E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS
Updated 1:19 p.m. — A path toward resolving the impending the co-called fiscal cliff was suspended in limbo Friday following a dramatic defeat for House Speaker John Boehner, whose own rank-and-file members refused to support his backup plan Thursday night.
After conservatives balked at Boehner's "Plan B," which would have preserved current income tax rates for those making less than $1 million, the nation's top elected Republican shrugged off questions about whether his job was in danger. And as Washington prepares for a holiday break, Democrats and Republicans are further apart than ever on a plan to avoid the combination of tax increases and spending cuts scheduled to take effect in just 11 days.
And the Ohio Republican emerged Friday urging President Barack Obama and Senate Democrats to re-engage in talks toward an overarching deal toward resolving the fiscal cliff, the combination of automatic tax hikes and spending cuts (which fall heavily upon the defense budget) set to take effect on Jan. 1.
"I'm interested in solving the major problems facing our country," Boehner said at a press conference on Capitol Hill. "And that means House leaders, Senate leaders and the president are going to continue to have to work together to address those concerns."
With just 10 days until the nation goes over the so-called "fiscal cliff," lawmakers head home for the holidays. For the president, his stay in Hawaii will be a "working vacation." NBC's Kristen Welker reports.
In the Senate, Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., demanded that Boehner allow a Democratic proposal to extend tax rates for income under $250,000 to come up for a vote.
"There's nothing preventing the speaker from taking up our bill," Reid said Friday afternoon on the Senate floor. Boehner did say the House would "certainly take a look" at that bill, if the Senate manages to resolve a procedural holdup that would bar the House from considering the legislation. (Reid called that excuse "phony.")
But the speaker's task has become more vexing than ever; conservatives sent a powerful signal yesterday that they would not approve any tax increase, even on millionaires. Obama's demand that tax rates be allowed to rise for the wealthiest Americans amounts to a seemingly intractable standoff with House Republicans.
Boehner said that many lawmakers still prefer broad reforms to the tax code, but he acknowledged the difficulty in reaching any consensus: "How we get there? God only knows."
The president plans to work with Congress to prevent tax hikes and spending cuts that are expected to kick in on January 1 after House Republicans rejected a vote on House Speaker John Boehner's "Plan B" legislation. NBC's Kelly O'Donnell reports.
The speaker seemed unconcerned, though, about the prospects for an uprising from fellow Republicans.
"No, I am not," Boehner said when asked directly whether he should be concerned about his position. "If you do the right things every day for the right reasons, the right things will happen."
Republican leaders dismissed House lawmakers for the holiday weekend after pulling the vote on Thursday evening. Boehner said they would be recalled to Washington "as needed." The Democratic-controlled Senate is currently scheduled to reconvene next Thursday, Dec. 27.
"It's too bad Speaker Boehner wasted a week on this futile, political stunt," Reid said. "It's time for the speaker and all Republicans to return to the negotiating table."
The intervening time period might allow for Boehner and Obama to reach an agreement, though its final approval in the House would almost certainly involve the speaker turning to Democrats for votes. That would strengthen Obama's ability to insist upon tax rates, spending cuts and entitlement reforms that hew more closely to the plan on which he campaigned for much of this year.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Boehner has "done his part. He's bent over backwards." As an alternative, the top Senate Republican proposed extending tax rates for a full year with instructions to enact tax reform in the meanwhile. (Democrats rejected it out-of-hand.)
For their part, Republicans said they would look to Obama for action on a path forward.
"I don't want taxes to go up, Republicans don't want taxes to go up," Boehner said. "But we only run the House; Democrats continue to run Washington."
McConnell said: "It's the president's job — it's his job — to find a solution that can pass the Congress."
In the meanwhile, Boehner said he remained committed to working toward a deal, and said he was not interested in giving up his position as speaker.
Leave a Comment:
It's way past time for term limits. If the American public doesn't demand term limits going forward then nothing will ever get done in this do nothing bunch we've elected, both sides. A clear message needs to be sent to these clowns we have representing us that enough is enough. Wake up American people..
Boehner if you knew one thing about GOD and Jesus they are for the poor , the down and out, not the RICH that some are so greedy! You are Pathetic > May GOD forgive you because the American people for the MOST part never ever will
How do you know that the Speaker does not give to the poor? Why is success evil? How do you know what the successful do with the money they earn? I just think you are jealous because of your own personal failings and you want some one to pay your way. I know rich people who give tens of thousands of dollars to the poor every year. PS: Leave God out of it. To many people use God to try to justify an unsupportable position.
LSU5 -- It's all about not dumping the bill on the poor, elderly, sick etc---- who had NOTHING TO DO with creating this debt crisis. GOP broke it. Let the GOP and supporters find away to fix it WITHOUT dumping on the needy and old!
What seems interesting to me is, why are there so many intelligent people, with the solution to the problems facing the nation, and none of them are in Congress. It is easy to second guess and complain, but so much harder to walk the talk, than to talk the talk.
most of the people who post here have more brains than the mental midgets in la-la-land,what they are lacking is the money and backing who want to buy you to support their agenda,money pal thats what makes politicians.
