Boehner cuts off C-Span cameras as GOP takes beating

[JoeChalupa]

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/12/2...takes-beating/

A strange thing happened Wednesday morning on Capitol Hill.

As Rep. Stenny Hoyer (D-MD) attempted to call for a vote to extend a payroll tax cut to middle class and working Americans, his Republican colleagues adjourned the House and walked out of the chamber. And if that weren’t odd enough, it got even stranger: As Hoyer railed against them for failing to help working Americans, footage from C-SPAN went silent, then cut away.

Moments later, C-SPAN took to the Internet to explain that it wasn’t their doing, but someone working for House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH

The incident occurred mere moments after the House went into session. Hoyer made a motion for a vote on the Senate’s payroll tax cut extension, which would extend the lower rates for another two months, but the Republican presiding over the House did not acknowledge the motion. He instead adjourned the House, then got up and walked out.

“As you walk off the floor, Mr. Speaker, you’re walking away, just as so many Republicans have walked away from taxpayers, the unemployed, and very frankly, as well, from those who will be seeking medical assistance from their doctors, 48 million senior citizens,” Hoyer can be heard saying.

“We regret, Mr. Speaker, that you have walked off the platform without addressing the issue of critical importance to this country, and that is the continuation of the middle class tax cut, the continuation of unemployment benefits for those at risk of losing them, and a continuation of the access to doctors for all those 48 million seniors who rely on them daily for help.”

And that’s when the audio cut out. Seconds later, footage faded to a shot of the capitol from outside.

Moments later, someone at C-SPAN took to Twitter and explained: “C-SPAN has no control over the U.S. House TV cameras – the Speaker of the House does.”

It’s for reasons just like this, one might infer, that Boehner told C-SPAN back in February it would not be allowed control its own cameras.


-What the....?

[George Gervin's Afro]

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/12/2...takes-beating/

A strange thing happened Wednesday morning on Capitol Hill.

As Rep. Stenny Hoyer (D-MD) attempted to call for a vote to extend a payroll tax cut to middle class and working Americans, his Republican colleagues adjourned the House and walked out of the chamber. And if that weren’t odd enough, it got even stranger: As Hoyer railed against them for failing to help working Americans, footage from C-SPAN went silent, then cut away.

Moments later, C-SPAN took to the Internet to explain that it wasn’t their doing, but someone working for House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH

The incident occurred mere moments after the House went into session. Hoyer made a motion for a vote on the Senate’s payroll tax cut extension, which would extend the lower rates for another two months, but the Republican presiding over the House did not acknowledge the motion. He instead adjourned the House, then got up and walked out.

“As you walk off the floor, Mr. Speaker, you’re walking away, just as so many Republicans have walked away from taxpayers, the unemployed, and very frankly, as well, from those who will be seeking medical assistance from their doctors, 48 million senior citizens,” Hoyer can be heard saying.

“We regret, Mr. Speaker, that you have walked off the platform without addressing the issue of critical importance to this country, and that is the continuation of the middle class tax cut, the continuation of unemployment benefits for those at risk of losing them, and a continuation of the access to doctors for all those 48 million seniors who rely on them daily for help.”

And that’s when the audio cut out. Seconds later, footage faded to a shot of the capitol from outside.

Moments later, someone at C-SPAN took to Twitter and explained: “C-SPAN has no control over the U.S. House TV cameras – the Speaker of the House does.”

It’s for reasons just like this, one might infer, that Boehner told C-SPAN back in February it would not be allowed control its own cameras.


-What the....?

It's a punk move

[cheguevara]

Just before the House of Representatives cravenly backed away from an extension of the payroll tax-cut for 160 million Americans, a bunch of Republican lawmakers gathered in a conference room for the express purpose of bucking up one another and expressing confidence in Speaker John Boehner.

As many as 10 of these GOPers stepped to the microphone to invoke scenes from the gory movie “Braveheart,” in which Mel Gibson (above) played the heroic William Wallace.

One of these Republican pols, Phil Gingrey of Georgia, later put it this way in an interview on Fox News Channel: “This is a ‘Braveheart’ moment. You, Mr. Speaker, are our William Wallace.”

http://blogs.e-rockford.com/applesau...veheart-movie/


Wallace ended up beheaded

[CosmicCowboy]

Everyone wants a one year extension.

