At last! Republican leadership negotiate a compromise plan with Obama and the Democrats!
Posted on 07/18/2011 5:15:28 PM PDT by neverdem
Debating the McConnell Plan
In the House, Republicans are divided on how much to compromise.
As Senate leaders Harry Reid (D., Nev.) and Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) iron out the details of a controversial plan to raise the debt ceiling, House conservatives are already gearing up to reject it en masse. House GOP leaders, however, have refused to rule out the McConnell option.
“I think there probably is a showdown coming,” Rep. Joe Walsh (R., Ill.) tells National Review Online. “There is a strong contingent in the House that believes this country needs to have a fight over this immoral debt we’re placing on the backs of our kids and grandkids. We avoided that fight over the CR. The feeling now is, ‘Let’s have that showdown now, this is good for us.’”
Republican leaders have called a vote this week on a conservative proposal to raise the debt — “Cut, Cap, and Balance” — but Walsh questions the earnestness of that decision. He suspects the move was “just a bone being thrown to House Republican rank and file,” when the real plan is to move forward with some version of the McConnell proposal, despite “real antagonism” for the proposal within the caucus.
The plan initially put forward by McConnell would effectively give President Obama what he wants: the authority to request a $2.4 trillion debt increase, which is enough to get him through the 2012 election. In exchange, Republicans could pass “resolutions of disapproval” against the president’s request, but ultimately could do nothing to prevent it from being enacted. In theory, these resolutions would give them political cover. The proposal was met with widespread condemnation by the conservative Right. “There is no difference between the McConnell plan and a clean debt-limit increase,” says Heritage Action CEO Michael A. Needham. “It’s an absolute non-starter.”
However, several GOP sources acknowledge that the plan Reid and McConnell ultimately come up with will be the only realistic option at this point. But the question remains — how to get it through the House? As it stands, an answer is hard to come by. “It’s like a foreign country to me,” says one senior GOP Senate aide. “I really don’t know what they need.”
In an effort to make McConnell’s plan somewhat more palatable to House Republicans, Senate leaders are discussing a spending-cut package in the range of $1.5 trillion and the creation of a commission charged with drafting a non-amendable, filibuster-proof deficit plan to be sent to Congress by the end of the year. The final plan could even allow for the House to determine the makeup of the spending-cuts package. But even then, conservative members are unlikely to budge.
So far, it seems as if nothing will satisfy the House, the Senate, and the president. “Conservatives are demanding a solution that actually fixes our debt problem,” says one GOP aide. “So far, ‘Cut, Cap, and Balance’ is the only plan that qualifies.” Thirty-seven GOP members have even signed pledges promising not to support a debt increase absent the full enactment of “Cut, Cap, and Balance.” But that plan would certainly be defeated in the Senate — and President Obama on Monday said he would veto the legislation.
House Budget Committee chairman Paul Ryan (R., Wis.) lamented that this hard-line “no” caucus was weakening the GOP’s ability to negotiate for spending cuts. “The debt limit is an opportunity to cut spending,” Ryan told National Review Online. “We cannot have irrational expectations when we control one-half of one-third of the government.”
“It’s certainly not helpful,” one Republican member, speaking on background, concedes to NRO. “That said, I think some of these reports from Moody’s and S&P are causing some to reconsider. Default is not an option.”
But House conservatives, still reeling from the disappointing continuing-resolution agreement in April, have vowed to take a stand this time around. “The CR debate left a real sour taste in the mouths of a lot of us, and we do not want to go down that road again,” Walsh says. “If we blink and compromise a little too much and cave, I believe it’s going to have huge ramifications for Republicans in 2012.”
In fact, Walsh and other conservative members of the caucus aren’t going to let that happen on their watch. Walsh has drafted a letter to House Speaker John Boehner (R., Ohio) urging him not to bring the McConnell plan up for a vote in the House because it would be “an abdication of our leadership in Congress.” He hopes to gather “at least 100” signatures by the end of the day.
Perhaps the only certainty going forward is that any proposal will require a substantial amount of Democratic support to pass. So it’s not surprising that Boehner rounded out a busy day last Friday with an under-the-radar meeting with Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.). One aide says Obama should be able to convince a lot of House Democrats to support a deal if needed. Still, given the opposition within his caucus, and the still-simmering fallout from the CR, it is hard to see how Boehner can politically survive another mass conservative defection.
