Ari Fleischer: I’ll Be Donating Less to Charity in 2013
Former George W. Bush press secretary Ari Fleischer perfectly sums up the blighted world view of the Republican Party with this mean-spirited tweet:
I increased donations to charity in 2012. This deal limits my deductions so I, & many others, will likely donate less in 2013.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) January 1, 2013
Senate Republicans Cave on Fiscal Cliff
For decades the Republican Party has been fighting tooth and nail to stop this day from ever coming: Senate Passes Tax Increases on Wealthy Americans.
WASHINGTON — The Senate, in a predawn vote two hours after the deadline passed to avert automatic tax increases, overwhelmingly approved legislation on Tuesday that would allow tax rates to rise only on affluent Americans while temporarily suspending sweeping, across-the-board spending cuts.
The deal, worked out in furious negotiations between Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and the Republican Senate leader, Mitch McConnell, passed 89 to 8, with just three Democrats and five Republicans voting no. Although it lost the support of some of the Senate’s most conservative members, the broad coalition that pushed the accord across the finish line could portend swift House passage as early as New Year’s Day.
Many Democrats are unhappy about some of the provisions in the legislation (that’s why it’s called a “compromise”) but make no mistake — breaking the back of the anti-tax right wing is an historic achievement for the Obama administration.
Breitbrat Mike Flynn: Obama Scuttled the Cliff Deal With Mockery
Over in Wingnut World, Breitbrat Mike Flynn takes his typical measured impartial stance and shouts: OBAMA SCUTTLES ‘FISCAL CLIFF’ DEAL?

Flynn is very upset and concerned about Obama’s tone in his remarks earlier today. He senses mockery.
This afternoon, in one of the more bizarre appearances of his presidency, Barack Obama gave a televised address to a room full of supporters on the “fiscal cliff.” He broke no news, but mocked Congress, and hinted at future tax hikes. Observers worried that he may have deliberately scuttled a potential agreement.
Even though he has come off his last campaign for political office, President Obama acted like a candidate on the campaign trail—one prepared to use whatever political capital he had accumulated to take shots at the opposition in Congress at the very moment leaders from both sides are trying to work together.
Less a President, Obama behaved more like an ESPN talking-head making fun of RG III’s knee injury.
Obama’s address, which you can watch below, was held basically to announce that some other people are working on solving the “fiscal cliff” crisis. They are close, Obama reported, but they aren’t quite there yet. He then proceeded to make some jokes about Congress, to warm applause from his selected audience. Smug doesn’t come close to capturing the true nature of his tone.
Smug mockery is the worst. And warm applause? Outrage!
You can probably already predict how the Breitbart commentariat is going to respond to this invitation to hate, and you wouldn’t be wrong: with blatant racism, threats, rants about revolution, and deranged conspiracy theories. The usual.
I hate Obama and hope nothing but bad things happen to him in the coming year.
[…]
If we still had a shine boy at my old barber shop, he’d look like Obama.
[…]
I wonder if the Brietbart staff still thinks me crazy for advocating the secession of my state of Texas from the failed United States of America?
[…]
When he goes after the registered guns, the Revolution will start
Dick Act 1902
Google it for a nice Suprise .[…]
Extracting all the wealth of the country will not be enough money to fund these drunken spending politicians.
[…]
But if they try it should be enough to start a new revolution.
[…]
Barack Obama is the single greatest threat to the security of this country. People who voted for him thought that they were sticking it to evil rich people. When it is done, everyone will get soaked in taxes to pay for his spending. Does anyone any more not believe it is his goal to destroy this country?
[…]
Except the idiots who voted for him are generally the low-information voter. They have all their needs met with entitlements, bozo phones, title VIII housing, etc. They COULD NOT CARE LESS! We who still have jobs and footing the bill for the 52% are getting hosed. I would love to see an uprising - will it? Doubtful, sadly.
[…]
The only surprise is that no one has done this loppy eared Communist yet…….
[…]
Maybe the next time he bows to some 3rd world dick-tater
Some will shove a ….. Up his ……[…]
The Dream from His Father is almost complete……screwing America!
Barry Soetoro has his Commie parents:Stanley and Barack; his white Commie grand parents; his mentor, Frank Marshall Davis……to thank…..and he is relishing in the scam he pulled on everyone.
[…]
Obozo is the proof of the failure of affirmative action.
[…]
Our great Affirmation Action President shows his talents yet again.
[…]
Wonder if he will be sworn in with hand on a Bible this time.
At the do-over in Jan 2009 in the oval office, his hand was not on a Bible.
