Patterico's Pontifications

7/28/2011

How The Boehner Stole Christmas?

Filed under: General — Karl @ 10:53 am

[Posted by Karl]

Lame liberal spin grew three sizes this day:

House Speaker and national grinch John Boehner is planning to spoil Christmas, White House officials are claiming, as they try to head off passage of Boehner’s two-stage debt ceiling bill.

“Happy Holidays America: Boehner plan would have the debt ceiling all over again during the holiday season, which is critical for the economy,” White House deputy spokesman Dan Pfeiffer declared today at 9.50 a.m.

This has become part of White House-circulated talking points.

When Newsweek and the NYT’s Gail Collins launched the same sort of attacks on House Speaker-in-Waiting Newt Gingrich, there was at least some alliteration. (TIME called Gingrich “Uncle Scrooge”, presumably for his advocacy of orphanages.) Moreover, coming on the heels of the 1994 midterm election, the Christmas theme was a timely hook. Trying to get people to think about Christmas in July makes the Democrats sound like they are planning a furniture sale or something. Maybe they are; even MSNBC has figured out that the Dems are losing this debate, while hoping against hope that somehow the GOP will blow it. Granted, the GOP has been known to blow it on occasion, but the left has been reduced to playing the recycled Christmas card.

–Karl

70 Comments

  1. The Senate has declared that the Boehner Plan is DOA in the Senate.
    What if the House then went into a “pro-forma” adjournment (just meeting for the usual 5-minute venting by the Members),
    since there is no point in meeting as they’ve passed a budget, and without Senate concurrance, they technically have no authority to pass appropriations,
    so what business would they need to conduct?

    Comment by AD-RtR/OS! (7ab0c4) — 7/28/2011 @ 11:02 am

  2. Did Democrats conveniently forget they passed ObamaCare on Christmas Eve?

    Comment by ropelight (eaf60a) — 7/28/2011 @ 11:06 am

  3. Oh ye of so little faith, I continue to trust John Boehner’s judgment, his integrity and his motives.

    Comment by Summit, N.J. (75c9eb) — 7/28/2011 @ 11:11 am

  4. Christmas is for closers

    Comment by happyfeet (a55ba0) — 7/28/2011 @ 11:28 am

  5. Howard Jacobson invokes baseball to support the Boehner bill.

    Comment by Milhouse (ea66e3) — 7/28/2011 @ 12:00 pm

  6. The most basic lie being told by Democrats is that the GOP wants to “cut” government. Boehner’s plan makes no absolute cuts, only cuts relative to an absurdly inflated CBO “baseline” that is growing at an unsustainable rate.

    Comment by SPQR (26be8b) — 7/28/2011 @ 12:03 pm

  7. Nobody really has ever taken an honest look at whether putting children from dysfunctional families into foster care and orphanages would be beneficial to society in the long term. As I recall, when Gingrich made his comment about orphanages in 1994, the Dems trotted out then-Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell (a later defect to the GOP) who had grown up in an orphanage to assure us that it is not a pleasant environment, even though he seemed to turn out OK from the experience.

    Comment by JVW (39c649) — 7/28/2011 @ 12:12 pm

  8. I thought Baracky was trying to position himself as the adult in the room.

    Comment by JD (318f81) — 7/28/2011 @ 12:14 pm

  9. I thought Baracky was trying to position himself as the adult in the room.

    Comment by JD (318f81) — 7/28/2011 @ 12:14 pm

  10. Well if Baracky would stop dropping lumps of overspending coal in everybody’s Christmas stocking, we might be able to get to Valentine’s Day before the next food fight in the Democrat kindergarten.

    Comment by Comanche Voter (0e06a9) — 7/28/2011 @ 12:18 pm

  11. Christmas? That holiday which can no longer have Christmas trees in public buildings or traditional Christmas carols played in schools and offices? The school haitus in December which now must be called winter holiday? The pleasant greeting Merry Christmas which has been replaced by meaningless happy holidays so as not to “offend”? Christmas? The Dems are cynically using the term spoiling Christmas in their political talking points now? WTF??

