Complete Failure of Bipartisanship; Senate GOP Draft Letter-Tax Cuts Before Jobless Benefits

[DimplesinMI]

On November 30th, President Barack Obama met with Republican leadership Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), upcoming Speaker of the House John Bohner (R-OH) and Congressman Eric Cantor (R-VA) to discuss the "art of compromise" on legislation including Bush Era tax cuts and jobless benefits.

What President Obama got in return today is a report that the entire Republican Senate caucus signed a letter informing Majority Leader Harry Reid, they will filibuster any legislative measure that comes before the Senate, prior to the body passing approximately $700 Trillion dollar tax cuts for the wealthy or penning a Federal budget for 2011.

Ironically, Senator Scott Brown (R-MA) took the first step in the GOP filibuster campaign on November 30th, when he made a one-man filibuster on S.3981-“The Unemployment Insurance Stabilization Act of 2010, thereby ending all hope for jobless American's continuing to receive supplemental income payments, without hitting the expiration date.

In other words, Obama received nothing in return, despite raising a call within the last three sentences of a 15 minute press conference on November 30th –which mostly dealt with the tax cuts- to pass unemployment insurance for 2 Million jobless Americans, who's payments expired the same day.

Feel free to read the rest of the story, here- http://www.reachoutjobsearch.com/2010/12/complete-failure-of-compromise-senate.html

[HCE SuiGeneris]

1. The shit keeps getting deeper. That's what happens when you try to appease thugs.

I might have to tune out for a while. My blood pressure over the last couple of weeks has skyrocketed.

[Democrats_win]

2. At least the GOP has the right priorities. Those billionaires need their tax cuts.

Without them, how will they ever offshore OUR jobs. There is hard work to be done and who better than the sons of bush to do them.

[Andy823]

3. I still don't understand

Why the hell doesn't Reid make them do a "real" filibuster and force them to stay on the floor talking till they drop, and force everyone to stay in session till they do drop? If democrats showed the american people they have had enough of this bullshit from the republicans and made them stay in session through the holidays, made them do a "real" filibuster, and stop up for those in need and force the republicans to show their true colors, they would go a long way in bring back the base, and anyone else who is sick of what has been going on by the republicans! Knock these clowns on their ass and put up a real fight for the people!

[AnArmyVeteran]

6. It's impossible for me to believe Reid was a boxer.

He would just run terrified from any opponent.

I have almost resigned myself to believing democrats are totally in bed with republicans and are just trying to position themselves to lessen the blame hurled their way. Democratic leaders are obviously in favor of keeping the tax cuts for the top 2%, but are saying the opposite to the public. This country has one political party, for the rich. We are almost totally unrepresented.

[xchrom]

4. I wonder if anyone will ever think a different strategy is in order? Nt

[Better Believe It]

7. Besides surrender? I hope so.

[Better Believe It]

5. I think we have a bigger failure of partisanship since Senate Democrats won't challenge Republicans

Bring out the cots and force Republicans obstructionists to engage in real Senate filibusters on the Senate floor.

The other option is yet another surrender to Republicans.

[DimplesinMI]

8. Totally Agree

Harry Reid needs to stand down on this one. Use your boxing skills Harry....call the GOP bluff, since President Obama won't.

[Waiting For Everyman]

9. They just spit in Obama's face. That's what this is.

If he (and Reid) don't play hardball with them now, and do it well, he's toast. He won't even have foreign policy credibility left after this. (He'll be wearing the scarlet "w" for "weak", the next two years.)

The best thing he can do now, is see to it that those tax cuts for the wealthy do not go through, no matter what it takes - because that's what they want the most. If they get it, this will get 10 times worse - like the 1990s all over again.

[Winterblues]

10. They make it sound like this is something new for them..

:shrug: Any Democrat that thought they would behave any differently is certainly not the sharpest tool in the shed..IMO