Google the event and watch it yourself.[…]
We are witness to the Spy unmasking himself showing his True Face that of a
Ruthlessly Sadistic Communist Monster. Sandy Hook proved beyond a shadow
of a Doubt just how far the Spy is willing to go in the Mass Murder of those White
American School Children by a directed weapon system a Mind Controlled
Killing Machine planned and targeted by the Spy’s Gestapo. This Stalinist
Show ‘Presser’ complete with the scum of the earth smiling loyal communist
stooge props to inform his american subjects just who is their absolute ruler
who controls their Fate.[…]
Obozo should go back home to Kenya where he belongs.
[…]
It’s not racist, it’s true. I know because I grew up outside of south central and I know one when I see one. Obama is a user and taker, he is low trash n-word.
[…]
the only reason this asshat is where he is is because of his skin color.
[…]
Yes. Boy. Boy criminal.
[…]
Barack Obama is NO President, he’s a shill, marxist-muslim out to DESTROY US!
[…]
Someone needs to put the buffoon out of his misery.
[…]
Dead meat
To me, that sure looks like they’re threatening the president. There are a couple of comments that were deleted, apparently for using the N-word, but the threats are allowed to remain.
It’s Official: The GOP Is Pushing America Over the Fiscal Cliff
It’s official: the Republican Party is going to push the country over the fiscal cliff: House: No Votes Tonight.
Awaiting action by the Senate, the leader of the House of Representatives have announced they will stage no votes this evening, ensuring the nation will go over the fiscal cliff for at least a day.
The Next Big GOP Tantrum: The Debt Ceiling
After the President’s remarks on the fiscal cliff this afternoon, I switched on C-SPAN to watch one Republican after another take the Senate podium to complain bitterly about the President’s “insults.” John McCain was especially outraged about Obama’s “jokes.” Here’s the video; apparently all of this whining about their precious feewings was prompted by one line:
My preference would have been to solve all these problems in the context of a larger agreement, a bigger deal, a grand bargain, whatever you want to call it, that solves our deficit problems in a balanced and responsible way. That doesn’t just deal with the taxes, but deals with the spending in a balanced way so that we can put all this behind us and just focus on growing the economy.
But with this Congress, that was obviously a little too much to hope for at this time. (Laughter.)
OUTRAGE! HOW DARE HE!
For all the whining and kooky crybaby antics from McCain and Lindsey Graham today, it’s still not clear whether we actually have a deal to avert the fiscal cliff. But Senate Republicans made one thing very clear today: their next caper will involve holding America hostage over the debt ceiling.
Two centrist Republican senators on Friday introduced a plan to reduce the growth of entitlement spending by nearly $1 trillion in exchange for an equal increase to the federal debt ceiling.
Sens. Bob Corker (Tenn.) and Lamar Alexander (Tenn.) called on Congress to focus on entitlement reform after it addresses the impending expiration of the Bush-era tax rates. They identified the expiration of the federal debt ceiling as an opportunity to address the costly growth of Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.
Live Video: President Obama Speaks on the Fiscal Cliff
[Live event concluded…]
Bottom line: there’s still no deal.
Congress Stands on Edge of Fiscal Cliff, Considers Jumping
The latest word from Washington DC, via Politico:
Breaking: Fiscal cliff negotiations have reached a standstill, Senate leaders announced
— POLITICO (@politico) December 30, 2012
When Barack Obama was first elected, the Republican Party publicly pledged to obstruct everything he tried to do, with the goal of making him a one-term president. They failed at this goal, and now it seems like the GOP has decided to punish America for reelecting Obama.
Video: President Obama on Meet the Press
Here’s President Obama’s interview with dangerous criminal David Gregory, on today’s Meet the Press.
Krauthammer: Obama Has Ruthlessly Shattered the GOP, Created Internal Civil War
Charles Krauthammer gives President Obama credit for a “stunning accomplishment,” saying that Obama has ruthlessly shattered the Republican Party, breaking their will and causing an internal civil war while vacationing in luxury and playing golf every day: Krauthammer to Hannity: Obama Has Successfully Created ‘An Internal Civil War’ Within the GOP.
Also, Obama’s overplaying his hand, and will go down in history as a failed president with a radical ideology. And he needs to give in to the Republicans now or he’ll be blamed for the fiscal cliff.
Basically, Krauthammer’s throwing everything he has against the wall in this one, hoping something will stick. I’m no Beltway insider like the K-man, but it seems to me the Republican Party has done a pretty damned good job of shattering itself.




But with this Congress, that was obviously a little too much to hope for at this time.
And the Republicans say they were insulted? I don't see anything in Obama's remarks calling out Republicans. But, I guess the shoe fits so they have to wear it.