Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), a staunch conservative and senior House Republican, raised quite a few eyebrows yesterday when he said his party should take President Obama up on his offer -- pass the tax breaks on all income up to $250,000, and then fight over everything else. Cole called the White House's offer "the right thing to do."
This morning, the Oklahoma congressman talked to Chuck Todd about his perspective, and offered some interesting insights.
Note, right off the bat, Todd noted that Cole used to do political polling professionally, so he's "one of the few politicians that knows how to read a poll." The congressman chuckled and added, "I can read an election, too."
Well then.
Also note, Cole noted that he told House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) about his preferred approach behind closed doors. "Now, that advice was given in private. You guys have a way of figuring out what is said in private," Cole said. "Somebody leaked it out; that's fine."
And that, of course, leads to the larger question of why Boehner -- or at a minimum, his office -- would let reporters know what Cole privately advised.
If I had to guess, I'd say the Speaker is looking for some political cover, letting his own caucus know that he's not just being pressured to toe the right-wing line; he's also being pushed from the other direction.
Indeed, it's also worth noting that Rep. Mary Bono Mack (R-Calif.), who lost her re-election bid but will still have a vote in the lame-duck session, announced today that she supports Cole's approach and would vote for Obama's tax-cut offer, even if it excludes income above a quarter-million dollars.
Perhaps the larger question is, how many other House Republicans can read an election, too?
Leave a Comment:
He might be saying the right thing, but I have a hard time believing he didn't want it to go public. He's been on every conceivable show over the last 24 hours.
Saying the right thing and acting on the right thing are two very different animules indeed.....We'll see...
He may appear to be saying "the right thing" but like all the others who have "said the right thing," he says it would be right to do this only if "entitlement reform" (i..e, kill SS, Medicare, Medicaid) was up for negotiation at the same time.
Same snake oil, different bottle.
They never ever change, even when they try to fake us out that they did.
TC-
I should have italicized "saying" or been clearer. I meant that he was saying the right thing about not leaking.
I've posted similar sentiments about this all being talk until they actually vote on something, and about Medicare/SS cuts back during the campaign. After all, these are the same people who accused the President of "stealing $716 billion dollars from Medicare" and how they would restore those cuts. In truth, those were savings, and the very first thing these same people demand after the election are actual cuts.
As Mr. Spock would say, "Fascinating."
This is going to turn into a giant game of Musical CYA...they will dance around and around and then point the finger at someone else. The more interesting thing to watch is the outgoing representatives. What they say and do Vs. what they are going to be doing and who for. Anyone who wants to be a successful lobbyist isn't going to go out on a fit of bridge burning.
A very important point, Dragoon, something we all should keep an eye on.
Well besides the fact that Mr. Cole looks like a corpse on steroids why should we believe this M----------r?
Why should you believe him? Obviously the only reason you're not going to believe him is he's not saying what you want to hear. That's a strange way to live one's life. Open up that mind you have. Do some thinking on your own.
No, the reason not to believe him is that Republicans much more frequently talk about doing the right thing than actually do the right thing (and even more frequently get credit in the media for talking about the right thing when they're not really, like when Lindsey Graham "broke" with Norquist and proposed that Congress enact Romney's tax plan of limiting deductions, not increasing tax rates.) "Thinking on your own" means being skeptical of people who have been insincere in the past.
The problem is, MVH, he really isn't saying what you want to hear. Go read the original statement and check the bit at the end, the part about killing the social programs. Did you want to hear that?
Rep. Cole seems to be smarter than the average Congressional Republican Caucus member!
Cole knows an agreement now regarding the Senate Bill ready to pass in the House will give his party some leverage in negotiations after Jan. 1st, and no agreement now on the Senate Bill will double the woes for his party because his party will have no, that's no, leverage in budget negotiations should Boehner and the Tea Baggers get their obstructionist way!
Hey Boehner and you Tea Baggers - Stupid is what stupid does! -Kevo
"Speaking words of wisdom, let them be" (Stupid that is)
If the Repub strategy as it were has been about anything, it was having a rogue Repub dangle their support (vote) while asking the dems to meet ALL of their demands, which they usually do, which weaken the Bill/Law in the process.
