Boehner lays down a marker on taxes
Washington (CNN) - Shortly after multiple networks projected that Republicans would retain control of the House, Speaker John Boehner took to the stage with a message that looked ahead to the battle over the fiscal cliff - the GOP isn't budging on taxes.
"With this vote, the American people have also made clear that there is no mandate for raising tax rates," Boehner told supporters at the Ronald Reagan building in Washington.
CNN reported Tuesday night that it was mathematically impossible for the GOP to win back control of the Senate, while President Barack Obama won re-election to a second term.
Congress returns next week for the lame duck session. It faces major decisions about how it will head off the series of automatic spending cuts that are set to go into effect at the beginning of next year, and the Bush era tax cuts that are due to expire at the end of December.
From CNN Politics
- Republicans' views of the US have become more pessimistic, polling shows
- 10 Cards Charging 0% Interest Until 2024
- Trump and E. Jean Carroll agree to combine rape defamation trials
- Untitled
- Jason Sudeikis and 'Ted Lasso' cast will meet with Biden for mental health discussion
- Trump shadow looms large over House GOP policy retreat
what your not saying is the country is divided into 2 camps, republicans and democrats, obama is the one that did not want to play with the republicans. lets see what obama will cross over to meet with the republicans. I seriously doubt it. lets see if he will fix the mess the last president got us into, OH Yah that would be Obama !!!! who will he blame this time. i hope he doesnt say Bush again. I just cant believe the American public voted him in again, with the crappy job he did the last 4 years.
Mr. Speaker, you say that, "with this vote, the American people have also made clear that there is no mandate for raising tax rates." Exit polling says that voters expressed the following views on overall taxes:
45% – Raise taxes on those making over $250,000
15% – Raise taxes on all Americans
30% – Keep taxes where they are
This is EXACTLY a mandate for raising taxes. Mr. Boehner is literally ignoring the will of the American people.
This is not the time for doubling down on your insane economic policies, Mr. Boehner. This is the time to be an adult, and get over yourself, and get on with the business of fixing the damage your party has done to this country's economy. I have a new word for your vocabulary: "Compromise". Your party got even less of a mandate, losing ground in the Senate in addition to losing the presidential race. It's time to tell your Tea Partiers to grow up and get on with life, and for you to behave like a statesman rather than a spoiled brat.
"With this vote, the American people have also made clear that there is no mandate for raising tax rates," Boehner told supporters"
Ugh! I am so sick of this line. What he really means is that his wealthy puppeteers don't want to pay the same percentage we peasants pay. While we know that a moderate tax hike on the wealthy will not be a panacea for all our economic woes, I want to see the mega wealthy pay the same percentage as a teacher earning 45,000 a year.
Boehner is so incredibly short sighted. If he thinks that stonewalling as usual is going to result in success not only for the economy, but for Republicans in the mid-term elections, he's crazy.
This is a defeat not just for the GOP but for FOX, the rabid hating institution whose contributors work full time bringing up issues that would bring dirt on the President of the United States. Carl Grove and FOX have already set the tone for another four years of stirring the right to oppose whatever Obama is going to offer and continuing the promote obstructionism at all cost. FOX has been the most destructive institution in the history of the US and Romney's defeat is
FOX defeat. And wounded animals get more aggressive and dangerous. FOX will continue to offer a podium to any party that oppose Obama, 24/7 and 12/12. FOX is America No. One enemy, not world terrorism.
This is a defeat not just for the GOP but for FOX, the rabid hating institution whose contributors work full time bringing up issues that would bring dirt on the President of the United States. Carl Grove and FOX have already set the tone for another four years of
stirring the right to oppose whatever Obama is going to offer and
continuing the promote obstructionism at all cost. FOX has been the most
destructive institution in the history of the US and Romney's defeat is
FOX defeat. And wounded animals get more aggressive and dangerous. FOX
will continue to offer a podium to any party that oppose Obama, 24/7 and
12/12. FOX is America No. One enemy, not world terrorism.
Mr Boehner, get the drift??? Your party is out of touch and lst big time tonight. Get it in your head – you are working for the American People not for the GOP.... So step up o the plate and start working with the Democrats and get that miserable smirk off your face. No one wants to see it any more so move on and get the work done.....
