The House has not done its part. Pass a bill with no tax increases and $1 trillion dollars in cuts for 2013 and send it over to the Senate.

I like the way #1 thinks!

#1 you´re being rational, there´s no place for that when you´re going over the fiscal cliff. This is more of the juvenile DC Kabuki dance before the inevitable compromise which raises taxes and cuts defense. Enjoy your debt ceiling raise and the downgrade.

Republicans need new leadership and fast

Maybe the "low information voter" would understand cutting one penny from every federal budget dollar...

Did the scales fall from the orange ones eyes yet? Barry wants to " kill " the opposition.. Not play " make a deal",

Every one is under the impression that on Jan. 1st. the tax rate cuts will disappear because the House has failed to pass a tax rate protection bill and this is simply not true. Boehner didn´t have to do a thing after the election except take care of the sequestering problem which the House did, and maybe take up unemployment benefits and the FICA tax reduction extensions. If Boehner had had a spine he could have said that it didn´t matter what Obama wanted because the House had already passed the Bush tax rate cut extension for everyone and sent the bill to the Senate where it has been languishing since August along with 39 other assorted jobs creating bills. The ball would have been squarely in the democrats court. The House could then have started the process of proposing and voting on spending cuts and sending them over to the Senate where Harry Reid would have to explain why he wasn´t allowing the Senate to vote on any spending cuts.

Job Protection and Recession Prevention Act of 2012 (Summary)

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d112:HR00008:@@@D&summ2=m&

Title I: Job Protection and Recession Prevention Act - Job Protection and Recession Prevention Act of 2012 - (Sec. 102) Extends through 2013: (1) the tax rate reductions and other tax benefits of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001, and (2) the reduction in the tax rates for dividend and capital gain income enacted by the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003.

Roll Call Vote

H.R.8 passed the House 256 Yeas 171 Nays - 19 democrats voted for it.

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2012/roll545.xml

For years the dims have parroted the canard that the tax 1993 tax rates signed into law by St. Willy the Lecher led to long-term prosperity anc budget surpluses. It has been an article of faith since the current rates were signed into law that the government has been deprived of almost a trillion dollars in revenue. NOW the dims don´t want to return to those halcyon days of prosperity and budget surpluses? Actually deep down in their black little hearts they fervently believe that EVERYBODY´S rates should be at least 50% higher.

I actually feel sorry for Boehner at times because he works in an environment called Washington DC where everything is upside down and those elected think they are some sort of privileged class who are immune to the very laws they pass, and they are to a great extent.

I felt during the last election that the money spent on getting Romney and Ryan elected would have better been spent to win back control of the Senate and bolster the House majority. Where are Ryan and Romney during the present ongoing battles to preserve the Republic. AWOL it seems along with House leadership.

Never play poker with a cheater. Apparently Boehner still thinks that Obama cares about the welfare of America. We need Ryan.

The current WH occupant negotiates like yasir Arafat.

I wish the republicans would start making statements like.... It is clear that obama is irrelevant in the governing of the USA....he is perpetually awol when important things are happening. Perhaps our negotiations would go better if we could negotiate with the person actually running this country.
They might also mention that with the fiscal cliff looming (as the democrats and media like to say)WHY is the potus on vacation, again, golfing, again, and not attending to his job? Seems like obama doesn´t really care about the people of the USA.
I guess only dems get to throw verbal bombs.

This morning we learn that Obama threatened Boehner, telling him he would use his inaugural speech to blame Republicans for going over the cliff.

This public flogging of Republicans is for the purpose of destroying the party. Boehner tried to do what you suggest, pass Plan B, but the tea partiers defeated that strategy.

Boehner hardly needs you guys calling him weak. When you read today´s news you will see what he has been up against.

Boe

Its hard to get lost on a straight road. No bill that raises taxes should have ever been introduced by Republicans.

Good grief - no excuses. Do right, even when no one else is doing it.

It is clear that many posters here have real solutions to the crisis facing us. I believe the present leadership in both parties is not up to the job. One party is out to destroy the country and eliminate the middle class and the other is content in letting it happen because it will not effect them. Unfortunately, good people will suffer because our leaders are weak and self-indulgent. When Republicans talk about tax cuts for everyone they should promise to put an end to the crony capitalism that runs rampant in DC. Point out the hypocrisy of the democrat party which is bought by big business. Of course, that would be difficult to do if they are as guilty as the dems. We need an end to corruption.

