On January 1, 2013, the US senate passed legislation that prevented the US from driving off the fiscal cliff and in doing so, prevented taxes from going up on 98% of Americans, most of whom are in the middle class. The bill passed with an overwhelming and unusually bipartisan majority of 89 to 8 vote. As if to accentuate the bipartisan nature of this landmark event, three of the eight “no” votes were from democrats!
Those old enough to remember the administrations that preceded the GW Bush will recall a time when both houses of congress dealt with issues on the basis of compromise and give-and-take negotiations to arrive at a finished product both parties could support, even if neither side was completely satisfied. This had been how the US government conducted business since its inception. And although the US senate had increasingly degenerated over the past 12 years into a polarized body more interested in “my way or the highway”, at least when the USA (and as a consequence, much of the world economy) had its back to the wall in the final hours, the senate acted to avert disaster in the the only way it possibly could: compromise and bipartisanship.
Not so the US House of Representatives.
That chamber suffered an infestation of newly-elected Tea Party candidates in 2010, some of whom only had until this Thursday before they are replaced by those who beat them in last November’s elections. They have continuously appeared to be deaf to the will of the people as expressed in the last election and continuing national polls. They have insisted upon standing firm against ANY compromise, even one to prevent the USA from going over the fiscal cliff.
Although the senate-passed bill finally passed the House after 9pm last night by a 257-167 vote, only 85 republicans voted in favor of the bill; fully 151 republicans voted against it!
Those folks who voted to have taxes rise on 98% of Americans (who are now covered by the legislation they voted AGAINST) seem to think that Grover Norquist, the anti-tax guru pagan god of the Tea Party is the second coming of the messiah. yet, if they paid even cursory attention to the news, they’d know that Norquist endorsed the legislation as “not in conflict with the anti tax pledge” he has blackmailed most republican congresspeople into signing.
These Tea-Party-infected folks also believed that it would have been better for the USA to drive over the cliff, seriously crippling the US and global economy, critically injuring the US stock market, having taxes rise on the 98% of Americans that that the bill now protects, abruptly shutting down unemployment benefits, and dramatically reduce or end health care benefits to the poor among other self-inflicted wounds, than to deny tax breaks to the very rich. They also hated that the promised spending cuts, which must now be negotiated and passed within the next two months, weren’t included in the bill NOW!
They didn’t care that many Americans would suffer for the weeks or months it would take to forge a spending reduction agreement with democrats, if in fact such an agreement between ultra-conservative extreme-right-wing Tea Baggers and congressional democrats was even possible. Remember, the baggers’ first manta is “my way or the highway”. They also bore no responsibility whatsoever for the fact that for the 16 months they’ve known this issue (fiscal cliff) was barreling down the road, they did absolutely NOTHING to produce a passable fix.. After all, it’s the House that’s responsible for budget legislation.
Nope. The Tea Baggers were too busy trying to convince voters to vote for people who think that rape is “God’s will”, or that raped women don’t get pregnant, or that global warming is a hoax, or that school prayer prevents school massacres by crazed assault-rifle-toting assassins, or that homosexuality can be “cured” with prayer-based therapy, or that same-sex couples should be hunted, not married, or that the richer the wealthy become, the better off the middle class will be, or that the Earth is 6000 years old and Adam and Eve rode dinosaurs (naked, mind you), until they were kicked out of the garden of Eden for accessing knowledge (brought on by the the stone-aged version of Wikipedia, known then simply as “Apple”).
Amy Kremer, chairwoman of the Tea Party Express reacted angrily to the passage of the bill. “There will be consequences!“, she threatened. And Mike Kibbe, president of tea party-affiliated Freedomworks, called passage of the bill an “epic fail”, adding, “If Congressional leadership fails to do the bare minimum to secure our economic future, then we will find someone that will,”
Meanwhile, the Dow Jones rose over 308 points today. So much for business hating the bill, huh?
Y’know…watching Tea Party leaders condemn the GOP leadership (their ex-lovers) is a little like watching late-night porn, isn’t it? 
Or watching a slow moving train wreck unfold before our eyes.
When did the pledge to Grover the (not so) Great trump the Constitution? Where are the politicians who owe their allegiance to the US and not just the narrow interests of the tea party?
Hmmm CUBA cut over 100,000 government jobs last year and I think the year before, cutting other government spending, (gracias Raul Castro) … Economy growing … attempting to reverse years of socialism and the US can’t get enough of it like a moth seeking “light”.
The House has passed a budget every year of Obama’s years and the SENATE (Democrat) and President (Democrat) haven’t been able to get a budget passed in the Senate in ANY of over 3 years to bring to a conference to work out the differences …(bi-partisan like the law says).
The Senate got Obama Care passed with tricks and bribes. … Senate and President don’t want to be limited by a budget .. or state what their plans are … what about the past times when Republicans said okay we will compromise and raise taxes but where are the spending cuts …Later? Never happened.
Howie if you take all the money from the “Rich” the government will last how many years? That money needs to stay in the market place so banks can loan money and the retirement pensions have value …
The Tea Party is holding out to fix the cause, too much spending, the rest of Congress wants to spend to get reelected ..
Yes the House has passed many a budget…all with spending cuts to middle and lower income classes and NO tax hikes on the wealthiest few..
Their idea of being bi-partisan is to offer the Democrats a choice of six different ways of doing just what you advocate..balancing the budget on the backs of the poor and middle classes.. while protecting the richest few.. ..Even yesterday your Tea Party friends voted against tax cuts for 98% of Americans because people making over $400K were not included..what a perfect example of their true values!
