Amid cordial talks, Obama repeats debt deal demand

[David Gill]

Source: Politico

President Barack Obama told congressional leaders at a White House meeting Thursday that the framework for a deal must be in place in the next 36 hours or lawmakers will have to return to the negotiating table this weekend.

“It’s decision time,” said Obama during the meeting, according to a Democratic official familiar with the talks. “We need concrete plans to move this forward.”...

...Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is in talks with McConnell about the plan, which may eventually include a commission that will recommend budget cuts that must be voted on by Congress as well as some up-front cuts to next year’s budget. As it currently stands, the McConnell plan only calls on Obama to propose budget cuts.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0711/59022.html

---

Republicans have lost this fight. If this is the end game, Obama will have won.

[DJ13]

1. I wish he had this much fight for the public option or single payer

[unkachuck]

3. amen....

....and when all is said and done, I'm not so sure the Prez won't be the dope that's roped....

[Drale]

4. Honestly I don't think we ever could have gotten a public option

because of the Tea Party. If they had forced a public option through, the Tea Party would have been uncontrollable and there probably would have been some assassination attempts.

[defendandprotect]

6. We didn't get public option because Obama made back room deals with Big Pharma ...

and PRIVATE H/C industry --

If you're in any doubt about that, here's Koch Bros./DLC Rahm Emmanuel CROWING

about how business should be "grateful" to Obama for all he's done for them --

see list below -- including having "PRESERVED THE PRIVATE H/C INDUSTRY" -- !!!



HERE . . .

Rahm .... crowing about preserving "private health care industry" ... business s/b grateful!

Thursday, August 12, 2010 10:03 AM

”In a Thursday interview, White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel argued that rather than recoiling against Obama, business leaders should be grateful for his support on at least a half-dozen counts: his advocacy of greater international trade and education reform open markets despite union skepticism; his rejection of calls from some quarters to nationalize banks during the financial meltdown; the rescue of the automobile industry; the fact that the overhaul of health care

preserved the private delivery system;

the fact that billions in the stimulus package benefited business with lucrative new contracts, and that financial regulation reform will take away the uncertainty that existed with a broken, pre-crash regulatory apparatus.

http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=B2F85DDF-18...



If that doesn't make you sick to your stomach -- nothing will!




And if you want more info on the back room deals -- let me know --

[Dept of Beer]

10. Word.

[bitchkitty]

9. WADR, that's crap.

He should have stood firm on the public option. He campaigned on the public option, all argument to the contrary notwithstanding.

He can't base his decisions on what Fox News might say. And the teabaggers wouldn't get a second glance from anyone if it weren't for Fox News.

[Bluenorthwest]

2. That last paragraph says 'cuts' three times

So 'won' looks like a term of art more until we know what those cuts are.

[Mass]

5. I dont see how it is a victory for the Democrats.

They end up caving to the GOP to be able to pass the debt limit. And Obama will have to sign a bill he has said at least twice he would veto? Please explain.

(I understand he will have to sign it, but how is it a victory?)

[Matilda]

7. We're getting a slightly different view here

Crisis talks on the United States' debt limit remained deadlocked overnight as negotiations led by US president Barack Obama degenerated into a slanging match.

The president is said to have stalked out of the latest debt talks, which both sides have acknowledged as the most heated yet.

(snip)

There are even reports, downplayed by the White House, that negotiations could move to the Camp David presidential retreat, famous for brokering the Middle East peace talks the debt ceiling are still in question after the fifth straight day of talks.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-07-15/china-worried-over-us-debt-woes/2795640


Commentators here are warning of a second global financial crisis should the U.S. credit rating be downgraded, saying that the position of the U.S. is worse than that of Greece, Ireland, or Portugal, because if it goes, we all go.

Is it conceivable that this is what the Republicans want - to bring down the U.S. economy in order to make sure that President Obama is defeated in 2012?

Ironic when you consider that the Republicans under G.W. Bush were responsible for the debt in the first place.

[reformist2]

8. Whatever happens, we can never again be so dependent upon borrowing ever again!

It's the only reason Republicans are able to hold our social programs hostage. We were set up.

