A few weeks ago I shared with you how Obama was making plans to raise taxes via executive action in order to bypass Congress and avoid that pesky Constitution. Well, the Republicans have finally responded.
In a letter to Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Paul Ryan called on Obama to work with Congress. The two Republicans warned that unilateral action on taxes would be “a mistake, both constitutionally and politically.”
Both constitutionally AND politically? Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t the “constitutionally” part of the equation enough? I really don’t care about the politics of the situation when the Constitution is being shredded.
Ryan and Hatch also warned Obama that acting unilaterally could hurt the economy and thwart any chance of a lasting deal that could be achieved with Congress.
Thwart the chance of losing a deal with Congress? I bet Obama will lose a lot of sleep over that one.
Orrin Hatch, Paul Ryan and the Republican leadership in the House and Senate—John Boehner and Mitch McConnell—are members in the Gutless On Principles (GOP) Hall of Shame. Interestingly, some of the reasons for their enshrinement include compromising on taxes and spending.
So I hold very little optimism that if Obama challenges these guys, they’ll fold like a cheap suit and cave on this issue just as they have on the budget, Obamacare, executive amnesty, and… well, you get the idea.
