Thursday, December 22, 2011

Republicans Prove You Can't Fool All Of The People, All Of The Time

So here we are 3 days from the Christmas holiday, and once again Republicans have walked out on the American people, and the middle class. We've seen this movie before time and time again. This summer during the debt crisis, Republicans walked out. The Presidents jobs bill, Republicans walked out. Now 9 days before years end, and a tax increase looming for 160 Million Americans, the Republicans have walked out again. Once again House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) looks like a horses ass because he seems united with Senate leaders on a deal, and then the Tea Party people pull the rug out from under him. He has no control over his own Republican Caucus, which has once again put the Speaker in a tough spot. The latest softball Republicans have turned into a pumpkin, is the payroll tax extension, and unemployment benefits extension, but to be fair lets start at the beginning.

Just 2 weeks ago House Republicans didn't want a payroll tax extension. In fact, they passed a bill that was riddled with items they knew Democrats wouldn't accept. Finally, the Senate works out a bill that passes 89-10 to extend the payroll tax cut and unemployment insurance into the new year, but House Republicans balked. Why? Because the payroll tax cut is working. Unemployment is under 9% and economic growth is weak, but steady, and they know passing this bill will help Obama, and the economy. They have put all their chips into the theory that if you sink the ship, the captain (Obama) will go down with it. They could care less about the middle class, all they want is to get Obama out of the White House, the people and the country be damned. They are so wrapped up in their principles, they have lost the ability to govern, and forgotten what they do should be for the people.

So John Boehner sits at a big table and says lets have a conference committee to iron out the details. When 90% of the Senate and %80 of Senate Republicans already approved this bill, it shouldn't need a conference committee. You can't get this Congress to agree the sky is blue with %90, let alone a tax cut. Republicans are always screaming for tax cuts, whats the problems here? These cuts don't help their constituency, corporations, big business, and the rich. These tax cuts are for working people in the middle class, so they could care less how this effects the country. Well the House Republicans aren't fooling anybody this time, the people are tired of the political games and brinkmanship, they want action. Is it any wonder Congressional approval is at 11%, the lowest ever! Oh by the way, the 8 people Boehner picked to compromise this bill in committee ALL VOTED AGAINST IT ORIGINALLY.

So if your a family making $50,000 a year, $40 a week EXTRA is coming out of your paycheck every 2 weeks starting January 1st. We get the shaft, and the Republicans have their principals. So during this holiday season, remember who gave you the gift of hardship, during already hard times, your friends the Republicans. A gift that will give the whole year through, just remember you can return the favor next November when you can send all these principled Republicans packing.