John Boehner took a rare vacation from the tanning beds, the golf course, and the Washington bar scene to give what he called a major economic address. If this is the best the Republicans have to offer we have reason to celebrate.
Rep. John Boehner, the perpetually tanned House Minority leader, unveiled his plan to get the economy going today in a speech [Boner delinked] before the Cleveland City Club. Hold on to your job — if he becomes Speaker, things will get worse.
Understandably, Boehner said not a word about the policies that led to the Great Recession. In fact, he said not a word about the economic collapse. Instead, he argued only that America’s economy was in trouble because business was scared to death. It isn’t the worst recession since the Great Depression, the lack of demand and customers that is plaguing businesses; it is the fear of tax hikes and regulation.
In response, Boehner detailed a five point plan to "break the ongoing economic uncertainty."
Three of the five points are basically rhetorical. He calls on Obama to pledge to veto any future tax increase. He calls on Obama to fire his economic team. And he pledge to eliminate the 1099 tax return mandate that requires small businesses to report any expenditure on goods and services over $600, an aggravation that Democrats are intent on reversing also.
The last two points have greater substance. Boehner would keep tax rates where they are, opposing Obama’s plan to let the Bush tax cuts expire for couples making more than $250,000 a year, or the top 2% of Americans. The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities estimates this would add about $1 trillion to the deficit over the next 10 years.
Second, he would impose an immediate cut of about 25% on domestic discretionary spending, returning it back to 2008 levels, repealing any further recovery spending. Later, he suggests that the cut with a "hard cap" (presumably for 3 years) would save $340 billion, recouping a little more than a third of his proposed top end tax cut.
That’s it. (Later in the speech, Boehner promises to unveil a more complete agenda in the future, and suggests possibilities, including the conservative standards — less spending, more tax cuts, less regulation, and more corporate trade treaties. Details to come later.)… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <Huffington Post>
Keith Olbermann covered this with two video segments. In the first, he goes over the plan, and Biden’s response, and discusses it with a small business owner in Boehner’s district.
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In the second, he and Howard Fineman continue the discussion.
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Here’s my take.
#1. This cannot be part of a Republican plan, because Republicans lack the power to institute what Obama may and may not veto. This just became a four point plan.
Second #1. I agree with Boehner that Obama should fore Geithner and Summers. I would add Bernanke to that list. However, that cannot be part of a Republican plan, because Republicans lack the power to institute it. This just became a three point plan.
Third #1. Democrats proposed reversing the 1099 mandate, before Boehner did. It’s part of the Democratic Plan. This just became a two point plan.
Fourth #1. Less taxes for the uber-rich. What a surprise! This will do nothing to stimulate the economy.
#2. A 25% cut on discretionary spending is not a plan unless it includes what to cut and by how much. This just became a one point plan: No Millionaire left Behind.
Are you surprised that the great new plan is the same as the old plan that drove this nation to the bring of financial collapse?
29 Responses to “Debunking Boehner’s Five Point Plan”
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As I said this morning, TomCat, he first floated his stipid nonsense in October of 2008.
Locally, it is well known that this guy hasn’t drawn a sober breath in decades. In fact, Joe Scarborough said as much. It seems that the only people who don’t know that “Junket John” Boehner is a drunken, corrupt idiot that never had an idea a lobbyists didn’t feed him would be the MSM.
Uh, “stupid.” I type a lot like I talk…
I think stipid works as well. As in he’s stupid and insipid at the same time. You just saved yourself some key strokes.
So we finally know who the Gnew Gnewt Gingrich of the Good Old Poops is. Is his Contract with America going to repeal the 10% tanning tax which makes him a McCon supporter of Pookie or whoever it the hell the party follows these days or allows to do their thinking for them.
I may be the only one who doesn not consider the expiration of a temporary tax cut a raise in taxes. I think it is a return to a preset tax level. It would be a rais if it went above 40% as the highest level.
I agree and have made that point several times Mark, so you aren’t alone. 🙂
I liked Olbermann’s assessment that this wasn’t intended as a serious Plan, but a way to bait the MSM into shifting the focus to a debate: Should the Prez fire the rest of the economic team, or shouldn’t he? And that’s just how it’s playing out.
