Posted on 10/13/2013 6:46:59 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
WASHINGTON (CBS DC) – The Senate has taken the lead from the House in attempting to devise a plan to reopen the government and avoid a potential default in the coming week.
Speaking with Bob Schieffer on Sunday, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said he is “cautiously hopeful” that the Senate can pick up where House negotiations have become deadlocked, and hopefully avoid the continued government shutdown through bipartisan Senate discussion.
“I’m cautiously hopeful, optimistic that we can come to an agreement and open up the government and avoid default based on the bipartisan meetings that are going on,” Schumer said on Face the Nation. Between President Obama, Senate Democrats and Senate Republicans, Schumer said, “There’s a will, we now have to find a way, we know the House won’t find that way, so all of it rests on our shoulders.”
The Democratic Policy Committee Chairman and member of the Senate Finance Committee said that much of the debate centers around how the parties are defining revenue and entitlement cuts. Adding that neither Democrats nor Republicans like the sequester, noting Sen. John McCain’s staunch opposition to cuts to defense.
Schieffer asked if there was something that could be given to House Speaker John Boehner in order to appease tea party and more right-wing conservative members of the house to “bring them along.”
“You hit the nail on the head, no one’s sure what will bring those people along. I think there’s a feeling amongst senate Republicans – whether it be Sen. Mcconnell, Sen. McCain, Sen. Collins – that if we can get a broad bipartisan majority to pass something in the next few days it may help crack the logjam in the House,” said Schumer.
“And of course, Speaker Boehner wouldn’t get the 40 or so people on the hard right to go along, but could get a lot of his mainstream Republicans,” continued Schumer. “I think these mainstream republicans are getting fed up with the tea party and Ted Cruz, they see where’s it’s leading them, to very low poll numbers…”
Schumer stated that some in the Senate believe that Speaker Boehner can’t lead, “but if the Senate leads, he could follow our lead.”
Schumer suggested that the government be opened for a period of time before the January sequester so that serious bipartisan discussions could continue.
He added that he hopes more centrist Republicans “break” from the more conservative faction of the party.
“When your party is doing as poorly as it has, mainly because they’ve let Ted Cruz and the Tea Party-type thinking lead them around – you break from that.”
Yeah? And I’m fed up with “mainstream” republicans...
I’m fed up with “Mainstream Republicans” acting and voting like “Mainstream Democrats”.
Isn’t that nice? Chuck Schumer is looking out for his kapos.
Hey Im fed up with McCain and Graham type “Republicans” too..I am all for them just switching sides already, they know they want to
I think Ted Cruz is doing an awesome job, Schumer. Am I a mainstream Republican? Am I a Tea Party member? Who am I, Schumer?
Notice how the terms “The Loyal Opposition” and “The Politics of Personal Destruction” are missing from Today’s Headlines?
Gee, I wonder why. cough, cough...
> Yeah? And I’m fed up with “mainstream” republicans...
You prbably mean politicians period
Were winning and the Democrats know it.
If the Republican party was self districting, the Democrats would stand silent and watch.
Don’t you just love how the Democrats decide who is and who is not a “mainstream” Republican?
But most of all we’re really fed up with Chuckie Schumer.
Love it when a neo nazi tells us what were doing wrong.
So are we Chucku Schumer!
Schieffer implying the Sudetenland?
Exactly...
“kapo” is the operative word here...
The democrats are marching into full on fascism and the Kapos can only scream about conservatives.
“Our republicans”
Funny, I am fed up with Up-Chuck Schumer. We all know the most dangerous place to be on Sunday is between this Clymer and a camera. Just go away, Rat.
Hey Chuck, let’s discuss your connection with Mexico.
MSR’s is what we’re fed up with.
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