July 9th, 2011
08:24 PM ET
Talks aimed at reaching a budget deal – including spending cuts as part of negotiations about raising the nation's debt ceiling – broke down on Saturday after the White House resisted proposals offered by House Speaker John Boehner, a Republican familiar with the discussions said.
Boehner abandons efforts to reach comprehensive debt-reduction deal
House Speaker John A. Boehner abandoned efforts Saturday night to reach a comprehensive debt-reduction deal worth more than $4 trillion in savings, telling President Obama that a midsize package was the only politically possible alternative to avoid a first-ever default on the nation’s mounting national debt.Boehner (R-Ohio) told Obama — who is hosting a key meeting Sunday evening on the debt issue — that their efforts to “go big,” as the speaker says, were stymied by the toughest issues: taxes and entitlements. Democrats continued to insist on tax reforms that would not pass muster in the conservative-dominated House, and Republicans wanted cuts to programs such as Medicare and Social Security that Obama and Senate Democrats would oppose.“Despite good-faith efforts to find common ground, the White House will not pursue a bigger debt reduction agreement without tax hikes. I believe the best approach may be to focus on producing a smaller measure, based on the cuts identified in the Biden-led negotiations, that still meets our call for spending reforms and cuts greater than the amount of any debt limit increase,” Boehner said in a statement released less than 24 hours before the Obama meeting is to take place.Without such a lifting of the debt ceiling, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has said that by Aug. 2, the nation will begin to default on the more than $14.3 trillion in outstanding debts the nation has collected after decades of runaway deficit spending.Democrats blasted Boehner’s actions.“I really do think this is is unfortunate. It’s very disappointing that the Republican fixation with protecting tax breaks for corporate special interests and the very wealthy has prevented them from agreeing to a broad and balanced deficit reduction plan that would be good for the country,” said Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), a member of the Biden negotiating team.
I'd say it's time to use the Constitution to put the R's in their place. They have proven they care nothing for the majority of Americans only the rich and corporations. The country knows who is to blame for our economic problems. No jobs are being created because of Republican policy ( Bush tax cuts and no tax increase for those making the most and paying the least) and our economy will never get better until Boehner and his sheep get the message. Problem is they have fallen down the rabbit hole and taken on the role of the Mad Hatter only more insane!
I have been following these posts from the beginning and have seen many posters attacking John Boehner. Many have called for his resignation as Speaker. Others have questioned his leadership.
But maybe John Boehner is showing leadership. Unlike Eric Cantor, who positions himself to be next Speaker by shirking his duty, Boehner is Speaker now. He has to negotiate. He knows that failure to raise the debt ceiling would result in the US defaulting on its debts, which would have catastrophic consequences (those who say otherwise are living on another planet). He knows that the only way to do that is to compromise, unlike many of the ideologues he leads. So that's what he does. He gets the best deal he can without harming his country, and takes it.
That looks like leadership to me. But then, I am old school.
House Speaker John A. Boehner abandoned efforts Saturday night to reach a comprehensive debt-reduction deal worth more than $4 trillion in savings, telling President Obama that a midsize package was the only politically possible alternative to avoid a first-ever default on the nation’s mounting national debt.
Boehner (R-Ohio) told Obama — who is hosting a key meeting Sunday evening on the debt issue — that their efforts to “go big,” as the speaker says, were stymied by the toughest issues: taxes and entitlements. Democrats continued to insist on tax reforms that would not pass muster in the conservative-dominated House, and Republicans wanted cuts to programs such as Medicare and Social Security that Obama and Senate Democrats would oppose.
“Despite good-faith efforts to find common ground, the White House will not pursue a bigger debt reduction agreement without tax hikes. I believe the best approach may be to focus on producing a smaller measure, based on the cuts identified in the Biden-led negotiations, that still meets our call for spending reforms and cuts greater than the amount of any debt limit increase,” Boehner said in a statement released less than 24 hours before the Obama meeting is to take place.
Without such a lifting of the debt ceiling, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has said that by Aug. 2, the nation will begin to default on the more than $14.3 trillion in outstanding debts the nation has collected after decades of runaway deficit spending.
Democrats blasted Boehner’s actions.
“I really do think this is is unfortunate. It’s very disappointing that the Republican fixation with protecting tax breaks for corporate special interests and the very wealthy has prevented them from agreeing to a broad and balanced deficit reduction plan that would be good for the country,” said Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), a member of the Biden negotiating team.
I'd say it's time to use the Constitution to put the R's in their place. They have proven they care nothing for the majority of Americans only the rich and corporations. The country knows who is to blame for our economic problems. No jobs are being created because of Republican policy ( Bush tax cuts and no tax increase for those making the most and paying the least) and our economy will never get better until Boehner and his sheep get the message. Problem is they have fallen down the rabbit hole and taken on the role of the Mad Hatter only more insane!
I have been following these posts from the beginning and have seen many posters attacking John Boehner. Many have called for his resignation as Speaker. Others have questioned his leadership.
But maybe John Boehner is showing leadership. Unlike Eric Cantor, who positions himself to be next Speaker by shirking his duty, Boehner is Speaker now. He has to negotiate. He knows that failure to raise the debt ceiling would result in the US defaulting on its debts, which would have catastrophic consequences (those who say otherwise are living on another planet). He knows that the only way to do that is to compromise, unlike many of the ideologues he leads. So that's what he does. He gets the best deal he can without harming his country, and takes it.
That looks like leadership to me. But then, I am old school.
But maybe John Boehner is showing leadership. Unlike Eric Cantor, who positions himself to be next Speaker by shirking his duty, Boehner is Speaker now. He has to negotiate. He knows that failure to raise the debt ceiling would result in the US defaulting on its debts, which would have catastrophic consequences (those who say otherwise are living on another planet). He knows that the only way to do that is to compromise, unlike many of the ideologues he leads. So that's what he does. He gets the best deal he can without harming his country, and takes it.
That looks like leadership to me. But then, I am old school.
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