Obama won't give the GOP more tax cuts

[babylonsister]

Via politico, so take that for what it's worth...

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_01/016629.php

OBAMA WON'T GIVE THE GOP MORE TAX CUTS.... President Obama was on the Hill today, meeting with House Republicans on the economic stimulus package. When asked if the president was winning any GOP votes, one conservative House Republican who was in the room told the Politico, "Nope," adding that Obama "won't compromise on more tax cuts."

I'm not sure what definition of "compromise" the lawmaker was using, but the bottom line remains the same: the president's efforts to garner Republican support aren't working.

Obama seemed ready for the House Republicans to pounce, reportedly telling the gathered GOP lawmakers: "feel free to whack me over the head because I probably will not compromise on that part {tax cuts}," according to two sources in the room.

That's basically what they did, hitting Obama for more than 30 minutes with questions about deficits, taxes and spending. Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas), won applause from his GOP colleagues when he asked the president whether he would promise that the stimulus would not be an excuse to raise taxes or increase spending.

Obama responded, according to sources in the room, that he was worried about the deficit and debt, and promised that his fiscal 2010 budget -- coming out next month -- would make hard choices in terms of spending cuts in an effort to reduce the deficit.

The Politico report noted that the "out of power minority party" seems to be "finding its voice as a stout opposition party instead of the party of compromise." Perhaps, but I'm not entirely sure when, exactly, House Republicans were ever positioned as the "party of compromise."

What's more, the article added that Republicans "slapped" Obama's "outstretched hand," as part of a "coordinated effort to embarrass" to the president.

I suspect Obama isn't feeling especially embarrassed. Frustrated, maybe. Wasting his time, probably. But the institutional dynamic hasn't changed. House Democrats still enjoy a 77-seat advantage over the minority, Obama is still a very popular president, and Republicans (and their ideas) still enjoy little public support. The stimulus is still likely to pass, especially in the House.

Whether the House GOP is enjoying itself more now than last week is largely inconsequential.

—Steve Benen 2:20 PM

[spanone]

1. good, he won.

and good on President Obama for trying to bring bipartisanship to congress. he wants change, they want fight.

[bdamomma]

12. repigs are just jerks.

President Obama is not playing.

[backscatter712]

2. Nice! Obama does know not to give away the store.

He gave the Repubs the chance to contribute productively, but they chose to squander it for partisan attacks.

Now Obama and the Congressional Democrats get to steamroll this through, and not be the least bit sorry for it.

[Andy823]

8. I agree.

I think this was the plan all along, to let the republicans have some tax cuts, and then if the vote against it, it will make them look bad to the people. Republicans are going to do more harm that good when the facts show they only want to keep Obama from doing anything in order to gain politically from their stubbornness! I don't think that many of the middle class republicans are going to like the idea that their party is voting "against" things the could help them out in this time of economic crisis!

If the vote against it is going to make them look like they are taking the advice of idiots like Rush, and that isn't going to be pretty for them. If the member of the house from my district votes against the bill, I will write her a letter asking he why she has to listen to the likes of Rush on the way she votes. If we all write letter to the republicans and complain, and link Rush to those votes, it will send a message. I really think the republicans are doing more harm to their party, and the bill will pass anyway! People on both sides are sick of the fighting in congress, and they want change, this is not change and it will set bad for the republicans one way or another.

[louis-t]

13. I hope he puts in less tax cuts for the final version

after repugs whine and cry about this version. Tax cuts are almost useless in stimulating anything. It's easy and it wins points for repugs. That's the biggest reason repugs harp on them so much.

[underpants]

3. Well fellas you better get right on the abortion thing

because you were asked to join in for what works and you declined

You only got one thing left

Go ahead, serve it up

[sutz12]

4. So OK....drop all of the tax cuts that don't directly go to MC and working poor...

Repubs don't want to compromise? Fuck 'em. Limit the tax cuts to what The Prez ran on and fuck every one of the corporate types. It's widely known that tax cuts is the least effective way to stimulate.

[polichick]

11. Yes, can we take out the ones already included to placate Republicans?

[Tangerine LaBamba]

5. Bad, bad, bad losers

who don't really understand that the game has completely changed. There's a new kid in town. The old white guys have got to learn how to play according to the new kid's rules.

The new kid has the whole country behind him.

The new kid is smarter than all the old white guys put together.

The new kid is always going to be three moves ahead of them.

They're dinosaurs, and they're going to be extinct shortly unless they adapt.

"I won," he said. A lovely simply truth.

[Blue_In_AK]

6. He gave them too many already, IMO.

[katty]

7. get used to it. ReThugs..just the beginning

[gcomeau]

9. Sigh...

"the president's efforts to garner Republican support aren't working."

They don't need to work. They just need to be made. How do so many people not get this?

[babylonsister]

10. And now they've been made. Obama can carry on with a clear

conscience - at least he tried, unlike the rethugs.