In the end, only 85 House Republicans rallied to support Barack
Obama.
One hundred fifty-one House Republicans flatly
refused to go along.
Launching stories like
this one over at Newsmax that House Speaker John
Boehner was losing support for his own re-election as Speaker.
What was Obama doing that set off such a hot reaction from all
those House Republicans?
Among other things — like taxing those greedy rich — Tuesday
night Barack Obama inevitably raised taxes on Middle Class
Americans.
That’s right. Directly breaking his word and all his campaign
hokum about the middle class, Obama broke his word. Safely
re-elected, with no more elections to run in, Obama targeted the
middle class.
Not to be ungracious and say “told you so”…but told you so.
Astonishingly, led by Speaker Boehner the 85 GOP House members
went along with Obama because they were afraid to stand up to the
President on principle.
Why? Because, went multiples of press reports, these 85 House
Republicans were terrified of being blamed by the President and his
liberal media allies for “going over the cliff.”
Disgraceful.
Utterly disgraceful.
But fear not.
Both the House and Senate GOP have won the Barack Obama
Participation Trophy.
Tell me again why these people should keep their jobs in
2014?
Doubtless you’ve heard of the “Participation Trophy” and how one
“wins” one of these things.
Mr. and Mrs. Good Parent sign up their precious Absolute Jewel
of an athletic child for some sport — and the Absolute Jewel of an
athlete turns out to be, well, a lousy athlete. But fear not!
The Absolute Jewel participated! So while he/she may
not have been named the sport’s MVP or the best second baseman or
running back or hockey goalie or whatever — he/she gets that
ultimate award: The Participation Trophy. Along with every single
one of his/her teammates.
And if the Absolute Jewel doesn’t get an award? All
hell breaks loose. The Absolute Jewel’s worst nightmares of
inadequacy have come true. A veritable psychological dumpster of
blame — and what could be worse for the Absolute Jewel than a
veritable psychological dumpster of blame? — unloads on the
hapless child. So, of course, Mr. and Mrs. Good Parent will do
anything, say again anything — to avoid blame
from attaching to the Absolute Jewel for the hard reality of
his/her athletic performance.
Lest you think we jest about the psychology linking
Participation Trophies and those 85 House Republicans, over the
border in Canada the Toronto Star
reported this:
Two sets of parents are suing the Greater Toronto Hockey League,
one of its clubs and four coaches for $25,000 each because their
sons were cut by the Avalanche Minor Sports Club midget junior A
team during tryouts in April.
Vito Valela and David Longo are both suing on behalf of their
sons, Christopher and Daniel respectively. Besides the GTHL,
Avalanche Minor Sports president Anthony Iantorno as well as team
officials Doriano Pistarelli, Andy Vandenberk, Felice Guglielmi and
Peter Posca are named as defendants in the action.
“Their direct actions have caused irreparable psychological
damage to Daniel Longo’s self esteem as an impressionable teenager
and demoralized Daniel as an athlete and team hockey player with
his peers,” the Longo statement of claim reads. “The conduct by all
defendants destroyed the dignity of my son, whom in good conscience
gave his team nothing but his best efforts.”
Valela’s statement of claim states: “When Christopher was
advised of his termination by my wife and I, he vowed never to play
the game he loved since childhood. And, moreover, his misguided
group of defendants demoralized my wife and I, whom had gone well
beyond the call of duty as parents in support of the Toronto
Avalanche hockey team for two seasons.”
Think of the House and Senate Republicans who went along with
Obama as the boys reported here in this news story.
Think of the horror of blame that would have attached itself to
these poor Republican politicians. You can just imagine the
horrific news stories these guys were dreading, written,
presumably, like this:
President Obama’s direct actions have caused irreparable
psychological damage to Senate and House Republican’s self-esteem.
As impressionable members of Congress and demoralized Republican
elected officials, the Republicans believe their reputations and
re-electability with their constituents, congressional, liberal
media and Georgetown dinner party peers has been severely damaged.
The conduct threatened by President Obama’s liberal media allies
would have destroyed the dignity of these congressmen and senators,
who in good conscience gave their constituents nothing but their
best efforts.