We need an end to delusion. How nice it would be if it could be done.

Right, #1, Boehner et al have done it again -- accepted the premise that taxes should go up without the Prez first deeply cutting spending. O claims he´s already cut a trillion in spending. Exactly where are those cuts other than in the military, the one place that should NOT be cut?

“In the next few days, I’ve asked leaders of Congress to work towards a package that prevents a tax hike on middle class Americans,[you lie] protects unemployment insurance for two million Americans [more pay for votes], and lays the groundwork for further work on both growth and deficit reduction,” he said.

It´s ridiculous to believe that O wants to "prevent a tax hike on the middle class" when everything he does accomplishes the opposite result. He wants every tax hike he can get.

As for "laying the groundwork for for further work on both growth and deficit reduction", O hasn´t done anything toward doing either. He could accomplish growth by removing regulations and paperwork for those wanting in invent, start new businesses, buy houses and he could cut taxes across the board immediately. He won´t, but to tell people he wants to belies everything he has done toward accomploshing the opposite.

Deficit reduction, ditto. He´s proposed nothing that hasn´t already failed at least once.

So he is leaving it all up to the House, as though he has nothing to do with procuring success. He´s been POTUS 4 years and is pretending he just now stepped into the White House to begin work. The perception, unfortunately, is accepted by the MSM and "low information voters" (the dunces).

“That’s an achievable goal.”

Not with you in office, pal.

Ditto #1.....

Get er done....

LZK

Why have we let them refer to the tax rates of the last decade as "the Bush Tax cuts" and now NOT refer to the prior rates as the "Clinton Tax rates". Boehner and Associates just seem to miss out on so many details.

It doesn´t matter what Barcky does or doesn´t do. It what he SAYS he´s doing that will be given credibility and publicity. And the more ´stern dad´ he puts into his voice, the more Boehner´s naturally deep voice sounds shrill and squeaky.

We are not approaching a fiscal cliff ... as Louie Gohmert said Friday on Mark Levin´s show, we have BEEN over the fiscal cliff since TARP, and we´re now just bouncing down from ledge to ledge. Hopefully, we can catch ourselves on one of these ledges before we splat, and begin our climb back up. But each bounce weakens us, until some of us actually wish we´d hit bottom already.... we either survive to heal and climb out, or we don´t, and we find out whether we´re actually the strong stuff we thought we were made of.

I give Boehner credit for trying, I suppose. But the more he tries, the more desperate and whiny he comes across. He doesn´t seem able to articulate even RINO positions, much less conservative ones. Imagine the charm offensive Ronald Reagan would be taking, DID TAKE!, long before this point.

Steel your spines, Republican House. Cut tax rates for the bottom 3, leave the top 2 alone, and send it to the Senate. Go on every TV and radio show you can, and believe in your positions! Only then can you communicate effectively with those who would rather shove hot iron spikes in your eyes.

Obama continues to make a mess of the country and the economy while condescendingly lecturing Congress about their obligations to the people who sent them there. Meanwhile Boehner falls on his sword for Obama with his own Party after secretly negotiating another business killing tax hike. The voters who are a tiny bit po´d by this endless egocentric self- serving daily theater in Washington are referred to as ´chuckle heads´ by one of our ´esteemed´ congressmen. Indeed.

It amazes me that Boehner STILL doesn´t get it. This Country is almost evenly split between two philosophies that are 180 degrees out of joint. Yes, the fiscal cliff is really bad news but it will not be fixed by giving dems more money now for promise of cuts later. Those cuts will NEVER happen and any sane person knows it. More spending will just make things worse, which every REAL Conservative knows.

BO doesn´t have to do ANYTHING and he knows it. The Bush-era tax cuts, which he hates, will soon be gone. Rates on the rich will go up. As for rates on the rest of us, well, no omelets without breaking some eggs. Let´s be real here, BO really doesn´t care that everyones taxes go up. And politically he can blame it on the Republicans.

The Republicans should simply point out that the Country reelected BO to lead, so lead! What are his plans? Where is his proposed law with sponsors? Nada.

