I guess Congressional Republicans just don't like raising taxes on The Wealthy? I guess that no raising taxes pledge had an out on people making less than $250k a year. Anyway, enjoy paying $1000 more in taxes this year thanks to Boehner and the controlling Republicans in Congress. 
The other interesting point, Republicans in the Senate are looking out for us in the middle class.
Well they aren't actively raising them. Their not doing anything to stop it, by taking a holiday recess. Thats better, right?
Maybe the Republicans in the house actually listened and aren't going to do anything for the next year and we'll get around 7 trillion in deficit reductions over the next 10 years. Nah, that won't happen. Bush tax cuts will get another extension next fall, and the automatic sequestering from the super committee breakdown will get "fixed".
Actually the Dems are the ones allowing tax cuts to expire by refusing to negotiate.
The whole 2 month thing was a dishonest attempt to kick the can so they could go on vacation knowing that it was going to be rejected. That way they could tell you how those evil republicans did it.
The good thing is that all the unemployment extensions will be axed too.
In this thread, Xceler8x doesn't understand Congressional politics.
2 months is a joke. Why can't they just get something done? SO they will be back debating hte EXACT SAME PROBLEM in less than 60 days, instead of staying a few extra days and getting a REAL deal hammered out.
They should all be fired, both sides.
berkeley the party lines.
I just blame everyone in Congress. And the Senate. And politics.
Even the pres said that the only solution was a full year, not a short term one. The Democratic Senate passed a 2 month bill tax cut extension, coupled with additional fees on home purchases that last for ever, and then skipped town. There was no way the house was going to pass what they pitched.
Xceler8x wrote: The other interesting point, Republicans in the Senate aren't looking out for anybody but themselves.
Fixed. Democrats, too!
z31maniac wrote: In this thread, Xceler8x doesn't understand Congressional politics. 2 months is a joke. Why can't they just get something done? SO they will be back debating hte EXACT SAME PROBLEM in less than 60 days, instead of staying a few extra days and getting a REAL deal hammered out. They should all be fired, both sides.
Unfortunately, he is not alone in this thread and in the general populace.
Congress is worthless. Many people take great interest in presidential candidates (me included) while congress goes about their business of berkeleying up the country. I have no idea how to fix congress either. Voting in a new bunch of corporate owned self interest jackasses won't help.
ThePhranc wrote: Actually the Dems are the ones allowing tax cuts to expire by refusing to negotiate.
It takes two to tango.
Wrong movie, but you get the point.
The Dems spread these types of rumours. The one thing the Dems have learned well under this regime of terror is that the title of the bill is almost all the battle and makes for good press so they can further manipulate the weak (minded).
The Bush (Republican) tax cuts aren't the only thing on the agenda with this bill. The Dems have all kinds of other things in this 2 month interim bill that was put together this way so they could egg the Republicans into not signing so they could have some election year fodder.
For instance were you aware that the bill also includes a surcharge on all FHA, Fannie & Freddie loans to supposedly pay for this tax cut? The tax cut is for 2 months, but the surcharge goes on till 2021. The money just goes into the Treasury under the general fund, not to any specific tax cut or any other specific charge.
Article #1 - "Mortgage Bankers Association CEO David Stevens said the g-fee jump could cost the average borrower another $4,000 in fees over the life of a $200,000 loan."
Article #2 - President Obama, in a press briefing after the vote, urged House Republicans to reconsider the Senate version of the bill. He said legislators would come to an agreement on a tax cut bill, as long as it does not focus on "extraneous issues." Extraneous issues like maybe the almost 75% of Obamacare that had nothing to do with Obamacare? You mean that type of extraneous issues?
Aritcle #3 - "A major difference between these new “guarantee” fees and the historic guarantee fees is that the money generated will be deposited directly in the Treasury. It will be part of the general fund and become available only as directed under future appropriations acts. So, the bill may call them guarantee fess, but they guarantee nothing except that homeowners ultimately will bear this new, non-transparent tax increase. And, the only contributor to the funds will be homeowners or prospective homeowners who have mortgages. Yes, the fees are paid by the lenders, but we know that the fees will be covered ultimately by the overall cost of a mortgage. Unlike property taxes which at least are tied to the community, these taxes stay at the Federal level without any specifically designated use."