The speaker has referred to the McConnell plan as a “last-ditch effort” that “might look pretty good a couple of weeks from now” if no other agreement is reached. But at the moment, he insists, “We’re far from the time for a last-ditch effort.”
President Obama declared a July 22 deadline by which he wants Congress to reach a deal, and it was revealed on Monday that he held a covert meeting with Boehner and House majority leader Eric Cantor (R., Va.) over the weekend. GOP House aides concede that passing any version of the McConnell plan will be extremely difficult, and insist that “Cut, Cap, and Balance” is their sole priority this week.
But once that vote has been cast, how does this all play out? NRO posed the question to a senior House GOP aide. The response: “I don’t know.”
— Andrew Stiles is a 2011 Franklin Fellow.
why would you compromise your principles? Compromise equals lack of character.
E Pluribus Unum.
The passengers on Titanic had nothing on us.
[Paul Ryan (R., Wis.) lamented that this hard-line “no” caucus was weakening the GOP’s ability to negotiate for spending cuts. “The debt limit is an opportunity to cut spending,” Ryan told National Review Online. “We cannot have irrational expectations when we control one-half of one-third of the government.”]
Talks like a french general seeing the Nazis march on Paris. Ryan is a typical old guard worthless GOP fool and liar.
“how much to compromise”
its over once that word is in play.... might as well toss the towel now looser boys...
Extremely disappointing coming from Ryan---he's now using Boehner's lilly-livered language from April.
Here is the Reader's Digest version: we are screwed.
McCain said the "markets" and those wonderful "markets" experts have told him to his face that there will be a repeat of the temper tantrum the "markets" employed when TARP was delayed by a single day back in 2008. The Dow lost 700 points, and RINOs like him caved like a cheap tent and gave away hundreds and hundreds of billions to the "Too Big To Fail" banksters.
McCain gave lots of lip service to this "I promise to work as HARD as I can" on the Cut, Cap, and Balance act - but then said it was a nonstarter and it would never pass the Senate.
Medved took his betrayal hook, line, and sinker. Hannity (who I usually like less than Medved) stood his ground and told McCain he going to give away to Obama the Constitutional power of the purse that only Congress now has. McCain ignored him, and went back into Traitor Spin Mode.
We are screwed I am telling you. The fix is in. This is TARP II - The Sequel.
I would suggest a massive national tea party event. Let the old guard see what is gointg to become of them come primaries.
0bama says he’s got a real solution
Well, you know
We'd all love to see the plan
0bama asks me for a tax solution
Well, you know
that’s goin’ right into the can
Cause when you want taxes
for Marxists with plans that waste
All I can tell is brother you have to wait
Don't you know it's gonna be all cut
all cap, all balance
Ah ah, ah, ah, ah, ah...
You say you'll shred the constitution
Well, you know
We all want to change Mitch’s job
Mitch tells us it's the only solution
Well, you know
Mitch is going to lose his job instead
'Cause when he goes carrying pictures of chairman Barak
Mitch is putting America into hock
Don't you know it's gonna be all cut
all cut, all cut
all cap, all cap, all cap
and balance
Suggestions welcome.
I’m missing something. What Exactly are we not compromising on......a blank check for the Democrats?
Even that nitwit O’Reilly says the Republicans have to compromise.
Could somebody find one proposal from the Democrats.
Like, give the Kenyan ultimate power and then "blame" him???? Didn't he screw enough already to be blamed and removed from the office??? Helooooo RINOs!
This is disgraceful! Particularly on the eve of the State(where goverment matters most) level Republican victory in Dayton:
http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_071411/content/01125106.guest.html
Any republican even considering this aut to be evicted from the party as unworthy of carrying the republican name. If you can’t stand up to the abusive leftist bullys step aside to make room for those who will at least try.
This is disgraceful! Particularly on the eve of the State(where goverment matters most) level Republican victory in Minnesota:
http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_071411/content/01125106.guest.html
Any republican even considering this aut to be evicted from the party as unworthy of carrying the republican name. If you can’t stand up to the abusive leftist bullys step aside to make room for those who will at least try.
A huge number of Americans want obama BACKED DOWN - in public - made to Eat Crow... even humiliated... That is what drives many of us... And this Debt Ceiling issue - is the platform on which we believe it can be done. Americans who are against obama - want obama to be FORCED to accept No New Taxes, Real Reduction in Spending - not fairy dust as Allen West said... We want REAL actions - not fun and games...
