Posted on 11/08/2012 6:19:07 PM PST by RC one
The House speaker, John A. Boehner of Ohio, striking a conciliatory tone a day after the Republican Party’s electoral drubbing, said on Wednesday that he was ready to accept a budget deal that raises federal revenue as long as it is linked to an overhaul of entitlements and a reform of the tax code that closes loopholes, curtails or eliminates deductions and lowers income tax rates.
Mr. Boehner’s gesture was the most explicit offer he has made to avert the “fiscal cliff” in January, when billions of dollars in tax increases and automatic spending cuts go into force. And it came hours after Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the majority leader, offered his own olive branch, saying “it’s better to dance than to fight.”
But Democrats and Republicans are still far apart. Mr. Boehner made it clear that his vision for additional revenue includes a tax code that lowers even the top income tax rate from where it is now, 35 percent, not where it would be in January when the Bush-era tax cuts are set to expire — 39.6 percent. At least some of that additional revenue would come from economic growth that he said would be fueled by a simpler tax code.
Senator Charles E. Schumer of New York, the third-ranking Democrat, has said those constructs are unacceptable. Democratic leaders say tax reform that lowers tax rates across the board would either hurt the middle class by trimming vital tax benefits like the home mortgage deduction or would not raise enough taxes to meaningfully reduce the deficit. Mr. Reid underscored Mr. Obama’s contention that tax rates on the rich must rise, saying “the vast majority of Americans” support that, “including rich people.”
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Anyone surprised that Boehner is folding first? Someone on the other side of the aisle must have some great pictures of him in action.
I don’t think Boner even knows how to play chess.
Perhaps.
The man is in a very untenable position.
We all are.
Coward RINO File.
Looks like the Republican strategy is to give the Rats pretty much all of what they want: in other words, give them enough rope to hang themselves.
I always loved Flip Wilson’s Reverend Leroy line: You gots to learn how to delegate the blame.
That is something that Republican MUST learn to do effectively!!!
You get it and nobody else on this thread does.
Boehner's position is absolutely correct and Freepers seem to be clueless.
Let them own it!
Well thank you for not having a kneejerk reaction in a very bad difficult position.
Boner plays Checkers while the Rats play Chess.
It has been 2 days since the election and we are fragging the folks we still have standing.
The Dems must be laughing their arses off!
EXACTLY!!!!
We as a party just played checkers with single issues.
Now this guy is supposed to turn it around with no tools?
What is he to do?
Kind of sick.
Because we know they’ll ultimately cave.
A coward for saying no tax hikes?
Really?
No, Boehner walked away from Obama last time Obama tried to push tax hikes.
The Speaker then refused to take Obama's calls and Obama was furious.
We got no tax hikes last time because the Speaker refused to allow them and I suspect Boehner is going to have the same position now.
I’m freekin out man! LOL
What Bums me out is both sides have been complicit in the sequestration doomsday bomb.
It is going to go off Jan 1st and they are just posturing for blame.
You can count on this.. All of them will think it is so urgent that they will “go on holiday” in about 3 weeks.
Then BLAMMO!
And they will come back in 2013 and say “It was the other fellows fault”
Even Pelosi and Reid told the WH to butt out because O & Co. were completely inept.
Because of Obama's inability they passed it to committee. A real leader gets it done. O is no leader.
Half of our troubles are that we telegraph to the other camp.
Were gonna do this bitch!
I like how the Times had to put “electoral drubbing” ... knowing full well that the popular vote was close (even closer minus the fraud).
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