December 13, 2010
— Gabriel Malor This really pisses me off. The President on extending the Bush-era tax cuts to everyone, including the "wealthy."
"When they expire in two years, I will fight to end them," Obama said. "Just as I suspect the Republican Party may fight to end the middle-class tax cuts that I've championed and that they've opposed."
What a fucking scumbag. Maybe this is part of his new "charm offensive" to woo Republican committee chairmen.
It's certainly a continuation of the liberal scaremongering that extending the tax cuts for everyone somehow takes food out of the mouths of starving (?) middle class Americans. I can't find it now, but last week I saw some graphs circulating that put the Bush tax cuts for those earning less than $250 thousand on the Democratic side of the ledger and the tax cuts for those earning more than $250 thousand on the Republican side of the ledger, to demonstrate "who got what" out of the tax compromise.
The truth, of course, is that the "middle class" cuts have always been part of the Republican proposal.
Democrats excel at "framing" issues in such a way as to obscure the truth. They have to be good at this because most of the time their proposals are so awful, if people knew what they were really about, they'd freak. This is no different. Let's "unframe" what the Democrats want when it comes to the Bush tax cuts: "We want to raise taxes."
And when Obama brought that ridiculous proposal to raise taxes -- absurd in good times, but particularly laughable in this economy, when the proposal would most affect those likeliest to create jobs -- to Republicans and asked to make a deal, Republicans rightly said: "FY, NQ."
Posted by: Gabriel Malor at
03:48 PM
| Comments (191)
Post contains 301 words, total size 2 kb.
Posted by: CAC at December 13, 2010 03:24 PM (Gr1V1)
Posted by: Plymouthmom at December 13, 2010 03:24 PM (O/5X6)
Posted by: Noted Ace of Spades staff psychologist Country Joe and the Fish at December 13, 2010 03:52 PM (le5qc)
If he were alive today, King would push Fast Eddie down to Number Two after Osama Obama.
Posted by: MrScribbler© at December 13, 2010 03:53 PM (Ulu3i)
Posted by: Penfold at December 13, 2010 03:53 PM (N15Tc)
Posted by: Joe Wilson at December 13, 2010 03:57 PM (swuwV)
The Republicans blew it!
They shoulda proposed an extension for the tax cuts for the top income earners, and an additional CUT in taxes for the middle-income earners.
THAT woulda put Obama into a nice little Howdoyoulikethatnowbitch box.
Posted by: lolsoothsayer at December 13, 2010 03:58 PM (fFMjt)
Yessiree bob. Good job MSM! You stay the inquisitive go-getters that you've proven yourselves to be.
Posted by: goldbricker esq at December 13, 2010 03:59 PM (GkMfH)
Posted by: Cicero at December 13, 2010 04:00 PM (QKKT0)
Posted by: cthulhu at December 13, 2010 04:00 PM (kaalw)
Posted by: nevergiveup at December 13, 2010 04:01 PM (0GFWk)
Posted by: Hrothgar at December 13, 2010 04:01 PM (8nf3A)
I don't want the kleptocrats to get one more dime out of the economy...hell, they don't NEED to...all the bastards have been doing is printing (defective!) $100 dollar bills with nothing but an IOU behind them anyway!
fuckers
Posted by: torabora at December 13, 2010 04:01 PM (QOBv6)
Posted by: Hrothgar at December 13, 2010 04:02 PM (8nf3A)
Posted by: nevergiveup at December 13, 2010 04:02 PM (0GFWk)
Posted by: Penfold at December 13, 2010 07:53 PM (N15Tc)
Hey fighting to raise the tax rate is totally not raising taxes. Get it right sparky.
Posted by: Barack Obama at December 13, 2010 04:02 PM (bgcml)
Posted by: cali grump at December 13, 2010 04:03 PM (hL0k8)
The Republicans blew it!
They shoulda proposed an extension for the tax cuts for the top income earners, and an additional CUT in taxes for the middle-income earners.
THAT woulda put Obama into a nice little Howdoyoulikethatnowbitch box.
Posted by: lolsoothsayer at December 13, 2010 07:58 PM (fFMjt)
HEY! They coulda cut the lower income earners rate to ZERO!