Republicans cannot fix this with a president who has no understanding of basic economics and has an agenda and the enormous ego to pursue it in the face of ANY opposition. The voters foolishly put him there again. Maybe the Country needs shock therapy.

It´s coming.

If the election has taught us anything, it is this: The truth is irrelevant. What´s reported is all that counts. No matter what happens in the next few days, conservatives now live in a lose-lose world. After the State of the Union and going forward, Obama will find himself heralded (strike that)Obama will herald himself as the greatest tax cutter of all time.

Boehner is worse than useless, he is destructive. If he had a brain (and a heart) he would have abandoned the "fiscal cliff" metaphor and created a bill to slash spending. Even if he does nothing, at least the debt limit will not go up and the Capital Hill goofs will be able to spend only the money they get from the tax payers and as allocated by the House. And why should they be allowed to spend more than they get? And why should they be allowed to spend more and more every year in an effort to enhance their power?

We will have to fall from Obama´s cliff to see what is at the bottom of it. January´s massive tax increases and deep defense spending cuts are not the bottom; they are merely the public´s first opportunity to scream during the fall. More screaming will follow.

My dear Lucianne.com members: I am going to repeat myself - see post #7. As far as the Bush tax rate cuts are concerned, Boehner and the Republicans don´t have to do a thing. The passage of H.R.8 took care of the across the board tax increases on everyone. After Christmas all Boehner has to do is to remind the public and the Senate of this bill then start proposing and passing bills dealing with unemployment, FICA, and huge spending cuts.

Here is what Robert Bluey of the Heritage Foundation had to say in his December 21 article Morning Bell: Conservatives Stand Their Ground:

FTA: It didn’t have to come to this. Nearly five months ago, on August 1, the House of Representatives voted to prevent a tax hike on all Americans. The measure passed on a 256-to-171 vote, winning the support of 19 Democrats.

Boehner, who oversaw passage of Republican-drafted budgets in 2011 and 2012, was right to place blame on the Senate for failing to act:

Boehner: Now it is up to the president to work with Senator Reid on legislation to avert the fiscal cliff. The House has already passed legislation to stop all of the January 1 tax rate increases and replace the sequester with responsible spending cuts that will begin to address our nation’s crippling debt. The Senate must now act.

http://blog.heritage.org/2012/12/21/morning-bell-conservatives-stand-their-ground/

Boehner and the House should pass another tax CUT bill, lowering the tax rates on the middle class and send THAT to the Senate. Have the Senate votes against tax cuts. Let them also pass a bill to cut spending levels, dividing the cuts into various bills. Why does Boehner fall into Obama´s thinking of not being able to do anything unless it is all in one huge bill? Split it up into small bills, and let´s see exactly which issues the Dems will vote against.

I´m with you, #1. in reality, no chance this will happen because the pubs should have taken this stance at the very beginning. It´s helpful to read Dave Wiedemer´s writing and get a copy of Aftershock to read so one can get a longer-range view of what is in store. Pretty grim picture. Start protecting your wealth now.

Boehner and his fellow cowards are looking for ways to cave. Boehner even said that the ´Rats won the election so he and his fellow Republicans should fall in line - he just didn´t use my words in saying this. The cowards live in dread fear of the DNC media. No one who is afraid of the DNC media should enter politics as a Republican, and it would certainly be great if they didn´t enter as Rinos either. Tell me Mr. Boehner, what is wrong with standing up for principles? Unless, of course, you do not have any. Cut back all expenditures that are not federally constitutional. That would leave only defence untouched.

I am so tired of spineless leadership on the Republican party. Where is our "Mitch Rapp".

Boehner has to go. Republicans need leadership; he is no leader.

Boehner played along with the class warfare meme by arbitrarily taxing those that make over a million dollars. Is it too much to ask of our leaders that they at least do some math to justify their plan? No, I guess doing the math is not cool.

Perhaps he will not be the only one surprised. Under the 20th Amendment the House must determine if the President--elect is qualified to hold office.

The qualifications are housed in Article II, Section 1. He must be at least 225 years old to qualify, as he carries duel British citizenship. His father was born in British territory, and his children, regardless of where they are born, as also British citizens. With his experience he could become the next British Prime Minister.

