Posted on 12/28/2012 5:14:01 PM PST by Sub-Driver
Cliff Deal Hinges on Senators White House Meeting Ends With Expressions of Cautious Optimism From Both Sides on Negotiations By JANET HOOK and CAROL E. LEE
WASHINGTON—The job of averting year-end tax increases and spending cuts landed squarely on the Senate, whose leaders said Friday they would launch a last-ditch weekend effort to avert the so-called fiscal cliff.
President Barack Obama met with all four congressional leaders in an hourlong meeting in the Oval Office to review an increasingly narrow range of options.
He later said he was "modestly optimistic" a deal could be reached, echoing comments from the top Democrat and Republican in the Senate.
"We had a good meeting down at the White House and we are engaged in discussions…in the hopes that we can come forward as early as Sunday" with a plan, said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.). "We'll be working hard to try to see if we can get there in the next 24 hours," he said, adding he was "hopeful and optimistic."
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) agreed the meeting was "constructive." In a warning that seemed aimed at lawmakers in both parties, he said, "whatever we come up with is going to be imperfect."
Mr. Obama said Messrs. McConnell and Reid have the weekend to reach and pass a deal.
In a move meant to pressure Republicans, Mr. Obama asked Mr. Reid and House Speaker John Boehner (R., Ohio) to bring up a bill to extend income-tax rates for income under $250,000 and unemployment-insurance benefits if Senate leaders can't reach an agreement. "The hour for immediate action is here, it is now," he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
It is totally a political problem.
EVERYBODY, including the rats, knows that the meaningless, drop-in-the-bucket tax hike on “the rich” does next to nothing to address America’s debt and deficit and is, rather, a purely symbolic concession demanded by the rats for the sole purpose of dividing and ultimately destroying the GOP. The rats need the GOP to abandon its most consistent and important core principle and agree to a tax hike - - ANY tax hike - - and then they will beat the GOP to death. The American public will never believe the Republicans again, and the party will die.
This is why Ubanga wouldn’t bite on the “close loopholes and cap deductions” crap in lieu of a definite rate hike. Even though the revenues would be about the same, with the “close loopholes and cap deductions” plan the Republicans would be able to talk out both sides of their mouth when trying to convince the ignorant chattering class that they didn’t raise taxes. Ubanga wants something more concrete, something the Republicans can’t lie their way out of.
ARTICLE I, Section 7
All Bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with Amendments as on other Bills.
The Rinos and the Rats will form a coalition in the Senate to screw us
again. Same with the House. Pelosi will provide the Rat votes needed
to screws us there.
May the 2014 election be a pox on both parties.
Throw all the bums out election on both sides.
This is a win for Boehner. He has been saying for two weeks that the House already passed tax cuts and the Senate needs to act.
We went over the cliff years ago.
Just make up a meaningless term like "fiscal cliff" and watch the monkey's fall all over themselves.
It looks like McConnell is getting ready to sell us down the river.
ha ha ha... the senate is actually going to vote on something. Incredible
who cares about whether this is a win for Boehner it is a circus and Americans win nothing but higher taxes and more regulation while politicians pat themselves on the back until they can retire to their various million dollar jobs as lobbyists
North Korea is what brought Obama back to the table. He knows he can’t let the defense cuts occur in the face of intercontinental ballistic capability in North Korea.The Republicans should force him to keep and make permanent all of the current tax rates. He can’t let the cuts go through and then come back and argue for a huge increase in anti-ballistic missile technology. It wouldn’t be good for the caliphate or any other supra-national grouping you could name, U.S. security aside.
He also needs to be told flat out that if he wants more money confiscated from working, taxpaying, traditional American families (the "Republican base") in order to continue buying the votes of the ignorant moocher class (the "Democrat base"), then he's first going to have to get a Democrat House elected.
No, I am not holding my breath that any Republican has the balls to talk to the scumbag Ubama in a language he understands.
Oh well... Let's all limber up so we can grab our ankles. Here comes a "deal".
Like Boehner, McConnell is but a single vote. Just like when Boehner caved, it will mean nothing when McConnell caves because whatever concessions he makes will never get through the house.
I do for one.
It's good to see the people's House score one (even though a little one) for a change.
Also good to see Hairy Reid have to back down.
Good point. His base would have a fit.
Yes raise our taxes and we vote you out. Just like last tax hike. Adios senators.
The Leftists in Congress have no intention of not going over the cliff. Failure to prevent massive tax hikes means lots more money for them to abuse. The current situation is “either we come to an agreement or you give us everything we want.”
Really? Are we back to this silly populist sounding nonsense? This "throw all the bums out" stuff has never worked. It's a meaningless statement. If you throw a Republican out, you're going to get a Democrat who is more liberal. Period. There are no candidates from any other party's that are going to win these seats. It's either Republican or Democrat. If you throw a Republican out, you get a Democrat. If you throw a Democrat out you get a Republican. If you have a "throw all the bums out election" the House would switch to Democrat control and the Senate to Republicans which would result in no meaningful change.
You're right it doesn't work. That's why other measures must be taken. Extreme measures.
“statement. If you throw a Republican out, you’re going to get a Democrat who is more liberal. Period. There are “
Same thing, different label. The R version differs only on how fast it wants to travel to the same destination.
“statement. If you throw a Republican out, you’re going to get a Democrat who is more liberal. Period. There are “
Same thing, different label. The R version differs only on how fast it wants to travel to the same destination.
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