Gibbs: Obama won't need to veto Bush tax cuts, because Congress won't pass them

[Enrique]

This was in September:

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20015994-503544.html


(...)

When pressed on whether the president would wield his veto pen against a full extension, Gibbs said, "I don't think legislation's going to come to the president's desk that he would need to veto."
He added, "I think a majority of those in Congress believe that we should, as the president does, extend tax cuts for the middle class and let the tax cuts for the wealthiest among us that we can't afford expire."

(...)

Now, Obama's saying Congress BETTER extend the Bush tax cuts.

[frazzled]

1. September was when Obama thought Congress would stand strong ...

and pass this legislation. They didn't: they punted until after the elections, like chickens.

Then they lost a kazillion seats, and so the chances for extending only the middle-class tax cuts, as Obama wanted in September (he made a huge speech in Ohio to push for this), died. No amount of eleventh-hour lipstick on the pig can change this fact. The hostage takers had more power after November. Congress blew this.

[Phx_Dem]

3. Someone has to do the heavy lifting every time Congress wimps out.

The Bush tax cuts are not permanent and a two year extention is worth all we get in return.

[Ikonoklast]

7. Yep. Congress punted, because they were scared of Teabaggers screaming about taxes,

and, of course, their seats.

Now everyone gets to eat a shit sandwich because of that.

No one likes this bill 100%, no one, but if it's the best that can be done, get it done.

[BlueCaliDem]

13. Hear. Hear. I second it, Ikonoklast. Once again, Congress

screwed the American people, and now they hope to pin the blame on the President.

Sorry, but the moment they voted down giving our President the funds to close Gitmo and to bring Gitmo prisoners into our country for trial, I knew they were going to find ways to take him down. The Republicans didn't have to do a thing, although they did help "their friends on the other side of the aisle".

[Ikonoklast]

20. They showed themselves as either unwilling to take the hard votes,

fearing a political backlash from the right, or are just gutless cowards afraid to take a stand, and let the President get all the blame.


I knew this was a mistake as soon as Pelosi decided to kick the can past the elections, at the behest of the membership, I'm sure...the Teabaggers had them quaking in their booots in fear of their seats.

It then became the President's problem.

[Exilednight]

21. Well, Congress may have punted, but Obama caught the ball and holds the destiny of ...

of the tax cuts in his hand. He can either run with the ball and veto the cuts, or take a knee. Looks like he's taking a knee.

[Ikonoklast]

22. Yeah, screw them lazy unemployed people, and let ALL the tax cuts expire!

The new Republican House will restore them both, smiling all the while!


I would rather have Obama on my team, than those that don't even know what the rules of the game are.

[Exilednight]

23. Well, here's the options in the real world. He could veto the tax cuts now and

it would equal being hit in the knees with a baseball bat. Yes, it would hurt like hell and we would need some serious rehab for a few months, but we'd survive and end up being more healthy than we've been in a long time.

OR

He can sign the bill and sure, we might save our knees now, but in a few years we are going to get in the head with a baseball bat. That hit in the head is going to be far more dangerous and probably leave us paralyzed for the rest of our lives.

Personally, I'll take the bat to the knees.

[Ikonoklast]

25. Glad it isn't up to you.

You'd throw millions under the bus in the name of Purity.

[Exilednight]

26. It's not about purity. It's about what's best for the country in the ...........

greater scheme of things. We can not continually spend without taxing. And let's be real honest, trickle down economics never trickles down. All this legislation is going to do is increase the financial gap between classes and shrink the middle-class.

The past ten years of these tax cuts is what got us into this mess. I don't know how anyone can say with a straight face that two more additional years will reverse our economic course when it flies against ten years of history that has proven otherwise.

[sciencewins]

2. Yes, we know he is not a Fighter but...

i guess this is the best we can get in these deals Obama keeps hatching behind closed doors: Health care reform (that benefited Insurers more), Tax cut deal (that benefited super-rich more), Wars (that benefit corporations more), etc. I think Obama's approach is to just get whatever you can get and be happy with that. It does stink but not much we can do but hold on to the rollercoaster seat. If we get angry most, including many on DU, will consider you an unloyal progressive, professional Left...and get banned. Yes its odd but for many it seems no matter how far right Obama goes we should just accept it because after all, the Right is right?

