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In his first televised interview since agreeing to a crisis averting deal late Friday evening, House Speaker John Boehner said he will continue to build on a “fairly decent foundation” with President Obama in the coming effort to raise the debt ceiling. While Boehner cautioned the battles over the next 18 months will be more difficult than the one he just finished fighting, he said that he and the president understand each other better than they did five weeks ago.
“Clearly we understand each other,” Boehner said on FOX this morning. “Throughout these meetings over the last four, five weeks, we’ve been straight up with each other.”
The speaker acknowledged that he and the president have “very different visions for the role of government,” but the budget deal proved they are more than capable of compromising on the issues. Still, he got the rhetorical ball rolling in the fight over the debt limit -- by emphasizing the importance of maintain America’s financial solvency, while attacking what he said was Obama’s willingness to simply raise the debt limit without addressing spending.
“We should not default on our debt,” he said. “Just like households have personal obligations they need to meet, the government has obligations to meet as well. But we’re just not going to do the typical Washington thing: rollover, increase the debt limit without doing anything.”
Despite the criticisms, Boehner argued he and the president agree they have a shared responsibility to address the problems.
“Forget the next election; forget the next poll that’s going to come out,” Boehner said. “Let’s do the right thing for the country.”
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Uh Oh! Someone's not going to be very happy to hear that 'news'!
The tea baggers are already referring to him as 'Traitor John'! lol
Personally, I think that the Democrats were more than gracious in providing cover for Boehner, he was clearly between a rock & a hard place!
Boehner will need the help of Democrats to get the debt ceiling raised. I see no help coming from Cantor, Pence, and the TP representatives.
And...what did Boehner mean when he said "we've been straight up with each other" Just wondering.
Want to see someone between a rock and a hard place?
Watch President Obama being squeezed by House Democrats if he makes a serious move to cut spending as part of a comprehensive plan to address the nation's debt.
How could the Boner say that Fiesty? The boner wanted to shut the government down.
Beverly, yes indeed - he was threatening to shut down the government. Ridiculous.
Likely Boehner suffers McCain syndrome--forgot what he said and did yesterday.
What an interesting perspective, Ron.
You can't be serious...there isn't going to be any significant resistance from Congressional Democrats to raising the debt ceiling. Their help is guaranteed.
Now...here's reality.
It is President Obama who will need help from Speaker Boehner and Congressional Republicans.
And, the only way he'll get it is if Republicans regard the President's proposal to address long-term debt as a credible one.
Obviously, after the budget negotiations, you've elevated Speaker Boehner a bit too high.
He's not the President...he doesn't need the help.
Pat, Boston, MA
Beverly, yes indeed - he was threatening to shut down the government. Ridiculous.
The problem is Boehnoer has abandoned his old self. He would at least compromise in the past. Yes, it is ridiculous, that the Boener can't see how he has a change to save his party from the brink.
But he wants to have it both ways. Unless he straightens up the t-baggers will cause his demise and the change to bring his party back to normalcy.
Obama originally wanted $40 billion in new spending. He ended up with a $38.5 billion cut.
Boehner originally wanted a cut of $32 billion. He ended up with a cut of $38.5 billion.
So Obama ended up with a net loss of $78.5 billion from where he started and Boehner ended up with $6.5 billion MORE THAN HE WANTED.
Who Won? Too funny.
BTW - The PP and EPA stuff was never the goal. Spending was always the goal!
Boehner introduces PP and EPA and Reid / Obama fall for it. They drive the cuts up in an effort to frame it as an ideological issue, the fight they want. They give Boehner the number he wants and drops PP and EPA. They got played - it was always about spending.
In addition though, Boehner did introduce the EPA and PP conversation on the national level, and got Reid to commit to a vote on HCR - SOMETHING HE VOWED WOULD NEVER HAPPEN.
Think the blue dogs are happy about going on record for that and the other issues?
Keep up with the "Weeper" and "Orange Man" jokes Feisty, but the cry baby just played your Bozos for a real "clowns."
Mixed,
Is Ron getting sloppy, kinda weird when he starts sounding like Bev, huh?
Anyway, have you heard a number on the debt ceiling? Kinda interesting we don't hear about a number. Could this be a stall like the budget last year before the election gambit?
BTW - I heard the number to keep it going through the elections is almost .......... $2 Trillion.
Whew.......talk about the Tea Party getting stronger if that number is real...