So if we can’t come to an agreement with the Dumborats then we will turn over the keys to the car to a 14 year old kid that has proven that he can’t drive. The “big win” is after he crashes, we get to say “I told you so”. Great plan!
Compromise THIS:
President Obama signed a government takeover of healthcare into law. Below is a list of new boards and commissions created in the bill:
1. Grant program for consumer assistance offices (Section 1002, p. 37)
2. Grant program for states to monitor premium increases (Section 1003, p. 42)
3. Committee to review administrative simplification standards (Section 1104, p. 71)
4. Demonstration program for state wellness programs (Section 1201, p. 93)
5. Grant program to establish state Exchanges (Section 1311(a), p. 130)
6. State American Health Benefit Exchanges (Section 1311(b), p. 131)
7. Exchange grants to establish consumer navigator programs (Section 1311(i), p. 150)
8. Grant program for state cooperatives (Section 1322, p. 169)
9. Advisory board for state cooperatives (Section 1322(b)(3), p. 173)
10. Private purchasing council for state cooperatives (Section 1322(d), p. 177)
11. State basic health plan programs (Section 1331, p. 201)
12. State-based reinsurance program (Section 1341, p. 226)
13. Program of risk corridors for individual and small group markets (Section 1342, p. 233)
14. Program to determine eligibility for Exchange participation (Section 1411, p. 267)
15. Program for advance determination of tax credit eligibility (Section 1412, p. 288)
16. Grant program to implement health IT enrollment standards (Section 1561, p. 370)
17. Federal Coordinated Health Care Office for dual eligible beneficiaries (Section 2602, p. 512)
18. Medicaid quality measurement program (Section 2701, p. 518)
19. Medicaid health home program for people with chronic conditions, and grants for planning same (Section 2703, p. 524)
20. Medicaid demonstration project to evaluate bundled payments (Section 2704, p. 532)
21. Medicaid demonstration project for global payment system (Section 2705, p. 536)
22. Medicaid demonstration project for accountable care organizations (Section 2706, p. 538)
23. Medicaid demonstration project for emergency psychiatric care (Section 2707, p. 540)
24. Grant program for delivery of services to individuals with postpartum depression (Section 2952(b), p. 591)
25. State allotments for grants to promote personal responsibility education programs (Section 2953, p. 596)
26. Medicare value-based purchasing program (Section 3001(a), p. 613)
27. Medicare value-based purchasing demonstration program for critical access hospitals (Section 3001(b), p. 637)
28. Medicare value-based purchasing program for skilled nursing facilities (Section 3006(a), p. 666)
29. Medicare value-based purchasing program for home health agencies (Section 3006(b), p. 668)
30. Interagency Working Group on Health Care Quality (Section 3012, p. 688)
31. Grant program to develop health care quality measures (Section 3013, p. 693)
32. Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (Section 3021, p. 712)
33. Medicare shared savings program (Section 3022, p. 728)
34. Medicare pilot program on payment bundling (Section 3023, p. 739)
35. Independence at home medical practice demonstration program (Section 3024, p. 752)
36. Program for use of patient safety organizations to reduce hospital readmission rates (Section 3025(b), p. 775)
37. Community-based care transitions program (Section 3026, p. 776)
38. Demonstration project for payment of complex diagnostic laboratory tests (Section 3113, p. 800)
39. Medicare hospice concurrent care demonstration project (Section 3140, p. 850)
40. Independent Payment Advisory Board (Section 3403, p. 982)
41. Consumer Advisory Council for Independent Payment Advisory Board (Section 3403, p. 1027)
42. Grant program for technical assistance to providers implementing health quality practices (Section 3501, p. 1043)
43. Grant program to establish interdisciplinary health teams (Section 3502, p. 1048)
44. Grant program to implement medication therapy management (Section 3503, p. 1055)
45. Grant program to support emergency care pilot programs (Section 3504, p. 1061)
46. Grant program to promote universal access to trauma services (Section 3505(b), p. 1081)
47. Grant program to develop and promote shared decision-making aids (Section 3506, p. 1088)
48. Grant program to support implementation of shared decision-making (Section 3506, p. 1091)
49. Grant program to integrate quality improvement in clinical education (Section 3508, p. 1095)
50. Health and Human Services Coordinating Committee on Women?s Health (Section 3509(a), p. 1098)
51. Centers for Disease Control Office of Women?s Health (Section 3509(b), p. 1102)
52. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Office of Women?s Health (Section 3509(e), p. 1105)