*sarcasm dripping like cooling blood*
Posted by: torabora at December 13, 2010 04:04 PM (QOBv6)
Personally, I will fight to stop what I suspect is a Democratic plan to skull-crush kittens with spare copies of HR 676.
Posted by: Waterhouse at December 13, 2010 04:05 PM (oTy16)
Posted by: nevergiveup at December 13, 2010 04:05 PM (0GFWk)
I know. I simply don't have the strength to write about the Steele announcement now. Fucker. Maybe tomorrow.
Posted by: Gabriel Malor at December 13, 2010 04:07 PM (XVaFd)
Posted by: nine coconuts at December 13, 2010 04:07 PM (DHNp4)
Posted by: nevergiveup at December 13, 2010 04:08 PM (0GFWk)
Posted by: Penfold at December 13, 2010 04:08 PM (N15Tc)
What are the Democrats to do now?
Posted by: Ed Anger at December 13, 2010 08:04 PM
I'm pretty sure noted scholar and domestic terrorist William Ayers is available.
Posted by: MrScribbler© at December 13, 2010 04:09 PM (Ulu3i)
Posted by: nevergiveup at December 13, 2010 04:09 PM (0GFWk)
Hope you have a long and miserable existence with M'Chel. You deserve far worse, but that'll be a start.
Posted by: cali grump at December 13, 2010 08:03 PM (hL0k
He can get a pad in my building in Harlem. haw haw. I get along just fine without the carpetmuncher.haw haw.
Posted by: Bill Clinton at December 13, 2010 04:09 PM (QOBv6)
Posted by: not that Greg at December 13, 2010 04:11 PM (QkqDN)
Can someone explain to me why Obama and the Democrats couldn't do whatever they pleased with these tax rates?
They still have a supermajority in Congress; why do they even need the Republicans?
If Obama and the Democrats wants to raise taxes, they can do it now.
Posted by: lolsoothsayer at December 13, 2010 04:11 PM (Sl76L)
Posted by: CoolCzech at December 13, 2010 04:11 PM (tJjm/)
Posted by: steevy at December 13, 2010 04:12 PM (bcaZ9)
*Republicanstm may contain less that the recommended daily amounts of these senators:
Olympia Snowe
Susan Collins
Lisa Murkowski
Posted by: Laurie David's Cervix at December 13, 2010 04:12 PM (yea0z)
Can someone explain to me why Obama and the Democrats couldn't do whatever they pleased with these tax rates?
they can't do it now for the same reason they couldn't do it before November -- those damn voters.
Posted by: nine coconuts at December 13, 2010 04:13 PM (DHNp4)
About that whole "framing of the issue" thingy. Methinks if we had a capable leader in a position of leadership, say, maybe as the head of the Republican party, that he or she would be able to poke some holes in their framing, and maybe, you know, tell the truth about what it is that they propose?
In other words, decode their bullshit for the general public.
Posted by: BackwardsBoy at December 13, 2010 04:14 PM (b6qrg)
Posted by: nevergiveup at December 13, 2010 04:14 PM (0GFWk)
If the truth is against you, just make shit up. Chapter I, page 1, paragraph 1 in the Commie Play Book.
Barky is a chicken shit liar as are all his comrades.
Posted by: Ronster at December 13, 2010 04:14 PM (9q4PA)
"When they expire in two years, I will fight to end them," Obama said. "Just as I suspect the Republican Party may fight to end the middle-class tax cuts that I've championed and that they've opposed."
yep, that's a blood-shooting-out-the-eyes whopper all right
Posted by: shoey at December 13, 2010 04:15 PM (yCH89)
Posted by: phoenixgirl at December 13, 2010 04:16 PM (eOXTH)
Posted by: nevergiveup at December 13, 2010 04:17 PM (0GFWk)
Let's boil this down.
Obama is shitting bricks over the economy and his advisers tell him he must not allow taxes to be raised because it will makes things worse.
So he has to get the Republicans to help him because most of the Democrats won't extend the tax cuts.
Right or Wrong?
Posted by: lolsoothsayer at December 13, 2010 04:17 PM (Sl76L)
Posted by: Ed Anger at December 13, 2010 08:04 PM (7+pP9)
Ohh! Ohh! Ohh! I'll have the whole malaise wrapped up in record time.