Candace, diverting attention from real issues has always been the Republicans’ top ploy.
I would like to add that Obama cannot prevent the Bush tax cuts from ending. Only Congress can. If Obama and the Congress do nothing, the Bush tax cuts will expire all by themselves. That’s the current law, as Mich McConnell is so inclined to say. It is the way the republicans wrote the law. It had to have an end date because they passed it with the dreaded reconciliation.
Secondly, “The Stiff One” wants to end recovery spending. Much of that spending is in the form of tax relief, so eliminating the remaining recovery spending amounts to a tax increase, a tax increase that he is asking Obama to veto.
That’s absolutely correct Jerry. The expiration date was built into the original Republican bill, because they passed it under reconciliation rules.
I don’t like warmed-over food that was crappy the first time around, and the same goes with warmed-over economic plans. That Boehner has risen as high as he has in his party shows how mediocre and bankrupt the Republicans have become. The thought that this second-rate drunk with a tanning fetish could become Speaker of the House should be terrifying enough to keep anybody from voting Republican this fall!
Jack, I agree. Unfortunate, ignorance trumps sense.
“no millioniaire left behind” policy, eh? That’s more than pretty damn good… it’s wit and wisdom on the issue. They show no cohesion in overall party plan for the is election. But Tom, yesterday I did my time at the polls for elections here and the turn out was so effen’ low it was awful. That’s a Democratic problem. You know? I agree with your analysis.
Boehner is a clown. He’s no serious politician / save the junket and gouge kind. How can Ohio-ians be so damn foolish? It’s an intellectual ant.
Gwen, I coined that term during the first term of the Bush Regime.
Thank you for that service. Could it be worse where you are due to the utter lack of credible candidates?
He has become a caricature of himself. Nobody listens to him. Jack and TWM hit the mark with their comments. This is the same shit, different day.
PS You all, please check out the vid of Alan Simpson talking about SS saving the ‘lesser people’. One of the comments on Huff Po was this:
I’ve paid into Social Security for decades and this crypt keeper comes along and says I can’t have my money???? Fuck you!
I’m still laughing at the crypt keeper comment! That’s what we should call those fossils in Congress! BWahahahahahaha!
Love it, Lisa. Crypt keeper fits him to a T.
About John Boner, you said, “If this is the best the Republicans have to offer we have reason to celebrate.”
Yes and no. The sobbing sot from Ohio is the best the Republicans can come up with. But unfortunately, his simple-minded message (i.e. what his puppeteers tell him to say) seems to be reaching John Q. Public a lot more effectively than the Democrats’ feeble attempts to explain things. The Democrats need to come up with some short catchy phrases that resonate with the public. They need to do that yesterday, or we won’t be doing any celebrating.
That’s because Dems are not fighting… yet, I hope. They are welcome to steal these from me.
No Millionaire Left Behind
Every Republican in office is one Republican too many!
Corporations are NOT people! Money is NOT speech!
This is the same guy (party) that offered a 4 page plan alternative for both the health care bill and the stimulas bill. Why anyone (including Republicans) believe his lies, is beyond me.
Ideologues believe without reference to facts, Tom.
An eery echo of the GinGrinches Contract ON America.
Well said, Octo. Nothing new here.
I’m telling you I get sick just looking at his fascist republican face and then he stinks up the room by opening his mouth. The swill!
He makes me clean the barf off my keyboard from time to time too, Jim.
I cannot abide this pompous clown. When he shows his face on my TV I have take advantage of my innocent remote.
Mike, I listen, but only because it is a source of ammunition.
Damned Reactionary Socialist! Sounds like a Five Year Plan. For US Economic COLLAPSE!
Welcome, Bruce. 🙂
I would add National before Socialist.
Late to the Party, The boner Man is supposed to be the face of the Republican Party. That’s like saying Pat Buchanan is the face of Gay Pride. Both cases are absurd.
Tim, the difference is that he, and Beck, and Limbaugh are the Republican face.