Posted on 07/28/2011 5:08:25 PM PDT by EternalVigilance
WASHINGTON (AP) — The endgame at hand, House Republicans struggled Thursday to pass legislation to prevent a looming government default while slicing nearly $1 trillion from federal spending. Senate Democrats pledged to scuttle the bill — if it got to them — in hopes of forcing a final compromise.
As afternoon debate headed toward evening, GOP leaders ordered an unexplained halt on the measure and Speaker John Boehner summoned a string of recalcitrant rank-and-file Republicans to his office.
Asked what he and Boehner had talked about, Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., said, "I think that's rather obvious. .. There's negotiations going on."
Another Republican, Rep. Louie Gohmert of Texas, said he was unhappy Boehner had jettisoned a requirement contained in earlier legislation for Congress to pass a constitutional balanced-budget amendment and send it to the states for ratification.
"Why are we negotiating with ourselves?" he asked rhetorically.
It wasn't clear how long the delay might last, although a spokesman for Boehner said the vote was still expected to take place later in the evening.
The White House quickly taunted Boehner's Republicans.
"Clock ticks towards August 2, House is naming post offices, while leaders twist arms for a pointless vote. No wonder people hate Washington," White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer tweeted.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
>> House Republicans struggled Thursday to pass legislation
Say what? I thought they already PASSED cut, cap and balance.
;-)
Who are the patriots standing firm against the repulsive John Boehner?
NO (22)
Rep. Todd Akin, R-Mo.
Rep. Justin Amash, R-Mich.
Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn. (multiple news reports)
Rep. Paul Broun, R-Ga.
Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah
Rep. Jeff Duncan, R-S.C. (The Hill)
Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz.
Rep. Phil Gingrey , R-Ga.
Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas
Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C.
Rep. Tom Graves, R-Ga. (National Review)
Rep. Tim Huelskamp, R-Kan.
Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio
Rep. Jeff Landry, R-La. (National Review)
Rep. Connie Mack, R-Fla.
Rep. Mick Mulvaney, R-S.C. (The Hill)
Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas
Rep. Dennis Ross, R-Fla.
Rep. Steve Southerland, R-Fla. (The Hill)
Rep. Tim Scott, R-S.C. (Fox).
Rep. Joe Walsh, R-Ill.
Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C.
LEANING NO (3)
Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz.
Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa (National Review says he describes himself as “strong, strong lean no” and The Hill reports he is a firm no)
Rep. David Schweikert, R-Ariz.
There are no cuts in the bill for 2011. In fact, for 2011, the bill provides for $17 billion in add'l funding for Pell Grants. Starting in July 2012, there are minimul cuts to Pell Grants - but only to the subsidies people have been getting on the interest rates they are charged. The Pell Grants themselves will continue. This amounts to the sum total of spending cuts in the bill for 2011-2012.
So up the ante’, Vote to freeze of current spending levels and cap them for the next 10 ten and trim 9 trillion dollars.
Well, yeah. Which would have raised the debt ceiling $2.4 TRILLION dollars.
It strikes me that a dozen guys sitting on bar stools would probably make more sense than Boehner and his cast of pseudo-leaders right now. They are convincing no one, because they are speaking gibberish. Maybe this bunch SHOULD start drinking-—*heavily*!
Yeah. It’s all a scam. And not even a believable scam.
#NBC Rep James Lankford R-OK: “It’s going to be a late night in Congress.”
I say cut, cap and balance!
Thank you. Sounds as if MY area Congressmen from NE Pa, Lou Barletta and Tom Marino, have buckled like cheap particle board. Bob
Boehner insists on compromising with Democrats rather than insisting on common sense. Reduce spending. It is the only reasonable action.
If enough Republicans stand firm and patriotic against this treasonous plan, I’m sure that a few safe Democrats will put them over the top. All Democrat seats may be safe come next November if our troops keep us demoralized. What a bunch of wastes!!!!!
In hindsight now, it is clear the big problem was not making a BIG F’n DEAL out of the tabling of CCB. That was the main thrust of the republican platform. To have it belittled without a peep, and then to offer the Boehner plan, was ludicrous on its face. Its like the ‘rats negotiating with CCB outside the legislative process - instead of a vote, they table, and make like a vacuum awaiting Boehner V1.0 and V1.1.
The pubs should have insisted for quite a bit, and made a big deal - CCB should be modified and tweaked, but it was the house’s bi-partisan accomplishment.
If you're talking about the "cut, cap and balance" bill, I strongly oppose it. It would have raised the debt ceiling $2.4 TRILLION dollars.
I don't support letting them borrow one more red cent to squander on unconstitutional nonsense.
You’re assuming Boehner had a plan. I think Boehner assumed he would get a deal Obama and didn’t have a fallback plan for when Obama went sideways on him.
No. CCB raised the debt limit $2.4 TRILLION.
The problem originated with the fact that the entire Republican leadership, including and especially the Speaker, agreed from the very beginning with the Democrats about the main issue involved in all of this: raising the debt ceiling TRILLIONS of dollars.
The first lecture the Tea Party freshmen got from Boehner, on the first day, was about how they had to be adults and raise it.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.