Gibbs: GOP Holding Non-Existent Tax Bill ‘Hostage’
- Posted on September 30, 2010 at 9:25pm by
Meredith Jessup
- Print »
- Email »
During today’s White House press briefing, ABC News’ Jake Tapper asked press secretary Robert Gibbs to explain the Obama administration’s accusations over congressional Republicans holding middle class tax cuts “hostage.” Tapper correctly notes that Democrats have yet to introduce legislation and wonders how Republicans could be holding anything hostage.
“As I understand it,” Tapper noted, “Democrats haven’t introduced a bill in the Senate, and the Republicans have. Wouldn’t there have to be a bill that Republicans are threatening to block or [are] blocking before anything is being ‘held hostage’?”
“I don’t know what bills have been introduced in the Senate,” Gibbs replied. “Obviously, I think the — the posture of — I don’t think the bill would have to be the existence of — I mean, I think their rhetoric alone, from Senator McConnell and others, have been that the price of — there’s a $700 billion price tag on moving forward on the tax cuts for the middle class. That’s the tax cuts for the wealthy.”





















Submitting your tip... please wait!
Comments (87)
spikebu
Posted on October 1, 2010 at 12:27amDid anybody notice how much it was going to cost the Govt to not increase our taxes? When did not raising our tax rate become a TAX CUT? These people have been salivating over the expiration of the Bush tax cuts.
Report Post »VRWC Destruction Machine
Posted on October 1, 2010 at 2:58amTreasury estimates the costs of making the tax cuts permanent for everyone is $3.7 trillion over 10 years.
$3 trillion – middle class
$700 billion – rich persons making over $250,000
Tax cuts is not a government expenditure. It is just less money taken from wage earners to fund government waste.
Report Post »WireWizard
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 11:25pmWhere is John Galt?
Report Post »BRAVEHEART
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 11:20pmIt’s political Psycho-Babbel coming out of puppets like Gibbs that has so many screaming for even a hint of honesty. It’s apparent that this administration is grasping at every encounter with the common sense reality that is hounding them more relentlessly as the November election approches. They have proven themselves over and over to be nothing but lying back-stabbing traitors and shameless carpet-baggers!!
Report Post »Contrarianthinker
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 10:58pmActualli I feel very sorry for Gibbs. How do spin stupidity? If I were him, I would move on to greener pastures. Maybe be Rahm’s PR man?
Report Post »dinadp
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 10:57pmWhat a blithering idiot. Standards sure have dropped when you consider how effective Tony Snow and Dana Perino were for George Bush. Gibbs shouldn‘t be allowed to take orders at a McDonald’s drive-thru, let alone speak for the President & his administration. Between Gibbs’ failure to effectively communicate (i.e. speak like a grown-up) and Barack continually out & about in campaign mode (instead of actually governing) this entire administration has made a mockery of the office.
Report Post »Barry Soetoro
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 10:53pmDon’t you just love this guy, imagine if he worked for you… oh wait, he does!
Report Post »RobertCA
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 10:43pmThis is Gibbs speaking ” umm uhhh hehehe mmmmm ohhhh hahaha well mmm
Report Post »missmarie
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 10:40pmBobby used to be so much more eloquent in dodging questions and lying to the press, clearly, he’s slipping. I’m going to cut him a little slack, obviously he wasn’t expecting an ABC reporter to ask a decent question and that must have thrown him off a bit. Perhaps Jake wasn’t keeping to the script? Better luck next time.
Report Post »captquest
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 10:34pmGibbs sounds more and more like Charlie Brown’s teacher every day.
Report Post »Yakimaniacal
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 10:30pmGrima Wormtongue Gibbs.
Report Post »OhPatsy
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 10:24pmI think Gibbs keeps getting tripped-up on his own tongue. This Administration wants desperately to spin things their way. I believe they have tried to do that from the beginning. Spin, lies, whatever, Gibbs is simply not up to the task, never has been. Maybe he would do better if they trotted him out there armed with the truth, but I doubt it. Come to think of it, who am I kidding? They don’t know the meaning of the truth. I think he should do himself a favor and abandon that sinking ship.
Report Post »trueblueday
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 10:34pmI’m really surprised Bob is not walking out the door with Emanuel. Sounds like the WH is turning into a vast echoing cavern – what’s a POTUS to do?
Report Post »OhPatsy
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 10:46pmTRUEBLUEDAY-I guess he will have to wait til 2012, when we show him the door. Oh happy day.
Report Post »poverty.sucks
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 10:24pmObama raised cigarette taxes, which directly impacted Americans making less than $250,000. Then Obamacare passed, with half a trillion dollars worth of new or higher taxes.
