Eric Cantor Opposes Compromise On Extending Bush Tax Cuts, Says Government Shutdown Will Be Obama's

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Eric Cantor Opposes Compromise On Extending Bush Tax Cuts, Says Government Shutdown Will Be Obama's Fault

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/07/eric-cantor-compromise-tax-cuts-obama_n_780029.html

WASHINGTON -- Just as Senate Minority Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has attempted to lower expectations in recent days by saying that Republicans can't really accomplish anything unless President Obama is voted out of office in 2012, so too did Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.) set the stage on Sunday by declaring that any lack of progress in Congress -- including a possible government shutdown -- will be Obama's fault.

"I would say, Chris, it's as much his responsibility," said Cantor in response to a question from Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace about who will be to blame for a government shutdown or a default on the debt. "In fact, he is the one who sets the agenda as the chief executive and as the president of this country."

Cantor also made clear that if there's going to be any compromise, it's going to have to come from Obama, who has said he is willing to work with Republicans. Cantor, however, said that Republicans will work with Obama only if he agrees with them 100 percent.

"Listen, are we willing to work with him?" said Cantor on Sunday. "First and foremost, we're not going to be willing to work with him on the expansive liberal agenda he's been about, but if he is serious about working with us on things like earmarks, for instance -- which he said he would work with me on that -- I'm absolutely hopeful we can do that. I hope he calls Harry Reid the first thing to get the Senate to go along with the House position."

[glinda]

1. on record

[City Lights]

2. They oppose compromise on anything and everything. Nothing new here.

:nuke:

[Amerigo Vespucci]

4. True, so the question becomes "Why is the "c" word still in Obama's vocabulary?"

He still keeps talking about "working with" the Republicans and they say "Sure, we'll work with him as long as he does what he's told."

I assume he knows it.

So that becomes the "WTF" moment at Obama's mid-point.

[City Lights]

22. I can't answer your question.

I have no idea why he still thinks he'll be able to have an open and honest debate with ReTHUGlicans. :shurug: They have one goal, which is ousting him in 2012.

[elleng]

3. Logic was clearly not one of his fortes!

ONE of the awful things about the elections = having to hear from HIM! boner is bad enough!

[Hawkeye-X]

5. No Eric. You will follow the way of Newt

as you attempt to do something incredibly stupid and every Republicans who voted for you will be preparing to throw you out in 2012, safe or not.

[calimary]

6. That's one thing that REALLY bites: that this smarmy egotistical weasel eric cantor

now has a larger megaphone than ever. He's gonna be all over the place because he fancies himself being the first Jewish president, and he figures he's now got a once-in-a-lifetime springboard to it. We're going to see him all over the airwaves like the cheapest of cheap suits. Nauseating!

[somone]

7. Unfortunately, Obama will blink

Wouldn't be prudent to upset Republicans, ya know

[BlueCaliDem]

8. Dear god, may you be wrong. eom

[gkhouston]

33. Actually, I don't think he will, and the Republican howling will be entertaining. n/t

[BlueCaliDem]

9. This is ridiculous! It's like punching someone in the face

and blaming them for being in the path of their hurled fist.

But it's clear Cantor is setting up the narrative, and Corporate Media is graciously helping him.

Where is President Obama? Where are his surrogates? They should be all over this, pointing out the obvious, and not wait until this false narrative takes hold in the minds of the clueless, gullible American people!

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. There was NO dem on the shows this morning

and media will keep it this way.

Oh there was one... token Clyburn.

[BlueCaliDem]

13. I've noticed, that's why I didn't tune in.

Corporate media is tickled pink with the Republican't win last Tuesday. Now they don't even have to pretend to be our dead fourth estate.

This disgusts me.

President Obama needs to snatch the bullhorn NOW.

[AC_Mem]

24. Today I have tuned out

All the news shows I usually watch on Sundays. If the media is not going to give Democrats equal time as FoxGOP, I will continue to watch my dvd's.

It's been fun. I have Keith Urban's concert on DVD going right now - OUTSTANDING!!

:)

[nadinbrzezinski]

10. I say let him

but Obama will blink...

Furthering the image of Democrats as wimps...

And I will say it,, the leadership, THEY ARE WIMPS.

Sorry I will no longer sugar coat this... images do not become reality just because... and if anybody does not like it... well get the leadership to START behaving differently...

[4dsc]

11. Republicans are fiscally irresponsible..

Please spread the word.

[mstinamotorcity]

14. Oh there will be only one

compromise. Us into poverty for decades to come.

[Make7]

15. Seems somewhat contradictory...

 

"... he is the one who sets the agenda as the chief executive and as the president of this country."

   <-snip->

"... we're not going to be willing to work with him on the expansive liberal agenda he's been about..."