Take it to the cliff and push it off. There are thousands upon thousands of Americans who will not work for a communist. Divided we fell and together we will burn.
Mr Boehner, you don't represent me. Your constituents are from a small part of Ohio.
If you read the subtext, I believe Boehner is providing himself political cover. There is a strong possibility that a deal can be done without raising tax "rates". In fact, if you eliminated the ridiculous number of loopholes in the individual income tax code, and reduced corporate tax rates while simultaneously redefining how taxable earnings are calculated, you could make a huge dent in the deficit without increasing marginal "rates". He is trying to appear hardline while giving himself an escape.
President Obama does not need anything from John Boehner. The republicans need President Obama and not the other way around. The increase in tax revenue by letting the Bush tax cuts expire and the spending cuts to defense and Medicare will happen automatically. This is fair. Everyone takes a equal hit. This is compromise and will be good for the country in the long term. America has to make hard decisions and this is a great start.
Mandate... no. But the election does tell you that its time to ignore the fringe of your party and deal.
What he really meant, is that there is no mandate from the RICH to raise taxes on the RICH. Because those are the only taxes Obama was talking about raising. The lower and middle class made it clear – they did not want a RICH person running the country so him and his friends could become RICHER on the back of the tax payers.
Boehner you had 2 years to do something and the only focus was trying to get Obama out of office. You had 2 years and did nothing. You better rethink that strategy or in 2 more years you will be out as Speaker.
Politics aside, you folks that keep saying "the people have spoken" should rephrase to say "50% of the people have spoken" (or whatever the final breakdown ends up being). Just shy of half of the voters do not approve of the President’s policies and voted for Romney – it wasn’t a popular vote landslide for Obama.
I agree that compromises need to be made. How about in return for increasing the share the wealthy pay, all citizens are required to pay at least 5% in taxes. How would this sit with the staunch Dems?
Boehner makes it quite clear that the Republicans intend to continue their obstruction despite their massive defeat. How shameful.
Boehner – you had two years to do something and your only focus was to remove Obama from office. This WAS a mandate on that failed policy. With this announcement, you are still putting the ball in President Obama court. You need to make some proposals about what you plan to do but now you only have 2 years to REALLY do something or you will be out as speaker.
Congratulations President Obama on another four years. I hope we can make progress as a country. One thing for die-hard liberals to think about is the Frobes 400 richest Americans can have their entire wealth confiscated by the governement and it will run the country for less than one year. When they are gone, the government will come for you too. Our representatives have sold us the 'rich versus poor' so they can divide our votes among them. Until we flush all of them out of office, there will be no progress. They current governement plays us for fools and lemons to be endlessly juiced to stay in fat jobs in Washington where they delver nothing. That makes the American elecorate look very bad.
And so it begins. This fiscal cliff is NO JOKE! I believe that Congress and the President will avert immediate disaster but until Sen. McConnell gets the memo that he lost any moral high ground the moment is #1 goal became an EPIC FAIL, for not just him and his fellow and former senate republicans, but for the country as well. Until that time, no longterm deal can be possible.
I agree. The people have spoken, we like the course the House is on... keep it up guys.
The Republicans lost the presidency, they lost Senate seats, and it looks like they will lose seats in the House (even though they will still have the majority). How much more proof does John Boehner need that the majority of Americans don't support his party's lack of action and their utter devotion to the ultra rich?
These people just don't get it! No wonder they lost the election. When are they going to start doing what they were elected for, fix our country instead of trying to destroy it. Won't the GOP every learn? His constituents need to get him out of office because he is hurting out country with his far right, pocket lining tactics. Some one should check out for a lot of off shore bank accounts!
Great. Speaker Boehner lobs the first grenade and the results aren't even final yet. Good leadership skills you've got there, John! Yep. So much for bipartisanship, and you Mr. Boehner, are responsible!
Enough is enough! If Boehner and the rest of the GOP House continue to play their stonewalling games to protect their political self interests instead of working for the best interests of this country, then you, Mr. Boehner and the rest of your Republican sheep will hear from us. Even if it means marching en masse up the Capitol steps and letting you know loud and clear that we mean business. If you don't believe it, then try us!!!