Grassley says GOP would have extended UI briefly without the tax deal

[Hello_Kitty]

U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said earlier this week that even without a deal on tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, the Senate would have approved at least a brief extension unemployment benefits. The statement will surely add fuel to the fire of criticism being hurled at President Barack Obama by Democratic lawmakers and liberal pundits for his deal with the GOP to extend the Bush-era tax cuts for the richest one percent of Americans in exchange for an extension.

http://iowaindependent.com/48732/grassley-unemployment-extension-would-have-been-possible-without-tax-deal

[Mz Pip]

1. so have Reid bring it up for a vote

I don't see why these two issues need to be put together.

[myrna minx]

2. So why don't they?

[BeyondGeography]

3. Laughable

They are making him look bad now.

Too easy.

[FrenchieCat]

5. So the Republicans are the assholes here, and have been.....

but your concern is that they are making Obama look bad?

Wow? That is easy.

[BeyondGeography]

8. You can't deal with these assholes

The End.

[FrenchieCat]

12. Right....but yet, some want to wait till January on the tax issue,

and then lower the hammer on them.....
like they'll do anything but tell us to go to hell,
exactly like they are telling us now,
and instead of fighting them,
you believe that piling onto our President,
which is soooo much more constructive.
How insightful!

and the extra crazy ass thing is that this is about
taking Grassley to his word to come up with a judgment
on Obama. How Ironic!

[dhill926]

6. most likely their whole point.......

discredit him as a leader........since they have nothing to offer.......

[BeyondGeography]

14. Of course...total game playing

[FrenchieCat]

4. And you believe him because.......?

[emulatorloo]

7. Agreed, He's my Senator, and he is a liar.

He proved during the Healthcare debate that he will say or do anything to further the McConnell Destroy Obama and Democrats agenda

[Hello_Kitty]

11. Did I say I did?

No need to be obnoxious, Frenchie, I just posted a link.

[onenote]

9. and suddenly some DUers believe anything that comes out of a repub's mouth

so long as it fits their narrative.

[TwilightGardener]

15. Falling for the Republican mindfuck.

[KansDem]

10. Sorry, Grassley, but too little too late...

There was no indication whatsoever that the GOP was willing to extend UI "briefly" without the tax deal. Sounds to me like you're trying to CYA because of the firestorm this legislation was causing.

A Google search of "News" shows this:
Unemployment Extension Benefits Without Tax Cuts Was Likely

After weeks of arguing and back and forth deal negotiations, there is word out the unemployment benefits, at least in the short run, were not in danger of lapsing for those Americans who needed it desperately.

A prominent Republican announced Wednesday that he believes that the Senate would have approved at least a short reauthorization of extended unemployment benefits without the tax cuts for the rich.

Quoted Wednesday morning, Iowa Republican Senator Chuck Grassley said, "I think there would have been some accommodation on unemployment anyway, even if you didn't have this tax bill." Grassley made this comment to Iowa reporters on a conference call.

Senator Grassley stated that Republicans would probably have allowed a shorter reauthorization without the tax-cuts deal. Grassley said, "I think it would have been three months," he said. "A Republican measure would have been offset with stimulus money, surplus stimulus money. And if that didn't get 60 votes, then it probably would have been not offset, and it would have been passed on a more partisan basis."

Uh, "Wednesday" was two days ago...

TS, Repub, try lying about something else, like "tax cuts create jobs." You're all good at that one...

[Donnachaidh]

13. Grassley is probably getting a zillion calls, and crapping his underoos

Let's see who voids their bowels next -- the filibuster is working.

[spanone]

16. they are some smarmy fucks, ain't they. i don't believe him.

[walldude]

17. I believe him. Because since about 1 in 5 Americans are

out of work it's his people too on the chopping block. Thing is, they know all they have to do is make threats and the Dems will cave so there is no need for them to worry about having to actually have it come down to a vote. And if it did come down to a vote the Repugs would have taken the Repugs in the bluest districts and had them vote for the extension, this way the general Republican party could say they were against it while it still passed so their constituents got their money. Simple politics.

[Monique1]

18. Actually the republics did say they would extend the unemployment but

for only two months. There is a huge difference between 2 mos and 13 mos

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

19. Not news...

Packaging the tax cuts with UI was dumb (started a thread a few days ago), but many of us have been aware of this since the outset.

...Grassley said there would have been some accommodation on unemployment anyway, “even if you didn’t have this tax bill.”

Sucks, though, when the President is using "hostage taking" rhetoric against his base.

[FarLeftRage]

20. Two words for ASSley...

Bull and shit... typical repuKKKe "woulda, woulda woulda".

[GoCubsGo]

21. He's so full of shit...

...I can smell him from South Carolina.