“Clearly we understand each other,” Boehner said on FOX this morning. “Throughout these meetings over the last four, five weeks, we’ve been straight up with each other.”
see what did i say in my pervious post,
Jeff-1541632
JoAnnaSmith1
I was thinking this weekend that i feel very sorry for Bohnor and Obama, they have to please the untra wings of there parties, Obama the Ultra liberals and Bohnor the tea party, after this DEAL i feel for them both to explain to there ultra wings how this will be a good deal in the end. my moderate republicans and liberal friends were happy with this, but the others were mad, the tea partys fold mad the government did not shut down and the untral liberals that any cuts were made.
#1.30 - Mon Apr 11, 2011 10:03 AM EDT
Yes they have been straight up with each other, that they are both bound by the ultra wings of there parties, Obama with the left wing liberals and Bohnor with the ultra wing Conservatives. i bet during those meeting they both had to acknowledge that this fight was not as much about spending but political Ideology they both have to deal with and any deal they make would piss off both there parties. Bohnor is right its not about elections or polls it is about doing what right.
(No Jo so stop refering to polls as Bohnor is saying)
(Joanna I'm happy that Bonhor stopped listioning to the tea party at the 11th hour and Obama stopped listion to the bleeding liberals about cutting domestic programs at that same time)
Obama knows it was right to cut 38 billion some from domestic spending that will hurt and Bohnor knows it was right to leave Planned parenthood, NPR and EPA alone!!!!
they both will suffer for doing what was right!!!
I'm so happy that everyone understands each other. Now let me make my prediction:
When the dust settles the wealthy will get more and the not-wealthy will get less.
Anyone interested in betting?
Not with them odd's... lol
Translation:
Deeper translation:
Top of the moring AM.
So who is more doomed: the middle class, Wisconsin public employee unions, or enregy consumers?
Also, do you know why we even have a debt ceiling? I really do not understand it. I thought is was like a credit limit, but if they can just raise it willy-nilly, what is the point?
Why not just get rid of it all together?
Does anyone know?
bob-
Ron's comment just struck me as such an odd way of looking at the politics of raising the debt ceiling.
President Obama's going to need every GOP vote he can lay his hands on.
And Boehner will do his best to make sure that he gets fair value for the ones he delivers.
You can believe that.
Sadly, Ron's comments just show his total lack of understanding of the situation or the dynamics involved.
I was very encouraged by Ploufe's comments on MTP yesterday. He might as well have come out drapped in a white flag. They are conceding, at least in theory, with the Tea Party's demands.
Now I'm sure our libbie friends around here particularly will either ignore those comments, or fail to understand them for what they are, but man was that ever a step in the right [and I do mean Right] direction.
We're all done for, Spanky. I hope that makes you happy.
And yes, I know EXACTLY why there's a debt ceiling. Why? Do you want me to tell you, or something?
The Republicans started at $100 billion, then ammended to $61 billion. So it was a loss for Boehner and the Republicans as well...
Anna,
Aren't you a lawyer? So how does that work for you--the doom thing. Because I thought all lawyers were rich.
Just asking, not being impolite or sarcastic--but where I was raised all the lawyers lived across the tracks in the better part of town. Never having to worry about their next meal.
Speaker Boehner and President Obama working together?
Doesn't surprise me.
Apparently, President Obama and Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) are friends and have been since both were freshman U.S. Senators after being elected in 2004.
This from Bloomberg:
"'He is our president', Coburn said. 'He's my president. And I disagree with him adamantly on 95 percent of the issues, but that doesn't mean I can't have a great relationship. And that's a model people ought to follow.'"
President Obama and Speaker Boehner can and will work together.
Not a popular view at sites like First Read, but that's not surprising either, is it?
You would think, though, that Obama would learn to stop throwing down gauntlets that are just going to get tromped on.
He demands a clean debt bill? He will get one when elephants roost in trees. You would think he would know better.
On the other hand, he did state, just a couple of weeks ago, that he thought it would be easier to be president of China. Maybe they will let him. Sooner rather than later.
It's all part of the bargaining process, njnb-
On Friday night, when you heard President Obama AND Senate Majority Leader Reid praising the historic nature of the spending cuts agreed to in the budget agreement, it was a seismic shift in positions.
Further evidence of the new reality was the announcement of President Obama's major address to the nation on Thursday regarding the debt crisis.
Interestingly, the vote on the budget deal is also on Thursday...and we've heard little from Nancy Pelosi and the House Democrats. Speaker Boehner and Majority Leader Reid know they have the support of the majority of their respective caucuses, but House Democrats are another matter.
In any event...things have changed.
You only have to listen to President Obama, Senator Reid, and David Plouffe to know that's the case.
The fight is no longer about whether to address the nation's exploding debt...it's now about how to do it.