53. Health Resources and Services Administration Office of Women?s Health (Section 3509(f), p. 1106)
54. Food and Drug Administration Office of Women?s Health (Section 3509(g), p. 1109)
55. National Prevention, Health Promotion, and Public Health Council (Section 4001, p. 1114)
56. Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health (Section 4001(f), p. 1117)
57. Prevention and Public Health Fund (Section 4002, p. 1121)
58. Community Preventive Services Task Force (Section 4003(b), p. 1126)
59. Grant program to support school-based health centers (Section 4101, p. 1135)
60. Grant program to promote research-based dental caries disease management (Section 4102, p. 1147)
61. Grant program for States to prevent chronic disease in Medicaid beneficiaries (Section 4108, p. 1174)
62. Community transformation grants (Section 4201, p. 1182)
63. Grant program to provide public health interventions (Section 4202, p. 1188)
64. Demonstration program of grants to improve child immunization rates (Section 4204(b), p. 1200)
65. Pilot program for risk-factor assessments provided through community health centers (Section 4206, p. 1215)
66. Grant program to increase epidemiology and laboratory capacity (Section 4304, p. 1233)
67. Interagency Pain Research Coordinating Committee (Section 4305, p. 1238)
68. National Health Care Workforce Commission (Section 5101, p. 1256)
69. Grant program to plan health care workforce development activities (Section 5102(c), p. 1275)
70. Grant program to implement health care workforce development activities (Section 5102(d), p. 1279)
71. Pediatric specialty loan repayment program (Section 5203, p. 1295)
72. Public Health Workforce Loan Repayment Program (Section 5204, p. 1300)
73. Allied Health Loan Forgiveness Program (Section 5205, p. 1305)
74. Grant program to provide mid-career training for health professionals (Section 5206, p. 1307)
75. Grant program to fund nurse-managed health clinics (Section 5208, p. 1310)
76. Grant program to support primary care training programs (Section 5301, p. 1315)
77. Grant program to fund training for direct care workers (Section 5302, p. 1322)
78. Grant program to develop dental training programs (Section 5303, p. 1325)
79. Demonstration program to increase access to dental health care in underserved communities (Section 5304, p. 1331)
80. Grant program to promote geriatric education centers (Section 5305, p. 1334)
81. Grant program to promote health professionals entering geriatrics (Section 5305, p. 1339)
82. Grant program to promote training in mental and behavioral health (Section 5306, p. 1344)
83. Grant program to promote nurse retention programs (Section 5309, p. 1354)
84. Student loan forgiveness for nursing school faculty (Section 5311(b), p. 1360)
85. Grant program to promote positive health behaviors and outcomes (Section 5313, p. 1364)
86. Public Health Sciences Track for medical students (Section 5315, p. 1372)
87. Primary Care Extension Program to educate providers (Section 5405, p. 1404)
88. Grant program for demonstration projects to address health workforce shortage needs (Section 5507, p. 1442)
89. Grant program for demonstration projects to develop training programs for home health aides (Section 5507, p. 1447)
90. Grant program to establish new primary care residency programs (Section 5508(a), p. 1458)
91. Program of payments to teaching health centers that sponsor medical residency training (Section 5508(c), p. 1462)
92. Graduate nurse education demonstration program (Section 5509, p. 1472)
93. Grant program to establish demonstration projects for community-based mental health settings (Section 5604, p. 1486)
94. Commission on Key National Indicators (Section 5605, p. 1489)
95. Quality assurance and performance improvement program for skilled nursing facilities (Section 6102, p. 1554)
96. Special focus facility program for skilled nursing facilities (Section 6103(a)(3), p. 1561)
97. Special focus facility program for nursing facilities (Section 6103(b)(3), p. 1568)
98. National independent monitor pilot program for skilled nursing facilities and nursing facilities (Section 6112, p. 1589)
99. Demonstration projects for nursing facilities involved in the culture change movement (Section 6114, p. 1597)
100. Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (Section 6301, p. 1619)
101. Standing methodology committee for Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (Section 6301, p. 1629)
102. Board of Governors for Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (Section 6301, p. 1638)
103. Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Trust Fund (Section 6301(e), p. 1656)
104. Elder Justice Coordinating Council (Section 6703, p. 1773)
105. Advisory Board on Elder Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation (Section 6703, p. 1776)
106. Grant program to create elder abuse forensic centers (Section 6703, p. 1783)