A simple majority of the House can disqualify him.

As explained well by #13 and several others, John is doing the right thing, might be helpful to read and understand before writing such nonsense and trashing Boehner. Anyone that voted for bammy is to blame for taxes and spending.

Obammy vacations in Hawaii while Auntie Africa freezes in public housing. Half brother couldn´t be reached for comment.

I don´t think Zippy much cares what you think, Representative Boehner, and it´s pretty pathetic of you not to realize that.

If you can´t work up the guts to get his attention pretty quick, you will be dumped.

#7 has said it well. The appropriate bill has been written and passed by the house, and the ball is squarely in Harry Reid’s court. The president has no voice in this until the Senate sends him the bill. The public needs to put the heat on Reid to stop breaking the law by refusing to present a budget, and to act on the backlog of duly passed House bills that he won’t allow to come to the Senate floor.

#6 nails it. Barry brings a bazooka to kill Republicans. Boehner fires back with a pea shooter.

New leadership would be a welcome change. Ryan would be a good choice. Boehner was completely silent during the electoral campaign. The Speaker has to lead the Republican Party though the difficult Hussein years.

The masses of low information voters who support Obama want the government to take your money away from you, and to give it to them. They eagerly will step forward and tell you that your taxes should be increased as they pay little or no taxes themselves.

To them it is a matter of "social justice" fairness, and equality. The fact that such socialist nonsense has never worked anywhere in the past is of no consequence to them, as remember, they are and aways will be low information voters.

@#9: Where is Romney, you ask? He is currently enjoying the best revenge possible. It`s called `living well`.

Americans had their chance to rid themselves of the scourge that is Obama. Now we are stuck. Romney doesn`t owe anyone anything.

I don’t understand much about this fiscal cliff stuff. What #1 said makes sense to me.

I think it would be a mistake to let the Dims characterize Boehner the exact same way they got out in front and characterized Romney. Don´t give them this say in the matter.

The Republicans have stated that they passed bills that would have solved the fiscal cliff problems and sent them to the Senate, where Reid wouldn´t allow the bills to be brought to the floor for discussion. Obama´s lap dog media wouldn´t relay that information to the public.

#15 is insightful. The moment makes the man.
Sadly the R man of the moment is Boner.
And posters wonder why the GOP is treated w/contempt. Obama had an effective unemployment rate > 16% and Romney couldn´t win a single contested state. The likes of Boner and Romney define the GOP; nothing but a carcass in need of burial.

Speaker Boehner must learn that negotiating with a Marxist is impossible. First, submit a well-reasoned proposal and then go on vacation.

Is the First Freeloader, Granny Robinson, also enjoying the fruits of America´s labor on this trip. I´ve never seen a lesser work ethic than that displayed by Barack Davis (son of Frank Marshall Davis)! If he would work only as much as he golfs, there would be no fiscal cliff...

Chalk this up as a round for Obama. He positioned himself well after the last debt ceiling debate so his distructive policies continue. The cry baby should understand that he will never get votes from the Obama phone lady etc and stand with the tea part who put him where he is. Stop dissing them and pulling their people off committees and saying there is no substantial tea party presence in the house. They and everyone is Taxed Enough Already TEA - get it. Spending is the problem - get it. Spending makes Obama more powerful - get it. You have the purse strings in the house. You got elected as Obama just lectured you to represent your voters. Stand tall in the coming debt ceiling debate and do not raise it at all forcing Obama to live within current income. Just remind the population that if the interest rates went up even a little it would easily take ALL the current income just to make debt payments with no discretionary spending, No entitlements, No defence. Nothing else! A death spiral for the economy and the currency. Leadership is scary just do it and you could still be the hero!