    Comment by elissa (f66496) — 7/28/2011 @ 12:46 pm

  12. These idiots are trying to portray the oslo killer as an ultra-right zealot.

    Comment by DohBiden (d54602) — 7/28/2011 @ 12:52 pm

  13. That holiday which can no longer have Christmas trees in public buildings or traditional Christmas carols played in schools and offices? T

    WTH are you talking about? Which public buildings are without trees then?

    Comment by Milhouse (ea66e3) — 7/28/2011 @ 1:23 pm

  14. elissa, I am shocked at the language you’re using –

    Let’s have no more of this “Christmas” stuff.

    Comment by AD-RtR/OS! (7ab0c4) — 7/28/2011 @ 1:42 pm

  15. Which public buildings are without trees then?

    SEA-TAC!

    Comment by AD-RtR/OS! (7ab0c4) — 7/28/2011 @ 1:44 pm

  16. For you, Milhouse–

    This is Boston. Nova Scotia is not on board with the holiday tree dealio, though.

    http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2005/11/30/de_christmasing_christmas/

    Comment by elissa (f66496) — 7/28/2011 @ 1:55 pm

  17. And here’s more on one case mentioned in Jacoby’s article– a little closer to my home in the People’s Republic of Illinois. Christmas trees pulled from University of Illinois residence halls–

    http://www.news-gazette.com/news/other/2004-12-15/christmas-trees-pulled-ui-residence-halls.html

    Comment by elissa (f66496) — 7/28/2011 @ 2:07 pm

  18. Every day is Xmas for the Dems.

    Comment by AZ Bob (7d2a2c) — 7/28/2011 @ 2:08 pm

  19. So the same trees are there, you’re just upset that they’re not being called what you want them to be?! That’s your grief? Boo hoo.

    As for Sea-tac airport, it’s their own decision not to have trees. No court or legislature made them get rid of the trees; they were welcome to keep them, so long as they allowed a privately-sponsored menorah, which would not cost them a cent. They decided they’d rather do without either one.

    Comment by Milhouse (ea66e3) — 7/28/2011 @ 2:09 pm

  20. The real question is why Xmas is still a public holiday, in a country that isn’t supposed to have an established religion.

    Comment by Milhouse (ea66e3) — 7/28/2011 @ 2:10 pm

  21. I watched the chief propaganda minister at his presser today trying to sell the idea that the holidays were no time to solve financial problems like whether to raise the debt ceiling. The government-controlled media just sat there and lapped it up. None of them dared to ask the question crying out to be asked: “OK, how about the end of January?”

    Comment by Fred Beloit (4edfb1) — 7/28/2011 @ 2:13 pm

  22. No, Milhouse, the real question we are discussing here today is why the Democrats are exploiting Christmas in their ridiculous talking points about the debt ceiling. Try to keep up.

    Comment by elissa (f66496) — 7/28/2011 @ 2:16 pm

  23. Rick Perry is right about abortion being a states rights issue.

    Preferrably I wish the states would say no to it.

    Comment by DohBiden (d54602) — 7/28/2011 @ 2:30 pm

  24. So why did you bring up trees?

    Comment by Milhouse (ea66e3) — 7/28/2011 @ 2:31 pm

  25. Rick Perry is the future I think as opposed to the other R candidates which taken together are something of an irreproducible melange of risible and sad

    Comment by happyfeet (a55ba0) — 7/28/2011 @ 2:38 pm

  26. We don’t have an established religion, we have freedom to practice the religion of our choice.

    An established religion, as the founders experienced it, would be empowered to collect taxes from all residents no matter the individual taxpayer’s religion, or lack thereof, to fund the established religion’s clergy, buildings, upkeep and associated activities.

    Comment by ropelight (eaf60a) — 7/28/2011 @ 2:43 pm

  27. Gaia worshipping is its own religion.

    Comment by DohBiden (d54602) — 7/28/2011 @ 2:45 pm

  28. An established religion, as the founders experienced it, would be empowered to collect taxes from all residents no matter the individual taxpayer’s religion, or lack thereof, to fund the established religion’s clergy, buildings, upkeep and associated activities.

