Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Delicious GOP Self-Destruction

But that the latest, and only one of many, decisions by the House GOP will harm millions of us, their call to do a huge Christmas FU on payroll taxes and unemployment benefits would just be superb theater. Speaker John Boehner's calcified response — finger always on the NAY button — is guaranteeing Republican defeat in both the POTUS and Congressional results of 2012.

He astonishes on so many levels. Most obviously, to a nation that has screamed loudly and long that hampering, harming and hindering the middle-class and poor of us is in no longer acceptable, pulling such tricks again speaks only to political suicidal drives. Thank you, Boehner. Thank you, winger extremists. You have taken sure and easy victories and buried them under your dogmatic and doctrinaire tracts.

What's truly astonishing is not that the majority GOP in the House is hectoring Dems and the POTUS or beating up the majority of Americans (a.k.a. voters). Rather, they know from the history of the past decade plus and recent times that this backfires. Those of us who pay attention also know that the underlying economic ploys are God awful and plain stupid.

Instead, they seem to try using their catchphrases, like the big lies of greedy big shots being both job creators and magnanimously trickling down their huge tax breaks and profits to the plebes and workers. Sorry, kiddies, those have gone far beyond different interpretations of the same information and into the realm of fantasy and cruel disdain. Numbers alone show they are job destroyers who suck the wealth and even disposable income from the rest of us.

Now I'm left remembering that Lightnin' Hopkins saying, "I don't understand why people don't understand the way I do."

Consider though what Rachel Maddow so clearly presented last night about what Boehner's evil clowns are really doing.


Bill Baar said...

Why do you believe the FICA tax holiday should be just for two months? Doesn't that give an option to the self employed to shift their income to the months with low taxes?

massmarrier said...

The continued tax cut affects anyone fortunate enough to be employed and draw a paycheck. The two-month extension is a lame stopgap, which in turn is vastly superior to taking 2% out of millions of Americans' checks as of 1/1/12. The bill always should have been a 1 year or permanent cut to the working and middle class. It is only GOP intransigence and disdain for the middle class that has led to the two-month version.

Bill Baar said...

It effects everyone with earned income as I understand, so a savvy self employed person lets say could shift their income to take advantage of the lower FICA tax if this thing not renewed after two months. (Watch the ads from tax consultants after this passes....)

Obama called for a 12 month extension of the Holiday and that's what Congress passed.

I don't think the electorate is going to view a two month extension of a very unworkable tax rule much of a victory.