Posted on 07/28/2011 8:04:31 PM PDT by tobyhill
Democratic officials are cautiously optimistic that the outlines of a potential compromise a Plan C are emerging that could bridge the differences between plans pushed by House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.
The officials said President Obama has spent the past couple of days quietly reaching out to leaders in both parties to try and start hammering out the details, though it's clear this is still only in the discussion phase and they are not close to a deal yet.
Senate Budget Chairman Kent Conrad, D-N.D., hinted at such a compromise earlier Thursday during an interview on Fox News.
Let me just say behind the scenes there are discussions underway to find a way forward, said Conrad. To how would you harmonize what Leader Reid has come up with and Speaker Boehner has come up with and I'm increasingly of the view that we can do that. Thats good news.
The focus of this round of talks is on what kind of "trigger" mechanism the debt ceiling legislation will have to guarantee that a new special committee of Congress actually follows up with real spending cuts later this year. And whether or not positive action by the committee will allow the president to get more leeway on another lift in the debt ceiling so theres no repeat of the current debate early next year.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
This is nothing but a PR war pure and simple! The Tea Party Republicans (God love ‘em!) must understand there will be no real cuts and changes as long as B.O. is president! Therefore a strategy based on winning in 2012 MUST be impelemted, even if it means giving some ground now. The WHOLE plan of the Democrats is to win this PR war, they have no vison past 2012. Sadly, the GOP/Tea wing must play the same game... and get a “deal”... that does some good and little damage as possible to the country, but puts Obama and the Dems back in full blame for the economy. Balance the budget later... sad but true, it’s the cards as delt.
“Cut, cap, and balance” has turned into “punt, pass, and kick”.
Boehner will be happy to be Minority Leader again so he can’t be blamed for anything.
"I am starting to wonder if staffers for Boehner and Reid are not actually working together, behind the scenes, on these plans. Despite Reid's attacks on Boehner and the letter from all the Senate Democrats saying they reject the Boehner plan, I am just wondering if this is not for public consumption while they come up with some deal that uses the Boehner plan as the keystone. I could be wrong, as I am trying to piece together they games taking place on Capitol Hill. If so, it means that Boehner will be leading feckless freshman and scared conservatives over the edge with this nonsense, as his plan is a joke. Again, just a thought."
Part Three is the sticking point, and that is what "trigger" mechanisms are in place to incentivize action by this special committee to make sure it is not just yet another Washington commission that ends up doing nothing.
For example, Democrats want to make sure that if Republicans walk from those talks, there might be some tax increases that would kick in automatically -- giving the GOP incentive to stay and work out a deal.
At various phases of this debate, Republicans have tried to tie implementation of the president's health care reform bill to this process -- so perhaps the individual mandate would be stripped out if Democrats walked from the talks
If this happens it looks like the 2 part deal is going to happen, much to Obama's dismay.
The "poison pill" of attaching the Obamacare mandate was something Boehner tried to introduce with Obama last week and was nixed.
However, it looks like Obama may also cave on this in exchange for the "tax hike" condition for the Dems.
So is Europe.
So is China.
I'd rather the Dems get the blame.
Remember the overall polling data for Cut, Cap & Balance.
Cheers!
You just answered your own premise. Obama doesn’t want this to come up at anytime next year.
Close ... Plan C = Crap out, Cave and then Crash
You’re suggesting that the landslide victory won by the civilized segment of American society in 2010 should just be forgotten and swept under the rug until “next time”. Sorry, no sale. The good guys own the House and the House holds the purse strings.
So why has’t the House defunded Ubama’s Mengelecare yet? That has to be part of “the deal”, whatever “the deal” turns out to be.
Plan C = Crap
Obama wants all of this to be extended past the election. I am of the belief everything rides on that.
How can Obama be working on plan “C” when plan “A” hasn’t even been determined yet?
Bend Over and —STAND BY FOR THE RAM—, We are about to get screwed without lubricant.
Looks like Rush was right after all.
'This plan is no compromise, republicans will not vote for this. Republicans will not vote for this. Republicans will not vote for this.
Not to get off topic.
You’re on the money tonight.
As I said on a thread right after the election when the Republicans regained the house......
The ONLY time I want to hear about a Republican reaching across the aisle is to 'Bitch Slap' a DimocRAT!
Idiot RINO's! You Won! Get It?
Grow A Backbone for a change!
</rant>
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