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Republican senators consider backing Reid debt plan
cBS News ^ | July 29, 2011 | Stephanie Condon

Posted on 07/29/2011 3:01:27 PM PDT by mdittmar

The House plans on voting on Speaker John Boehner's debt limit plan this evening, but with its demise imminent in the Senate, some Senate Republicans are considering getting behind Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's alternative plan.

"I voted for cut, cap, and balance,'" Republican Sen. Scott Brown of Massachusetts said today, in reference to the House Republicans' initial debt limit plan. "I'll vote for Boehner, and I'll vote for Reid. I've already said that. We need to move our country forward. It's time."

Senate Democrats have promised to reject Boehner's plan, which would only extend the nation's borrowing authority for another six months. Democrats say it would be unwise to re-create the debate over the debt ceiling and deficit reduction again, just before Christmas.

Reid's plan would extend borrowing authority at least through 2012. Like Boehner's plan, it calls for significant spending cuts and doesn't make any tax increases. Both plans call for a bipartisan commission to come up with longer-term deficit and debt reduction plans.

Brown said his staff is working with Reid's staff to give the proposed commission more teeth, CBS News Capitol Hill Producer John Nolen reports.The moderate Republican also said he appreciated President Obama's "tone" today, when the president said from the White House that Congress must pass a bill that can get bipartisan support.

"I 'm looking forward to moving our country forward and having an opportunity to at least to vote on something," he said.Reid plans to move his bill to the Senate floor tonight, after action on Boehner's bill is completed.

Coming out of a Republican conference meeting this afternoon, GOP Sen. John Thune also suggested Reid's bill could be modified to win some Republican support.

"I think there are some things that could be done to his bill to make it better, to make it more attractive to Republicans, and if we ever get to that point maybe we'll get the chance to do that," he said.

Like Brown, Thune said that the ideas put forward by the proposed bipartisan deficit reduction committee should be binding and enforceable. Thune also reiterated the GOP complaint that Reid's plan relies on some accounting gimmicks, such as counting money saved from winding down the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as deficit reduction. He said that most Republicans want the spending cuts to match or exceed the amount that the debt ceiling is raised, and Reid's plan doesn't accomplish that yet.

In spite of the GOP concerns, Thune said Democrats and Republicans should be able to work together.

"You don't want things to drag on forever," he said. "Most of us believe you just can't kick this can down the road."


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: boehner; boehnerplan; debt; debtceiling; debtlimit; default; donothingsenate; partyofnoplan; reid; reidplan; traitorbrown; traitorthune
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cBS News!
1 posted on 07/29/2011 3:01:29 PM PDT by mdittmar
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To: mdittmar

Of course they do. Turds


2 posted on 07/29/2011 3:04:32 PM PDT by GoCards (I am a Hobbit)
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To: mdittmar
Brown saying this is no surprise.

Thune is disappointing.

3 posted on 07/29/2011 3:05:19 PM PDT by comebacknewt ((on second thought, never mind, go away again Newt))
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To: mdittmar

Brown says it’s “time to move our country forward?”

Translation: It’s time to puss out and be the liberal I really am!!!!!


4 posted on 07/29/2011 3:07:51 PM PDT by Oldpuppymax
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To: mdittmar

I thought all bills had to originate from the House. How can Reid create a bill and vote on it in the Senate that never came from the House?


5 posted on 07/29/2011 3:08:03 PM PDT by Evil Slayer (Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war)
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To: mdittmar

Oy!


6 posted on 07/29/2011 3:08:18 PM PDT by cardinal4 (Sauron/Sarumon 2012; it couldn't be any worse..)
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To: mdittmar

Reid doesn’t want them to support it.


7 posted on 07/29/2011 3:08:38 PM PDT by Brilliant
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To: mdittmar

The democrats wanting you to kick the can down the road,
is like the Taliban telling a 8 year old boy to
“Step on this bottle.”.


