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

[jefferson_dem]

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

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 as 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."

<SNIP>

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

[denimgirly]

1. I wish this were true...Let them Expire..Sadly Obama will Extend them anyway.

:shrug:

[ProSense]

2. "Says Government Shutdown Will Be Obama's Fault"

Utter GOP nonsense.

[JustAnotherGen]

52. It is nonsense

But IF it happens - they've already started framing the debate. Before it even happened -it's Obama's fault. And the talking heads are going with this meme. We freaking Howard Dean back and FRAMING the conversation and FRAMING this as Vindictive Children who hate Americans.

[LibDemAlways]

3. The party of "no" will say no to everything. Unlike the

Dems, these assholes know how to put up a fight and will follow through on shutting down the government. They've done it before.

If Obama thinks any compromise for the benefit of the American people is possible, he's delusional.

[LiberalArkie]

4. Hell yes, Eliminate earmarks...

[jaxx]

5. And so they begin.

No Eric, it'll be your fault. And the people will hate you.

[Andy823]

6. Yep...

It's all about making sure Obama doesn't get re-elected, and to hell with the people, and to hell with the country! They think this is going to work, but I think it is going to backfire on them! Rand Paul has already said he wants to cut the "MILITARY" budget, something the republicans aren't about to do, so in order to do it he is hoping he can get some democrats to help him out. I think there will be more issues like this one that republicans are not going to be happy about when the "real" tea party members who just got elected start pushing their agenda!

The house can do whatever they want, and what they want is to paint Obama as the one stopping things, I don't think it's going to work as well as they think. Right now it's all about trying to scare the democrats by saying they are going to be "targeted" in 2012 if they don't buckle to the demands of the republicans. They can do it, if they want to and if they don't let the republicans bully them around!

[subterranean]

7. Was there a Democrat on the show to provide fairness and balance?

Didn't think so.

[baldguy]

8. Edit: "Cantor Opposes Tax Cut For 98% Of Americans"

There, fixed it.

[flamingdem]

9. Showdown between Cantor and McConnell n- quien es mas macho? nt

[Phx_Dem]

10. Shut it down, baby! I relish the thought of having the government shut down because

rich people didn't get a tax cut!

Bring it on.

[Cosmocat]

27. Yep ... Have this fight and let the chips fall where they fall ...

they darn well SHOULD have had this battle two months ago ...

[Ikonoklast]

11. No, Cantor you whiny shitweasel, the people will blame YOU.

Please God let the Republicans shut down the government again...if they don't, the Teabaggers will lose their minds, if they do, they lose the House in 2012 in a landslide.


The Republicans are like a dog that chases cars all the time; when they finally catch one, they haven't a clue as to what to do with it.

[BeyondGeography]

12. Call his bluff

It's the only answer.

[sweetapogee]

31. the problem

or shall I say one of the problems we have is that for FY 11 congress hasn't voted on some needed spending bills yet. This should have been done months ago. I think the current congress will be under tremendous pressure to do this before the new congress is seated because there is really no money now and the holidays are coming. And there is still two months to go before the pukes take over as a majority in the House. So, the current congress will have to raise the debt ceiling and the pukes, still in the minority will have a field day with this. This puts the WH at a tremendous disadvantage in spite of the fact the current congress is still a majority of Democrats. I'm of the opinion that the lack of spending authority will come back to haunt the congressional democratic leadership. I would very much like to hear opposing arguments to my opinion on this situation as I perceive it.

So, in my humble opinion, I think there is at least an even chance that the WH and congressional dems will blink of the tax cut issue. They will do this right before the Christmas break, try to slip it under the radar screen. If anyone disagrees with me, consider this: when the pukes shut down the government during President Clinton's time in office, the economy wasn't in the shit can as it is now. I don't think President Obama wants to remind the country of this fact right in the middle of the holiday spending season.

Of course I could be wrong and I hope I am. But I don't know how the democratic congress approves any increase in government borrowing without giving something to the pukes in return. It pains me to say it but I think in the end the WH will get something from the pukes (perhaps a small middle class tax rebate retroactive for this year) to provide cover for extending the current tax rate for all tax payers.

