General Discussion

bigtree

(86,008 posts) Thu Dec 27, 2012, 11:43 AM Dec 2012

Leader Reid on the Cliff: 'Boehner's a Dictator'

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tweeted by, Mike O'Brien ?@mpoindc

Sen. Reid: "If we go over the cliff -- and it looks like that's where we're headed..."

Mike O'Brien ?@mpoindc

Cliff-diving: Reid: "I have to be very honest, I don't know time-wise how it can happen now."

Mike O'Brien ?@mpoindc

Whoa: Reid says the House is being run by "a dictatorship of the speaker."

Lynn Sweet ?@lynnsweet

Democrat Sen. Reid, on Senate floor, accusing Speaker Boehner of being a "dictator." Boehner & Hastert Rule: http://bit.ly/10nbjnL

Lynn Sweet ?@lynnsweet

Democratic Senate Leader Reid speaking now on Senate floor says Boehner stalling on fiscal cliff until he gets re-elected Speaker on Jan. 3.

Eamon Javers ?@EamonJavers

Harry Reid: John Boehner seems to care more about keeping his Speakership than keeping the nation on secure financial footing.

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*update*

The Washington Post ?@washingtonpost

Reid accuses Boehner of running "dictatorship"

. . . Reid said increasingly the only “escape hatch” out of the stalemate would be for Boehner to allow the House the vote on a measure adopted by the Senate over the summer to extend tax breaks for those making less than $250,000 a year.

“Nothing can move forward in regards to our budget crisis unless Speaker Boehner and [Minority] Leader [Mitch] McConnell are willing to participate in coming up with a bipartisan plan,” Reid said.

“So far, they are radio silent,” he said.

As a result, Reid said the nation is increasingly unlikely to forestall tax hikes on nearly every American and deep automatic spending cuts on Jan. 1.

Reid said Boehner will not bring up the Senate’s bill because he knows it would pass on the votes of Democrats and a handful of Republicans. He charged that the House is now run as Boehner’s own “dictatorship.”

http://wapo.st/UorjS8

14 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Leader Reid on the Cliff: 'Boehner's a Dictator' (Original Post) bigtree Dec 2012 OP

No he isn't! David in Canada Dec 2012 #1

Boehner has no authority and no power. All he can do is try to guess where his party is at. dkf Dec 2012 #2

I get where you're coming from, but that's not quite it bigtree Dec 2012 #5

Boehner may not want to bring Dem legislation to the floor... dkf Dec 2012 #6

You have to be a dictator Turbineguy Dec 2012 #3

Government by republicans has been reduced to three simple objectives... wandy Dec 2012 #4

Yeah, they have a habit of running out when America nose dives. lonestarnot Dec 2012 #7

Keep on talking Harry madokie Dec 2012 #8

update: WaPo report bigtree Dec 2012 #9

This is exactly what an up or down vote should be about not an engineered vote. Historic NY Dec 2012 #10

I don't know about dictator ... SwankyXomb Dec 2012 #11

Of course he is, but the only thing we need to protect are Long term unemployment benefits, right? grahamhgreen Dec 2012 #12

This is why I don't understand the panic. Cleita Dec 2012 #13

I think the fake panic is part of the shock doctrine: pass plutocratic laws when the country is in grahamhgreen Dec 2012 #14

David in Canada

(512 posts)

1. No he isn't!

Reply to bigtree (Original post)

Thu Dec 27, 2012, 11:48 AM

Dec 2012

In order to be a dictator, one needs to have the will and the means to assert authority through dominance. Boehner does not have any of those qualities.

In a nutshell, Boehner is not a dictator, he's just a dick.

dkf

(37,305 posts)

2. Boehner has no authority and no power. All he can do is try to guess where his party is at.

Reply to bigtree (Original post)

Thu Dec 27, 2012, 11:58 AM

Dec 2012

bigtree

(86,008 posts)

5. I get where you're coming from, but that's not quite it

Reply to dkf (Reply #2)

Thu Dec 27, 2012, 12:16 PM

Dec 2012

The majority party in the House has almost all of the power over what bills get to the floor for a vote. For instance, Democrats in the House would love for Boehner to just allow a stand-alone vote on the middle-class portion of the tax cuts that are due to expire - which would almost certainly get a majority of the republicans' support.