    Exactly. Such as the erection of trees dedicated solely and explicitly to the celebration of one religion. And the expense of having a legally enforced holiday to celebrate that religion. We get around that by declaring Xmas to be a mostly secular holiday that just happens to have evolved from a religious one, and trees a secular celebration of that holiday.

    Comment by Milhouse (ea66e3) — 7/28/2011 @ 2:51 pm

  29. Gaia worshipping is its own religion.

    Of course. And we’re back to the trees.

    Comment by Milhouse (ea66e3) — 7/28/2011 @ 2:52 pm

  30. wait wait wait wait while
    the nation withers away
    goddam harry reid

    Comment by ColonelHaiku (8a1a1f) — 7/28/2011 @ 4:24 pm

  31. Fearless leader has stated that he does not celebrate Christmas as it teaches incorrect messages regarding materialism. Many articles on the Web support this statement and rationalize that he does not do so in order not to spoil his children. Muslims do not celebrate Christmas either. This leads me to wonder – why is he holding out a lack of Christmas as a punishment if he doesn’t believe in it?

    Comment by Richard (6a2b48) — 7/28/2011 @ 4:34 pm

  32. Milhouse #28 – ummmm – which “one religion” ?

    Cuz the Catholics don’t accept that they are the same as the Presbyterians who are different from the Methodists who are *not* the same as the Baptists … so that’s 5 religions, so far, all of whom, as far as I can tell, like their Xmas trees …

    Then there are the Mithraists who also have a tree up around the Xmas time of year … not to mention the Hannukah Bushes …

    Comment by Alasdair (0e7b33) — 7/28/2011 @ 4:40 pm

  33. If Obama and his open borders crap continue unabated we will be overrun by terrorists in the next 6 years.

    Comment by DohBiden (d54602) — 7/28/2011 @ 4:41 pm

  34. Where is your bill Mr Boner?

    An anxious nation awaits, can the fearsome teabagger hordes be brought to heel?

    Comment by Spartacvs (dc4d4a) — 7/28/2011 @ 4:42 pm

  35. This seems to be a bit more of lying spin: I think Boehner himself estimated the next vote would be needed around March. This might be after a Republican nmominee is picked or nearly picked and that might put someone on the spot. What the Administration hopes to gain by this I do not know.

    Other wrong spin is that August 2 is a deadline. It’s only when there might not be more net borrowing authority left. But Social Security checks should be OK and probably also the ones being isasued on August 10. It’s around August 15 you run into real problems.

    However after August 2 the Treasury would start conserving cash and not paying something. There is a secret plan being worked on that the White House does not want to release. Maybe the Fed doesn’t want it. Part of it would be encouraging banks to give overdrafts or at least not charge for them.

    Another bit of spin was Carney comparing picking and choosing what bills to pay to “Sophie’s choice.” We are not talking about human life here, or even kittens. Or even not doing something, but just what bills not to pay. Not a good position for the U.S. government to be in but not Sophie’s choice.

    All this is kind of annoying.

    Comment by Sammy Finkelman (d3daeb) — 7/28/2011 @ 4:44 pm

  36. Please shut up Spartacvs I’m sick and tired of you airing your sexual preferences here.

    Comment by DohBiden (d54602) — 7/28/2011 @ 4:45 pm

  37. As I understand Social Security “bought” about 3+ Trillion dollars of Treasuries.

    All that the government has to to is “pay off” the SSI bonds (for cash to the SSI checks), and then issues new Treasuries up to the size of SSI bonds redeemed.

    This paper shuffle does not increase government debt, so cannot be a cause/reason for default.

    Comment by BfC (2ebea6) — 7/28/2011 @ 4:51 pm

  38. Whoa, there, Doh; don’t be tarring good people by assuming that a pervert like “spartacvs” shares their proclivities! I’m sure it’s only a coincidence.

