Posted on 07/21/2011 1:21:59 PM PDT by iowamark
RUSH: We're so happy to have with us the Speaker of the House, John Boehner. I'm glad that we had a chance to talk to you here, Mr. Speaker, because people are confused with all of these leaks as to what's going on.
SPEAKER BOEHNER: Well, Rush, there is no deal. No deal publicly. No deal privately. There is absolutely no deal. Our focus --
RUSH: Are you talking about a deal, though?
SPEAKER BOEHNER: Pardon me?
RUSH: Are you talking about a deal in secret?
SPEAKER BOEHNER: Our focus right now is getting the Senate to follow us in the House and pass cut, cap, and balance. I believe that we've got to act to prevent a default and to prevent a downgrade of our nation's credit rating, and the best way to do that is to enact cut, cap, and balance. But let me be clear: I believe that is the best course of action. I've said all the way along that we've gotta keep the lines of communication open. That's why Leader Cantor and I have talked with Mitch McConnell. We've talked to Nancy Pelosi. We've talked to the president. We talked about fallback options if in fact cut, cap, and balance does go down; and I do think it's our obligation to have a fallback plan if that doesn't work.
RUSH: Well, but that's what everybody is worried about: What is the fallback plan? A congressional aide is out there today saying that the deal's been struck. He's unnamed, he's on Fox, he's saying, "It's $3 trillion of cuts with no tax revenue." National Journal says three trillion in cuts with "insignificant" tax revenues. So a lot of people out here are of the opinion that Obama is the one who ought to be caving. He's the one that doesn't have a plan. He's forcing you to compromise with yourself. He's done great damage to the economy, and people want it to stop.
SPEAKER BOEHNER: I understand. I'm concerned about the nation defaulting on its credit rating. I'm concerned about us not doing anything about our debt, which will cause our credit rating to fall -- and which then would mean everybody's interest rates go up. I think that's irresponsible. Frankly we've had looked at a half a dozen fallback plans. None of which, none of which, are all that appetizing. That's why we continue to support cut, cap, and balance.
RUSH: So you're convinced that a default would make us unable...? We were to be unable to service our debt if there's a default?
SPEAKER BOEHNER: I'm concerned that we're getting into uncharted territory that could wreak great havoc on our nation, and I don't think it's necessary to get into that unknown zone and take the chance -- and I, frankly, believe that we've gotta find a way to cut our budget deficit, cut our debt, and balance our budget.
RUSH: Why is it not Obama's responsibility to do that? He's the one that's put us in this position.
SPEAKER BOEHNER: It would have been nice if the President would have put a plan to the table months ago, but the President has refused to put any plan on the table. It's obviously been driving me right up a wall.
RUSH: He wants you to take the heat for whatever happens.
SPEAKER BOEHNER: Yeah, but I think at the end of the day he knows that he's the commander-in-chief, he's the president of the United States, and HE will take the heat.
RUSH: Well, a lot of people are concerned that you are his lifeline to reelection and that that's how he sees you, and that if he can get you to act in any way that can be portrayed as a cave that he wins, and that's what people are deathly afraid of.
SPEAKER BOEHNER: Rush, I'm trying to do what I taught my kids to do; the same thing my parents taught me to do: You do the right things for the right reasons, good things will happen.
RUSH: All right, Speaker Boehner thanks much.
SPEAKER BOEHNER: Thank you, Rush.
RUSH: I wish we had more time, but we don't. Thanks very much for the time here. END TRANSCRIPT
SPEAKER BOEHNER: Pardon me?
RUSH: Are you talking about a deal in secret?
SPEAKER BOEHNER: Our focus right now is getting the Senate to follow us in the House and pass cut, cap, and balance. I believe that we've got to act to prevent a default and to prevent a downgrade of our nation's credit rating, and the best way to do that is to enact cut, cap, and balance. But let me be clear: I believe that is the best course of action. I've said all the way along that we've gotta keep the lines of communication open. That's why Leader Cantor and I have talked with Mitch McConnell. We've talked to Nancy Pelosi. We've talked to the president. We talked about fallback options if in fact cut, cap, and balance does go down; and I do think it's our obligation to have a fallback plan if that doesn't work.
You are quite right -- but there is one more element, which is why I posted Boner's response.
If he weren't really negotiating in secret, he'd have just said "No" upfront.
I disagree with your tagline, by the way. It should've been Palin '08.
Cheers!
SPEAKER BOEHNER: Pardon me?
RUSH: Are you talking about a deal in secret?
SPEAKER BOEHNER: Our focus right now is getting the Senate to follow us in the House and pass cut, cap, and balance. I believe that we've got to act to prevent a default and to prevent a downgrade of our nation's credit rating, and the best way to do that is to enact cut, cap, and balance. But let me be clear: I believe that is the best course of action. I've said all the way along that we've gotta keep the lines of communication open. That's why Leader Cantor and I have talked with Mitch McConnell. We've talked to Nancy Pelosi. We've talked to the president. We talked about fallback options if in fact cut, cap, and balance does go down; and I do think it's our obligation to have a fallback plan if that doesn't work.