Both sides right now are posturing and positioning, trying to see what message resonates with their respective bases. I don't have a crystal ball but I do try my best to study politics from both perspectives, because I happen to enjoy doing this and this is my best guess, this is what I come up with. But in the end, how it all plays out, we shall see soon enough.

[Ozymanithrax]

13. There is the threat of shutting down the government again.

Imagine they shut down the government,
It's easy if they try,
Stop paying all the military,
And breach their signed contracts.
And all of them choose to leave,
Ending the wars in one day.
Ooooooohhhh ooohhh ooooh oooh
You may say Cantor's a dreamer
But he is really just an ass.
Who doesn't know what he's threatening.
Another member of the ignorant class.

[opihimoimoi]

14. FUCK THIS CANTOR SHIT....OBAMA MUST NOT CAVE>>>TX Cuts for the rich is NUTS

OBAMA must SPINE UP

[Jefferson23]

15. Cantor and his buddies are making themselves perfectly clear Obama.

Call them out and win with facts to support your policies vs therir bullshit...please!!!

[Turbineguy]

16. Now look what you've done!

You made me be mean!

[Ikonoklast]

21. "Stop making me punch you!"

People know a bully when they see one.

Cantor looks exactly like the weasel he is.

[Warren Stupidity]

17. Thug compromise: "do it our way" nt.

[jillan]

18. Now, right this very second, the leaders of the Democratic Party need to take over the messaging.

They need to remind these jerks who is in charge.

We have the Senate and the Whitehouse. We are STILL in the majority.

The longer we let them get away with this, the longer they will have to spin their bullshit.

[Arkana]

19. Then you'll pay for your lack of vision, Mr. Cantor, because if you shut down the government

I GUARANTEE you'll get the blame.

[tularetom]

20. Ever notice his adams apple is almost as big as Ann Coulter's

[global1]

22. Note To Mr. President & The Dems........

Don't cave on this. Just say that the Repugs are denying 98% of Americans a tax cut if they don't go along. It's their fault.

[Mass]

23. Question: Why are we blaming the GOP for doing their jobs. Hoyer and Reid should have done the same

thing in 2006. They did not. (BTW, there will be no earmark reform. Boehner and McConnell are not on board. and clearly, Cantor is wrong on policies, but he does his job. Can we have people on our side who do theirs.).

[unblock]

24. what is there to "work with obama" regarding earmarks? they are a congressional technique, right?

if the house wants to ban earmarks, the house can ban earmarks, and the house will pass no legislation containing earmarks.
they can even decisde to refuse to consider bills the other chamber passes if they contain senatorial earmarks.

they don't need obama's permission for this.


the only thing they would need obama for is if the house want to take all the credit for earmarks but none of the blame, by going ahead and passing legislation with earmarks and then looking to obama to veto it because it has earmarks. a stupid and cynical procedure.

[Jennicut]

25. Shut it down then. Let's see who really gets the blame. Please, Cantor is threatening to see

if Obama will go along with the Rethugs on exactly what they want. Take a playbook from Clinton and let them do it. It did not work out well for Repubs last time, they looked like overreaching idiots. We never got the House back but it did raise Clinton's approval #'s.

[malletgirl02]

36. Cantor is probably counting on people being stupid.

Time will tell if he is right or not.

[EC]

26. Just let them expire then...

those of us on the bottem tiers won't feel that much of a hit anyway...and it'll help the budget to have the $$$ coming in...which should help to avoid a shut-down...

[Diamonique]

28. Fuck the fucking tax cuts. Let them *all* expire! The country needs the $$ anyway. n/t

[opihimoimoi]

29. Yup ..Exactly.....The Nations Purse is in the RED...we need that BREAK BACK...

They had it for 10 years, saved 750 Billion...and they want MORE?

What did we get for the 750 bil lost revenue?

More job losses and less Rev Flow....more Blue tents and dumpster diving...

Such was Bushies tax break to the Rich...

[Vinca]

30. Someone on HuffPo had the perfect solution. Obama should let

all the tax cuts expire, then have a new bill for tax relief for people under $250,000 called the "Obama Tax Cuts for the Middle Class."

