison" or the left feigning "environmental concerns" does not suffice.

 

[imbalance]

Dumb move on their part. It won't pass the Senate and Obama has threatened a veto. All the House GOP is doing is playing politics and bringing a tax hike to the middle class that much closer to reality. I wonder how Grover will feel?

If the Commander in Thief vetoes it then it becomes a bit harder for him to play the victim of the NO Congress amirite

 

[J.E.D]

Is there a legit reason why Brobama can't compromise and include the pipeline project? And no, the Huff Post calling it "poison" or the left feigning "environmental concerns" does not suffice.

Yeah, the legitimate reason is that the Obama administration has decided to hold off on the XL pipeline until environmental concerns have been thoroughly addressed. The GOP is just trying to get their way on the pipeline by once again playing politics and attaching it to a bill that they know Democrats want to see pass. If Republicans were as concerned about the tax cut as they like to pretend, they'd pass the damn bill without adding contentious proposals to it.

 

[imbalance]

but but but compromise

 

[Wiseacre]

The Senate would never pass it up to Obama anyway, he'd never get a chance to veto it. But he said he would, which may be all the repubs hoped for in the 1st place. If the House does pass that bill with the pipeline in it, then don't the dems look bad for not going with a tax cut they want AND a job providing pipeline that helps make us less oil dependent on foreign countries who don't like us? Doesn't get a little sticky to point fingers at the GOP?

 

[rightwinger]

Republicans are getting soft. It must be close to Christmas


They usually add "Repeal Obamacare" to all bipartisan bills

 

[J.E.D]

but but but compromise

The GOP giving a bill to the Senate that they know will not pass and that Obama would veto anyway, is not compromise.

 

[Claudette]

Is there a legit reason why Brobama can't compromise and include the pipeline project? And no, the Huff Post calling it "poison" or the left feigning "environmental concerns" does not suffice.

Yeah, the legitimate reason is that the Obama administration has decided to hold off on the XL pipeline until environmental concerns have been thoroughly addressed. The GOP is just trying to get their way on the pipeline by once again playing politics and attaching it to a bill that they know Democrats want to see pass. If Republicans were as concerned about the tax cut as they like to pretend, they'd pass the damn bill without adding contentious proposals to it.

Thats a load of BS Joe.

That pipeline has been vetted for three years. Your a smart guy. How could you buy that flimsy excuse? He's the schmuch who's playing politics. He has to appease his base and the hell with the jobs this pipeline will provide.

Do you think the Canadians will wait till 2013? They can go West with it. The Chinese will buy the oil and the US will be out the jobs.

 

[J.E.D]

Is there a legit reason why Brobama can't compromise and include the pipeline project? And no, the Huff Post calling it "poison" or the left feigning "environmental concerns" does not suffice.

Yeah, the legitimate reason is that the Obama administration has decided to hold off on the XL pipeline until environmental concerns have been thoroughly addressed. The GOP is just trying to get their way on the pipeline by once again playing politics and attaching it to a bill that they know Democrats want to see pass. If Republicans were as concerned about the tax cut as they like to pretend, they'd pass the damn bill without adding contentious proposals to it.

Thats a load of BS Joe.

That pipeline has been vetted for three years. Your a smart guy. How could you buy that flimsy excuse? He's the schmuch who's playing politics. He has to appease his base and the hell with the jobs this pipeline will provide.

Do you think the Canadians will wait till 2013? They can go West with it. The Chinese will buy the oil and the US will be out the jobs.

Whatever the reason, Obama has decided to hold off on it. He has made that perfectly clear. If the GOP wants to pressure or convince him to change his mind, fine. Go for it. Maybe they can make a more serious offer - like agreeing to let the Bush tax cuts for top earners expire in exchange for going forward with the XL pipeline. Something that Dems want in exchange for something that Repubs want. Adding it to this bill is simply playing politics.

 

[Wiseacre]

Yeah, the legitimate reason is that the Obama administration has decided to hold off on the XL pipeline until environmental concerns have been thoroughly addressed. The GOP is just trying to get their way on the pipeline by once again playing politics and attaching it to a bill that they know Democrats want to see pass. If Republicans were as concerned about the tax cut as they like to pretend, they'd pass the damn bill without adding contentious proposals to it.

Thats a load of BS Joe.

That pipeline has been vetted for three years. Your a smart guy. How could you buy that flimsy excuse? He's the schmuch who's playing politics. He has to appease his base and the hell with the jobs this pipeline will provide.

Do you think the Canadians will wait till 2013? They can go West with it. The Chinese will buy the oil and the US will be out the jobs.

Whatever the reason, Obama has decided to hold off on it. He has made that perfectly clear. If the GOP wants to pressure or convince him to change his mind, fine. Go for it. Maybe they can make a more serious offer - like agreeing to let the Bush tax cuts for top earners expire in exchange for going forward with the XL pipeline. Something that Dems want in exchange for something that Repubs want. Adding it to this bill is simply playing politics.

The ONLY reason Obama is delaying the pipeline decision is politics. If he approves it the environmentalists will be pissed, if he doesn't the unions lose jobs. So, he does what he always does, postpones the decision and goes on vacation.

 

[Claudette]

Thats a load of BS Joe.

That pipeline has been vetted for three years. Your a smart guy. How could you buy that flimsy excuse? He's the schmuch who's playing politics. He has to appease his base and the hell with the jobs this pipeline will provide.

Do you think the Canadians will wait till 2013? They can go West with it. The Chinese will buy the oil and the US will be out the jobs.

Whatever the reason, Obama has decided to hold off on it. He has made that perfectly clear. If the GOP wants to pressure or convince him to change his mind, fine. Go for it. Maybe they can make a more serious offer - like agreeing to let the Bush tax cuts for top earners expire in exchange for going forward with the XL pipeline. Something that Dems want in exchange for something that Repubs want. Adding it to this bill is simply playing politics.

The ONLY reason Obama is delaying the pipeline decision is politics. If he approves it the environmentalists will be pissed, if he doesn't the unions lose jobs. So, he does what he always does, postpones the decision and goes on vacation.

Yup. Its pure politics. The environmentalists threatened to withhold their support for 2012 and he is pushing his green bs so there you go.

The fact that Canada will take its pipeline and jobs elsewhere doesn't seem to mean shit to Barry.

Let him use his veto pen. He can then explain why and see if anyone believes him.

 

[J.E.D]

Then the GOP can let taxes go up on the middle class and see if anybody buys their reasoning.

 

[Claudette]

The Bush tax cuts should expire for everyone.

You know as well as I do that people don't mind someone elses taxes going up, just not theirs.

Let em all go up and we'll see what the economy looks like come 2012.

 

[edthecynic]

They should add the pipeline to the bill.

The pipeline has been vetted for three years and is good to go. If Barry holds off on it till 2013 to appease his base the Canadians will head West with it. I'm sure the Chinese would love the oil.

The House should attach the pipeline to the bill. Let Barry Veto it and explain to the jobless why. Smart move on their part.

Good, let the Chinese have the dirty low-grade TAR SAND and dirty up the air the Chinese people have to breathe. The lost Canadian jobs will not be missed here.

 

[J.E.D]

The Bush tax cuts should expire for everyone.

You know as well as I do that people don't mind someone elses taxes going up, just not theirs.

Let em all go up and we'll see what the economy looks like come 2012.

I agree. Let them all expire. The Clinton-era rates were fine for the economy back then. They'd be fine now. It wouldn't kill me and the wealthy could certainly afford it and probably wouldn't even notice. No matter how you feel about Obama or Bush or Dems or Repubs or whatever, the Bush tax cuts have done nothing for job growth.