John Boehner might be an idiot, but he knows how to spin:
"The House did not take up the tax measure today because it did not have sufficient support from our members to pass," Boehner said in a Thursday night statement. "Now it is up to the president to work with Senator Reid on legislation to avert the fiscal cliff."
So guess what? Boehner is winning. His spin worked. Here are a few headlines:
McConnell demands Senate Democrats now move legislation on fiscal cliff
Pressure grows on Senate Democrats to act on ‘fiscal cliff’ in wake of 'Plan B'
Wonkbook: Fiscal cliff deal moves to the Senate
Fiscal Cliff's Great Last Hope: the Senate?
Today’s Top Reads: Averting Fiscal Cliff Falls to Senate
His entire point was to distract the conversation from
what Democrats are all saying:
Reid said Boehner should resume negotiations with Obama or act on the Senate-passed bill extending current tax rates on family income below $250,000.
"It’s time for the Speaker and all Republicans to return to the negotiating table," Reid said. "In the meantime, the Speaker should bring the middle-class tax cut passed by the Senate five months ago to the floor of the House."
...Pelosi and other House Democratic leaders said the least Boehner could do was bring up the Senate proposal to lock in tax rates for annual family income up to $250,000 a year.
“This House will say yes, we believe, to a bipartisan compromise bill,” said Rep. Chris Van Hollen (Md.), the top Democrat on the House Budget Committee. “And, we believe it will say yes to the Senate passed bill that is already pending.”
Boehner is winning the spin war and relying on lazy reporters over the holiday season. We need to keep the focus on the Senate bill which has the votes to pass the House. Boehner won't bring it up at all because it would win with mostly Democratic votes and put his speakership at risk. Last week he was holding the country hostage to save tax breaks for millionaires, this week he is holding the country
hostage to save his job:
Republican leadership scrapped a plan to vote on the Senate’s tax rate proposal, which extended Bush-era tax rates for income below $250,000. Republicans are looking to keep their message tight, sources said.
In other words, they scrapped it because the Senate bill would have passed the House.
11:06 AM PT: Grover Norquist already gave them all a free pass to selectively extend the Bush tax cuts. However, due to popular demand here are thirty House Republicans on record supporting tax increases for millionaires:
1-Charlie Bass (NH-02)
2-Howard Coble (NC-06)
3-Tom Cole (OK-04)
4-Chip Cravaack (MN-08)
5-Rick Crawford (AR-01)
6-Charlie Dent (PA-15)
7-Robert Dold (IL-10)
8-Jo Ann Emerson (MO-08)
9-Jeff Flake (AZ-06)
10-Kay Granger (TX-12)
11-Nan Hayworth (NY-19)
12-Tim Johnson (IL-15)
13-Walter Jones (NC-03)
14-Peter King (NY-02)
15-Tom Latham (IA-03)
16-Steve LaTourette (OH-14)
17-Mary Bono Mack (CA-45)
18-Thomas Marino (PA-10)
19-Buck McKeon (CA-25)
20-Tom Reed (NY-23)
21-Scott Rigell (VA-02)
22-Dana Rohrabacher (CA-48)
23-Tom Rooney (FL-17)
24-Dennis Ross (FL-15)
25-Jon Runyan (NJ-03)
26-John Shimkus (IL-15)
27-Mike Simpson (ID-02)
28-Adrian Smith (NE-03)
29-Lee Terry (NE-02)
30-Bob Turner (NY-09)
30 Republican votes plus 192 Democratic votes would equal a 222 vote majority. I'm sure many others would abstain from voting or vote for this to stop tax increases, too.
11:25 AM PT: Looks like the New York Times fell for it too, hook, line, and sinker: "Search for Deal in Fiscal Impasse Turns to Senate"