Posted by: Jimmah Horseshack Cahter at December 13, 2010 04:18 PM (sM/RM)
Posted by: hueydiamondpooty at December 13, 2010 04:18 PM (2YJsb)
Right on Gabe! I know I have been jabbing you all day in good jest but at the end of the day, you know we are all in this fight together and you are indeed one of the best legal minds out there.
I have been thinking lately, like many, about the fundamentals in the liberals' argument surrounding taxes and that the "rich" should be taxed at a higher rate due to the belief that the so called, "rich" are not paying their fair share or that those not making as much some how deserve something more than others.
Perhpas we could discuss this liberal philospophy some more in terms of it's constitutionality. I doubt the founding fathers would be for saddling those with more just because those with more have more or were perceived to have more.
The liberals are framing an argument in class warfare and inequity and it seems to be getting away from the GOP.
The founders' orthodoxy was to create a level playing field to pursue the inalienable rights. The liberals are trying to do something entirely different.
Gabe, would you be up to writing on this subject and how the liberals present argument on the matter of taxes is fundamentally flawed vis a vis the constitution and the founder's intent?
Thanks,
Matt
Posted by: journolist at December 13, 2010 04:18 PM (LwLqV)
And it kills the the dem argument for soaking the rich, someone who makes 100 times the income of someone else pays 100 times the taxes, under a flat tax system.
Posted by: Guy Fawkes at December 13, 2010 04:20 PM (b75eT)
Posted by: Anon Y. Mous at December 13, 2010 04:20 PM (DsU01)
Really, really easy for the Republicans to show this guy as the liar he is. What they need to do is in a very simple way, show that the Dems are the ones who want to raise taxes and the Repubs are the ones that want to lower taxes... FOR EVERYONE.
Do they have the balls to do it though?
Posted by: AndrewsDad at December 13, 2010 04:21 PM (C2//T)
Posted by: buzzion at December 13, 2010 04:21 PM (oVQFe)
If you like your dishonest President, you can keep your dishonest President.
Posted by: hornyfemaledolphins at December 13, 2010 04:22 PM (SAeJo)
Posted by: toby928™ at December 13, 2010 04:22 PM (S5YRY)
This is why I still have a soft spot for Newt Gingrich. I don't trust him to actually be the hard-nosed, results-oriented whip for conservative causes, but he can frame like nobody's business as long as he isn't sitting next to Nancy.
Posted by: AnonymousDrivel at December 13, 2010 04:23 PM (swuwV)
I'm thinking something like an Alay Grayson (D, Idiot) board thing wherein this fictional decoder of bullshit could place cards that show the words that Dims say on one side and what they really mean on the other side.
This phrase could be on the first one. When Obama says "Tax cuts", what he really means is "Keeping the current tax rates that were reduced by his predecessor."
Posted by: BackwardsBoy at December 13, 2010 04:24 PM (b6qrg)
Posted by: John Boehner at December 13, 2010 04:25 PM (tJjm/)
Nope. In the good old days, you had to own property to vote. Of course, when I learned this fact in screwl, it was presented in the worst possible light.
Posted by: Kratos (Ghost of Sparta) at December 13, 2010 04:27 PM (c0A3e)
hahaha, that No Labels farce is hilarious!
They stand for nothing. It's all a big, vague circle jerk. But if they do actually take a side on an issue, they have uncanny knack of always being in concord with Obama.
Posted by: lolsoothsayer at December 13, 2010 04:27 PM (fFMjt)
Posted by: bobbo at December 13, 2010 04:28 PM (QcFbt)
Posted by: Ambiguously Gay Richard Simmons at December 13, 2010 04:29 PM (9Vw1I)
Has he gone Sybil on us?
Posted by: shibumi at December 13, 2010 04:29 PM (OKZrE)
The Big Lie here is sure the dhims want to redistribute the wealth of the rich, but what the Leftists really want is to crush the middle class.
It's the middle class that aspires to upward mobility through entrepreneurship and innovation.
Those traits are forbidden in a totalitarian state, along with independence and critical thought.
So the idea that Oliar and his commie crowd would be advocates for the bourgeois middle class is at odds with their history and everything the scumbags believe in, which isn't much.
Fuck 'em all to HELL.