I am more cynical than you, MB. What I make of the timing of the "major address" is to get his base back on board- they are feeling a trifle miffed, I understand.
Boehner got more than he started asking for, which was good, and also forced Reid to being HCR to the Senate floor for a vote. I am pretty sure that Reid was assured by Obama that he would veto any legislation that overturned his signature legislation, but you have to wonder if Obama is still drugging himself with the idea that people will love it, eventually. Seems to me that it puts one of the major factors in the Democrats' defeat last year back in the forefront.
And, I do not believe Obama wants to cut spending- I think he thinks he can SAY he will cut spending, convince people he means it, but then do nothing about it.
It worked when he was a candidate for president- once he got the job, however, empty rhetoric stopped working. I do not think he understands that any better than he understands how serious our debt crisis is.
Mixed bag - thought I was alone in watching Bloomberg, best source I know of that reports economic and business news from around the globe, and the reporters know how to report and interview without interjecting political bias. Give us the facts sir, just the facts.
It will be interesting to hear pelosi's and reids analysys of obamas latest proposal. Wonder if pelosi and company will rubber stamp obamas proposal or come up with one of their own?
njnb,
President of China. Communism is always easier, huh?
Mixed,
Obama and Reid praising the historic cuts represents a seismic shift?
Or was it boasting and bragging for the cameras?
Funny that they gave up so much of what they didn't want to give up, have now seen the light and changed ........ meanwhile ... the guy that held to his principles, stood his ground and got more than he originally ask for .... simply said we have a lot more work to do.
MB_
No it is not, especially when you look past the silly rhetoric of the extremists on both sides. Neither man is anything like the ridiculous caricatures put forth here and both understand their personal political limitations and strengths. Simpson Bowles looks a lot more "moderate" in light of rep Ryan's "Path" and I can see the President embracing much of what he has previously ignored in their recommendations. He will also have the "spinal tap" defense ("You should have seen the budget they WANTED to pass!") of his austerity plan when he fleshes it out over the coming days. The Ryan plan has moved the debate forward to the point where both sides are forced to present their vision for the future of our government, and the reality is that neither side will get anywhere near everything they want.
The President and the speaker will find a lot of common ground including being able to commiserate over their shared bruises from their "constituents" and fellow politicians, as the compromises that have to be made will not be popular with the "faithful" of either party...
Ironically a successful term for Boehner as speaker will potentially result in an environment conducive to the re-election of the President. But, that's just an opinion....
No Joe, re "cynical, miffed",
Yes the ultra right will continue with the Walker, Snyder, Scott anti-democratic strategies to forward their agenda.
In the name of short-term profits, GOP/TP/Corporations will continue to manufacture crises in order to try and pass unpopular policies that would not pass under normal conditions.
I don't recommend the fire. Someone carrying a basket and wearing a pinafore and ruby red shoes may come along and throw a bucket of water on it.
Don't you find it amazing that someone can even write a book explaining EXACTLY how it's being done, and people still buy into it? P.T. Barnum was right. You CAN fool some of the people all of the time.
dangerfield-
You're correct about how the future of the President and the House Speaker are linked.
This far out...and predictions are very difficult this far out...I would imagine that President Obama is re-elected in 2012 while Republicans end up with both Houses of Congress.
Lots of variables...but, that's my guess at the moment.
We'll see.
Anna Molly,
What do you mean? What book? Quoi and RSVP.
SPEAKER John Boehner: You have to do something about the rich in this country. You are one targeted as protecting them. You can no longer do this. Sacrifice means EVERYONE. Especially the wealthy.
There was a time a long long long time ago when the rich would exploit their workers. Big time. It's why we began unions. HOWEVER, the filthy rich back then gave something back to our Nation. They built things like schools, railroads, museums, libraries; they gave us our National Parks.
Today's wealthy don't want to do that. Fine. They no longer consider themselves citizens of America, but citizens of the world. They bank in Europe. They vacation in Europe. Again, fine.
But dammit, make them pay their fair share of taxes. And then we can leave them alone, and they, like they always do, can leave US alone.
Do your job. If you do, you will get re-elected, regardless of what the TP and Koch Brothers want.
Forget the rich. They want for nothing. Think about the middle and working class. The poor. This is where our government is needed. Badly.
Good lord, PT. You think people earning $250k a year bank and vacation in Europe? You live in Boston, for crying out loud, not Alabama. You know how far that kind of money goes. In Boston, New York, Los Angelas, or Chicago, that puts you in the middle class.
Why are you so consumed by envy of what others earn? They did not steal it from you, but earned it by their own labor. Were you never taught not to focus on the goods of others, but on your own? Envy is a destructive emotion, you know.
