Posted on 07/22/2011 6:36:44 PM PDT by kristinn
White House officials thought, just hours ago, that they were very close to a deal with Republican House Speaker John Boehner. But all of the sudden, the speaker wasnt returning the presidents phone calls.
If Speaker Boehner had called back, Americans would have had a deal, a White House official told reporters after the president announced Boehner had pulled out of negotiations.
These officials said there were many zones of agreement, and that cuts to entitlement programs, other than a small disagreement over Medicaid, were settled.
The White House said congressional staffers were still calling today to negotiate details, but the speaker was not talking to the president.
On Thursday afternoon, Obama talked with the speaker. The president called again in the evening. That call was not returned.
The White House said the speakers office emailed at 3:30 p.m. Friday and said the speaker would call at 5:30 p.m. The presidents office called immediately and asked to talk to the speaker. Boehner did not come to the phone, but did call 5:30 p.m., telling the president he could not continue to negotiate.
According to the White House officials, there were only three major outstanding issues -- the president asking for $400 billion in additional revenue over 10 years, how deep cuts in Medicaid would be, and the speakers request that the individual mandate in the health care reform law be eliminated if the government could not approve all elements of the deal.
(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.abcnews.com ...
Of course there is; Boehmer attaches amendment to raise debt limit for $500 million and $1 Billion in cuts to a Senate passed bill the house is holding then send the whole bill back to the Senate.
$800bil in tax increases.
I'll say it again, $800bil in tax increases.
And they should. I heard one of them, I think it was Chambliss, say he didn't know CC&B was being voted on that day. How stupid do they think we are? It was done deliberately and today CC&B was tabled without any debate, without any vote on the bill. Even when the bill got passed, the press reported it as a the "Tea Party plan." Everything that was done, was done to undermine CC&B.
The Gang of Six had and have NOTHING! No bill, just a short handout. It's a sick joke!
If the House holds the purse strings, what’s next with the power they hold?
Obama lied at a speaking event? I'm shocked! /s
I like how the press says there were "only" three MAJOR outstanding issues. Why is "only" even in there? It's there to minimize in the minds of the listener how huge the gap is.
I don't understand what removing the individual mandate gets Boehner when that's the lynchpin of the constitutionality. It's possible there's real fear the Supreme Court will judge the individual mandate constitutional. I guess we can't take anything too lightly. Kagan probably won't recuse, someone could drop dead leaving Obama to make another appointment plus Kennedy and company are unreliable.
If I were Bohner, I would insist that all future negotiations, positions and offers be formalized in writing by each side after negotiating in private.
Nothing, not even ‘ trust but verify’ will work when negotiating with soulless narcissists who seek the destruction of all that we cherish.
That's all this article needs to say.
Remember, video is the new assault weapon (just ask the cops in many jurisdictions).
Maybe the over loaded phone lines to bonehead’s office are making him rethink the plans he and 0 made on the golf course? Because he wants to keep the job he has not earned yet.
Still say bounce him and put a REAL CONSERVATIVE tough bargainer in his place.
Boehner ought to hold the negotiations in the House conference room. With only bambi on one side and all the house repubs on the other.
And only agree to the house terms.
f baraq. He is in not in a position of strength.
Obama’s riding in back of the plane moment?
These red sons of bitches led by Pelosi were voted out in 2010 and are absolutely out of their goddammed minds if they think the Republicans are going to vote to raise taxes.
It would be political suicide.
The GOP leadership is weak, but not suicidal.
He is Leader in name only, the newly elected freshmen would laugh at him if he came to them with tax increases.
The communist Obama is wasting his time, and his insistence on tax increases is going to result in default.
the next gambit is to insist the president come to the Capitol to hold the final session that finalizes the deal
Hehe. Boehner reminding Obozo that Congress and the President are co-equal branches of government.
That would be a great photo-op.
And America knows that mac, the crybaby liar, daddy and his moronic corrupt willing administration slaves would never lie about anything.
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