Report Post »Where are the tax cuts for the middle class?
trueblueday
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 10:07pmPOTUS’ doublespeak lap dog. This past year there was a multitude of backroom deals cut by Dems to help themselves to piles of pork dollars. They continued to keep right on helping themselves with our $$$. Remember all the backroom dealing on the health care bill? – Cornhusker kickback, Mary Landrieu’s $300 million Louisiana Purchase; also labor deals to provide generous protections from tax on their Cadillac insurance plans, etc., etc.? Wasn’t transparency promised? All we got were backroom deals and opacity. Now they walk out on us for their break and did not address the end of the year tax dilemma and leaving us hanging in limbo. Are they waiting for the American people to BEG? I for one am sick of it all and can’t wait to cast my VOTE. This has been one sickening ride.
Report Post »Ducky657
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 9:53pmThe only thing being held hostage is the truth. This guy is only spitting out what he is told to. The last original thought he had is when he soiled his diapers for the first time! Like his boss he is and always will be out of his depth. If we had a book filled with all the things he was “going to get back with you on” it would be thicker than the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy.
Report Post »broker0101
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 9:49pmTranslation of Gibbs’s reply, “This Administration’s remaining supporters are complete imbeciles, Jake. They will believe whatever blatant, obvious lies we choose to feed them, if they are paying attention at all. Now sit down and shut up.”
Report Post »grandmabb
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 9:48pmI guess I’m TOO SIMPLE to understand their convoluted, high falutin logic.
Report Post »Dustyluv
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 9:43pmI didn’t know Bozo the Clown had a sidekick…what a waste of human flesh…
Report Post »baldwin4freedom
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 10:20pmWaste of good oxygen.
Report Post »EAGLEMOM
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 9:43pmThey have dug themselves such a hole on this issue. Gibbs should know that when you are in a hole…..stop digging. This is hilarious and at the same time very sad.
He says at the end that they have until the 31st to make a decision. That shows their ignorance and lack of concern for unemployed Americans:
1. They have never had to process payroll. The software has to be changed to reflect the new laws, then tested, distributed and implemented before the first paycheck can be processed for 2011.
2. If they believe that extending the “middle class” tax cuts will help create certainty among businesses and thus spur hiring, then they don’t care if they delay that for another three months. Those three months can make a huge difference to someone who is unemployed. But they have a job….so what do they care?
Report Post »C. Schwehr
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 9:42pmGibbs is a chattering monkey! Are the repubs so effective now that they can block legislation before it is even submitted to Congress? Not bad considering that they’re still the minority party and HAVE NO POWER!!!
Report Post »flyguync
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 9:37pmAfter fumbling that football, my gut feeling is that Gibbs will be the next administration casualty.
Report Post »Psychosis
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 9:36pmlol this is rich gibbs you dont have a leg to stand on
Report Post »MrButcher
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 9:32pmthe democrats just handed us a gigantic pre-election BOON!
Report Post »Gigantopithecus
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 9:32pmGibbs is a disgrace – a worm with no morals or backbone – he lies for his Marxist master Obozo. Me thinks Gibbs’ citizenship should be stripped for aiding an enemy of the State.
Report Post »IntheKnowOG
Posted on October 1, 2010 at 7:55amHe’s also an kung fu master. He beats up on strawmen (that he creates daily) like a pro. Too bad most of his support base is ignorant of such fallacious logic. If they were, the car/ditch/keys metaphor (and many others) would be included in the growing list of “obamanisms” (al a “Bushisms”).
Report Post »kenwhawk
Posted on October 1, 2010 at 10:36amIt is amazing how the current administration thinks we are a bunch of idiots. We all know how the branches of government are suppose to work! They are just waiting to ram as much crap as they can during a lame duck session!
Report Post »FreedomOfSpeech
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 9:31pmGibbs doesn’t know anything besides what the administration tells him to say. The Democrats voted not to have a vote on extending the Bush tax cuts. They purposefully damaged the economy. God knows why, as they are only becoming increasingly unpopular as the economy gets worse.
Report Post »independentvoteril
Posted on October 1, 2010 at 12:07amthing I find funny is GIBBS has NO SELF RESPECT or the pay is REALLY good.. anyone who makes an intentional horses rear end everytime they open their mouth to protect a con man and an inept congress should NEVER sleep at night..
Report Post »CatB
Posted on October 1, 2010 at 1:17amTwo words sum up Gibbs … USEFULL IDIOT. They can’t have anyone in that position that people would actually expect answers from.