The mandated minimum 10 bps increase more than doubles the average upfront guarantee fee that already exists and according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s 2011 guarantee fee. The 10 bps is a 71% increase on the 2010 average fee of 14 bps for on-going fees and occurs during a time when the portfolios are getting stronger and performing better."
"So, one can only conclude the purpose of this new tax is to find yet a new source of funds, provide no transparency in doing so, make the GSE’s less competitive and give the largest lenders a better chance to portfolio loans and create a private market to replace, not just supplement the GSEs’ liquidity role. That may be a supportable objective, but it seems the appropriations process is not the place to introduce it and the clandestine approach violates the committed to “transparency” we hear so much about."
And keep in mind this is only ONE of the "extraneous issues" included in the bill.
There is one good thing that I can see about all the above. The American people (in general) are becoming much more aware and much less gullible. Voting won't fix it! So what will fix it?
Graefin10 wrote: There is one good thing that I can see about all the above. The American people (in general) are becoming much more aware and much less gullible. Voting won't fix it! So what will fix it?
Getting the money out of politics. It's far too lucrative as it stands.
NO, the only true solution is term limits. When being a politician becomes your lifetime profession you work to improve your own job position and income stream rather than the people you are supposed to represent.
Terms limits and an end to the sweet retirement/health insurance they get and the future lobbying gig they line up.
OK, ready for the solution? A postcard (E-mail, whatever) gets mailed to every household. "You are eligible for the following political office, do you wish to run?" You check the box for the one you're interested in, write a short essay and do a Q&A booklet and send it back. Everything gets published online for 30 days. People vote for their top ten. The winningest ten become the candidates. Those are all given equal airtime by law and equal debate opportunities. They are not allowed to raise money in any way.
It seems every politician claims they entered the field because they wanted to "serve the people". I say we let them prove it. And while we're at it, get your happy ass to work...there are a lot of recesses on the schedule.
http://www.thecapitol.net/FAQ/cong_schedule.html
They. are. all. crooks.
carguy123 wrote: NO, the only true solution is term limits. When being a politician becomes your lifetime profession you work to improve your own job position and income stream rather than the people you are supposed to represent.
One term is plenty of time to do a bunch of favors and line up a sweetheart lobbying or consulting gig. Like spitfirebill said, that part needs to go.
Tom Heath wrote: It seems every politician claims they entered the field because they wanted to "serve the people". I say we let them prove it. And while we're at it, get your happy ass to work...there are a lot of recesses on the schedule. http://www.thecapitol.net/FAQ/cong_schedule.html
I like the way this shows it - http://www.wsbradio.com/weblogs/jamie-dupree/2011/oct/27/2012-house-schedule/
tuna55 wrote: OK, ready for the solution? A postcard (E-mail, whatever) gets mailed to every household. "You are eligible for the following political office, do you wish to run?" You check the box for the one you're interested in, write a short essay and do a Q&A booklet and send it back. Everything gets published online for 30 days. People vote for their top ten. The winningest ten become the candidates. Those are all given equal airtime by law and equal debate opportunities. They are not allowed to raise money in any way.
I cant believe I agree with Tuna, but I do 100%
They could have done a full year. Tax breaks for the rich at any cost. Tax breaks for the middle class only if they get to lay an oil pipeline through the middle of the country. Yep, it's the Dems fault alright.
Politics is a game for them and they have fun playing it while we suffer.
The solution is to make voting districts random instead of allowing gerrymandering.
I am not sure term limits would end the problem.. but I do think that making it illegal for any congressman to become a lobbiest after leaving office would.
There would be no incentive to kiss up to the money
Cone_Junky wrote: They could have done a full year. Tax breaks for the rich at any cost. Tax breaks for the middle class only if they get to lay an oil pipeline through the middle of the country. Yep, it's the Dems fault alright.
Yeah, who wants to make energy more easily available while creating tens of thousands of jobs in an economy with 11%+ REAL unemployment.
Obama doesn't want to AXE it, or else he would just say no. Hence pushing a decision until after 2013 so he can keep the eco vote for his re-election, THEN push the pipeline through.
Seems some of you guys don't pay attention to how politics ACTUALLY works.
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