I can tell you. Government jobs don't pay worth a squat compared to what real leaders can earn in the private sector, and who needs the grief?
God may not, but I do. Tie gun control to the deficit reduction and make the demonrats vote on it!
Boehner is...and has been...only concerned about himself. This guy is nothing more than an orange-faced cry-baby, and a bully.
Tell the republicans to leave "god" out of it and just do their damm job.
IN GOD WE TRUST, not obama.
You all, the demnrats and Republicans, created this mess, but we all will pay the price for both sides incompetence. LIke all recessions and depressions in this country, all were created by government meddling.
Let's be honest.
NEITHER the Republicans nor the Democrats have put forth a detailed, budget. And such a budget should not be a last minute rush job that provides no scrutiny from the American public.
The liberal MSM will try to blame only the Republicans but both are at fault.
A lot of posturing and double talk but that is about it.
do us all a favor media don't show these crumbs faces till they fix this junk i'm tired and so are the american people of looking at these supposed gentlemen from the halls of congress,what a joke.
"Boehner’s No-Brainer; Let The White House Own It"
Dear Mr Speaker, Obama said to leave him out of it so he will be no help. Harry Reid won't event let the Senate vote on the Obama proposal. You are the only game in town.
It is a SPENDING problem. Thanks for the debt you debtocrats.IT IS ON YOU NOW .OBAMA MAKES BUSH LOOK LIKE A MISER
These arrogant clowns keep forgetting they are supposed to be "working" for the citizens of our country.
They should be required to stay in DC until there is an agreement.
Start by cutting the salary and benefits of Obama, his cabinet, Congress and the Senate.
these republican clowns in the house can't even compromise with themselves.what a pathetic bunch of @!$%#s!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
your constipated, use some colon fiber therapy.
It is a progressive demonrat problem
So where is our "President" on all this besides to blame the GOP for failing to deliver. Isn't that why YOU voted him in "to fix things"? He adds nothing in this crisis except the same old same old BLAME GAME!! and no results.
We elect a bunch of millionaires and billionaires as our leaders. These guys only care about themselves!!! Why don't we start electing average middle class people. Don't raise taxes on my millions, let's let the people making $35,000 a year suffer. Our government (republican) is a joke!!!
)
I took the republicans advice and quit my job of $40,000 a year for a job at $14,000 a year and also cut my spending in half. How do you think I'm doing?
obama will take care of you.
crying?broke?
Do not hate the messenger. Hate the message. The politicians YOU voted for are mandated to represent those who sent them to congress. The problem is not the politicians as much as it is the voters who sent them there. Any one-trick-pony can get elected because they expouse that policy his/her constiutients want, whether it's bring god back to government, no gun control, anti-abortionists, or to create smaller government. On the other side, it could be the environment, legalized drugs, abortion rights, more healthcare, etc. The politicians are a reflection of those who sent them there. If they want to keep their jobs they MUST represent the people who sent them there and do their wishes.
Your fight is not the representatives as much as it is the voters who put them there. If you want change, you must create a dialogue with those who can actually effect it. You cannot create dialogue when you belittle, denigrate, or demonize those who do not follow your line of thinking. You must explain and reach a point where you can see eye to eye and reach a consensus. Only then can change be real.
Like I said, has anyone considered filing Criminal Charges against the Goats in the House for Obstruction! They have no plan other than keeping themselves in the WE DON'T REPRESENT THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES CLUB.
I hate political posturing. I think the American people are smart enough to understand that both parties are pandering to their base. Over and Over again we are told that nothing has been done about the so called fiscal cliff and yet why? Because neither side can afford to anger the base particularly after the last election.
I am left with the idea that Boehner is trying to create a political legacy for him self in some form of a grand bargain. Yet the bigger the bill the more people it inevitably angers. So perhaps instead of something big why dont you start with something small. You put something small on the table and then ask the democrats for something of like value. Pass that piece of legislation and then move on to the next.
It is going well Obama's way. He wanted to take us over the cliff and he succeeded. This way, taxes go way up on every citizen (tax paying citizen that is), and Obama can deny he raised taxes on every working man and woman during this economy, regardless of their level of income. Congratulations.
No politician wants to lose his job. It's cush, pays a lot, has great bennies and you get a lot of respect. You become a power broker. It's like being a movie star, princess, king all rolled into one. Before they may have been a car dealer, or business man or lawyer. You think they will want to give it up by going against their supporters?
What a bunch of whiners.
God only knows how greedy and selfish this government has become in their theft of tax dollars...so have yourself, Me myself and I,, and a greedy holiday, O-Abomination, bunch of criminal greedy pigs. The new Ameri-Con artists... So as we can see this O-Abomination and his minions would rather push Lady America off the cliff, than this greedy selfish pig who spends 2 million a day playing golf and vacationing in Hawii.. I say push the pig over..
How did GOP fail to understand that if there is no deal, then GOP loses? Obama said to raise taxes on wealthy people, and actually I don't think he really minds raising tax on less wealthy people either. He just couldn't say that out loud during campaign. So if the blame is on GOP, he'll probably accept the default fiscal cliff gladly (at least if I was him).