Boehner loses ‘Plan B’ fight: Speaker lacks votes, pulls bill to avert ‘fiscal cliff’

[clearvision]

Washington Times:

House Republicans’ “Plan B” to avert the “fiscal cliff” came crashing down Thursday night, after party leaders realized they didn’t have the votes to pass their plan and pulled it from the floor — leaving the country poised on the edge of massive tax increases and spending cuts.

 

The move is a serious blow to House Speaker John A. Boehner, who had hoped to gain leverage in his negotiations with President Obama, and it signals that conservative Republicans are unwilling to stomach any rise in marginal income-tax rates — even on those making more than $1 million, which was Mr. Boehner’s plan.

 

“The House did not take up the tax measure today because it did not have sufficient support from our members to pass,” Mr. Boehner said in a statement. “Now it is up to the president to work with Senator Reid on legislation to avert the fiscal cliff.”

 

Mr. Obama had already threatened to veto the bill and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada the top Democrat in the upper chamber, had said he wouldn’t even bring it to his chamber’s floor for a vote.

 

-------

Ruh roh...

[Argyle58]

This is more manufactured crisis. Geitner has the Constitutional authority to maintain the current tax rates until the end of January. This is unlikely though because" A) this group cares nothing about the Constitution; neither side of the aisle is "for the middle class" as they are both asserting, and C) the Administration does not have to compromise in this situation, either way it ends up, they get what they want.....more taxes on everyone.