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Obama Tainted Heading Into Debt Ceiling Debate

By on 1.10.13 @ 6:09AM

It’s not too late for Boehner to seize the moral high ground.

Article 1 Sect 7 of the U.S. Constitution begins, “All bills for raising revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives.” The framers put the House in charge of taxes, because House members — elected every two years from small districts — would be the first to know if a tax were unfair or burdensome. House Republicans who voted for the fiscal cliff bill despite its being stuffed with tax favors for Hollywood, alternative energy companies, and the President’s other favorite constituents, disgraced this mandate. Whatever Americans think about raising taxes, they agree that paying higher taxes to fund costly giveaways for political insiders is morally repugnant.

President Obama poses as the morally superior politician, compelling millionaires to pay their fair share. On January 1, when the fiscal cliff bill reached the House, Speaker John Boehner should have held up all 48 pages of favors requested by the president on live television and called on the President to strip them from the bill. It would have shaken Obama from atop his moral pedestal. Whether the demand was met or not, it should have been made.

Democrats and Republicans will have three more fiscal fights in the coming days, over the debt ceiling, the automatic spending cuts known as sequestration scheduled for March 1, and a federal budget bill due on March 27. A Pew poll released January 7 suggests that only 19% of Americans approve of the way GOP leaders handled the crisis. Obama painted them as obstructionists. Reviewing the battle provides lessons for the coming fights.

As White House and GOP leaders met behind closed doors, outlines of a deal included raising income and capital gains taxes on high earners, allowing payroll taxes to rise on all workers, postponing previously agreed to automatic spending cuts, and extending unemployment benefits. But only 30 of the bill’s 157 pages dealt with these issues. Dealmakers packed them into a typical omnibus bill crammed full of unrelated items as well as the favors the president demanded.

Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) wrote the President urging him to drop the demand “before any American is asked to pay a penny more in taxes.” But Vice President Joe Biden and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, the two who hammered out an agreement as the ball was dropping on 2012, were tone deaf to the outrage of larding up emergency fiscal legislation with special gifts to corporate interests and campaign contributors. The favors, estimated to cost $40 billion in revenue, will consume two thirds of the additional tax revenue produced by the deal in the first year.

Boehner failed to attack this outrage and seize the moral high ground from Obama on January 1. Had Boehner publicly assailed the president’s demands, it would not have changed the terms of the deal, but Obama would have gained far less political capital from the outcome.

Ironically, later the same day, the Speaker took a principled stand against the Superstorm Sandy relief bill because it was crammed with spending unrelated to helping East Coast storm victims. Not surprising. Boehner made his congressional career opposing earmarks to benefit one congressional district. For decades layering a bill with earmarks was the way to get it passed, whether it was good for the country or not. The House agreed to end earmarks in 2010, when Boehner became Speaker. But omnibus bills are still routinely voted on without being read.

Instead of bringing the $60.4 billion Sandy-relief bill to a vote, Boehner offered a $9.7 billion flood insurance bill, a first installment for storm victims. Republican bigs such as Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey lashed out at Boehner, accusing him of anti-Northeast bias. Wrong. A politician who stands up against wasteful government spending should be hailed as a hero.

It’s not too late for House Republicans to seize the mantle of moral leadership. When the President demands more revenue by closing loopholes and capping deductions, Republicans should demand repeal of favors just pocketed by the President. When Obama and Senate Democrats bring another larded-up omnibus bill to the House, Boehner should rip it up and say the public wants a short bill in plain English that members of Congress will read before voting. 

About the Author

Betsy McCaughey is a former Lt. Governor of New York and author of Beating Obamacare.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (42) |

Aristocat| 1.10.13 @ 6:29AM

Gingrish says the House should not fight on the debt ceiling, but rather should use the Continuing Resolution to make spending cuts....The budget is the Republican strong point, if they will use it, because no money gets spent unless the House votes to spend it. Instead, for the last three years, they have voted for CRs to continue the bloated Pelosi budget of 2009, now in its third year.

7-08| 1.10.13 @ 6:32AM

"It’s not too late for House Republicans to seize the mantle of moral leadership."

You are dumber than a box of rocks.

Gary B| 1.10.13 @ 7:07AM

Exactly. How many times have we voted for lesser-of-evil boxes of rocks expecting something different? Lucy and the football...

GobBluthe| 1.10.13 @ 7:31AM

I agree. I am sick of the contributors here at TAS. They're completely delusional. Boehner is weaker against Obama than Chamberlin was against Hitler. The GOP leadership has the following problems: Too much time in DC. Too much listening to consultants. Too in love with being the majority. Too in love with Georgetown cocktail parties.

