President Demands 'Massive, Job-killing Tax Increases' and Dares Republicans to Call His Bluff

[Geee]

American Thinker:

This was the kind of week where any self-respecting 2008 Obama supporter who had not yet yanked off his Obama-Biden Bumper sticker should have been in his garage scraping off that old Hope and Change.

It began on Monday when he insisted on a "grand bargain" that would include , in his words, "massive , job-killing tax increases." It was the first honest explanation of his economic plan but surely it was no surprise that his opponents found it an unappealing course of action.
He also threatened that the government might not be able to make Social Security payments if the debt ceiling had not been lifted by August 2. Throwing granny to the wolves is a rather overdone theme by the Democrats, and in any event for a variety of reasons the threat vanished soon after it was made, largely because it was not credible.

While most of the media reports continue to credit Obama with a good faith effort and parrot anonymous "insider" slams at the opposition, particularly Eric Cantor, Charles Krauthammer seems to have a clearer view of the president's history respecting the U.S. budget:
President Obama is demanding a big long-term budget deal. He won't sign anything less, he warns, asking, "If not now, when?"

How about last December, when he ignored his own debt commission's recommendations? How about February, when he presented a budget that increases debt by $10 trillion over the next decade? How about April, when he sought a debt-ceiling increase with zero debt reduction attached?
All of a sudden he's a born-again budget balancer prepared to bravely take on his own party by making deep cuts in entitlements. Really? Name one. He's been saying forever that he's prepared to discuss, engage, converse about entitlement cuts. But never once has he publicly proposed a single structural change to any entitlement.

Hasn't the White House leaked that he's prepared to raise the Medicare age or change the cost-of-living calculation?
Anonymous talk is cheap. Leaks are designed to manipulate. Offers are floated and disappear.

Say it, Mr. President. Give us one single structural change in entitlements. In public.

As the week continued and Obama failed to make the sale, he warned his opponents not to "call his bluff," something so ridiculously telling that I imagine thousands of people were e-mailing the White House inviting Obama to join them in Vegas. I mean what's the point of telling your opponents straight up that you are bluffing?

[Evad]

He also threatened that the government might not be able to make Social Security payments if the debt ceiling had not been lifted by August 2.

 

But..but...what about the "lock box"??

...and the trust fund????

[NCJim]

As Reagan said....

 

"A recession is when your neighbor loses his job. A Depression is when YOU lose your job. A Recovery is when Barack Obama [Jimmy Carter] loses his!"

[clearvision]

Did he really say "don't call my bluff?". How strange if he did. Shouldn't it be "don't think I'm bluffing" or some such.

[Argyle58]

Did he really say "don't call my bluff?". How strange if he did. Shouldn't it be "don't think I'm bluffing" or some such.

 

 

He really said it during a heated exchange with Eric Cantor.

[nickydog]

Proves once again he doesn't know what he's talking about. Anyone notice, by the way, how the MSM has ridiculed such a dumb statement? I wonder what would have happened if Michelle Bachman had said it.

[Jill]

Yes, he says stupid things like this all the time, just like his latest lie that 80% of Americans want higher tax rates. But I thought he was supposed to be a decent poker player, guess he's still a better idiot.

[NCTexan]

Yes, he says stupid things like this all the time, just like his latest lie that 80% of Americans want higher tax rates. But I thought he was supposed to be a decent poker player, guess he's still a better idiot.

Jill!

 

A great bumper sticker or tag line.....

 

"Barack Obama: A pretty decent poker player... but even better idiot"