Posted by: ontherocks at December 13, 2010 04:29 PM (HBqDo)
Posted by: nerdygirl at December 13, 2010 04:30 PM (edGTW)
The One is a lying scumbag?
Shit is there gambling going on?
http://tinyurl.com/6ofogo
Posted by: Kemp at December 13, 2010 04:30 PM (JpFM9)
Clean up on aisle 79.
Obama is a socialist, as much is factual. We don't need to be calling him every name because we are upset.
Posted by: journolist at December 13, 2010 04:31 PM (LwLqV)
Posted by: John Boehner at December 13, 2010 04:31 PM (tJjm/)
Posted by: Guy Fawkes at December 13, 2010 04:31 PM (b75eT)
You guys aren't seeing the similarity between what Obama said and what Kanye West said in 2005?
Obama, in that quote, is saying, "Republicans hate the middle class."
Posted by: lolsoothsayer at December 13, 2010 04:31 PM (fFMjt)
Posted by: cali grump at December 13, 2010 04:31 PM (hL0k8)
Posted by: Captain Hate at December 13, 2010 04:31 PM (kOMUP)
Posted by: CoolCzech at December 13, 2010 04:33 PM (tJjm/)
Obama's a cockholster.
Posted by: Methos at December 13, 2010 04:33 PM (Ew1k4)
This fictional decoder of bullshit could also put some pressure on the MFM to also include his/her response to anything that Obama or Pelosi or Reid say, in the interest of fairness and equality in the public debate.
How could you be against that, MFMABCMSNBCBSNBC? Huh?
We could command the language (and the framing of the issue) if we'd just do it.
Posted by: BackwardsBoy at December 13, 2010 04:34 PM (b6qrg)
This is embarrassing for him talking out of both sides of his mouth like this.
Obama Dec. 2012: We need these tax cuts to spur economic growth.
Obama Dec. 2012: Those POS tax cuts the Republicans made me pass won't happen two years from now. You heard it here first.
Posted by: laceyunderalls at December 13, 2010 04:34 PM (RaZh4)
Posted by: John Boehner at December 13, 2010 04:34 PM (tJjm/)
Anybody remember the calls for "shared sacrifice"? Like this from commondreams.org back in 2004:
"Presidents Lincoln and Roosevelt would be appalled at President Bush's unprecedented wartime tax policies -- lining the pockets of millionaires while soldiers are in the line of fire. They understood the importance of shared sacrifice. President Bush does not. "
Gee whiz! Don't the voters in the middle class deserve to prove their patriotism by giving up their Bush tax cuts? Isn't that part of "shared sacrifice"?
Back in '04, Progressives said the Bush tax cuts were horrible and unpatriotic. Now we're supposed to believe they've changed their minds?
Posted by: stuiec at December 13, 2010 04:35 PM (Di3Im)
Posted by: John Boehner at December 13, 2010 04:36 PM (tJjm/)
Posted by: cali grump at December 13, 2010 04:36 PM (hL0k8)
Only in Washington can a) a cut be the status quo (n the case of taxes); b) a lower increase (in the case of spending); c) something that can be "championed" for a grand total of ten days, and; d) all of the above.
Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here) at December 13, 2010 04:36 PM (U6LOz)
Posted by: John Boehner at December 13, 2010 04:37 PM (tJjm/)
Posted by: JackStraw at December 13, 2010 04:39 PM (TMB3S)
Posted by: Barack Obama at December 13, 2010 04:40 PM (zgZzy)
They are helped in this by our beloved Media, of course. The end of the New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, et al, cannot come soon enough.
Posted by: BeckoningChasm at December 13, 2010 04:40 PM (bvfVF)
Posted by: stuiec at December 13, 2010 08:35 PM (Di3Im)
And there you have it, sports fans; psychosis in political form, courtesy of the Democrat Party.
And yeah, I'm kinda pissed off too. I've had it with lying politicians. I'm tired of being lied to, about, and around by the unprincipled who would represent me and my interests in Washington, which they aren't really doing.
Posted by: BackwardsBoy at December 13, 2010 04:41 PM (b6qrg)
Posted by: Captain Hate at December 13, 2010 04:41 PM (kOMUP)
Posted by: John Boehner at December 13, 2010 04:41 PM (tJjm/)
Yeah, why didn't we get a thread on that?
