Vote on Boehner ‘Plan B’ called off due to lack of GOP support
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**Written by Doug Powers
I originally thought that maybe John Boehner would publicly tout “Plan B” as little as possible until he was sure he had the votes in order to give it a greater impact, but it didn’t play out that way. Thursday evening, the **ballyhooed bill was pulled before a vote due to lack of support from the House GOP:
**I’ve never used that word and wanted to squeeze it in before the Mayan apocalypse calls us all home tomorrow
House Republicans on Thursday passed the first of two bills aimed at averting the looming fiscal crisis, approving a plan that would replace sweeping cuts to defense and other programs with cuts elsewhere in the budget.
The bill narrowly passed, on a 215-209 vote.
Up next, though, was supposed to be a highly controversial bill that would prevent tax hikes for everyone except those making more than $1 million, but in a sign of potential turmoil in the Republican caucus, the House abruptly recessed Thursday evening.
The tax vote is expected to be close, as House Speaker John Boehner already lost 21 Republicans on the first bill. The recess could mean Boehner is still trying to rally support.
Together, the bills amount to what Boehner is calling a “Plan B.”
Later, Boehner issued a statement that in part contained this: “Now it is up to the president to work with Senator (Harry) Reid on legislation to avert the fiscal cliff.” Uh huh. Would that be the same Senate Majority Leader who earlier in the day reiterated “we are not going to do anything”?
The House is now in recess until after Christmas as the White House awaits being presented with a “bipartisan solution“:
WH/Jay Carney says Pres Obama is still hopeful “a bipartisan solution” can be reached quickly to protect the middle class & the economy.
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) December 21, 2012
That is, as long as the “bipartisan solution” allows President Obama to hand out more stimulus money, increase taxes and provides him with unilateral authority to raise the debt limit. Those demands aside, the White House seems totally open to negotiation.
More at Twitchy.
**Written by Doug Powers
Twitter @ThePowersThatBe
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Categories: Enviro-nitwits, Politics