You are quite right -- but there is one more element, which is why I posted Boner's response.
If he weren't really negotiating in secret, he'd have just said "No" upfront.
I disagree with your tagline, by the way. It should've been Palin '08.
Cheers!
Saxby Chambliss swallows. So does Coburn.
Try to find the transcript of Saxby's interview with Sean Hannity today. He all but said he wanted to eliminate the home mortgage interest deduction and the charitable contribution deduction (with some givebacks) so that it would be like Reagan, eliminating "tax expenditures" while lowering the overall rate.
He also said, "We know what this town is like" and that while he HOPED all the GOP members of the Senate would vote for cut, cap and balance, they needed a backup plan to prevent default.
He also said we needed to be realistic, and that, while he wanted the Bush tax cuts to be extended, that they wouldn't be.
Cheers!
I have listening to Rush since 1989 and trust him fully. Who the heck are you and why do I care what you have to say?
Hey GW! Good to hear from you.
Sad but I think you are right on target!
Boehner and the House GOP got a gift from God with the S and P warning today. It was all the GOP caucus needed to stay firm for a good deal - spending cuts and no tax increases.
The reason: S and P said: we don’t give a damn if the RATS conjure up a phony deal. We will downgrade US credit if the plan does not include REAL and immediate spending cuts.
Obama and the RATS now have to eat their peas. I am surprised and delighted S and P made this move; I thought they’d cower in the corner until after the 2012 elections.
Let’s not forget that Bernanke undermined Boehner and the GOP horribly in two rounds of public congressional testimony over the last 3 weeks. Bernanke, the S0B, testified that near term spending cuts would HURT the economy, which is utter BS. This man is no monetarist and should resign.
I really commend Speaker Boehner for his statements here. He is obviously doing what he can to hold the line and deal with a slippery jello President and a lot of media FUD.
This statement is good too:
“SPEAKER BOEHNER: Rush, I’m trying to do what I taught my kids to do; the same thing my parents taught me to do: You do the right things for the right reasons, good things will happen. “
He’s not going to re-elect or un-elect Obama. He will do fine and Republicans will do fine if Boehner and the House GOP stand on principle and do the right things.
The right thing, in case any Republican hasnt figured it out, is standing for cut, cap and balance and saying “hell no!” to any and all tax hikes.
So true. But that is not Boehner. He is a natural born compromiser.
” The standard base line budget will move it further, cuts if any will be only on paper. And Obummer gets all the vote buying funds he needs. “
Our folks are right out of “Night of the Living Dead”
“...if he can get the RINOs to flip on this, conservatives will abandon the party in droves.”
As well they should. They should have abandoned the GOP 20 years ago. But in reality, I expect most conservatives to parse, hedge, and mark the “gop” box regardless.
Conservatives. The battered wives of American politics.
I don’t think he was legal hedging. I think he very clearly said he was in favor of cut/cap/balance, but that he had to have a fallback position. Since the House cannot enact legislation on its own, that only makes sense to me.
The Republicans control only one of the three constitutional parties to this discussion: them, the Senate, and the Potus. The democrats have 2 slices and the republicans have only one.
Since any revenue bill originates in the House, by the Constitution, there is no way that anything dealing with increased revenue can be put in any bill without the House being able to kill it.
You forget, Tea Party people have to work for a living, not to mention supporting all the deadbeats who cry we don’t pay enough in taxes. Very difficut to plan Washington protests in such short notice.
I heard it too.. Boehner sounded very squirrely.
“Amen - call your senators — whether they are D or R - make them feel the heat
202-224-3121”
Simple call.... Tell them to support Cut, Cap and balance.
In the House, the democrats need only 25 Rino votes to defeat the republicans. That isn’t that many, and I suspect that they are threatening the conservatives behind to scenes that they WILL unite with the dems IF things aren’t quickly to their liking.
>> Boehner: “We’ve talked to Nancy Pelosi. We’ve talked to the president. We talked about fallback options if in fact cut, cap, and balance does go down; and I do think it’s our obligation to have a fallback plan if that doesn’t work.”
Whatever you do, Boehner, don’t call Obama’s bluff...
Boehner in plain English sounds to be saying:
“We want plan A and won’t compromise, but if you don’t want plan A, we will cave.”
Would I bet money that Boehner won’t cave?
Not even $5.
His answer to Rush L. was one of “I hope I don’t have to cave, but I’m sure I will”.
Yes, that was a non-answer, to cover his “my backup plan is to cave” plan.
Anyone who wears “I am a geeky wimp” shorts to a high powered, political golf game is just SO out of his depth.
Mr. Geek vs. “The Undertaker” in WWF language.
You mean after his hourly criticism of blue-blood republicans?
Or after his constant attacks on establishment GOP types?
Or after his attacks on McCain, Snowe, Graham and Rockefeller types?
Or was it after his whole-hearted support of TEA party activities?
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