House Republicans balk at cliff deal
U.S. House Republicans emerged from a lengthy caucus meeting this afternoon declaring their opposition to the “fiscal cliff” deal that hastily passed the Senate overnight with an 89-8 vote. After hearing a festivus-style airing of grievances against the deal — struck by Vice President Joe Biden and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell — House leaders are still trying to figure out what to do with it. Many Republicans want to amend it to include more spending cuts.
Brendan Buck, a spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner, said: “The lack of spending cuts in the Senate bill was a universal concern amongst members in today’s meeting. Conversations with members will continue throughout the afternoon on the path forward.”
Lawrenceville Republican Rep. Rob Woodall was walking the halls clutching a report from the Congressional Budget Office that illustrated members’ concerns. According to the nonpartisan CBO, the deal would add $3.97 trillion to budget deficits in the next decade as compared with current law. Current law, of course, includes big tax hikes and spending cuts that lawmakers say they do not want. And the vast majority of that deficit impact ($3.63 trillion) comes in the form of tax cuts that Republicans generally like.
But Republicans want cuts from other programs to offset the impact of the spending provisions, which include extending long-term unemployment, maintaining Medicare reimbursement rates for doctors and putting off the across-the-board “sequester” cuts for two months.
Coweta County Republican Rep. Lynn Westmoreland said he was surprised at how overwhelming the Senate vote was and that he could not support the bill unless it’s changed.
“That was kind of a shock to us that they didn’t stand for some spending cuts, so we’re dealing with that right now,” he said.
Woodall added, “I don’t think there’s anyone in the seventh district of Georgia who wants me to trade away good policy for America in the name of expediency because the Senate has run us up against this deadline.”
House Democrats did not share those misgivings, for the most part, after being wooed by Biden. Atlanta Democratic Rep. David Scott — who like the vice president also spent his childhood in Scranton, Pa. — said Biden “has his own way of presenting things and did a great job.” Scott said he was backing the deal.
“We’ve got the kind of deal that Americans can be proud of because there is a very, very serious hunger among the American people to see Democrats and Republicans come together on something,” he said. “And we’ve got something here.”
For House Republicans looking to tweak the bill and send it back, the Senate is in session but not all senators are in town. Georgia Republican Johnny Isakson slept from 2:45 a.m. to 6:30 a.m., then caught a flight back to Atlanta. Calling from his Cobb County home, where he was preparing to watch the Georgia Bulldogs in the Capital One Bowl, Isakson said it was not hard for him to support the deal, which both he and Georgia Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss voted for.
“The net effect of that vote was a $3.7 trillion reduction in taxes for 99 percent of American taxpayers,” Isakson said.
“There was a lot in it for everybody but the main thing that’s been missed by most of the media … these are all permanent changes. Congress would have to pass an act to change the taxes put in place.”
He had not spoken to his House GOP colleagues, but predicted that they would like it, too.
“They’ll have a lot more time to absorb the final deal than we did and I think as they absorb it they will recognize the value,” Isakson said.
That prediction has not come true so far.
- By Daniel Malloy, Political Insider
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126 comments Add your comment
Bill Campbell
January 1st, 2013
7:42 pm
Any Republican who votes for this garbage will lose his next election! The USA will go the way of Greece id not stopped!
123
January 1st, 2013
7:42 pm
td is in the closet
He likes to fellate alpha males
John Boehner's Tanning Bed
January 1st, 2013
7:44 pm
Before Obama, Repubs never worried about balancing a budget. At least, none of Repub Presidents did.
TommyBlueJay
January 1st, 2013
7:44 pm
Sounds like there are at least a few SANE folks left in Washington.
When you don’t make enough to cover your spending, STOP SPENDING!
Harry Reed
January 1st, 2013
7:45 pm
Obama is the worst President in American History!
123
January 1st, 2013
7:46 pm
td
be good little beta boy
someone will be there to service your mail order wife in a few days
you shallow little puke and punk
td
January 1st, 2013
7:47 pm
“The budget deal passed by the U.S. Senate today would raise taxes on 77.1 percent of U.S. households, mostly because of the expiration of a payroll tax cut, according to preliminary estimates from the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center in Washington.
More than 80 percent of households with incomes between $50,000 and $200,000 would pay higher taxes. Among the households facing higher taxes, the average increase would be $1,635, the policy center said. A 2 percent payroll tax cut, enacted during the economic slowdown, is being allowed to expire as of yesterday.”