107. Grant program to promote continuing education for long-term care staffers (Section 6703, p. 1787)
108. Grant program to improve management practices and training (Section 6703, p. 1788)
109. Grant program to subsidize costs of electronic health records (Section 6703, p. 1791)
110. Grant program to promote adult protective services (Section 6703, p. 1796)
111. Grant program to conduct elder abuse detection and prevention (Section 6703, p. 1798)
112. Grant program to support long-term care ombudsmen (Section 6703, p. 1800)
113. National Training Institute for long-term care surveyors (Section 6703, p. 1806)
114. Grant program to fund State surveys of long-term care residences (Section 6703, p. 1809)
115. CLASS Independence Fund (Section 8002, p. 1926)
116. CLASS Independence Fund Board of Trustees (Section 8002, p. 1927)
117. CLASS Independence Advisory Council (Section 8002, p. 1931)
118. Personal Care Attendants Workforce Advisory Panel (Section 8002(c), p. 1938)
119. Multi-state health plans offered by Office of Personnel Management (Section 10104(p), p. 2086)
120. Advisory board for multi-state health plans (Section 10104(p), p. 2094)
121. Pregnancy Assistance Fund (Section 10212, p. 2164)
122. Value-based purchasing program for ambulatory surgical centers (Section 10301, p. 2176)
123. Demonstration project for payment adjustments to home health services (Section 10315, p. 2200)
124. Pilot program for care of individuals in environmental emergency declaration areas (Section 10323, p. 2223)
125. Grant program to screen at-risk individuals for environmental health conditions (Section 10323(b), p. 2231)
126. Pilot programs to implement value-based purchasing (Section 10326, p. 2242)
127. Grant program to support community-based collaborative care networks (Section 10333, p. 2265)
128. Centers for Disease Control Office of Minority Health (Section 10334, p. 2272)
129. Health Resources and Services Administration Office of Minority Health (Section 10334, p. 2272)
130. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Office of Minority Health (Section 10334, p. 2272)
131. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Office of Minority Health (Section 10334, p. 2272)
132. Food and Drug Administration Office of Minority Health (Section 10334, p. 2272)
133. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health (Section 10334, p. 2272)
134. Grant program to promote small business wellness programs (Section 10408, p. 2285)
135. Cures Acceleration Network (Section 10409, p. 2289)
136. Cures Acceleration Network Review Board (Section 10409, p. 2291)
137. Grant program for Cures Acceleration Network (Section 10409, p. 2297)
138. Grant program to promote centers of excellence for depression (Section 10410, p. 2304)
139. Advisory committee for young women?s breast health awareness education campaign (Section 10413, p. 2322)
140. Grant program to provide assistance to provide information to young women with breast cancer (Section 10413, p. 2326)
141. Interagency Access to Health Care in Alaska Task Force (Section 10501, p. 2329)
142. Grant program to train nurse practitioners as primary care providers (Section 10501(e), p. 2332)
143. Grant program for community-based diabetes prevention (Section 10501(g), p. 2337)
144. Grant program for providers who treat a high percentage of medically underserved populations (Section 10501(k), p. 2343)
145. Grant program to recruit students to practice in underserved communities (Section 10501(l), p. 2344)
146. Community Health Center Fund (Section 10503, p. 2355)
147. Demonstration project to provide access to health care for the uninsured at reduced fees (Section 10504, p. 2357)
148. Demonstration program to explore alternatives to tort litigation (Section 10607, p. 2369)
149. Indian Health demonstration program for chronic shortages of health professionals (S. 1790, Section 112, p. 24)*
150. Office of Indian Men?s Health (S. 1790, Section 136, p. 71)*
151. Indian Country modular component facilities demonstration program (S. 1790, Section 146, p. 108)*
152. Indian mobile health stations demonstration program (S. 1790, Section 147, p. 111)*
153. Office of Direct Service Tribes (S. 1790, Section 172, p. 151)*
154. Indian Health Service mental health technician training program (S. 1790, Section 181, p. 173)*
155. Indian Health Service program for treatment of child sexual abuse victims (S. 1790, Section 181, p. 192)*
156. Indian Health Service program for treatment of domestic violence and sexual abuse (S. 1790, Section 181, p. 194)*
157. Indian youth telemental health demonstration project (S. 1790, Section 181, p. 204)*
158. Indian youth life skills demonstration project (S. 1790, Section 181, p. 220)*
159. Indian Health Service Director of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Treatment (S. 1790, Section 199B, p. 258)*
And WHO IS GOING TO PAY?
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