[sweetapogee]

39. Vinca

I don't know how to break it to you but true, Obama can write a tax bill, for that matter anyone can write a tax bill. However, any bill up for consideration must be introduced in the House first. We call them "the bush tax cuts" but bush didn't sprinkle his magic pixie tax dust and suddenly it was law.

Now, you tell me, how are the house dems are going to get targeted tax cuts through the house come January?

[Vinca]

40. If the tax cuts don't go through, they start putting the next campaign

commercials in the can: "Republicans voted against tax cuts."

[sweetapogee]

42. one way

or another, tax cuts will go through. There is no silver lining in this issue for dems. We can either get with the program and not earn a negative or we can oppose it and get a big black eye.

[MurrayDelph]

32. Typical abuser attitude

"Look at what you made me do!"

[treestar]

33. What an asshole

No, it will be their fault too.

What's up with them not taking responsibility for their actions?

[proud patriot]

34. I would just like to take this opportunity to say FUCK YOU CANTOR

[and-justice-for-all]

35. Give us what we want or else....?!!!

"Opposes Compromise On Extending Bush Tax Cuts, Says Government Shutdown Will Be Obama's Fault" that is a threat if I have ever heard one.

[pampango]

37. Redux of Gingrich in 1995. Shut down the government and see what happens, repubs.

Talk about blowing whatever "momentum" you thought you had. Ahhh, the beauty of watching teabaggers and the "base" push the institutional repubs into shooting themselves in the foot, just like Newt did back in the day.

[handmade34]

38. business is holding America hostage

the top earners in this country have accumulated more and more wealth, even in these past two years. The top earners do not need a continued tax giveaway and they do not deserve it. Payroll is deductible and will not be taxed. This argument by the Republicans is absurd and we must get the truth out.

[polichick]

41. The blame will go to the one whose message is the most mealy-mouthed. nt

[Cosmocat]

44. This is an all, hold um style, moment ...

This is a pair of aces for the dems, whether these friggen twit wits get it or not, and when you get bullets in Hold Um, you go all in and hope the other person comes in with you ... You may lose, but the odds are so strong in your favor, you go all in and if you lose you go down in flames, but there RARELY a moment when the odds favor you this greatly, and you have to go with it when you have them ...

For the ever loving son of sam, I don't know why the dems didn't have this battle two months ago ...

[JohnnyBoots]

43. It's basically a prevent defense until they get the ball back...nt

[AndrewP]

45. I know 2/3 of the people here dislike President Clinton, but...

one thing he did often was state his case before the public, and also subtlely paint himself as the victim of the Republicans who would't "let him get to work for the American people".

For whatever reason, President Obama seems to be hesitant to play this strategy.

Hell, a lot of people thought President Clinton was full of shit when he would make remarks like that. But most of the people thinking that wouldn't have supported him no matter what he did.

I'd like to see President Obama not worry so much about being disliked. Let's face fact. He could save a child from getting run over on live TV, and 20% of the Nation would immediately want to see his birth certificate. So it's not like you can logically deal with that segment of the population no matter what you do.

[Cosmocat]

48. HE DOES NOT CARE ABOUT BEING "LIKED"

by these idiots ...

For christ sakes would people on our team at the very least not advance simple minded crape like that ...

Sadly, too many people on OUR TEAM don't get the guy, but he is a LOT tougher than that ...

He promised to be be more civil, he is being civil ... He also is taking the long view, I know it is hard to ride it out, but he is playing three dimensional chess, not checkers ...

If you can't give the guy credit for being one smart MFer, and someone VERY patient with forsight, at least don't go to the extreme of somehow marginalizing him as some sad, simple minded twit who just wants to be "liked."

[AndrewP]

50. What a silly lecture

[madamesilverspurs]

46. Cantor

gives narcissistic schmuckism a bad name.

[Cosmocat]

49. ABSOLUTELY ...

For a complete party of people I would not allow myself in the same room with, for fear of wanting to throttle them, he is in the top 5, with Rand Paul being the insurgent to that list ...

[DemocraticPilgrim]

47. Move on should start the ads saying, how the peoples tax dollars shouldn't go to them doing nothing.

To pre-empt any shutdown.

[mstinamotorcity]

51. Personally the repugs

can shut it down if they want to, LET THEM EAT CAKE!!!!!