Posted on 03/04/2013 6:59:56 PM PST by SkyPilot
President Barack Obama, unable to persuade Republicans to accept higher taxes, is attempting to cobble together what he calls a "common-sense caucus" among lawmakers to help resolve U.S. budget woes and push his legislative agenda.
On Monday and in recent days, Obama has made individual phone calls to a number of senators in a search for common ground on $85 billion in budget cuts that went into effect last week, as well as his top priorities like deficit reduction, gun control and an overhaul of U.S. immigration laws.
Gene Sperling, the White House senior economic official, said on the CNN program "State of the Union" on Sunday that Obama was contacting to lawmakers to talk about compromises that could include reforms to both the tax code and entitlement programs, which include Social Security retirement benefits and Medicare healthcare for the elderly and disabled.
It was unclear whether Obama hopes to craft a deal on these two controversial issues this month, as Congress attempts to pass legislation funding most government activities beyond March 27, or the president is eyeing other upcoming budget initiatives this year.
The list of lawmakers Obama contacted include Republican Senators Bob Corker of Tennessee, Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, Rob Portman of Ohio and Susan Collins of Maine, according to either the senators or congressional aides. The White House declined to confirm the names.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
During the "Fiscal Cliff" negotiations, Obama was full of himself, and more arrogant than usual. Drunk on the thought of his re-election, he wanted to humiliate his opponents.
He moves the goal posts in every negotiation. He did so in 2011 and again in 2012. It is what is known as "Negotiating in Bad Faith."
The Sequester cuts are real, especially to the DoD, but they do nothing to stop the nation's real source of fiscal bloodletting: Entitlements.
Obama doesn't care about the military, but he does care about what all the Sequestration mayhem he created is now doing to him. As an ego maniac, he desperately cares about the rest of his Presidency and his legacy.
If he can pull of real tax and entitlement reform - the kind that will stop the fiscal Titanic we are all on as 3rd class passengers locked below decks, if he can really pull that off - he will be hailed as a "Historic President."
I don't think he can pull it off. The Liberals in Congress will howl.
But if he is serious, watch out.
Sens Graham, McCain, Collins, Corker, Coburn, and Ayotte will carry the proposal for the Republicans.
Sens Durbin, Baucus, Mikulski, and Warner will form the core of support that will have to win over the hard core Liberals in the Senate and the House.
This could be a big.
"He believes that there are Republicans who - both those who have spoken publicly about it and others who have not - who support the general premise of balance," said White House spokesman Jay Carney.
An aide to Collins, a moderate, told Reuters that she spoke to Obama on Monday afternoon and they talked about "the need for a bipartisan agreement on several critical issues," such as how to rein in the $16.7 trillion U.S. debt and the sequestration cuts.
Collins "encouraged further discussions of a substantive nature," the aide said.
Coburn, who has been a member of a bipartisan deficit-reduction working group in the Senate, told reporters that he spoke to Obama on Monday, but he declined to provide details or even confirm whether the subject was deficit reduction.
Corker said in a short interview with Reuters that Obama called him on Saturday. "We had a conversation about fiscal issues," Corker said.
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Obama is definitely working the Republicans for support then.
I re-watched an interview with Speaker Boehner from 3 weeks ago. I believe he was being interviewed by a local reporter from his district in Ohio. Boehner indicted (then) that if they could get real Entitlement reform, all of "this" (meaning the constant crisis) would be "worth it in the end."
Perhaps the Republicans have changed the whole tone of argument. If they have, and Obama goes for the "Grand Bargain" - this would be historic.
Obama is not to be trusted - because he does move the goal posts. But Woodward called him on that, and Obama's people went nuts. I guess they didn't like being found out about their chief weapon.
To accomplish this, all Obama would have to do to begin with was lay out some somewhat vague goals - and then let Reid debate and pass something while the House works on their own bill. They could re-solve both bills at Conference while maintaining regular order.
Lot's of "ifs" here. Still early.
as if he could be a real president
One weapon used by the Democrats in the battle for control of Public Opinion is their re-definition of words that capture the imagination of the Low Information Voter.
For example a “cut” in spending is a reduction in the projected rate of increase in spending, year to year.