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-01-01/senate-passed-deal-means-higher-tax-on-77-of-households.html
Dum-Bass
January 1st, 2013
7:48 pm
Here’s O’bummer’s urgent plea to the legislature: “Will you guys please hurry up and get this done so I can get on Air Force One and fly back to Hawaii to join my wife and kids who stayed out there spending the taxpayers money. I raided the money tree out back so I will have lots of cash to take back with me. That way we can spend all we want to without it showing up in an audit. Michelle told me not to come back with less than $1 million, so I know what will happen if I don’t. So get to work guys, nothing else matters. SPEND, SPEND, SPEND, THAT’S MY MOTTO !!!!”
Voter
January 1st, 2013
7:52 pm
For my fellow voters, well said above. Great sarcasm, Dum-Bass and sadly, truth. Let’s go House of Reps. Defeat this bill, get some serious budget and spending cuts.
early to bed
January 1st, 2013
8:00 pm
Voter I hope that your repuke brethren will take it to the cliff- that they will do nothing
But sadly they are too in love with their position in DC and they are cowards to boot- they know what the voters will do to them in 2014 if they go over the cliff- sad but true- no sane person has ever accused them of having ethics nor concern for America
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January 1st, 2013
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123
January 1st, 2013
8:09 pm
td
was she here when you met her or did you have to pay to bring her here
Rafe Hollister
January 1st, 2013
8:11 pm
Now is not a good time to raise taxes, the economy is too fragile.
Bush was irresponsible and unpatriotic for running up these huge deficits.
The Bush tax cuts only benefit the wealthiest of the wealthy.
I will have the most transparent administration in history.
What we need is a balanced approach to our deficits, additional revenue to go along with spending cuts.
Was he lying then or is he lying now?
BTW, this deal passed in the house raises taxes on 77% of all households (those who work for a living). So, all you folks who just want to get this passed, so your taxes will not go up, are in for a big surprise.
Rafe Hollister
January 1st, 2013
8:13 pm
Should read– bill passed in the Senate.
Obama sucks
January 1st, 2013
8:22 pm
Black African Americans like this bill.
Ed
January 1st, 2013
8:34 pm
House Republicans balk at cliff deal…….Good ! I am glad I live in Ga where the Republicans stand up for low taxes and they try to cut government growth. Our debt is almost 17 Trillion. We are going to go bankrupt unless this spending stops.
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
January 1st, 2013
8:39 pm
This 123/ satan thing is a real sicko.
Hung Wung Lo
January 1st, 2013
8:42 pm
I Amongst us! – My wife is Asian and she says you can kiss her a$$.
td
January 1st, 2013
8:50 pm
Looks like the Dems have hosed their own voters with this deal because they have allowed the 2% SS payroll tax cut to expire.
td
January 1st, 2013
8:59 pm
“The Senate passed legislation meant to end the “fiscal cliff” crisis in the wee hours of the morning. And it seems Hollywood’s rigorous backing of President Barack Obama and his Democrat peers in the waning months of 2012 paid off.”
Section 317 of the freshly approved legislation includes an extension for “special expensing rules for certain film and television productions.” Congress first enacted production tax incentives favorable to the domestic entertainment industry in 2004, and extended them in 2008, but the deal was meant to expire in 2011.
The fiscal cliff deal extends the tax incentives through 2013–even as payroll taxes rise on ordinary Americans.
The original tax incentive applied to productions costing less than $15 million to make ($20 million in low-income areas). The 2008 extension applies to all films, up to a deduction of $15 million (or $20 million in low-income areas). The incentive is especially generous to television series; it applies to each TV episode.
Hollywood players routinely beg the government to raise their taxes so they can pay their “fair share.”
Yet the industry moves new productions to places where existing tax breaks help its bottom line. That means plenty of shows and films are shot in states like New Mexico, which feature highly favorable tax rates, as well as destinations north of the border with similar perks.
Now Hollywood has used its clout to ensure that its generous tax incentives will continue in a time of fiscal crisis.”
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
January 1st, 2013
9:45 pm
More than 80 percent of households with incomes between $50,000 and $200,000 would pay higher taxes. Among the households facing higher taxes, the average increase would be $1,635, the policy center said. A 2 percent payroll tax cut, enacted during the economic slowdown, is being allowed to expire as of yesterday.
So much for the top 2% lie.
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
January 1st, 2013
10:27 pm
$430 million for Hollywood through “special expensing rules” to encourage TV and film production in the United States. Producers can expense up to $15 million of costs for their projects.
Your money is used to “encourage” Hollywood?
honested
January 1st, 2013
11:13 pm
At last, a done deal.
Taxes go up, republican hostage takers lose.
Now we can move Forward!
Angry White Male
January 1st, 2013
11:41 pm
Can any body tell me What is plan B?
clem
January 2nd, 2013
7:17 am
the 2% tax cut for ss needed to get cut; unfortunately, it should have gone to lock box