Fence-Sitters Party!
Sans Spine Party!
Fickle Flighty Party!
Posted by: laceyunderalls at December 13, 2010 04:42 PM (RaZh4)
Posted by: 1idvet at December 13, 2010 04:44 PM (iMyIW)
The Dems stand behind a clearly deranged Pelosi, yet we try to tear down a solid conservative because he let slip a few tears. At least he is human (not so certain about Pelosi, who no longer has tear ducts, btw)
Posted by: In Exile at December 13, 2010 04:44 PM (5HVYj)
At one time it was pride that kept us number one, now?
The new cocksuckers just don't give a cock sucking shit about our cock sucking history.
It's sad day for the cocksucker who read this blog, that they can not continue the cock sucking traditions.
The young cocksuckers just have no pride.
Did I mention Obama is a cocksucker?
Posted by: Barney at December 13, 2010 04:45 PM (JpFM9)
Posted by: Purple Avenger at December 13, 2010 04:47 PM (y8s1I)
The federal government has spent 3.3 trillion dollars on "education" since the creation of the Dept. of Ed back in 1979.
Since that time, student achievement has remained flat or actually regressed.
Are there any sane conservatives in Washington who will argue that we should get rid of the Dept. of Ed?
Ohhh, I forgot. Most of them voted for the federal takeover of public education, NCLB.
Posted by: stickety at December 13, 2010 04:47 PM (EsWC3)
I was against tax cuts before I was for them.
I'm a quick learner. That's why I got my Nobel before I was President.
Posted by: B+rry "I'm Part Irish" Ob+owmao at December 13, 2010 04:48 PM (QOBv6)
Posted by: zombie Liberace at December 13, 2010 04:49 PM (SwkdU)
Since that time, student achievement has remained flat or actually regressed.
Are there any sane conservatives in Washington who will argue that we should get rid of the Dept. of Ed?
All this will change with the creation of the Bureau of Bake Sales. It's the missing element.
Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here) at December 13, 2010 04:50 PM (U6LOz)
Posted by: laceyunderalls at December 13, 2010 04:50 PM (RaZh4)
I flip over to AoSHQ and find that Gabe just said the same thing.
Great minds, indeed.
Posted by: Leo Ladenson at December 13, 2010 04:50 PM (mAm+G)
Posted by: Sekhmet at December 13, 2010 04:51 PM (FSpKM)
Posted by: CAC at December 13, 2010 04:52 PM (Gr1V1)
Posted by: Purple Avenger at December 13, 2010 04:53 PM (y8s1I)
Hey, Boehner is a real man. He's run his own business has raised a good family and came from noble beginnings.
He loves his country and is grateful we are back in power.
Is he perfect? No. Is he American? Yes.
Posted by: journolist at December 13, 2010 04:53 PM (LwLqV)
It's our money they spent. It's us, our children, and our children's children they are putting in hock.
I don't think he's lying. I think he's dumb enough to believe his own shit. There is a reason his grades are sealed.
Posted by: MarkD at December 13, 2010 04:54 PM (0Jy1K)
The end of what, you lying commie opportunistic douche-bag fuck? You still have the majority in both houses. Pass your commie crap right now if that's what the people want. You're at the end right now. Face reality. Your fucking 'let them eat cake' diatribe will get you the same sympathies as the last girl that tried it.
Jump ship and swim back to mother Russia. Asshole.
Posted by: TheGhostWhoWalks at December 13, 2010 04:54 PM (9tt+Z)
Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre
Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre
Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre
Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre
NOT EVEN EFFING PLAYING
Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre
Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre
Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre
Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre
HERE HE IS IN SWEATS LOOKING BORED
Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre
Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre
Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre
Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre
Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here) at December 13, 2010 04:55 PM (U6LOz)
Posted by: torabora at December 13, 2010 04:55 PM (QOBv6)
Posted by: Truman Capote at December 13, 2010 04:55 PM (zVOB7)
Posted by: CoolCzech at December 13, 2010 04:56 PM (tJjm/)
Posted by: RickS at December 13, 2010 04:56 PM (Kogrf)
Posted by: terrier-like Moron at December 13, 2010 04:56 PM (SwkdU)
Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here) at December 13, 2010 08:55 PM (U6LOz)
Thanks, I was thinking about turning it on. Saved me some time.