Report Post »CoFX
Posted on October 1, 2010 at 1:30amThe Dems didn’t want it to become an election issue. They would rather damage the economy further with another month of uncertainty instead of risk handing the GOP a talking point that could cost seats. This way they can say “we’re going to pass cuts, if you elect us again.” All the while, telling anyone who will listen that the Upper Class cuts will cost us $700 Bil. Not sure how it costs them anything, since it’s already part of the tax code, but the uneducated masses will buy it, claiming another bailout to the rich.
Report Post »Goldenyears22
Posted on October 1, 2010 at 2:46amIt’s hard to watch Gibbs, he is so ignorant of everything, but I suspect it is safer that way that he does not know what is going on or pretends he doesn’t know??? No bill has been introduced by the president, not one. He evidently doesn’t want a bill, therefore he can spend and spend and spend and think no one is watching. Like who approves his giving money to Mexico to drill in the Gulf or Brazil to drill out in the ocean of Brazil and yet won’t let his own nation drill. Where does he get that kind of power to throw money around to Kenya and to Palestinians for them to waste. Is anyone watching the money he spends. He is a very costly president, and we just can’t afford him. He’s supposed to send a bill to the House, he hasn’t even made an attempt to, does he think we are all dumb enough to believe this is the Republican’s fault. When he has the marjority. Wawawa, it‘s Bush’s fault.
Report Post »beekeeper
Posted on October 1, 2010 at 8:32amI like Jake Tapper, and don’t like Gibbs – he always hems and haws whenever he’s asked anything resembling a hard question – really hard questions are mocked.
Kudos to Jake for asking how a *non-existant* bill can be held hostage – it is fascinating to see Gibbs reel when asked such an obvious question. It tells me he wasn’t expecting to get challenged.
Anyone else notice how he is accusing the GOP of holding tax cuts hostage, and then inthe next breath is claiming ignorance of what is going on in Congress (“I don’t know what bills have been introduced in the Senate”).
Gibbs said the bill could be written on a napkin, it’s so simple – yet no one on the left has bothered to pick up a napkin and write it down so it can be voted on. I don’t like the idea of “raising/restoring higher” taxes for any American, but honestly, the Dems should write seperate “napkin-sized” bills for each tax rate, have a short debate and then an up or down vote on each. Whaty would be interesting if they associate a projected “cost” (due to lost projected tax revenue) for each rate… The “highest tax rate doesn’t have the highest cost – all other rates add up to $4T, the top tax rate “cut” costs $700BN, each over 10 years.
Report Post »CandleLighter
Posted on October 1, 2010 at 8:57amI want to be……. I mean, I think……… listen, I could do a really great job………. I want to post for the position of White House Press Secretary……… I know I can……. I mean, I can express…….. I speak…….. Listen, I can present at least one coherent……… Heck…….. this is going no where and is just going in circles. let’s move on, please?
;)
Be safe and well
Report Post »FreedomOfSpeech
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 9:29pmDon’t let the Ground Zero Mosque story die. There were human remains at the Ground Zero Mosque location.
See video here (not graphic): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUn552ZZmc8
Imam Abdul Rauf and his shady crew wants to desecrate the graveyard of 3,000 Americans with a victory mosque. Don’t let the story die.
Report Post »broker0101
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 9:40pmFREEDOM, part of the landing gear of one of the hijacked jets that were driven into the World Trade Center on 09/11/2001 ended up crashing into the building currently residing at Park51. IT WAS ACTUALLY HIT BY PART OF ONE OF THE PLANES! Don‘t let ANYONE tell you that this ISN’T ACTUALLY part of Ground Zero. Sorry for the CAPS, but everyone should know this fact.
Report Post »FreedomOfSpeech
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 9:49pm@Broker Yes, I know about the landing gear. I’m getting worried about this story too because it seems to have significantly cooled off. Matt Lauer asked the developer the other day if he thought the opposition would eventually just die out and then would they build their mosque without interference. The developer smiled. This story needs to continue to be told. That site is a graveyard.
Report Post »Deutscher
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 10:21pmThere are over 1billion Muslims. How do you propose we deal with them?
Report Post »We are fighting beside many as allies.
They possess most of the easily refinable oil in the world.
I think we should try to understand and work with them.
broker0101
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 10:55pmThe tool DUET has chosen to employ here is called “Fallacy”. Specifically, this is an example of the Fallacy of Sweeping Generalization. Unfortunately for DUET, many of us here are too well informed to allow this intentionally deceitful tactic to succeed.