“Investment” is giving away taxpayer dollars to porkbarrel donors.
Since all “entitlements” are funded by mandatory taxation of those who earn more than a politician determined minimum, we FReepers should call “entitlements” what they are: Welfare Taxes.
Thus, the main drivers of our tax burden based National Debt and Annual Deficit are as follows:
* Welfare Social Security Tax
* Welfare Medicare Tax
* Welfare Medicaid Tax
* Welfare Obama”care” Tax.
BTW, great charts!
This is his chance. Real Entitlement and Tax Reform would make Obama a political Demi-god.
This is his chance. Real Entitlement and Tax Reform would make Obama a political Demi-god.
This is his chance. Real Entitlement and Tax Reform would make Obama a political Demi-god.
Ahhhhh...sorry.....lPads.
Oh come on. This is from Reuters and the Huff Post. They are going to write the most positive spin possible for this guy. Anyone who thinks that Obama is serious about negotiating anything is forgetting his actions over the last four and a half years.
...unable to persuade Republicans to accept higher taxes, is attempting to cobble together what he calls a "common-sense caucus" ...in a search for common ground on $85 billion in budget cuts that went into effect last week, as well as his top priorities like deficit reduction, gun control and an overhaul of U.S. immigration laws... to talk about compromises that could include reforms to both the tax code and entitlement programs, which include Social Security retirement benefits and Medicare healthcare for the elderly and disabled.IOW, euthanasia via Death Panels.
You blame you errors on technology, I blame my errors on Half-heimerz. ( Not All- yet, just Half-).
“This could be a big...”
The only thing “big” that Obama’s goin’ for is gonna be your 401k...
Critters, anything important that he promises—get in writing & notarized.
I believe he and both parties are going to do that, eventually.
This would have to be a "Grand Bargain" on Entitlements and major tax reform.
No kidding.
I remember taking a masters program Labor Relations course. I was amazed that judges in such disputes could find one party basically "guilty" of negotiating in Bad Faith - which is essentially all the man-child Obama knows how to do.
If Obama had negotiated fairly with Boehner back in 2011 and had not moved the goal posts near the end of the agreement, we would not be in the mess we are in today, the economy could get moving and and would not have the Government's leg in front of it tripping it, and our military would be be suffering from the simultaneous triple threat of a frozen CR, Sequestration, and the 2011 $487 Billion cut.
The list of lawmakers Obama contacted include Republican Senators Bob Corker of Tennessee, Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, Rob Portman of Ohio and Susan Collins of Maine, according to either the senators or congressional aides. The White House declined to confirm the names.
The above is a lie. Obama personally called them? They'd take the call and the WH would confirm it. This is a media story for consumption by the simple-minded, meaning liberals and the lieberal press.
Obama is a community organizer from Cook County in the Land of Illusion. It's all about puffery and show and swaying the low-information voters to your cause. The tool is PR because that's all they have.
Look to Cook County and you'll see what you get: crony capitalism, a rich liberal class enjoying life, all the while "fixing" the poverty problem with by cementing poverty in place and the culmination is those same poor dementedly reelecting their masters. There is no bottom to human stupidity.
I am sorry but the Socialist megalomaniac in the Oval Office does not have the first clue how to improve the economy or help create an environment for job growth. He is ignorant of those subjects and woefully incompetent to be POTUS. He does not know his ass from a hole in the ground about either leadership or management yet he is convinced he is Mr Awesome! Why any sane person would waste five seconds listening to this proven failure is beyond me.
“After latest budget battle, Obama calls senators looking for common ground”.
Reminds me of a little kid when you give him one piece of candy and he wants ten, or your kids wants to use the car tonight when he has used it all week already.
He wants his way and there is no alternative. Gimme, Gimme, Gimme.
You want common ground? Then stop the uncontroll spending and more importantly, supporting all your muzzie friends overseas. We have MORE THAN ENOUGH problems right in our own land that need fixing.
Republican Senators Bob Corker of Tennessee, Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, Rob Portman of Ohio and Susan Collins of Maine
His secret agents and spies in the Republican party.
Surprised McCain and Graham weren’t on the list.
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