Also, remember that Obama is definitely a centrist with right-leaning tendancies because he thinks the country is more right leaning...and in Washington everyone is right-leaning.

[FiveGoodMen]

8. "just get whatever you can get and be happy with that"

Just take whatever you can get from the poor and middle classes and give it to the already-rich.

Your version leaves that important detail out.

[Jackpine Radical]

4. This statement is no longer operative:

"I think a majority of those in Congress believe that we should, as the president does, extend tax cuts for the middle class and let the tax cuts for the wealthiest among us that we can't afford expire."


(Som of us have looooooooong memories.)

[Occam Bandage]

5. That was back when Congressional Democrats had some power.

Instead of fighting then, they chose to wait until after the election. After the election, it became clear that the Republicans were holding all the cards.

[BlueCaliDem]

15. Just like they planned it. Make no mistake. This was a collaboration

because I've seen precious few Democrats coming out to campaign hard for Democrats. Most who lost their seats were Republicans anyway, and have since jumped over to the dark side - according to Ed Schultz, I believe.

[chimpymustgo]

6. Quit pouring SALT in the goddam wound!!! Good find. There are some flaming fannies in the WH.

[ProSense]

9. Does this mean that

Gibbs predicted three months ago that the deal the President negotiated last week would fail?

Hmmmm?

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ProSense]

14. I suppose based on your response

I needed to put the little sarcasm thingy in for you to get it.

[progressoid]

16. Oh. Is that what that was?

Fighting irony with sarcasm?

OK.

[mascientist]

10. We don't have a two party system

democracy is increasingly looking like a sham. They rig the media. They rig the elections (using computerized voting machines). They slant the polling data, when they need to. They wine and dine the media. The media doesn't report, but rather they create a false consensus. In the end, the democrats appear to hope and pray that they have an excuse to not give us what we want "the evil republicans made use do it".....all the while they wink and nod at the business interests that have bought them off (so they get their campaign donations).

[Enthusiast]

11. I fear you are right.

Welcome to DU.

[walldude]

19. Welcome... and good 1st post.

We have no representation anymore and the sooner the locksteppers figure that out the sooner we can do something about it. It's hard when people are posting polls claiming that 80% of Liberal Democrats are happy with whatever crap they are supposed to be happy with today.

[BrklynLiberal]

17. WTF..then why the hell did he work so hard for this "compromise"???????

My head is spinning from the spin...the bullshit...and the flipflopping....

The truth appears to be a sometime thing. It changes from moment to moment.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

30. Because Congress did *not* pass a bill allowing the top tier of tax cuts to expire.

Tiny detail, isn't it? Bottom line is, if Congressional Democrats actually did their fucking job, this wouldn't be an issue. But they didn't, and it is, so this is what we've got to deal with.

The truth is never immutable. It never has been, it never will be. That's a lesson that you should've learned in 4th grade.

[yourout]

18. Tell me another lie Scotty.

Did his nose grow about a foot while he was talking.

[Sheepshank]

24. Hoping the Reps could see reason

"I think a majority of those in Congress believe that we should, as the president does, extend tax cuts for the middle class and let the tax cuts for the wealthiest among us that we can't afford expire."

Your statement is pattently twisting the situation and you know it!!! Obama and Gibb stating that they hoped Congress would see the decency in voting in one direction, is not the problem here...and you damn well know it.

[Supersedeas]

27. A time when Republican could not get them passed--now the minority can.

[polichick]

28. Actions speak louder than words...

Or is that an outdated idea these days?

[dionysus]

29. because the repukes are holding UI extention hostage. but you knew that.

[Milo_Bloom]

31. What do you expect and empty suit to do?

[old mark]

32. Well, I guess he is wrong again....nt