Tax rates merely tell people how much they must fork over to the government. 47% of then population not only pay no taxes, but get checks taken from others' funds. None of them are the people you decry as "rich".
Government spending must be cut, drastically. That means, for example, that the department of Education and HHS need to be cut- I would do it in half,myself. Those of us under fifty five should be thrilled to get a voucher to buy own own health insurance, rather than being forced into Medicare- I know I think it is a great idea. I have been shopping for my own insurance for years, and am quite good at it.
I do not waste my time or emotional energy hating those who have more than I. You should try it. It's good for your mental health.
No one demonstrates that better than you NJNB? lol
no joe, envy? lol. Well that's a first.
Speak up no joe. Speak up to Pence and Cantor and Ryan and Boehner. Tell them they have to get their party of NO to sacrifice.
For your information, I don't care how much anyone makes, including you. I don't care if you own a million dollar home or vacation in France every summer.
I do care when corporate welfare continues year after year after year.
Envy. Oh brother. That's a good way of skirting the issue. I work with wealthy people, and even they believe they should be carrying more of the burden.
Obviously you don't think so.
If the wealthy people with whom you work believe they should be paying more in taxes, nothing precludes them from doing so. The Treasury will graciously accept their extra funds.
When the Buffets, Gates, et als, of this country begin paying more than lip service to this, I will start listening.
But first, I want to see the cancelled checks.
I guess that makes me a "checker".
et al. - and yet no one stops anyone from contributing more to the government coffers or to other philanthropic endeavors.
No no joe, it doesn't make you a "checker". It just makes you a sell out. Email the Republican Party. Email them all, including the Democrats.
Or are you waiting for Gates to do something. Why don't YOU do something, instead of just going along with your party?
Um, Pat? I do not agree that we have a tax problem. We have a spending problem. So, no, I will not be asking to have "some other guy's" taxes raised.
Not even yours.
I have an issue with wealthy liberals decrying how little they pay, while not volunteering to pay more. They can, you know. Right now, their sanctimonious statements have all the weight of the town drunk lecturing on the evils of drug abuse.
no joe, no bo, nj
Um, Pat? I do not agree that we have a tax problem. We have a spending problem. So, no, I will not be asking to have "some other guy's" taxes raised.
No Jo we have a spending and renuve problem, our spending since the record tax cut was inacted 10 years did not change during the Bush administration, spending problem. he still spent as if he did not give a tax cut. 2 wars, HLS, TSA.
Our renuve problem was created by the bush administration, when he cut tax at the same time created new government agencey (HLS) as well as fighting 2 wars. our renuves did not match the record amounts we were spending in Iraq and afgan.
he is and will go down as the only president to not raise tax while at war, It doesn't and will never add up, if you decrease your renuves while spending 100 billion a year on each war that you did not plan on is why we are here, Broke.
Thanks George Bush, your father took alot of heat for raising tax during the first gulf war. Sonny you once again should have not listioned to chenny but listion to daddy!!!!
Hello NoJo,
Good to see you back posting here and back from your trip abroad, Milan was it? I understand your point that $250,000 is different depending on your locale's standard of living. However, if you believe that $250,000 is not a suitable barometer for rich/well off; why does it seem that the GOP generally tends to say that public or union state workers that make $50,000 or $60,000 are overpaid?
We do have a debt problem, but there are two variables that create it - spending and lack of revenue. Both need to be analyzed. I believe that spending must be cut reasonably (in a non idealogical manner) and on the revenue side tax revenues need to be increased. I welcome Obama's call 2nd maybe 3rd time, to end the tax cuts for the rich. Maybe this time he will follow through? I will give him more credit if he ends the tax cut extensions for everyone. Granted with that done, there will still be more to go. I hope he looks a bit closer at the debt commission sugestions in helping to formulate his thinking. However, the real leaders on this issue must be the legislators Dem and Rep.
Golly No Jo... seems like you have Pat all worked up. Perhaps you hit a nerve with that 'envy' comment.
(HAHAHAHAH)
And at some point there is just so much you can cut without raising revenue - as has been suggested on other vines/posts - let's not use a machete - but rather a scalpel - yes there is a lot of duplicate oversight on numerous programs - let's cut some of that - let's get rid of the waste in the defense dept, fraud in Medicare/Medicaid and as well look at all the farm subsidies.....let's close some of those tax loopholes and make it the tax progam less convoluted for the indiviual as well as businesses. (Sorry - we may put some accountants out of work) -
C'mon men - there is a lot that can be done without decimating the middle class and the safety nets!