    Comment by Milhouse (ea66e3) — 7/28/2011 @ 4:52 pm

  39. Alasdair, the various religions in the Xian family have enough in common that from the outside they can usefully be treated as one object. And the first amendment prohibits establishing that object as the USA’s religion.

    Comment by Milhouse (ea66e3) — 7/28/2011 @ 4:55 pm

  40. spurtacus fiddles
    while Obama’s Rome burns he
    dint get the memo

    Comment by ColonelHaiku (8a1a1f) — 7/28/2011 @ 4:55 pm

  41. BfC, you have it right. The “debt ceiling” includes the IOUs that the Treasury owes to the SS “trust fund”. That means the real debt of the USA is much lower than the official number (yay!). It’s still way too high, though.

    Comment by Milhouse (ea66e3) — 7/28/2011 @ 4:58 pm

  42. :lol: Milhouse he probably gets teabagged by Helen Thomas.

    Comment by DohBiden (d54602) — 7/28/2011 @ 5:10 pm

  43. I wonder how late Boner plans to run his
    phony vote show. On the one hand this vote will save or sink his speakership. On the other hand he probably has a morning golf date. Decisions.

    Comment by Spartacvs (dc4d4a) — 7/28/2011 @ 6:35 pm

  44. Another stupid line, Spartacvs, since its Obama that has been golfing instead of doing its job.

    Your stupidity just grows.

    Comment by SPQR (26be8b) — 7/28/2011 @ 6:38 pm

  45. Ironic that they are wailing about the House bill, when, CC&B already passed, and the Senate Dems were too scared to even vote for it, and neither Reid nor Barcky has enough spine to even put a plan to paper.

    Comment by JD (318f81) — 7/28/2011 @ 6:47 pm

  46. Oh wow–Those rascally Republicans.

    They will dump their leader over a failure of shared values and do what is best for the country.

    The “D’s”… Sellout for the big bucks and power.

    Comment by BfC (2ebea6) — 7/28/2011 @ 6:47 pm

  47. I do sincerely hope they dump Boner and install a teahadist, Cantor? Osama would be so proud at what the teahadis have achieved in such a short space of time.

    Comment by Spartacvs (dc4d4a) — 7/28/2011 @ 6:52 pm

  48. The hatred and bile from this school teacher is remarkable, no?

    Comment by JD (318f81) — 7/28/2011 @ 6:55 pm

  49. Apparently this is the newest Obama talking point, because that peptic little goon Carney was pulling this in the presser yesterday, talking about how it would potentially “default the country during Christmas.”

    Never mind that the country only defaults if the interest on the debt isn’t paid, and Zerohedge posted video today of Geithner himself claiming that there is “no chance” of the US defaulting. Apparently the administration can no longer keep its lies straight.

    Comment by Another Chris (c983db) — 7/28/2011 @ 7:09 pm

  50. The hatred and bile from this school teacher is remarkable, no?

    Goons like Yelverton are basically emotionally broken nerds who still haven’t gotten over being second fiddle in high school to those VAPID JOCKS UGH who weren’t repulsive emotional regressives and actually practiced basic hygiene.

    Comment by Another Chris (c983db) — 7/28/2011 @ 7:13 pm

  51. I want Mr. Jeff Flake if we’re gonna depose Boehner

    I’ve given this no small amount of thought. Like since after lunch I been thinking it over.

    Comment by happyfeet (3c92a1) — 7/28/2011 @ 7:15 pm

  52. I want Nancy Pelosi back, but I support your nomination of Flake because that’s pretty much a guarantee that she gets her job back in 2012.

    Comment by Spartacvs (dc4d4a) — 7/28/2011 @ 7:22 pm

  53. Spartacvs,

    I do sincerely hope they dump Boner and install a teahadist, Cantor? Osama would be so proud at what the teahadis have achieved in such a short space of time.

    Comment by Spartacvs

    Your insults don’t even make sense… Osama wants Cantor. Cantor, Jewish. But would be happy Cantor controls US House?

    So the intent of the insult is good Spartacvs wants Jews dead because of Osama connection?

    Teabagger and variants, homophobic insult by Spartacvs.