What Reid is correctly referring to is the fact that the Speaker can't achieve enough votes on his own with the republican-tilted tripe he's been offering, so it's time to allow the Democratic initiatives to advance through the House (ostensibly, with House Democrats taking the lead in originating a bill; or by allowing a modified Senate bill to come to the floor); something which has already been tried and blocked by the speaker.

dkf

(37,305 posts)

6. Boehner may not want to bring Dem legislation to the floor...

Reply to bigtree (Reply #5)

Thu Dec 27, 2012, 12:27 PM

Dec 2012

So he doesn't have to make his people take a stance. I am skeptical Reps would vote for a Dem plan.

Turbineguy

(37,374 posts)

3. You have to be a dictator

Reply to bigtree (Original post)

Thu Dec 27, 2012, 11:58 AM

Dec 2012

teabaggers love it!

wandy

(3,539 posts)

4. Government by republicans has been reduced to three simple objectives...

Reply to bigtree (Original post)

Thu Dec 27, 2012, 12:08 PM

Dec 2012

1) Protect you're personal status and position.
2) Protect the interests of the people you represent. The ones that pay you not necessary the ones that voted for you.
3) Insure that Obama is a one term President.

Ya, I know, item three sounds outdated, but we're dealing with tea baggers here. Ideology FIRST, everything else later.

lonestarnot

(77,097 posts)

7. Yeah, they have a habit of running out when America nose dives.

Reply to bigtree (Original post)

Thu Dec 27, 2012, 12:30 PM

Dec 2012

Hey Richie Rich, you're paying more taxes, get your purse in order! Tee hee!

madokie

(51,076 posts)

8. Keep on talking Harry

Reply to bigtree (Original post)

Thu Dec 27, 2012, 12:33 PM

Dec 2012

People are beginning to listen.............................finally

bigtree

(86,008 posts)

9. update: WaPo report

Reply to bigtree (Original post)

Thu Dec 27, 2012, 01:08 PM

Dec 2012

Historic NY

(37,454 posts)

10. This is exactly what an up or down vote should be about not an engineered vote.

Reply to bigtree (Original post)

Thu Dec 27, 2012, 01:54 PM

Dec 2012

Reid said Boehner will not bring up the Senate’s bill because he knows it would pass on the votes of Democrats and a handful of Republicans. He charged that the House is now run as Boehner’s own “dictatorship.”

We all know it needs 17 votes or so. Maybe we could get some defectors to vote for Pelosi as speaker that would send the rest of them over their over cliff.

SwankyXomb

(2,030 posts)

11. I don't know about dictator ...

Reply to bigtree (Original post)

Thu Dec 27, 2012, 01:57 PM

Dec 2012

but Boehner's certainly the first syllable!

grahamhgreen

(15,741 posts)

12. Of course he is, but the only thing we need to protect are Long term unemployment benefits, right?

Reply to bigtree (Original post)

Thu Dec 27, 2012, 02:38 PM

Dec 2012

We can do that as a stand alone bill next WED.

Cleita

(75,480 posts)

13. This is why I don't understand the panic.

Reply to grahamhgreen (Reply #12)

Thu Dec 27, 2012, 02:44 PM

Dec 2012

Those things most Americans care about can be fixed in the next session.

grahamhgreen

(15,741 posts)

14. I think the fake panic is part of the shock doctrine: pass plutocratic laws when the country is in

Reply to Cleita (Reply #13)

Thu Dec 27, 2012, 03:21 PM

Dec 2012

shock.

What we really need is a detailed discussion of each aspect of the fixes, not a "grand bamboozle".

They have two big ticket items: 1) no cuts to military, 2) cut social security. I think they've given up on appearing to raise taxes on the richest.

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