I personally think the Senate was criminally negligent in not passing one.

[scott]

I personally think the Senate was criminally negligent in not passing one.

Criminally?

Did I miss something?

[scott]

If either side had balls they'd make is a permanent reduction that goes even further, and they'd be honest about it and say it's the weening off of the SS teet.

[CosmicCowboy]

Criminally?

Did I miss something?

Sorry Scott. Didn't mean it in the literal sense of the word.

[CosmicCowboy]

Just laziness and neglect of their job...they wouldn't take the time to work out their differences on a one year extension so just voted on the two month extension so they could leave town....Now, even if the House DID pass the two month extension, they still have to come back and go through the whole damn process again...

[scott]

Gotcha.

[boutons_deux]

a permanent reduction in SS is exactly what the Repugs want, to destroy SS sooner.

SS needs to increased permanently, not reduced.

the SS reduction for 1 year is only $120B, as stimulus that's too small given the enormity of the Banksters Great Jobs Depression. The huge failure of the original stimulus is that it should have been about $2T (compared to the $30T handed out w/o drug testing to the bankers).

[CosmicCowboy]

a permanent reduction in SS is exactly what the Repugs want, to destroy SS sooner.

SS needs to increased permanently, not reduced.

the SS reduction for 1 year is only $120B, as stimulus that's too small given the enormity of the Banksters Great Jobs Depression. The huge failure of the original stimulus is that it should have been about $2T (compared to the $30T handed out w/o drug testing to the bankers).

The SS witholding doesn't go into the SS "lockbox" anyway...it just goes into the general fund. Extending or eliminating the witholding reduction is essentially just a tax reduction that affects the lower and middle classes more than the wealthy.

[George Gervin's Afro]

The HOuse isn't willing to compromise on anything so why not pass this and come back and fight it out.

[CosmicCowboy]

The HOuse isn't willing to compromise on anything so why not pass this and come back and fight it out.

Two months isn't gonna change anything...Why is the Senate plan good for two months but not twelve?

[cheguevara]

Two months isn't gonna change anything...Why is the Senate plan good for two months but not twelve?

2 months is something. its 2 months of tax breaks in the holiday months. It's not nothing.

plus 2 months is 1/6th. 1/6th of something is nothing?

[Th'Pusher]

Two months isn't gonna change anything...Why is the Senate plan good for two months but not twelve?

They can't agree on how to pay for it. They were able to find agreement to pay for it for 2 months, but not 12. Passing the two month extension gives them two months to negotiate on how to pay for the other 10 months.

[Th'Pusher]

I am sure most Americans would have been fine with the democrats initial suggestion to pay for the whole thing with a surtax on millionaires.

[CosmicCowboy]

I am sure most Americans would have been fine with the democrats initial suggestion to pay for the whole thing with a surtax on millionaires.

Well, that's not gonna happen. You know it, I know it, and they know it. Might as well figure out Plan B now instead of 2 months from now.

[Th'Pusher]

Well, that's not gonna happen. You know it, I know it, and they know it. Might as well figure out Plan B now instead of 2 months from now.

I think figuring out plan b is going to take longer than 10 days. The senate agrees, which is why they overwhelmingly supported the 2 month extension (with 80% of republican support).

This is just another hissy from the ing morons in the tea party.

[scott]

a permanent reduction in SS is exactly what the Repugs want, to destroy SS sooner.

SS needs to increased permanently, not reduced.

the SS reduction for 1 year is only $120B, as stimulus that's too small given the enormity of the Banksters Great Jobs Depression. The huge failure of the original stimulus is that it should have been about $2T (compared to the $30T handed out w/o drug testing to the bankers).

I think it should permanently go away, personally. And I'm hardly a "repug"

[JoeChalupa]

I see more GOP members are calling out their own party to get their act together and get the deal done.

[boutons_deux]

I think it should permanently go away, personally. And I'm hardly a "repug"

what do you want to replace SS with?

[boutons_deux]

the amazing thing is the 9% of the polled Americans approve of Congress.

[ChumpDumper]

lol Boehner put Hoyer on IGNORE.

[Oh, Gee!!]

at least he's cut the crying routine. if this "mexican stand-off" was happening last year, Boehner would be blubbering like a lady on every cable news show.

[scott]

what do you want to replace SS with?

Personal responsibility.