Some in GOP want sequester deal

Politico ^ | 6 Feb 13 | JAKE SHERMAN

[SkyPilot]

One thing is becoming clear: Republicans want to find a way to replace the cuts in the sequester, despite some loud rhetoric to the contrary.

Top House Republican aides privately concede that the politics of allowing the cuts to hit — layoffs, furloughs and a stalled economic recovery — are tough to stomach and they would prefer to make a deal, on their terms of course.

Speaker John Boehner signaled the growing GOP discomfort at his weekly news conference: “Let me make clear: I don’t like the sequester.” Boehner’s words are a sign that, while some Republicans are comfortable with steep and immediate reductions in federal spending, leadership would prefer to avoid them.

“I think it’s taking a meat ax to our government, a meat ax to many programs and it will weaken our national defense,” Boehner said. “That’s why I fought to not have the sequester in the first place. But the president didn’t want to have to deal with the debt limit again before his reelection.”

[SkyPilot]

A top GOP leadership aide, speaking anonymously to divulge internal thinking, laid out 10 options that the House GOP leadership would be willing to accept, along with savings estimates developed by GOP policy aides, in order to avoid the sequester. But any deal to avoid it comes with a major caveat: if Boehner doesn’t get the cuts he’s looking for, he’s more than willing to let the sequester go into effect.

The Republicans need to finally strike a "Grand Bargain." Real entitlement reform this time, to include earned entitlements (Social Security, Medicare) and unearned entitlements (TANF, Food Stamps, Section 8, etc).

In exchange, there would have to be tax increases, but there is room for a lot of reform to programs. People should read this article, it is very informative.

- Changes to Medicare eligibility by 2 years: $110 Billion

- Changes to Medicare premiums: $35 Billion

- Reform the Federal pension system: $10 Billion

- Changes to chained CPI for COLI: Hundreds of Billions of dollars

- Revising Medicaid provider tax: $10 Billion

- Repealing some social services (welfare) block grants to the states: $15 Billion

- Changes to agriculture programs: $25 Billion

[ClearCase_guy]

There’s just no way this will turn out well.

[GeronL]

The Vichy GOPe collaborators being themselves

their answer to our concerns is “who else you gonna vote for?”

[vbmoneyspender]

In exchange, there would have to be tax increases

Because gov't is just not big enough yet.

[JRandomFreeper]

“who else you gonna vote for?”

A conservative. ;)

/johnny

[SkyPilot]

No, because they don't control the Senate or the White House.

I vote straight GOP every election (although I will abandon the Republican party if they sell out our nation's military to Sequester). If it were my call, we cut all tax rates, we have a consumption tax that hits everyone fairly, we eliminate the estate (death) taxes, we eliminate the give away Earned Income Tax Credit fat refund of bills to those who pay no Federal Income Taxes (this is simply a welfare program), and we scrap ObamaCare.

But, I am not King. So, there will have to be some GOP proposal to tax energy profits or eliminates mortgage deductions for vacation homes or mortgages above $1 million. Otherwise, the Democrats won't accept any give away entitlement reforms.

[Ron H.]

In exchange, there would have to be tax increases

Because gov't is just not big enough yet.

or - because you peasants still have way too much money left over after all the taxes we've been extorting from you already. You all just ain't paying enough taxes (don't you know).  

[sickoflibs]

RE :”Speaker John Boehner signaled the growing GOP discomfort at his weekly news conference: “Let me make clear: I don’t like the sequester.” Boehner’s words are a sign that, while some Republicans are comfortable with steep and immediate reductions in federal spending, leadership would prefer to avoid them.
“I think it’s taking a meat ax to our government, a meat ax to many programs and it will weaken our national defense,” Boehner said. “That’s why I fought to not have the sequester in the first place. But the president didn’t want to have to deal with the debt limit again before his reelection.”

This is the EXACT right thing for him to say.
As long as he doesn't mean it.

It important to keep pointing out that Obama and Reid had 18 months from when this bill with cuts was signed in 2011 to produce a budget, but they refused to,
That they just demand spending extensions after spending extensions with no ‘accountability’ (a favorite lib term.)

Try this :”Mr President, you got your tax increases and yet you demand more and more of them. You cant always have it your way 100% of the time. Our constitution was not set up to make you king. You owe the American People a budget sent to congress, That is your job, not 24-7 campaigning and vacationing ”

BOOM!

[ilgipper]

I wouldn’t do any entitlement reform until there is a new senate and White House. No deal with this group is going to be a good deal. At some point the American people have to make real choices and stop kicking the problems down the road. Nothing Reid or Obama will do will be worthwhile reform. It will all just continue to tax other for free stuff to the majority.