Mitch McConnell Wants To Call Obama's Bluff On Payroll Tax Cut (VIDEO)

WASHINGTON -- Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell suggested Sunday that President Obama was bluffing when he promised to veto an extension of the payroll tax cut if it included a provision that required the construction of the Keystone pipeline.

"Obviously we'll reach an agreement. The president is posturing here," McConnell said. If Obama vetoed the bill, "He'd have to stand up to the AFL-CIO" said McConnell, noting that some labor unions, including the Teamsters, were in favor of the project. "The president's been talking about creating jobs, all it requires is his sign-off."

"It's a shovel-ready project," McConnell added, tweaking the president by employing language the administration had used to justify the 2009 stimulus.

Earlier this week, the number two Republican in the Senate, Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.), said that there would be no further negotiation regarding the payroll tax cut, and that the bill that comes from the House -- which includes Keystone -- is the one the Senate must pass.

"The package that comes from the House is it," Kyl said. McConnell declined to specifically say whether he agreed with Kyl.

McConnell said that a "significant number of Democrats" both in the Senate and House support the package Obama has promised to veto.

Obama halted the Keystone project after an outpouring of opposition from environmentalists. The project would build a pipeline to the Gulf Coast, where much of the energy would be exported.

Comments

[IM4REAL]

02:04 PM on 01/15/2012

Keep on digging deep because the President will not be the one to fall in that one. One Term President? More like hand him another Term on a Golden Platter. Obama 2012.

[Lawrence Grant]

08:15 PM on 12/13/2011

To the people of Kentucky: What the H E-double hockey sticks were you thinking?

[twschaller]

07:23 PM on 12/13/2011

McConnell - just in time for the holidays - cravenly strives to polish both the reputation of The Grinch and Scrooge. Wow.

[Atsaguy]

07:19 PM on 12/13/2011

I know it is not good to hate or wish evil on anyone but I never have liked this person and only wish him the worse!

[Silverwolf72]

03:45 PM on 12/13/2011

Who is going to pay for this? Is it supposed to paid for by the taxpayer while the profits go to the oil companies?

[Philclock]

01:21 PM on 12/13/2011

REAL Republicans want to throw the bum out!

[szweir]

01:10 PM on 12/13/2011

Mitch is a disgrace to America and unable to care about his constituents.

Oh I forgot he is only for those who need help the least - corps and rich people.

Hopefully he will lose his next election and the people who own him will turn their backs on him

[mw21]

12:03 PM on 12/13/2011

Contrary to what a lot of people would have you believe, oil is not the most precious resource in our world. Clean water and air are. Please continue to protect them.

[dmsdzinr]

11:30 AM on 12/13/2011

GO AHEAD Mitchy, CALL IT! See what happens...

[Hank10303]

10:57 AM on 12/13/2011

Mitch McConnell first won election in 1990. He was there for the end of George H. W. Bush's flirtation with Reagan's trickledown theory. He was fully aware that the ramifications of that general policy were the maximization of wealth for the upper income class and more profound hardship for the poor with the middle class stuck in the middle and falling fast. McConnell is an old fashion elitist and it would be reasonable to conclude that he is not pleased with how many Americans in various fields have obtained wealth; some too even rival his $32,756,000 as estimated in 2009. He is ranked the 12th wealthiest member of the Senate. In McConnell's own words: MCCONNELL: The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president. --------------------- I think that makes it clear that the pipeline would be bad for Obama and even worst for America. If you want to know what is wrong with Washington, look no further than the likes of Mitch McConnell – obstructionist.

[Mrs Sixx]

11:02 AM on 12/13/2011

McConnell has always been a self-important bag of air. Obstructionist is the perfect term for him.

[oftenon]

03:59 PM on 12/13/2011

that is NOT the perfect word for him, it's just the best one the moderators allow.

[gts31bumbee]

11:49 AM on 12/13/2011

This wicked little old cranky lady should retire. McConnell is precisely what is wrong with the Congress today. His middle name should be changed to Dysfunctional. It definitely suits him !

[Julie99]

09:00 AM on 12/13/2011

What kind of people would ever vote a creep like McConnel into any office?

Good for these folks against the pipeline.

Let's get technology going. Over 20 years ago, Saturn plant bought a patent on a motor that went 500 miles on 1 galon of gas. Let's see an interview with people who built the motors and tested them. Americans have to demand better auto motors and get rid of the 85 year old gas guzzling engines.

[gnhowardusa]

10:07 AM on 12/13/2011

He is from Kentucky. Those folks elect him.

[jmbsjy]

02:58 PM on 12/13/2011

I live in Kentucky and I can not stand him!

[Hank10303]

11:00 AM on 12/13/2011

But But but republicans represent "Big Oil".

[Deb Jesser]

02:55 AM on 12/13/2011

What on earth are the people of Kentucky thinking?

[ZappaFreak]

01:17 AM on 12/13/2011

Call it Mitch...then say goodbye to the Bush Tax cuts as you do. OWS needs as much ammo as you are willing to provide, so please, continue your awesome non-support for the American people. You are so smart you are about to outsmart even yourself!

ZF

[60s Dem]

06:09 PM on 12/15/2011

I dunno Zappa Freak.....nobody ever went broke betting against the intelligence of the american people. Who do you think they make "Keeping up with the Kardashians" for?

[maxwelldog]

10:43 PM on 12/12/2011

A bluff is what weasel type politicians do to retain power in Kentucky.
They call the government a pack of tax and spenders...AFTER buying one of the top ten highway systems in the United States (including Hawaii) with taxpayer money.

Weasels ripped ALL our flesh, McConnell.
The only thing holding up the project seem to be two things...
#1 an indepth study on the environmental impact (especially if it should be ruptured for any reason...
and #2...just where in the dickens is it going?
THROUGH the US to ports overseas???

What?
D'ya have some of those shiny solar powered cars hiding in your hills?

[Hank10303]

11:08 AM on 12/13/2011

You have struck the cord on the core of the oil energy problem and the excessive profits made by big oil. Republican Presidents in the past have all but given away oil leases to Big Oil and even gave them tax cuts to explore and extract the oil. Then they get to keep it and sale it to the highest bidder, mostly overseas. There is no other country that allows its natural resources to be removed and not receive a discounted right of first purchase on those goods or resources. We could literally grant leases to every inch of land in North America and very well see an increase in oil prices - because we have no rights as a nation once the resource is taken from the ground. But, the most obvious and insidious question is "why are we building a pipeline for the betterment of Canada?"

[maxwelldog]

12:02 PM on 12/13/2011

indeed, as Canada has many available ports of their own. However, their ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDIES show complete disaster for the areas affected should a rupture occur.

[hipocampelofantocame]

09:39 PM on 12/12/2011

Looks like a GOP strong arm tactic and blackmail to me. Veto the bill and start over
on the tax cut continuance.