Von Mises Jr| 1.10.13 @ 8:44AM

Because Betsy recommends what the right course of action should be does not make her dumb, or delusional. I heard Betsy speak at AFP a few years ago and she quoted line and verse from ObamaCare without notes. She is a brilliant woman and could quote sections of the Bill better than you guys could recall you Social Security number. I told her she was "awesome" then, and I am sure she is still "Awesome" now.
The problem is not Betsy. The problem is Boehner and Christie. If you wish to learn about what Boehner should have done, watch this Pat Caddell video since Pat as a Democrat is more honest than virtually any DC Republican: http://www.breitbart.com/Breit.....-Explosion
As for Christie, he is about to pass Agenda21 by Executive Order under the guise of a "Development and Redevelopment Plan." This is socialism. Here is the page to access the Draft Plan: http://www.state.nj.us/state/p.....final.html
Now I think you jackasses owe Ms. McCaughey an apology.

Jacob McCandles| 1.10.13 @ 9:41AM

I liked the article, and I enjoyed seeing her picture also.

Von Mises Jr| 1.10.13 @ 9:47AM

Brent Musberger would also privately agree, although I don't think he will admit it in public.

TLP| 1.10.13 @ 11:53AM

Is this Jacob McCandles? Brent Mussberger? Or, Joe Biden?

Gary B| 1.10.13 @ 12:26PM

Just because she's intelligent doesn't mean she's smart. She restates the obvious. We're a light year beyond wishful thinking. "Republicans should do this..." "Boehner should do that..." What Republicans should do is crawl into the corner and die.

Von Mises Jr| 1.10.13 @ 12:38PM

I’ve met her Gary. She is freaking brilliant. When I read something that you say that warrants a similar comment, I will let you know.

Gary B| 1.10.13 @ 2:14PM

VM Jr,

I'm not questioning her intelligence or brilliance, but, really, sitting around wishing the Republican leadership would actually do something at this stage of the game is downright silly. How many times must Boehner, et al sellout conservatives before one finally understands the name of the game? Democrats politicians are lucky; they get to tell the truth about themselves: they're committed socialists and they're laughing in our faces. Republicans have to trick their voters into thinking they take their oath of office seriously. It's the longest-running frustration of my life, as I'm sure it is for many others. Venting here provides only the tiniest bit of temporary relief.

JmsA| 1.10.13 @ 1:01PM

Although Boehner is clearly a problem, the bigger problem is that the folks from the Great State of Ohio keep on sending him back to D.C.

Simon Templar| 1.10.13 @ 1:52PM

Thanks Von for the links, I was looking for these particular ones.

If anyone ever had any doubts about just insane and lost this nation has become, one only view the link of Pat Caddelle and the reality we are living in a extremely crazy and unmoored time. When a traditional democrat like Pat is telling more truth than a DC republican it should leave no doubt.

Gary B| 1.10.13 @ 2:20PM

Simon,

You can relax and sleep well. There is no longer any doubt whatsoever. Republicans are the very embodiment of a laughing stock. I'm surprised they have the courage to even approach a microphone. Every time they open their mouths toys come out.

CJW| 1.10.13 @ 3:40PM

Cadell is atoning for his past life of working to elect Jimmy Carter as his pollster, and then working to elect other Dems.

CJW| 1.10.13 @ 3:29PM

Von
She also took apart Hillarycare back in 1993.

Appleby| 1.10.13 @ 6:56AM

We'll see.

TLP| 1.10.13 @ 6:58AM

The President's Demands? Really?

Lead, Follow, or Get out of the way. Gas, Grass or Ass. Nobody rides for free.

That's the America I remember. The America where the Greatest Generation was still around, in great numbers. The Smerica where President's were still only One Branch of the Government, and they didn't run around making DEMANDS. They made Compromises, and Deals.

Mr. Boehnor, and Mr. McConnell have done that. They've compromised there No New Taxes beliefs, and made a deal with Pharaoh. Now, it's Pharaoh's turn.

To the House Leaders: You've made your Deal with the Devil, and he Spit in your faces.

What did you learn?

The House is just as powerful as the Senate and the White House. It Controls Expenditures. CONTROL THEM. The House doesn't have to Fund, anything it doesn't want to. It's time to take a page from the Emperor's Playbook: If he won't Work with you? Do it without him. USE YOUR POWER.

The Senate is Disfunctional. It has truly become: The Roman Senate. Nothing gets done. Legislation, passed by the House, is immediately thrown in the Garbage by Pharaoh's Overseer. The biggest Crook to lead the Senate hasn't even Passed a Budget in 4 Years, in Direct Violation to the Constitution, and nobody gives a F*%&.

The President needs to be Cut out of the Process completely. His Word is Worthless. "By his Deeds, men shall know him." He flouts the Constitution at every turn.