8 posted on 07/29/2011 3:09:33 PM PDT by tet68 ( " We would not die in that man's company, that fears his fellowship to die with us...." Henry V.)
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To: mdittmar

Amazing that I thought of Scott Brown before I even read the story....and lo and behold, look who’s there!


9 posted on 07/29/2011 3:10:38 PM PDT by JPG (Yes she can!)
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To: mdittmar

“Republican” democrat-Lite types: “We need to move the country forward, even if we have to do it by, uh, moving backward.”


10 posted on 07/29/2011 3:12:03 PM PDT by snowrip (Liberal? You are a socialist idiot with no rational argument.)
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To: mdittmar
We're standing on the edge of a cliff and he wants to take a step forward.
Bad idea.

11 posted on 07/29/2011 3:12:13 PM PDT by BitWielder1 (Corporate Profits are better than Government Waste)
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To: mdittmar
Senate Democrats have promised to reject Boehner's plan, which would only extend the nation's borrowing authority for another six months. Democrats say it would be unwise to re-create the debate over the debt ceiling and deficit reduction again, just before Christmas.

How about Senate/House Republicans promising to reject the Old Lady from Nevada's plan?!

Geez. Grow a pair of BALLS, Scott Brown.

12 posted on 07/29/2011 3:12:50 PM PDT by Recovering_Democrat
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To: mdittmar

oh, and I don’t blame the democrats, they are what
they are and we know what they are,
it’s the damn republicans that won’t stand
up for their constituents that fry my butt!

I’m pretty much fed up.


13 posted on 07/29/2011 3:12:52 PM PDT by tet68 ( " We would not die in that man's company, that fears his fellowship to die with us...." Henry V.)
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To: mdittmar

“I voted for cut, cap, and balance,’” Republican Sen. Scott Brown of Massachusetts said today, in reference to the House Republicans’ initial debt limit plan.

And how was that? The bill was tabled in the Senate and never came up for a real vote on the actual bill.

Here’s a better idea, grow a pair Scott.


14 posted on 07/29/2011 3:13:53 PM PDT by F1reEng1neRed
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To: mdittmar

Makes you think Senate Republicans suffer from Stockholm Syndrome.


15 posted on 07/29/2011 3:14:50 PM PDT by newzjunkey (Obama's plan: http://rooney.house.gov/images/stories/President_Obamas_Plan.pdf)
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To: F1reEng1neRed

Can’t expect him to tell the truth about that vote. The press isn’t, why should he?


16 posted on 07/29/2011 3:15:51 PM PDT by newzjunkey (Obama's plan: http://rooney.house.gov/images/stories/President_Obamas_Plan.pdf)
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To: mdittmar

Headlines that surprise no one:

Senate Sells out Conservatives!
“We need to reach across the aisle” says McCain.


17 posted on 07/29/2011 3:17:11 PM PDT by Tzimisce (Never forget that the American Revolution began when the British tried to disarm the colonists.)
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To: Evil Slayer
I thought all bills had to originate from the House. How can Reid create a bill and vote on it in the Senate that never came from the House?

harry doesn't need no Constitution!

18 posted on 07/29/2011 3:17:14 PM PDT by mdittmar (i)
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To: comebacknewt
-- Thune is disappointing. --

As was Brownback during the immigration amnesty debates a few years back.

Pretty much a bunch of corrupt derelicts over there in Washington. Best to disassociate from them.

19 posted on 07/29/2011 3:17:29 PM PDT by Cboldt
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To: mdittmar

I hope the American people and their government representatives do not forget this August 2 deadline was just set for such a mockery as this (unless everyone is now believing Timothy Geithner).

It is only when those voting begin to believe the lies and do all kinds of things because they feel scared is when they will do the wrong thing.

You tell us not to be led astray by fear tactics that the Dems dish out on Republicans wanting to kill Social Security. Now Republican Representatives and Senators, you follow suit!

STAND FIRM.


20 posted on 07/29/2011 3:19:09 PM PDT by casinva
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