    Spartacvs is a proud little Democrat.

    Comment by BfC (2ebea6) — 7/28/2011 @ 7:24 pm

  54. Comment by BfC — 7/28/2011 @ 4:51 pm

    To do that, the Treasury would need to raise the cash first, which it can’t do without breaching the debt ceiling.

    Comment by JBS (2d88a8) — 7/28/2011 @ 7:39 pm

  55. Christmas??? They scumbags hate Christmas, and screw you for last year, yeah, we still remember what happened last year cramming Obamacare down our throat. Isn’t this like Herman Cain apologizing to Muslims now, oh well Muslims carried out over 17,000 murders, or the murders of our troops by the religion of peace the Muslims?? Gee, thanks Herman, could you just stand for something?? Could the good Muslims please stand up and speak out against the murders?? Why, when they have Herman speaking up for them. Herman could you not waver on what we thought you kinda stood for?? The lines are getting blurry with all these so called conservatives lately, well, not really, we know who people are and we will change a lot of things that have gone on for too long, enough is enough.

    Comment by jann (ee21e2) — 7/28/2011 @ 7:44 pm

  56. Peter Chin, the Democrats have failed to meet their duty to address the nation’s fiscal crisis for years now. Your rant is vacuous nonsense.

    Comment by SPQR (26be8b) — 7/28/2011 @ 8:37 pm

  57. The problem with Cain’s little tete a tete, is that Mohammed Magid, is head of the ISNA, a legendarily
    Salafi front group.

    Comment by ian cormac (85e1ce) — 7/28/2011 @ 8:39 pm

  58. Peter Chin is our serial sockpuppeter and his comment has been removed (again). He’s been trying new ID’s all day.

    Comment by Stashiu3 (44da70) — 7/28/2011 @ 8:47 pm

  59. The dishonesty continues, eh Stashiu3 ?

    Comment by SPQR (26be8b) — 7/28/2011 @ 8:48 pm

  60. Ahh… and it turns out that this is our old friend Chris Hooten, among a few dozen other handles.

    Comment by Stashiu3 (44da70) — 7/28/2011 @ 8:49 pm

  61. SPQR,

    Did it ever stop? ;)

    Comment by Stashiu3 (44da70) — 7/28/2011 @ 8:50 pm

  62. Hooten is a real piece of work.

    Comment by SPQR (26be8b) — 7/28/2011 @ 8:51 pm

  63. Well, then, any response is useless.

    Comment by Ag80 (d290b2) — 7/28/2011 @ 8:53 pm

  64. Per Patterico, Chrissy is banned for repeated violations of the sockpuppeting rule. For the record, he was actually lame enough to use different names in the same thread. I still don’t know why he hates black people.

    Any time he gets a comment through it will be deleted without further warning.

    Comment by Stashiu3 (44da70) — 7/28/2011 @ 9:16 pm

  65. black people are my favorite after mexicans and gays and *some* white people

    Comment by happyfeet (3c92a1) — 7/28/2011 @ 9:18 pm

  66. you know who you are

    Comment by happyfeet (3c92a1) — 7/28/2011 @ 9:31 pm

  67. “Hooten is a real piece of work.”

    he’s a piece of something all right.

    But, it ain’t work.

    I like hassling him, though. I’m sorry he’s banned, or whatever.

    Comment by Dave Surls (28f866) — 7/29/2011 @ 12:16 am

  68. Megan Mcardle has a good post that refutes the Democrats rather pathetic attempt to continue blaming George W. Bush two and a half years into the Obama administration.

    These charts refute just about every comment Yelverton/Spartacvs has made here in the last month.

    Comment by SPQR (26be8b) — 7/29/2011 @ 3:22 pm

  69. Would that be this Megan McArdle?

    Someone needs to explain how the WH bashing the Boner plan would hurt him with Teabaggers.

    Comment by Spartacvs (4e498d) — 7/29/2011 @ 4:11 pm

  70. Spartacvs, another incoherent comment from you.

    Comment by SPQR (26be8b) — 7/29/2011 @ 4:13 pm

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