[TomCADem]

11. Looking for debt deal, Obama outlines cuts

Source: USA Today

In Obama's $2 trillion plan, tax increases would come from a 35% limit on itemized deductions and the elimination of special-interest tax breaks for oil and gas companies, corporate jet owners and producers of ethanol. If tax rates on upper-income people returned to 36% and 39.6% in 2013, as Obama wants, the limit on deductions would save about $120 billion.

Obama also is seeking to extend a payroll tax cut enacted last December for another year and possibly extend it to small businesses. For that reason, Republicans could claim that the package is revenue-neutral rather than representing a tax increase — but at the meeting, Republicans still refused to go along.

The remainder of the package would be spending cuts and savings on interest, but not the major reductions in Medicare or Social Security that Obama had been willing to accept as part of a $4 trillion deal.

* * *
Thursday's meeting was more cordial than some of the previous ones. Republicans listened patiently to pitches about health care savings, taxes and debt caps from top administration officials. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, the outspoken leader of congressional conservatives, was silent.

Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2011-07-14-obama-debt-ceiling_n.htm

---

What is funny is that because President Obama's plan still has tax increases, the Republicans, who claim they are concerned about the deficit, may opt for the McConnell surrender plan, which is not directly attached to any spending cuts.

Will Republicans ultimately get a free pass on their hypocrisy on the deficit with Democrats getting blamed for being fiscally irresponsible. Of course! The American public has been trained to Blame Democrats, but give Republicans a free pass.

[DJ13]

12. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor was silent.

[katanalori]

13. He is no longer in the corner with dunce cap on.........

Boehner strapped Cantor in his car seat and took him home.

[Psephos]

18. lol n/t

[gateley]

14. Any mention of the duct tape Boehner slapped across his mouth? nt

[alcibiades_mystery]

23. Forensic experts can't confirm it was there when he walked into the office

:evilgrin:

[gateley]

27. Bwah! I'd spank you, but I'm laughing too hard! nt

[Skink]

16. Just when I was gonna start fracking in the back yard.

[chalky]

15. "The American public has been trained to Blame Democrats, but give Republicans a free pass."

I'm not so sure about that anymore....
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4920786

[FreakinDJ]

17. Not enough Revenue

[Name removed]

19. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Monk06]

20. The Repugs consider the elimination of tax deductions and loopholes to be tax increases.

They'll think about it tonight and piss on Obama's shoes
tomorrow.

Obama should pull out and say the issue will be decided
in Nov 2012. Until then no budget and veto everything
they send to him between now and then.

[TomCADem]

21. This Isn't About The Budget, It Is About The Debt Limit, And Republicans

Are too economically illiterate to realize that they already spent the money on tax cuts. This is just about paying up. So, what they want to happen is for the U.S. to stop paying social security and Medicare because we are over the debt limit. Republicans want the U.S. to go cold turkey on entitlements, rather than increases taxes on the rich and corporations.

[Monk06]

22. Since no budget has been passed since 2008 it is the same issue. Take it to 2012.

The Repugs will not get any of their wacky legislation
past the senate between now and then. Might as well get on
with the campaign. The Rs never intended to legislate. They
are all politics all the time.

[joshcryer]

24. Does anyone here else understand these loopholes are in ADDITION to the Bush tax cuts?

Obama has never come out and said he'd extend those tax cuts.

[bornskeptic]

25. The article implies that the top bracket tax cuts would not be extended, because otherwise

the 35% limit on itemized deductions would be totally meaningless, since the top tax bracket is 35% now. That may be the reason the GOP wouldn't go for the deal. It creates a curious situation, because the CBO will count the 35% limit as a tax increase, but the Republicans can't complain about it being a tax increase without conceding that the top bracket cut will expire.

[Optimus_Prime]

26. Fuck this

Would fuckin Reagan, hell George W. Bush, stand around and be dictated to this like this?

Republicans are literally holding a gun to the country and practically daring Obama that they'll pull the trigger.

I've never seen a more reactionary and radical bunch of whackjobs.