# 13 , # 35 Amen.
The chorus of RINO Boehner should do this and Bonehead Boehner should say this-led by Limbaugh , Hannity and the rest -ignores reality.
Boehner is trying to negotiate from a lousy position-thanks to this past election.
And his lousy position has now been weakened by the rebellion led by Joe Walsh and Ron Paul , both of whom will be gone in January.
Republicans lost seats in both the House and the Senate and of course, the Presidency.
17 seats in the House are all the Dems need in 2014
to regain control.
The Republican / conservative brand is becoming less popular by the day thanks to the public tantrums by the far right which delight the Democrats and the media.
The left is smart enough to keep their disputes private and savvy enough to publicly rally behind their leaders.
Boehner is in a thankless position , he gets pummeled from the left and the far right.
The public chest beating and constant rage by the Tea Party and the far right has accomplished nothing.
Zip , zero, nada.
If loudmouth millionaires like Limbaugh and Hannity and Levin
think they can do a better job, they should get off their lazy posteriors and run for office.

Boehner is riding herd on a pack of cats. I do not envy his position.

Seriously, one of the main reasons Obama won re-election was because the Dems worked harder. Same thing happened in 2008. The Republicans have not fixed that yet?

I wonder if there is a certain faction in the Republican party that is more comfortable with a liberal socialist democrat rather than a conservative republican.

Far too many politicians, bureaucrats, and voters more concerned with personal wealth and power rather than protecting this country.

Obama and the Dems are in charge for now. Perhaps the Republicans need a divorce.

Poster #50: Boehner is trying to negotiate from a lousy position-thanks to this past election.

Was Tip O´Neill in a "lousy position" when Reagan was re-elected and the Dims had a majority in the House??

Yet he went to see Reagan and said, "You are the President, use your mandate and act presidential; we control the House and the budget, we will use our mandate and the power we have.

This so called man of the people president has no intentions to bargain in good faith! Everything will be demagogue no mater what the issue! That´s the MO of a Marx´st! His way or the highway! Socialism will always bring ever thing to the LOWEST common denominator! All socialist systems get to a point that a slave labor force is required because it comes down to the fact that somebody has to do the work! History proves it!

#7 Is correct. Boehner has been negotiating with Obama´s sycophants in the media. The GOP won on the merits and now seems determined to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

Agree with #50 almost entirely.

Here´s the thing, do we ever hear of splits in the ranks, factionalism, intra-party fighting or power struggles or anything of the sort coming from the Dem/Lefties?

The Dem/Lefties under BO emulate pooh-bah Lenin´s "anti-factionalism" and enforcing Party discipline with an "iron fist."

What do we hear from the Dem/Leftie media? attacks ONLY on Repubs/Conservatives and continued demonization of the TEA Partiers (--the only group on the conservative side which had, HAD, demonstrated vigor and fearlessness, but which has now shrunk into the background after constant attacks from the Left and virtually NO support from Repubs).

ALL the while the Dem/Lefties never ever criticize, or tolerate criticism or the truth about BO or the Dem/Lefties, or anything else for that matter. This sort of united front has proven very difficult to penetrate ESPECIALLY when the opposition is so fractured and prone to in-fighting... and airing "dirty laundry" in public.

I turn the radio off. I change the channel.

We need to encourage as well as exhort Repubs as the only other Party to which we can repair for a chance that we can rescue this Constitutional Republic from this devious and noxious potus and his cohorts in government and media.

How much will this vacation cost the American Taxpayers during this fabricated Fiscal Cliff Nonsense? I am no fan of Boehner, however I am not willing to give Obama a pass either, if this is so important, what is he doing in Hawaii? Where is the leadership that this country expects from its leaders? Leading from behind is NOT leadership! It is like an episode from the "Twilight Zone", very surreal!

Folks you can say what you want?

This is a new day?

When you ride a roller coaster - You stick your hands up and scream your head off as it goes over.

The Republican should play hard ball and refuse to ratify the vote of the Electoral College because of the numerous instances of voter fraud in swing states.

JUST DO IT! CALL 0´s BLUFF!

Quite frankly, the "bitter clingers" are prepared for the civil unrest which would follow.

Boehner has miscalculated the creature on every aspect of their relationship. Boehern, like Chamberlain, is probably a decient, caring, patriotic man, willing to work the "gentleman´s" structure of high relationships, believing in honesty, integrity, reputation and self respect. Øbama, like Hitler, is incomplete denial of those high level human relationship attributes. Boehner, like Chamberlain, is stunned and stymied by the "other guy´s" refusal to give a scatological sample about those high ideals. As a result, the "bad boy" will win every negotiation and make the opponent, like Boehner, or Chamberlian, look like a childish, naive fool.