What “Participation Trophies” are about is avoiding
consequences.
Consequences.
The obvious and inevitable result of being held accountable for
performance. There is, in fact, no sin in not being as good an
athlete as the next kid. There is no sin either in standing up for
principle as a Congressman or Senator. Yet to avoid giving the
player in question the alleged shame of not making the team —
being thought of as someone who isn’t one of the guys or girls —
the coaches or league award all players a “participation trophy.”
Who cares if they can’t make the cut as a first baseman, running
back, or goalie? They played!
John Boehner played. Mitch McConnell played. And in return, they
got played.
They led their respective House and Senate GOP caucuses to
believe that if they didn’t play — they would get the blame for
the consequences. That what would happen if they didn’t play was
too horrendous to even think of. They would be accused in the
liberal media. They would be tried. They would be found
wanting.
So… they caved. In avoiding the fiscal cliff, led with flags
flying by Speaker Boehner, those 85 GOP House members went over the
credibility cliff. Including — of all people — Congressman Paul
Ryan. The headlong flight from blame necessitating a flight from
principle as well.
In short, these House and Senate members let themselves be
bullied by the president and his media cronies into believing that
they would get the blame for what came next.
But, of course, the question. What does come next? By going
along with the president, what does this Obama Participation Trophy
win the GOP?
The Wall Street Journal was
kind enough to add up a few of the tax increase gems from both
the fiscal cliff legislation passed on New Year’s Day as well as
the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare.
Let’s start with the Obama tax increase on the middle class.
Otherwise known as: The Payroll Tax
So. You really believed this was all about taxing the “rich”,
did you? Congratulations. You didn’t even know your name had been
changed to “Donald Trump” did you? Too bad. As
noted in USA Today:
About 77% of American households will face higher federal taxes
in 2013 under the agreement negotiated between President Obama and
Senate Republicans, estimates the Tax Policy Center, a nonpartisan
Washington research group.
That’s because even though just 1% of households will pay higher
income taxes, an increase in federal payroll taxes will hit nearly
every wage earner, the Tax Policy Center says.
Got that? If you are out there earning a paycheck, you are about
to be tagged with a tax increase that comes straight out of your
paycheck to the tune of 2%. Which is to say, a hike from the 10.4%
of 2012 to 12.4% in 2013.
Congratulations Speaker Boehner and Senator McConnell! You have
signed on to not only a veto of economic growth, you have agreed to
a tax on the middle class.
Then again, why the surprise?
This is precisely what common sense, not to mention experience
with moderate Republicans whose main objective is placating liberal
critics rather than sticking with principle, dictates.
Taxing the rich is never enough. The real money in America comes
from the great American middle class. And so Obama, behind closed
doors with John Boehner and Mitch McConnell, behaved like the
liberal he is.
He taxed the middle class. And out of fear, Boehner and
McConnell went along. They wanted that Participation Trophy from
Obama and the national media.
The President’s message post-election to those goofballs who
voted for Obama because he was looking out for the middle class?
They will quickly learn they have been played. Sorry, suckers!
Gotcha!
As this article was heading for the cyber presses, Speaker
Boehner still held his job and presumably could be expected to hold
onto it.
But today — at noon — a new Congress begins. A new Congress
with new Republicans replacing some old Republicans.
Which raises the question: As House and Senate Republicans
face the question of raising the debt limit, will they finally
stand and fight?
Or will they run from the inevitable consequences of opposing
Obamanomics?
What is more important for the country? Going along with taxes
on the middle class and the “rich”? After decades of principle
about not raising taxes on anyone, period? Whether they are the
manufacturers of medical devices, the “rich,” or the middle
class?
Or allowing oneself to be bullied by a leftist president who is
pulling one of the oldest cons in the political world — raising
taxes on everybody by targeting the rich.
We shall see, yes?
And come 2014, we will see what Republican voters have to say
about House and Senate Republicans who have voted to raise their
taxes — after presumably promising not to do just that.
Once suspects they will not be handing out Participation
Trophies.