President Obama understands Speaker Boehner very well but I doubt Boehner understands the President as well as he should. The only thing standing between Boehner being speaker and being thrown under the bus by the TPers was President Obama. The TPers were screaming Shut it Down without one thought to the harm it would cause, not one thought for the rest of the country's citizens who think the TP is a brick short of a load.
Today, Boehner speaks of doing the right thing for the country. What would that be exactly? Raising the debt ceiling without attaching riders would be the right thing to avoid disaster. Including every aspect of the budget in discussing cuts would be the right thing. Increasing taxes on the richest 2% would be the right thing. Increasing spending on infrastructure would be the right thing. Eliminating tax breaks and tax loopholes before deciding on cuts would be the right thing.
The wrong thing would be what Paul Ryan proposes--a smoke and mirrors budget than adds to the deficit and the debt while giving more to the rich and famous and asking the middle class, poor, elderly and disabled to subsidize those tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires.
Jody - too bad obama didn't invite boehner and mcConnel over for a white house sitdown earlier in his term to determine common points, Guess obama was still learning how to be potus his way. Dang on the job training.
http://www.newsweek.com/2010/09/12/fineman-what-went-wrong-for-obama-and-the-dems.html?GT1=43002ml
Rather sad that obama didn't learn until 3rd qtr 2010. But hey, I guess one vote shy of absolute power can make an intelligent man forget about us common folk.
Interesting that you say ryans proposal adds to the deficit and debt. Last I knew, nearly $6 trillion in cuts is more than obamas proposed $1.1 trillion in cuts. Or do you practice some type of new math, that smoke you claim to see must be coming from thinkprogressive, bet it even smells funny to.
That is just so sweet. Obama has white republican friends. I wonder if he will bake cookies and play hoops with them during the summer break.
Run Sarah Run. This would be fun for Tina Fay and SNL.
Last Friday GOP Sen Kyl basically admitted that statements he makes in the senate floor are NOT factual. Wow, at least we have one GOPTPer being truthfull.
Can we expunge all statements Sen Kyl ever made in the Senate, since they are not factual?
BTW FirstRead omitted Sen Kyl's admission about making false statements.
paul - The budget cuts agreed to onfriday were small and inconsequential and in no way should have had all the drama attached to it that it did.
An analogy trying to compare a scalpel to a machete is also drama. When a surgeon and a patient faces an out of control flesh eating bacterial infection, first he uses a machete like approach to remove the majority of the infection followed by a scalpel to take out the rest. A lot of good tissue is still lost to save the patient.
No doubt, the revenue stream has to be addressed, obama in his dream FY2012 budget and $1.1 trillion budget cuts over 10 years addressed the revenue issue with minor changes in wealthy individuals allowed deductions. Ryans proposal does also by disallowing more dedections in addition to allowing lower rates.
Thinking that revenue increases alone will reduce debt does not take into account the infalibilty of the politicain to be blinded by the increased $$$ at the expense of applying it to the debt. All they see is more money to spend foolishly and not wisely. Cut first, then go for revenues.
Any moves by the republicans to attach the debt issue to the debt limits is justified in keeping the eye on the prize of responsible long term debt reduction.
If obama and company want to ignore it they do so at their peril and of Americas
Firstread, I really,really, really dislike this new format. It is very hard to navigate. Please tell me why it was changed.
got my vote k mac. also, why can't FR have the same format as non FR newsvine blogs, thousands of posts and no slow scrolling or long load delays. Get with it FR its 2011, not 1997.
Hey american - I actually like the format, but really never knew the old one.
On a lighter note though, the advertisements should be placed to the side to allow easier scrolling. All of them with the exception of the "Bizzare Trick to stay asleep at night" :} click, click - Oh... it is a sleeping pill ad.
Did Boehner really say compromise?
talk is cheap Mr. Boehner, time for action. and compromise.
Obummer is easly understood. He, like the Pelosi Reid Party (PRP), wants to spend, spend and spin his way to a pure socialist government. In that case, only the PRP will be wealthy and the rest of us will be peons supported by the state. Flaw, who pays taxes? The PRPs will avoid them, as they do now, and the rest of us will not have a dime. Why should we? Everything will be free...to a certain extent. With debt defaulted on, no one esle will loan us money. We will be like Greece, except the EU will not even think about bailing us out. So everything we need starts to thin out. The PRP will start using us as cheap labor to China and VietNam to build bad products in sweatshops. Ah ha! We now have money coming in again...but it all goes to the PRP. Good thing is there is no more class warfare. Obummer and the PRP will finally be happy. That is how easy it is to understand Obummer.