Posted by: Meremortal at December 13, 2010 04:57 PM (DffuX)
Posted by: Gabriel Malor at December 13, 2010 08:07 PM
I covered it in the sidebar.
Posted by: rdbrewer at December 13, 2010 04:57 PM (ia2dD)
Posted by: Frank Fudpucker at December 13, 2010 04:57 PM (zVOB7)
Is he perfect? No. Is he American? Yes.
I'm sure a lot of us can remember when someone in the media mentioned that it would be OK if Bush would show some emotion. I remember that being said several times about the man.
Now watch, some MFM'er will give Boehner shit for crying. I mean, worse than we're doing it. But hey, we're Morons, it's what we do.
Posted by: BackwardsBoy at December 13, 2010 04:57 PM (b6qrg)
I'm thinking about organizing a moron meet up in Los Angeles area. Seems our last try fell through.
Those interested let me know.
I have some great venues in mind.
Posted by: journolist at December 13, 2010 04:59 PM (LwLqV)
Posted by: Barney Frank at December 13, 2010 04:59 PM (zVOB7)
Posted by: Frank Fudpucker at December 13, 2010 08:57 PM (zVOB7)
In my head, I heard you say you wanted him to lift up my skirt, bend me over a chair in the White House, and impale me with his Presidential schwang!
Posted by: Maureen Dowd at December 13, 2010 05:00 PM (tJjm/)
I'll give you one better--the lionizing of Richard Holbrooke--card carrying member of the Federation of Assholes Local 3301.
But John Bolton was mean to someone once in 1993.
Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here) at December 13, 2010 05:01 PM (U6LOz)
Posted by: Aunt Esther-chelle Obama at December 13, 2010 05:02 PM (SwkdU)
Posted by: Gabriel Malor at December 13, 2010 05:02 PM (XVaFd)
Posted by: CoolCzech at December 13, 2010 05:03 PM (tJjm/)
Now, you know damn well that this isn't a card carrying moron. (....) If that ain't a Ko's Kids dream of a post, I don't know what is.
Posted by: TheGhostWhoWalks at December 13, 2010 05:04 PM (9tt+Z)
Posted by: football thread at December 13, 2010 05:06 PM (S5YRY)
Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here) at December 13, 2010 05:06 PM (U6LOz)
Posted by: football thread at December 13, 2010 05:07 PM (S5YRY)
Nor should we forget the Lion of the Senate, Teddy *hic* Kennedy *blub*.
Posted by: BackwardsBoy at December 13, 2010 05:11 PM (b6qrg)
Posted by: molon labe at December 13, 2010 05:11 PM (vkoUx)
Not up enough on my porcine latin to reply in kind, but I don't want to spread that stench. Sorry.
Posted by: TheGhostWhoWalks at December 13, 2010 05:12 PM (9tt+Z)
Hey, better than Crocs and cocks
Posted by: Sekhmet at December 13, 2010 05:17 PM (FSpKM)
Posted by: nevergiveup at December 13, 2010 07:58 PM (0GFWk)
The tiny commie Valerie Jarrett is about the only one left after Robt. Fibbs.
Posted by: RushBabe at December 13, 2010 05:18 PM (a3Z62)
Posted by: TheGhostWhoWalks at December 13, 2010 05:19 PM (9tt+Z)
Posted by: CoolCzech at December 13, 2010 05:25 PM (tJjm/)
As I told you earlier today, Virginia won the first round of the constitutional fight over the federal health care law. I also told you I'd get back to you with more details later in the day, and I'm keeping my promise.
I will tell you up front that I will also go into still more detail later this week - when time allows.
Arguments and Outcomes
There were two basic arguments in this case.
First, Virginia argued that the individual mandate was beyond the power of Congress and the President to impose under the Constitution. Specifically, Congress claimed that their regulatory power under the Commerce Clause allowed them to order you to buy their government-approved health insurance, even if you decide not to buy health insurance.
The judge ruled that the federal government does not have the power to compel you to buy health insurance as part of its attempt to regulate the entire field of health care and health insurance. Thus, Virginia won this argument.
Second, the federal government advanced a 'fallback' argument in case it lost on its commerce clause argument. The feds' fallback argument was that the financial penalty you have to pay if you don't buy the government mandated health insurance is a tax.