Report Post »Just for fun, though, I will respond to DUETS’s query, since I know that, if I don’t, he will attempt to accuse me of “Not answering his question”. So, here goes: DUET’s fallacious question is, “There are over 1 billion Muslims. How do you propose we deal with them”
My response is, “We deal with ”them” by continue to oppose the building of a Mosque (and “Muslim Community Center”) by a very small group of the over 1 billion Muslims in the world on the site of the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks, which, likewise, was carried out by a very small group of the world’s 1 billion+ Muslims. .
Deutscher
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 11:06pmThank you not making us all look crazy by calling it a “victory mosque” and reinforcing that a VERY small group attacked us.
Report Post »I feel for all those affected ( some of whom were Muslims). It is ( by my interpretation) a local zoning issue that some have used to gm up hate against the larger community of Muslims.
So I am suspect of anyone wanting to suplant the will of the local community.
Deutscher
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 11:08pmI’m overlooking the name-calling, it really speaks for itself.
Report Post »broker0101
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 11:23pmDUET, Exactly what name were you (or anyone on this particular threat) called?
Report Post »Secondly, are you so willfully ignorant that you believe not building the Cordoba Project (named after a real-life, long standing “Victory Mosque”) would be, “…suplant(ing) the will of the local community.”? Because if, by the “local community”, you mean “members of the local zoning board”, then you are again guilty of attempting to use the deceitful Fallacy of Sweeping Generalization, because the real “local community” is overwhelmingly opposed to the project being built.
I sense a trend with you.
Deutscher
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 11:51pmYou Implied that I am deceitful based on some generalization construct you mentioned.
I am married to an AF officer serving in the region. So I am interested in not promoting hate of Muslims. It is unproductive and adds nothing to the discourse. I don’t understand it. If the while area WERE declared a gravesite what would happen to all those blocks of manhattan? If you have been there you know there are Muslim businesses all around there. They pray there now just as they did before. These are Americans who want to build religious building. Unless they are breaking the law I think the libertarian thing to do is to let them.
Report Post »So I guess I’m deceitful, and you “sense” something. I don’t have the time it inclination at this point to explore what it is you are “sensing”. So I will leave you to examine your honest reasons for opposing the building. Cheers.
MrObvious
Posted on October 1, 2010 at 12:50amI wonder if there is a way to have the voices of the majority NYC and US Muslims, who don’t want the GZVM built anymore than we do, to be heard more clearly. They understand the implications, of the structure, and the terrorism that will follow it. Many have lived through it in other countries, before fleeing to our country to escape the violence.
Report Post »phoenix110
Posted on October 1, 2010 at 1:03am@Deutscher: We are. Not all muslims are extremist terrorists. As for the oil reserves, if the US government wasnt holding its own people hostage with the help of the progressives, the environmental wackjobs and this inept administration you would know that we are sitting on the largest reserves of oil in the world. Both in off shore reserves as well as in shale oil. The technology to extract the oil from the shale in a productive and profitable way is there and has been for years. But the sweet irony, or rather hypocracy, is that while BO is handcuffing the oil production in the gulf and in this country, he is sending BILLIONS to the mexican governement so they can extract oil from the gulf. This man is a danger to the sovereignty of the USA and has done absolutely nothing for the American people. He is only looking out for the rest of the world. He is a traitor to this country, its people and he has continuously violated his oath of office.
Report Post »AREWETHEREYET
Posted on October 1, 2010 at 3:07amThere is a greater threat to the US and our way of life than radical Islamist Terrorists. The more insidious threat is the Stealth Jihad as reported here:
http://www.centerforsecuritypolicy.org/p18523.xml
It’s a long report, and repetitive, as these academic creations often are; nonetheless, invaluable reading.
Report Post »Thomas Payne
Posted on October 1, 2010 at 9:07amUmmm, it IS a victory mosque. Research Cordoba, Spain and the conquering of it by muslims. There is a reason they are calling the ground zero mosque “The Cordoba Project”. sheesh!
Report Post »Beckofile
Posted on October 1, 2010 at 1:37pmNow….Can you believe me that these people lie in front of you and behind you. They will do anything to bring about the “transformation”. Remember this is about the COMMUNIST dreams from his father.
Report Post »sarnold51
Posted on October 1, 2010 at 5:04pmDUET isn’t that a contradiction? I thought it was only a small number of radical muslims that were a problem and all the rest were peaceful God loving citizens. But now you tell us that if we don’t let a handful build a mosque where they want to then we will have to worry about over a billion. That doesn’t sound very peaceful or God loving to me. Now on the other hand the majority of these evil Americans don‘t like Obamacare but I don’t see the left worrying about them rising up or giving in to them on Obamacare or even being willing to work with them on a decent healthcare bill. The evil Americans seem to be a lot more peaceful than the peaceful, God loving muslims to me.
