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It's like a fairy tale!

BY Dave Ross  on January 2, 2013 @ 8:16 am (Updated: 8:34 am - 1/2/13 )

In a vote that took place at a time when the only people watching CSPAN were me and Mark Knoller, Congress swept away a bunch of its own artificial booby traps in a decisive bi-partisan vote.

You're probably wondering, what suddenly changed?

Well, as it turns out, Republicans suddenly remembered that Democrats had vigorously opposed the Bush tax cuts in 2001. So, to see them vigorously supporting them now was a victory!

"I just wanted to thank so many people on the other side for finally acknowledging publicly that the 98 percent of the Bush tax cuts help the middle class," said Rep. Louie Gohmert from Texas' 1st district.

And there was something else...

Grover Norquist, the lobbyist who's gotten most Republicans to sign his no-tax-increase pledge, tweeted Tuesday "The Bush tax cuts lapsed at midnight last night. Every R voting for Senate bill is cutting taxes and keeping his/her pledge."

"So we're not raising taxes, we're actually cutting taxes," Norquist later clarified on TV.

And just like Cinderella, everything changed. A homely tax increase became a fairy tale tax cut; the frog turned back into a prince.

During the final debate there wasn't a peep about how taxing the rich would spook the job creators.

"Republicans and the American people are getting permanent tax relief," said Michigan Representative Dave Camp.

So it was all about putting up the appearance of a good fight, then waiting for the clock to tick past midnight.

And they lived happily, until they hit the debt ceiling.

Dave Ross, KIRO Radio Talk Show Host
Dave Ross is co-host of The Ross & Burbank Show on KIRO Radio (weekdays 9-Noon) and never too far from the spotlight.
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Comments (59)


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  • CH wrote...
    what am I? State social worker? . . . .
    January 2, 2013 1:00 pm
    Sorry your are a loser please try again. Let me play this for a while. Where are my buddys? 0-0 fed mall kop, x mall kop, moon doggie pooper, Boo Hoo Hoo& Who, maple craper, and best of all uncle hillbilly the drunk? It's like a fairy tale!
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  • HLC wrote...
    All these problems could be so easy to fix for a real leader.
    January 2, 2013 1:45 pm
    Simply have more people paying taxes then not paying taxes. Of course for Obozo jobs has all of a sudden become less important then gun control, immigration and vacations. Other then campaigning he's been on vacation for 4 years.Maybe he could come up with a budget?
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  • gaymarriedchristianfromhollywood wrote...
    Blah, blah, blah, yawn.
    January 2, 2013 2:14 pm
    The President's "budget" never gets passed as is. It goes to the senate and the house and eventually returns to him for his signature. The fact that there hasn't been a budget is not all Obama's fault. I know people around here think he's a dictator, but it's only true in the alternate reality of the conservative mind.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • soo purletiv wrote...
    RE: Boehner quitting.
    January 2, 2013 1:47 pm
    Quitting what? Crying or the House?

    RIMSHOT!!

    He is probably getting a lot of angry mail from those he made promises to. Fiscally conservative minded people SHOULD be outraged at this "deal".

    I think he is feeling the heat and not liking it much...

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  • monroemad wrote...
    Debt
    January 2, 2013 1:58 pm
    Isn't the national debt the elephant in the room that nobody wants to discuss? Even the media doesn't acknowledge that it exists. The media was all over the stimulus package - failed, the "summer of recovery" - failed, the bloating of federal employees - failed the American tax payer.., When do we realize that we are bankrupt and we are in danger of a total collapse where our currency becomes worthless?
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  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    So Bonner and the RINO's cave to the Dear Leader and he get his tax increases and no spending cuts.
    January 2, 2013 2:20 pm
    So you and the state run media cannot blame the Republicans for this. Your Dear Leader owns this outright 100 percent.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ron prevost wrote...
    Oh, Geeze. Lawnboy is still posting.
    January 3, 2013 5:38 am
    Oh, well. ... Tomorrow IS another day.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    Like I said;
    January 3, 2013 9:48 pm
    Fish on!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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