So basically he's saying it's President Obama's fault that the Republicans will be blocking the agenda of the person who is supposed to be setting the agenda. Huh?
 

[Kalyke]

16. I thought the last word was going to be, "Waterloo."

LOL.

[Bitwit1234]

17. Did you expect them to not to continue to be the party

of NO ...nothing doing, nada, zilch...except that is for tax break for the corporations and any thing and everything to improve the money intake for the rich and corporations.

[opihimoimoi]

18. Was he too young to remember Newt....who tried the shutdown thingy?? Whad is wrong wid his brain?

Drinking in the Rain much?

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

19. Anyone taking bets on which side caves?

I'm betting on the Dems and hoping I lose.

[Zen Democrat]

20. What's to compromise? The tax cuts will EXPIRE at the end of the year.

The ball is in their court for compromise. The Democrats have no reason for one. Let them all expire on January 1. Then in the SOTU address in February Obama can call for emergency tax cuts for the middle class -- and dare the Republicans to oppose it.

At this point, we need do nothing but hide and watch the fun.

[sabrina 1]

21. Starting from compromise again. And as always it fails

He should have said clearly, 'these tax cuts have to go because they have cost this country trillions of dollars and jobs. Now, I'm ready for a fight on this. Your anti-middle class, pro-corporate policies got us into this mess. Fight me all you want, but the American people are on my side, we'll see whose side you are on'.

But once again, we start off by compromising with people whose job is to protect corporate profits. Did he not know this?

So many old saysings come to mind when I see this kind of attempt to negotiate with rightwingers and you know no matter how much you give in, they will always want more. So you may as go for broke from the start once you know who you are dealing with.

you may as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb An old saying about stealing to feed your family during times when people were hung for doing so. So make it worthwhile.

Aim for the stars, you might hit a tree

[TomCADem]

23. Of Course, The Corporate Media Will Give Republicans A Free Pass...

...The only question is whether progressives also do so?

[highplainsdem]

25. Yeah, that worked so well for Gingrich.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_federal_government_shutdown_of_1995

[MiniMe]

26. That is not compromise, with 1 of the 3 leaderships under their belt (the house)

it is bend to my will but I won't give you anything. And make the Senate bend to our will too. They can shove it where the sun don't shine. Gingrich got blames last time, as he should have, the repukes will get blamed this time.

[Dragonfli]

27. Obama will use this as cover to cave in, it is a reliable pattern

I say cover because it is exactly that, It is evident by how he governs that he does not really want to oppose the GOP, the wealthy, the bankers, the oil and gas industry, the insurance companies or the union busters.

He usually finds the cover and rhetoric he needs in order to appear as a Democrat might.

His patterns are getting so obvious that only teen idol worship blinds anyone any more.

[Samantha]

28. And why is Cantor's threat not homegrown political financial terrorism

He threatened to shut the government down and blame the President. The impact of disabling the U.S. Government would put it in default on its debts and cause an instant depression not just here but around the world. This has been repeated more than once in the MSM, and I believe it is a correct statement.

We have expanded our definition of terrorism to include those who commit cyber crimes involving hacking into governmental databases. Seems to me that threatening to take down the U.S. Government through whatever venue should be considered a threat intended to terrorize the citizens of this Country. But people seem to feel free to do this so is it the case that simply making a threat such as this is totally permissible and legal? I would really like to know.

Sam

[Dragonfli]

29. You're silly, only peace activists and Muslims are terrorists, Cantor is a patriot doncha know.

[Samantha]

36. Excuse me, what was I thinking ... - n/t

[ProgressiveEconomist]

32. Not just shut the govt down, but force Treasury to DEFAULT on bond interest, ruining CREDIT

itself for all the borrowing that would be necessary to pay for past and future dsiproporitonate tax giveaways for the very wealthy.

[deacon]

30. Somebody change this guys diaper. n/t

[the redcoat]

31. Ah, the beauty of doublethink. nt

[ProgressiveEconomist]

34. Did you hear Cantor also REDEFINE "tax cut extension"? If Ds extend tax breaks for

ANYONE during the lame-duck session, that would not be a "tax cut", just "continuing current law". But if Democrats DON'T extend tax breaks for the wealthy set by Dubya a decade ago to expire on New Year's Eve, that would be a "TAX INCREASE".

You've got to give Republicans credit for audacity--not only are they willing to rewrite history (Herbert Hoover was right about the Great Depression--"FDR made it deeper and longer")--they're willing to rewrite the DICTIONARY.

And very few media "interviewers" dare even QUESTION them on such Orwellian inversions.

[spanone]

35. eric, eric, eric, you get a little power back and it goes right to your head..nature abhors a vacuum