Really surprised Dems are trying so hard to trash this House GOP plan as much publicly as they are. Again, not that diff from Sen compromise
8:40 AM - 15 Oct 2013
Posted on 10/15/2013 11:31:30 AM PDT by cotton1706
Lurking at the very bottom of Conn's summary of the House's (final?) counter-offer to the Senate is this intriguing nugget:
If the bill passes, House Republicans may adjourn leaving Senate Democrats and President Obama with a final take-it-or-leave-it offer. First, "if the bill passes" is an open question, though it's sounding like House Republicans have mostly rallied around the Speaker's plan. They opened their meeting this morning by singing "Amazing Grace," then telegraphed their next volley. Whether they have the votes to pass it without any Democratic support -- Pelosi will likely whip hard against it -- remains to be seen. But if it passes, might Boehner gavel the House closed, with members leaving town? Ramesh Ponnuru hears rumors:
This would be a highly risky take-it-or-leave-it strategy. The GOP would argue that they gave Senate Democrats everything they asked for in their latest deal, but added a delay of a job killing tax that 79 Senators have already voted to repeal altogether, as well as a somewhat stripped-down Vitter Amendment. This would force members of Congress, but not staffers, to forego the president's special subsidy carve-out. The bottom-line message: "We've agreed to Harry Reid's plan, plus a few small additions that the American people support. We've bent over backwards to accommodate the other side. We've done our jobs. And we're outta here." That...might work. But it also might add to the (largely unfair) perception that Republicans are the obstinate, unflinching actors in this crisis. Harry Reid is likely to say "stuff it" to the House-passed bill -- if it passes. That's been his consistent position on almost everything, no matter how reasonable. If we hit the technical default wall with Republicans effectively AWOL, I'm not so sure those optics would work well during the ensuing, intense blame-game. Especially since the drumbeat GOP critique of Democrats over the last few weeks has been that Obama & Co are unwilling to negotiate. At the moment, nothing is certain. Votes and coalitions are fluid. And the clock is ticking. Stay tuned.
UPDATE - A concession from Democrats? A tax delay that would have benefited Big Labor might be gone on the Senate side:
UPDATE II -The GOP may be (surprise!) divided on the "leave town" gambit:
UPDATE III - White House rejects the deal. Does Boehner even have the votes?
GOP leadership may be re-writing their counter-deal already, under pressure from conservatives. Shades of the "Plan B" fiscal cliff fiasco, which eventually resulted in a worse outcome for conservatives.
UPDATE IV - Reid angrily rejects the House GOP plan (such as it exists), even though it's not that different from his own. Chuck Todd:
Chuck Todd ✔ @chucktoddYea, but it's coming from the GOP so they cannot like. Harry Reid is a smarmy snake worm, so is his girl Pelosi et alReally surprised Dems are trying so hard to trash this House GOP plan as much publicly as they are. Again, not that diff from Sen compromise
8:40 AM - 15 Oct 2013
LOL Todd wants the dems to trash it behind everyone's back.
Sorry Chuck, the dems are bold these days and think they can get away with anything.
delay the medical device tax?
That’s it?
That’s all the GOPe settled for??
do it?
Surrender and go home?
They might as well go home. How hard can it be to to sumbit a “Continuing Resolution.” First Graders could do this for a whole lot less and without a staff.
We are paying them to do nothing. As far as staffers - who writes the rules for these bozos? Staffers should not be entitle to subsidies. These morons have their staffers write their speeches, make their appointments and tell them what they need to say. They are the as responsible as the elected officials.
The spending bills are already in the Senate. Each time they refuse to negotiate, make the next bill even more conservative. Start taking stuff out of the budget instead of negotiating.
To default on the debt is going to be ugly and will ruin us - but so will Obamacare. The difference is the speed.
Obama does not convene the House.
The Constitution says they cannot adjourn for more than 3 days without the consent of the OTHER HOUSE; Senate.
The President does not control Congress. They are separate branches.
They can give themselves a 3 day break, that’s it
Yes, they should. There is no need for them to pass a spending bill just because it will pass the prez’s desk.
“[The President] may, on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them”
It’s not extraordinary. Besides they can only adjourn for 3 days without the Senate doing it too.
Update #11 Obama peed in his pants
I don't think many of the cheerleaders on this thread read the article. The House has conceded everything but a few scraps, hoping for some kind of token PR victory. Reid won't even give them that.
No put an offer on the table, vote on it and leave. Let dickless Reid keep the government shutdown.
That would mean no immigration bill, which would be a VERY good thing.
As if conservatives would ever win the PR battle in today’s climate. Obama got reelected. That should tell you something.
Bunch of pussie, they are. Let them leave the f’n country for all I care.
I loathe sobbing drunks.
Reid doesn’t need one because Boehner has no balls.
I am so disgusted with the GOP.
Santorum had it right just now...they have taken the hits, this is not the time to fold.
“I am so disgusted with the GOP”
So am I.
“Reid angrily rejects the House GOP plan (such as it exists), even though it’s not that different from his own.”
Reid, stomping his feet: “THAT WAS MY IDEA! MINE!”
Ha! It’ll look like Reid is capitulating to the House.
This gets more entertaining by the hour. Newsflash, Harry. There’s another legislative body!
I’m just dumbfounded! Complete and utter collapse?
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