And stop the exaggeration about taking “all the money from the ‘Rich”..asking them to pay three cents on every dollar over $400K is hardly taking all their money!
And once again we find a rightie comparing Obama’s programs to socialism…but how much will anyone bet this poster is collecting social security and Medicare or has parents that do? And the poster would be among the first to complain if they don’t get a cost of living increase..
I’m learning how much I love socialism. Thanks to Obamacare, half of the doctors I know have dropped Medicare because, in their words, “Obama has made it a nightmare.”
I have to have shoulder surgery this month, and the specialist I want can’t do it because he doesn’t take Medicare any longer. Isn’t this fun? Really something to celebrate!
First thing your doctors ought to try is telling the truth..Obamacare has made NO changes that make things more difficult for them to use Medicare…and the only ones cutting payments are Republicans. So if they claim Obamacare has changed it to turn it into a nightmare then please tell us HOW.
The biggest change is gradually closing the doughnut hole…something which I am sure you will take advantage of..while still complaining about Obama..
You say half your doctors are dropping out.,.,frankly I don’t believe it.
And finally ..it takes a lot of balls to sarcastically complain about “socialism” and then bitch because your doctor will not take Medicare..a socialistic program…(or didn’t you know that?).
The DOW has doubled since Obama became President..in spite of the dire warnings of the right about this Marxist/ Socialist in the White House!!! That ought to tell the TEA Baggers something…but it doesn’t.. and it never will..
The real problems with the TEA heads are the changes in society which they fear and cannot accept.. You can talk all you want using facts but they formed their opinions based upon deep seated emotional reasons long before any facts entered the discussion..they did not form their opinions on logic and facts, and so facts will not change them..
Tea Party just a bunch of decent folks???
Judson Phillips, head of Tea Party Nation and one of the founders and most influential members of that group sent out an email to the TEA members this week and posted it on his website. Here are a few excerpts and some of the replies.
“Obama signaled early on what he wanted with the debt ceiling. He wants the unlimited authority to incur debt. He wants to borrow money without any Congressional oversight.
What he really wants is the power to be a dictator.
Barack Obama does not like the American system of government. He doesn’t like our founding fathers either. Our founding fathers were very wise. They dealt with tyranny in their lifetime. The fundamental purpose of the way they set up our government was not to be efficient or even to accommodate rapid change.
Obama does not love America. He hates America. He looks at America through his Marxist background and sees not the greatest nation in the world. He does not see the country that has done more good for more people than any other nation. He sees the evil oppressive power that Marxists always view America as.
By continuing to borrow money, unabated, he knows sooner or later debt will completely bring down the American economy and possibly the American state.
If Obama wins this next battle, it will fundamentally transform America and our government. Which is exactly what he said he wanted to do when he ran in 2008. Obama has spoken several times, almost longingly talking about how he wishes he had dictatorial powers. Now, here is his chance.”
Posters then joined in with remarks including;
“If this happens We need to go to DC and hold treason trials. There is not doubt in my mind that they are handing the government over to a dictatorship. In other words overthrowing the government. That is TREASON and We better start TREATING IT LIKE IT.”
And
“Everyone can see that Obama is a communist/marxist and hates this country. We heard him say he’s going to “fundamentally remake this country.” Well Mr Hussein Obama, we don’t want a fundamentally different country. Just because the insane, crazy, brain dead leftists will go completely nuts when treason charges are filed, that’s no reason to not charge ahead. We don’t want to live in a third world country (or worse), We are facing the most evil, devious, administration in our history. They have been planning this takeover for decades, while the rest of us were busy raising our families and enjoying life. But we have one thing to thank Hussein Obama for, he has taken his mask off and the masks of the godless, lying, corrupt democrats so that we know what they all are and who they all are, and where they all came from (the depths of hell). Now that we know we’re facing the most overwhelming evil ever known to man, we need to fight it.”
and
“Obama is determined to take this country apart piece by piece until we turn into a third world country, with him as the ultimate ruler/dictator. The thing that scares me is no one is standing in his way and telling him NO! And when they do tell him no he goes behind everyone’s backs and makes unilateral decrees on everything from stealing from Medicare to closing down coal mines and plants. Who the hell does this man think he is? I know who he is, he’s the anti-christ. You can scoff and doubt, but he is filling the bill so far with his collusion with the middle eastern countries. And he says he’s going to steal from the rich and give to the poor like some modern day Robin Hood, but in actuallity he’s just a hood.”
and reply to the anti Christ charge someone wrote
“No, Obama is not the antichrist, but you’re close. The Bible says we will be resurrected before the antichrist takes over. It also says there will be antichrist spirits. Hitler was one–Obama is another.”
and
“All I can say to the Republicans is the American people could care less what the lamestream media and Obama and his ilk call us. Ignore their rants and ugly lies and do what is right for America. Start Impeachment or Treason hearings with or without Eric Holder. He is part of the problem as well. Americans are sick and tire of waking up every morning to nothing but bad news and more bad news and our freedom and liberties being trampled on by the usurper in the White House.”
And
“It is obvious that we can no longer depend on our Government in Washington to do the right thing. Since we have become a Banana Republic we need a military coup to oust the Cabal. It would need the support of at least 45 State Governors to support this. We are running out of time, we must act now or it is too late.”
and
“Make no mistake! The Blue Helmets are coming for your guns.”
and
“Well, it has happened before! Hopefully somebody will get someone in Washington to listen and take corrective action, but eventually the “sleeping giant” will awaken. Of course, then the resolution will probably be messy.”
Readers can judge these comments for themselves and remember these are the people that control the GOP