Report Post »AngryTexanFromAmarillo
Posted on October 1, 2010 at 7:39pmOIL – you better sit down.
Here’s an interesting read, important and verifiable information :
About 6 months ago, the writer was watching a news program on oil and
one of the Forbes Bros. was the guest. The host said to Forbes, “I am going to
ask you a direct question and I would like a direct answer; how much oil
does the U.S. have in the ground?” Forbes did not miss a beat, he said, “more
than all the Middle East put together.” Please read below.
The U. S. Geological Service issued a report in April 2008 that only
scientists and oil men knew was coming, but man was it big. It was a
revised report (hadn’t been updated since 1995) on how much oil was in
this area of the western 2/3 of North Dakota , western South Dakota , and extreme eastern Montana …… check THIS out:
http://oilshalegas.com/bakkenshale.htmlhttp://bakkenshale.net/bakkenshalemap.html
The Bakken is the largest domestic oil discovery since Alaska ‘s Prudhoe
Bay, and has the potential to eliminate all American dependence on foreign
oil. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates it at 503 billion
barrels. Even if just 10% of the oil is recoverable… at $107 a barrel,
we’re looking at a resource base worth more than $5..3 trillion.
“When I first briefed legislators on this, you could practically see
their jaws hit the floor. They had no idea..” says Terry Johnson, the Montana
Legislature’s financial analyst.
“This sizable find is now the highest-producing onshore oil field found
in the past 56 years,” reports The Pittsburgh Post Gazette. It’s a
formation known as the Williston Basin , but is more commonly referred to as the
‘Bakken.’ It stretches from Northern Montana, through North Dakota and
into Canada .. For years, U. S. oil exploration has been considered a dead
end. Even the ‘Big Oil’ companies gave up searching for major oil wells
decades ago. However, a recent technological breakthrough has opened up
the Bakken’s massive reserves…. and we now have access of up to 500
billion barrels. And because this is light, sweet oil, those billions of barrels
will cost Americans just $16 PER BARREL!
That’s enough crude to fully fuel the American economy for 2041 years
straight. And if THAT didn’t throw you on the floor, then this next one
should – because it’s from 2006!
U. S. Oil Discovery- Largest Reserve in the World
Stansberry Report Online – 4/20/2006
Hidden 1,000 feet beneath the surface of the Rocky Mountains lies the
largest untapped oil reserve in the world. It is more than 2 TRILLION
barrels. On August 8, 2005 President Bush mandated its extraction. In
three and a half years of high oil prices none has been extracted. With this
motherload of oil why are we still fighting over off-shore drilling?
They reported this stunning news: We have more oil inside our borders,
than all the other proven reserves on earth. Here are the official estimates:
- 8-times as much oil as Saudi Arabia
- 18-times as much oil as Iraq
- 21-times as much oil as Kuwait
- 22-times as much oil as Iran
- 500-times as much oil as Yemen
- and it’s all right here in the Western United States .
HOW can this BE? HOW can we NOT BE extracting this? Because the
environmentalists and others have blocked all efforts to help America
become independent of foreign oil! Again, we are letting a small group of
people dictate our lives and our economy…..WHY?
James Bartis, lead researcher with the study says we’ve got more oil in
this very compact area than the entire Middle East -more than 2 TRILLION
barrels untapped. That’s more than all the proven oil reserves of crude oil in
the world today, reports The Denver Post.
Don‘t think ’OPEC’ will drop its price – even with this find? Think
again!
It’s all about the competitive marketplace, – it has to. Think OPEC just
might be funding the environmentalists?
Got your attention yet? Now, while you’re thinking about it, do this:
Pass this along. If you don’t take a little time to do this, then you
should stifle yourself the next time you complain about gas prices – by
doing NOTHING, you forfeit your right to complain.
——–
Now I just wonder what would happen in this country if every one of you
sent this to every one in your address book.
By the way…this is all true. Check it out at the link below!!!
GOOGLE it, or follow this link. It will blow your mind.
http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=1911
Report Post »sickofitall
Posted on October 1, 2010 at 8:03pm@DEUTSCHER Yea right, not all Muslims are terrorist but all terrorist are Muslims. In the end, they will obey the Imams and Koran that say anything goes for the establishment of Islam over the whole world. When they quote the earlier ‘peaceful’ verses, they know they are superseded by the later violent ones that call for Jihad. Just the opposite of Christianity. They still stone people to death where Sharia is Law. They are now trying to get Sharia into our Justice system like they have in Europe and Canada.
Report Post »Open your eyes to the fact that most all of the violent actions happening around the world today is directly from these peaceful, tolerant, and compromising Muslims.