TLP| 1.10.13 @ 7:19AM

He takes $6 Billion from the Millionaires and Billionaires, and then passes out $7 Billion to Millionaires and Billionaires in Hollywood, at NASCAR, and to more of his Big Donours and Bundlers for more of their Campaign Money Laundering GREEN ENERGY Front Companies.

He's a Pathological, Congenital Liar, with a deep rooted Naccissism that one normally sees among Kings, and Pharoahs. Emperors and Strongmen. And, of course............Madmen, bent on total Power.

The question always comes down to: Would you buy a Used Car from this Man? Well..............WOULD YOU?

The House Leaders have gotta stop listening to the guys getting the Manicures, and the Facials. (No, Purp. Not that kinda Facial) Stop looking at the Polls. You've already hit Rock Bottom. Drudge Report: "Worst Congress Ever"

So, now whatta ya do?

You do like George Costanza, and you do the OPPOSITE of everything that your Instincts are telling you to do. And, you can start by Doing your Job. Doing what the Founders meant for you to do. And doing what is NECESSARY to preserve this Country for our Kids, and their chance at a good life.

You're never gonna get ANYTHING from the other side. The only chance you've got is to make US Happy.

Or else you're finished.

We're finished.

Gary B| 1.10.13 @ 7:09AM

Boehner should... Never mind. We all know Boehner won't.

notfooled| 1.10.13 @ 7:54AM

I sometimes wonder it the Bum hasn't somehow suborned BOTH houses of Congress:(

R Martin| 1.10.13 @ 8:04AM

“Speaker John Boehner should have…”

“Boehner failed to…”

Little Timmy could run his contest tomorrow simply by asking contestants to complete the sentences. It’s rather shocking that Boehner represents our principal defense against an imperial Obama presidency.

BTW Dan Henninger has an excellent piece on Christie and the Sandy relief bill in today’s Wall Street Journal. One hopes that Jersey punk’s bellowing has finally ended his claim to being the Republicans’ Great Wide Hope.

fmm| 1.10.13 @ 9:13AM

Exactly right but a lament in the night. They do what they do because it is to their advantage.

RAM| 1.10.13 @ 10:19AM

Most people already have the moral high ground relative to Obama when they get out of bed in the morning.

Anthony| 1.10.13 @ 10:25AM

Boehner seize the moral high ground!!!! LMAO. What are you smoking girl??
The collective body known as the Republicans in congress are devoid of any abililty to lead. The very idea of standing on principle, articulating common sense in the face of insanity, is an ability these cowards do not have. Leadership and having a "career in Washington" are mutually exclusive concepts.
Boehner and McConnell are Orks, who, through longevity, have managed to work the ladder of power. Nothing about them demonstrate any ability of leadership or principle.
They are inarticulate, simpering, cowards who couldn't speak in paragraph form if their pathetic lives depended on it.
Pharoh Obozo will blow past the debt ceiling on his way to erasing the 2nd Amendment. If you think our gelded leaders, Boner and McQuisling, are going to come to the rescue of America and the Constitution, you are in for one rude awakening.
I suggest if your're looking to seize the moral high ground, get yourself a 9mm, you're gonna need it.

Hardcard| 1.10.13 @ 10:40AM

Gee Betsy you look great in this photo, you look 20 years younger than 20 years ago when you were elected, Lt.Gov. of NYS it's a miracle, and I agee 100% with the TLP comment above. We are screwed.

Pecos Pete| 1.10.13 @ 11:11AM

The high moral ground of the Republican leadership, for the most part, can be found somewhere around the bottom of the Mariana Trench.

Louis Jenkins| 1.10.13 @ 11:13AM

Boehner has the moral high ground? Sorry, he's been in DC too long. Obama knows his power, and the Senates power too. Unfortunately for Boehner he hasn't seized the military crest. In fact, he doesn't know what the military crest is. He's out there in the open getting pock shot time and again. Time to talk about cuts? Might as well look at the weather and make comments, that's about all the good it will be.

Gary B| 1.10.13 @ 12:31PM

He just finished buying votes to remain Speaker. God only knows what deals these pricks make with each other.

Hardcard| 1.10.13 @ 11:47AM

Little Ricky... I must correct you re: Jersey fats, it should read "Great wide hope"

RJ| 1.10.13 @ 12:03PM

Good article. I have never understood why the GOP fails to point out special-interest spending by Democrats when being pushed by Democrats to raise taxes. The more people learn how the government spends their money, the better. Every debate for increasing tax rates should be countered with a demand for the tax raisers to justify specific spending bills.

Gary B| 1.10.13 @ 12:36PM

" I have never understood why the GOP fails to point out..."

