So, there was a “deal” struck on the fiscal cliff at 2:00 this morning in the Senate. Anybody sensing a pattern here? So, a huge decision that will impact every single American is negotated in secret, delayed until the very last moment, and then rushed through Congress before anyone can read or understand the bill (including congress). His is how tyranny works.
Professor Jacobson noticed the pattern, too. You should really read his article.
It’s important to note that this “deal” will do absolutely nothing to control the national debt or raging deficits. Raising taxes on the “wealthy” cannot raise the necessary revenue to pay all of our county’s obligations. It just isn’t going to happen – even if you’re naive enough to believe the money from these tax hikes will go towards aying down the debt, which it won’t.
But…but….but…Obama promised a “balanced approach”! Yep, he did promise that and that promise is compete bullshit, like every one of his promises to date. This deal creates $1 in spending cuts for every $41 dollars in tax increases. They keep using that word “balanced,” but I don’t think it means what they think it means.
The House is supposed to take up the bill today. I suspect it won’t make it through that chamber without some amendments and changes. This will infuriate Democrats and the deal will fail. The media, President and Senate will blame the House for doing their job.
Although, there is a chance the House will pass it without change. The Republicans in Senate who voted for the bill coud give the House Republicas political cover to follow suit. The fact that the Senate bill passed with 89 votes on the Senate will pressure, too. Not to mention Speaker Bohener’s need to save face on this issue. All these things might convince the House to plug it’s nose and go along with the bill.
I personally beleive that the Democrats want the House to make changes so that the President or Senate can scuttle the whoe deal. They’ll get to over the cliff as they wanted and place all the blame on the House Republicans. It’s a total political win-win for them.
How it’s supposed to work is one chamber passes a bill. It then goes to the other chamber for consideration where it is publically debated, amended, and passed. Then the two chambers meet in a joint committee to reconcile the bill. That final bill is then passed by each chamber, sent to the President, and signed into law. This is how the Constitution requires laws to be passed. It s civics 101. It is the topic of a classic School House Rocks episode for crying out loud!
There is no reason to circumvent this process, especially in the case of the fiscal cliff. We’ve known about the issue for years. There has been plenty of time for public debate and thoughtful negotation. In fact, the House has passed dozens of bills dealing with the issue. The Senate has refused to consider them. Then, last night in an urgent dispay if artificial concern, the Senate passes a legsative equivelent of a turd and the House is supposed embrace it like a long lost friend – or else.
It is disgusting that a bill of such importance is negotiated in secret, passed late at night, and passed without even being read by members of Congress. It is even more disgusting that the President and Senate pressure the House to just ignore their Constitutional duties and pass the bill as is. Every Congressman/Congresswoman was elected to represent their constituents. If a bill passes without public debate and without input from all of the people’s representatives it is a slap in the face to everybody citizen. If there is no public debate then the people have no voice. If people have no voice then we don’t have a democracy.
What people forget is that the President and Congress are co-equal branches of the government. Just because Obama declares higher taxes doesn’t mean it has to happen. He is not a King, yet. Congress has an obligation to serve the people not to rubber stamp Prince Obama’s every whim.
When you view your next shrinking paycheck. When it comes time to pay the tax bill. Remember, you voted for this, America. You got exactly what you asked for. Now, I hope you choke on it.
Forward!