This may sound like an odd argument from a political standpoint - usually they say everything is NOT a tax (in fact, they argued the penalty was not a tax while they were trying to get the bill passed); however, they changed position after the bill became law to try and save the bill. What they were trying to do was to get the courts to agree that because the penalty would presumably raise some revenue, it was therefore a 'tax' under the taxing and spending for the General Welfare Clause of the Constitution.
No judge in the country has bought this argument, and Judge Hudson was no exception. He ruled that the taxing power of Congress does not save the bill, because the penalty for not buying the mandated health insurance is not a tax.
The federal government only had to win on either of these two arguments, while Virginia needed to win both to prevail, and we won both!
A bit more about 'What's next' at: http://tinyurl.com/23xfm5c
Posted by: Tami at December 13, 2010 05:26 PM (VuLos)
Posted by: fluffy at December 13, 2010 05:27 PM (SwkdU)
Posted by: CoolCzech at December 13, 2010 05:28 PM (tJjm/)
Posted by: CoolCzech at December 13, 2010 09:28 PM (tJjm/)
Agreed. He talks a little about it going to the Supreme court at the link. He thinks it will take two years but are in discussions with the DOJ about accelerating it.
Posted by: Tami at December 13, 2010 05:30 PM (VuLos)
Posted by: gringocachingo at December 13, 2010 05:31 PM (FEyvP)
Posted by: CoolCzech at December 13, 2010 05:32 PM (tJjm/)
Posted by: Fresh Air at December 13, 2010 05:33 PM (ISeRF)
Posted by: CoolCzech at December 13, 2010 09:32 PM (tJjm/)
Me neither....but he said "those discussions have been cordial thus far. More on that later."
Posted by: Tami at December 13, 2010 05:34 PM (VuLos)
Posted by: Barak Obama and Bill Clinton at December 13, 2010 05:37 PM (HNhj0)
Posted by: USS Diversity at December 13, 2010 05:41 PM (RWtqz)
Boehner?.... buddies with that drunk murderer Ted Kennedy. What more do you need to know? Get him out of there.
Got a link or something to prove that?
Posted by: jewells45 at December 13, 2010 05:42 PM (Z71Vg)
Posted by: Hrothgar at December 13, 2010 05:55 PM (8nf3A)
Posted by: jwb7605 at December 13, 2010 06:23 PM (Qxe/p)
Posted by: Mary Clogginstien from Brattleboro, VT at December 13, 2010 06:34 PM (zVOB7)
Posted by: prettypinkfluffypanties at December 13, 2010 06:38 PM (cQfrc)
Posted by: CMU VET at December 13, 2010 06:39 PM (28nr4)
If this is a sneak preview of his 2012 re-election strategy, BRING....IT....ON.
But if tighty-righties succeed in shooting the deal down, guess what the new conventional wisdom will be?
Posted by: JASmius at December 13, 2010 07:45 PM (v+R5I)
Posted by: pat at December 13, 2010 08:17 PM (VdOBj)
Time to throw them all into the industrial press.
Posted by: bobbymike at December 13, 2010 10:59 PM (WWQLs)
I think the R's should walk away fro mthe deal.
Let the Clinton-era tax hikes go back into effect.
Posted by: Lemon Kitten at December 14, 2010 04:46 AM (0fzsA)
Then, in two years, all of a sudden the existing tax cuts which have been so beneficial to our economy, are supposed to be eliminated? Is that the reasoning?
Posted by: J at December 14, 2010 04:59 AM (T3/qP)
Yes, Republicans, the majority of whom ARE members of the middle class, cannot WAIT for the middle class tax cuts go away!
Personally, I am also awaiting someone to cut off my left leg and right arm. Looking forward to being dismembered, nearly as much as I await with baited breath, higher taxes.
This is class warfare plain and simple, and he is winning it while we sit and take it. Will one honest Republican in Washington PLEASE stand up and tell him (again) YOU LIE!
MORON. LIAR.
Posted by: Trish at December 14, 2010 07:26 AM (rS4W1)
Posted by: DIY garden gate plans at March 26, 2011 07:48 PM (uUsYL)
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Posted by: Lysander Spooner at December 13, 2010 03:23 PM (QHAZ6)