But (SURPRISE) at the last minute this rogue Repub drops their support/vote like Lucky pulling the proverbial football away from an ever gullible Charlie Brown.
Lucy, not Lucky. Otherwise a great comment.
Why would Tom Cole be the point man? About reading elections- he is not talking about his numbers, because he won 68% to 27%. Reading those numbers he could speak freely about going more hard Right.
The reason why he is commenting openly about the national challenge the GOP is facing is that he is as free as Mary Bono Mack to speak openly without fear of the T Party. The T Party has no Power to overthrow them.
On the other hand, maybe his in your face attitude about the T Party wannabes is because he was raised to think of himself as Chickasaw, and cares little for anarchists who masquerade as Indians, and populists who steal from the dispossessed.
Finally. A Republican who can read.
Not only can he read, but he can comprehend and he can accept the fact that the Republicans lost the election.
He can also sell you the same snake oil in a different bottle. Go read his original statement, the part at the end where he says in exchange for doing the taxes, he should get to kill Medicare.
With a wink and a nod he tells the tale. I have seen the writing on the wall from which Romney did fall. It is time rig for silent running until our approval rate goes from dismal to stunning. We shall appease the masses while kissing the as..es of the loons and toons behind closed doors as we continue service the rich like true whores.
Smile big for the camera then go back to work with a smirk damn ya!
Uh, this is www.poetry.com ain't it?
Why isn't that tower of budgetary intellect Paul Ryan being interviewed about the fiscal cliff? Because he got his scrawny little butt kicked up and down the street on the last election, that's why. It's beyond ironic that he is conspicuous by his absence during all this. I guess he wasn't "all that and a side of fries" after all. There is one thing Republicans are truely good at, dumping their losers.
Problem is, they're dumping them back into the gene pool...
Dodge City, And to be quite honest, Haven't heard Ryan's name mentioned about anything in the news here in WI. He's hiding out.
Few Repub voters care if taxes go up on the wealthiest 2% as long as they also start seeing cuts in spending. And for those who are at all aware, most of them know they are not in that 2% category, so this will not hurt them, and it will make sure their taxes going up is not at risk no matter what else comes from other negotiations.
Not only that, 2/3 of the voters want the parties to work together and understand that you give a little and get a little in order to accomplish that.
Boehner's contention is that a "small business" owner would have to pay more tax and because of this additional expense would not be able to hire another employee or may actually have to let one or more go (never mind that his future tax liability has nothing to do with his need to add to his workforce - if he is hiring it is presumably because he has additional staffing needs due to expansion of his business with the expectation that the additional employees wages will be covered by that employees productivity). Let's put some numbers to this: assuming $50,000 in wages for an employee, how much income would need to be taxed to equal the employee's wages if the business owners tax rate increases by 3.5%? $50,000/3.5% = $1,428,571. This means his taxable income is actually $250,000 more for a total of $1,678,571 and his gross income is higher still. So let's say his small business net income is actually about $1.7M and assuming a healthy profit margin of 15%, his business would have gross revenues over $11M. The IRS considers a business "small" if it has assets under $10M. A mature business grossing over $11M a year will most likely exceed $10M in assets, meaning any individual who will see his tax increase by $50,000 is likely not a small business owner. The preceding does not take into account that this person's taxes on his first $250,000 will go down by almost $10,000 if the Bush rates expire and are reinstated for taxable income under $250,000.
And about the argument that what's the point of raising taxes as it will only cover the costs of government for X amount of days - Repubs would cut Big Bird to save $400M, but don't think it's worth it to raise several $100B to reduce the deficit?
Tom Cole may think of himself as a Chickasaw, but he doesn't act like one. He acts more like a Nahullo. Associating Cole with my (original allottee) grandfather's tribe is an insult to my grandfather. Of course, the same could be said of most of the folks running around claiming to be Chickasaw these days.
I am hopeful Rep Cole is showing a willingness to get something done. Unlike any other Oklahoma representative, he shows something other that total right wing rhetoric. Time will tell.