RJ, let me help you. If you understand how professional wrestling works, you'll understand how DC works. There is no actual opposition to the Marxist mission creep. It's all for show. The better the show the more money they raise during campaign season. Turn your attention to local elections. It's less frustrating.

RJ| 1.10.13 @ 2:06PM

A great description of RINOs. There are some true believers in Washington DC, but they are few.

cicero| 1.10.13 @ 12:43PM

". . . they know that paying higher taxes to pay giveaways to political insiders is morally wrong." What are you talking about? The majority of the people in this country just voted for more of that. That is what the entire first O term was all about, and everybody knew about it. Does the name Solyndra, Al Gore, G.E., mean anything to you? The majority of voters said that that was all right. As long as they got their stuff, and didn't have to pay for it, they didn't care who got what.

The GOP has to just say no to a raising of the debt ceiling. The House has to refuse to fund any over the budget costs. That will demonstrate seriousness. Anything short of that will be just the same old game.

RJ| 1.10.13 @ 2:10PM

The nice thing about the debt ceiling debate is that it can be backed up with a demand to get the Senate to pass a budget for the first time in four years. No more spending through continuing resolutions.

Eagle Creek| 1.10.13 @ 4:10PM

"Speaker Boehner should have held up all 48 pages requested by the president on live television
and called on the president to strip them from the bill"

No, I don't think so... What Boner should have held up is all 2 pages of Obama's bogus birth certificate and selective service registration and called on the president to f***ing resign

Purp| 1.10.13 @ 5:17PM

Lying as usual, Betty Boop ...

"Instead of bringing the $60.4 billion Sandy-relief bill to a vote, Boehner offered a $9.7 billion flood insurance bill, a first installment for storm victims." - Nope. He brought nothing to the floor and they were going to adjourn for the year, until the Big Stink happened over Sandy Relief and they quickly put up the 9 Billion for a vote. And that's after 2 months of doing nothing for the hurricane victims. What an idiot.
The House is in complete disarray, John Boner is a joke and his lieutenants are ridiculous ideologues, going nowhere fast.

Gee, now what is government for at the very, very least - National Defense and Disaster Relief - Go ahead argue against that, pointy heads.

CJW| 1.10.13 @ 8:07PM

Purp the Village Idiot says God caused Hurricane Sandy to help Obama. Purpie believes God killed hundreds and destroyed millions of dollars of property to help Obama win:

"Purp| 11.8.12 @ 10:35AM

"The Lord rules, not Obama." - CORRECT!

The Lord works in mysterious ways... and this is something for the faithful to contemplate in the way the see the world:

Hurricane Sandy and Chris Christie was the Lord's way of pressing his thumb on the scale to tilt in the direction of President Obama. It was His punishment of Republicans for their lying and trying to cheat (Voter Suppression) their way to political victory, while espousing faith, freedom and constitutional credentials.

Some soul searching of conservative attitudes is in order, for sure."

Why answer this stupid, bigoted moron, just mock and ridicule him with his own words.

Lisa | 1.10.13 @ 9:07PM

It truly is amazing to me the confidence that Obama has in his own superiority complex. He was a professor of Constitutional law and knows well that he cannot have the power to raise the debt.

RJ| 1.10.13 @ 11:31PM

Obama's false confidence comes from living in a virtual reality that he and his enablers have created, which conforms to his wishes. A famous law professor of the University of Chicago said it best - his colleague, Obama (only an instructor on the First Amendment) was ideologically inflexible. He routinely refused to discuss issues with knowledgeable people who disagreed with him. Obama's virtual reality bubble is maintained by his sizable cast of enablers. How Obama obtained such enablers is truly amazing - that is his real skill. However, other than winning elective office, what has he truly accomplished? The "Stimulus" bill was the wish list of Congressional Democrats, with little input from the White House. Obamacare was the Senate bill. Obama doesn't even talk much with Congressional Democrats. He makes speeches before adoring crowds, but he doesn't do the work that other Presidents considered the vital part of job.

CHAUSSURES FEMME AIR MAX LTD | 1.11.13 @ 1:37AM

Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) wrote the President urging him to drop the demand “before any American is asked to pay a penny more in taxes.” But Vice President Joe Biden and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, the two who hammered out an agreement as the ball was dropping on 2012, were tone deaf to the outrage of larding up emergency fiscal legislation with special gifts to corporate interests and campaign contributors. The favors, estimated to cost $40 billion in revenue, will consume two thirds of the additional tax revenue produced by the deal in the first year.

topcat52| 1.13.13 @ 9:20AM

"When Obama and Senate Democrats bring another larded-up omnibus bill to the House, Boehner should rip it up and say the public wants a short bill in plain English that members of Congress will read before voting. " And the probability that Boner will do this is precisely 0%.

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