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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.
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AT LEAST SOME GOOD NEWS, JOHN KERRY TO FOGGY BOTTOM..
Each day to facilitate the process by which the United States washes her hands of Vietnam someone has to give up his life so that the United States doesn't have to admit something that the entire world already knows, so that we can't say that we have made a mistake. Someone has to die so that President Nixon won't be, and these are his words, "the first President to lose a war."
We are asking Americans to think about that because how do you ask a man to be the last man to die in Vietnam? How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?....
against, if the u.s. made any quality equipment he'd have bought it. sadly, we don't because reagan and clinton both thought industry was pointless and that supply side only economics was a good idea. Now we're in this mess. Keynsian economics has to be played by the rules, not your fantasies.
we ask conservatives about tax is it personality issue more than national issue for them ? why they would not approve any tax increase, even on millionaires at the same time they has started bad war for long time without strong finish
The relevancy of the GOP is diminishing with every passing day.
hmmm.........as is the relevency of our great nation. We continue to go right the tubes with Obama's leadership. zhe has accomplished one thing. He has accomplished a class warfare hatred unlike any other. So cograts Barry for dividing our country to the point where there are no longer just disagreements with the other side, it is becoming a war zone. All, thsanks to Barry's failed leadership.
the pubs have accomplished what you accuse the President of Gene. He is trying to save and help the middle class americans who the republicans have disdain and disrespect for.
Get rid of Meals on Wheels? Doesn't that just make you proud?
Gene,
So the all time historic income gap has absolutely NOTHING to do with your so called 'class warfare'?
Julia...yes...they are willing to starve the grandma and grandpa so that they can install an elevator for their garage.
millionaires will still be millionaires, and billionaires will still be billionaires.
Just dont get it.
And dont come back at me with "cuts" and compromise....there's been plenty.
F**k you Boner and the rest of you Tea Party Republican brain dead stubborn no compromise worthless a**holes.
You're breathing up my oxygen - die already and give the world a break
Dave,
It is OK to leave mama's basement and get a job and contribute to the government. Did you think you would get a free ride forever?
Dude your the Speaker you should know what to do, just walk across the ilse and ask Nacy she will tell you.
Bunch of GOP losers.
Hey Dumbo,
Pelosi is the one who offered up the 1 million dollar threshold for a tax increase. So, she and her fellow democrats were given what they asked for, yet they would not vote yes for it.
Who again was the party of no?
Gene, read the ENTIRE BUDGET! Republicans have been spitting in our faces for weeks adding their own pork and gutting programs instead of responsibly trimming them like we've offered to do. that is the big difference!
Now you can read. So, please provide Obama's full detailed proposal other than just the tax mandate for over $250,000. I have never seen it. Oh wait, there is a reason. It does not exist. Pork is thrown in every bill. Look at the Sandy relief bill. It is a joke what was being asked for by other states. But all of us just bicker amongst ourselves versus challenging both parties.
We don't do our homework and are wear rose colored glasses. If we want change, we better change.
It's readily available on his website and readily available on the congressional bills website. For @!$%#'s sake do you always come on here with no substance and just talking points? That's the inimum amount of research I'd expect you to do when claiming facts. GOP whore.
Slut - Whore is kind of harsh
Too bad Boner can't get his Cockus in order...lol.
BIPARTISAN SOLUTION.
Tax bullets, $1per bullet
Maybe $100 per bullet! Or $500!
Enough to keep gun nuts from stockpiling 10000 rounds!
Awesome...so again, only the WEALTHY can enjoy Americas freedoms.....appropriate.
Why stop with teachers carrying weapons, ,why not high school students, cafeteria workers, janitors...
The NRA is not a 2nd amendment advocacy group. it is the lobby arm of weapons and ammo industries.
I'm guessing that the inboxes at the NRA are overflowing with requests for membership cancellation and calls for today's talking idiot to RESIGN!
The clown even got G HW Bush to tear up his NRA membership card in the past!
I don't own a gun nor plan to do so in my lifetime. But, what he said was exactly correct. It is amazing how Democrats want to say the gun issue is black and white and the fault of the NRA, yet can't see it is black and white if we spend more money than we make, we are asking for major credit issues and a major deficit down the road.
Idiots, scumbag politicians, what a shame, what sad shape this country is in.
"This is not the time for self-inflicted wounds."
President Obama
The brutal truth reers its' ugly head. Just think if we would have elected another Repub in office? This is outrageous and even his own party has had enough. The first 4 years of tying the hands of the President and our well being is over! The childish games are exposing you Mr. Boehner and I guarantee it will be along time before another Replublican is elected POTUS if you and yours continue down this road.
Half Truths,
You have an accurate name. Truth is the Democrats controlled both houses the first two years Obama was president. We have never recovered since. So, you just stated a half truth.
gene, democrats had a meager house majority and there were enough moderates keeping pelosi in line. The senate was never a 60 person majority on part of the democrats, so the gop actually still maintained control over it, as one can easily reference via the 974 fillibusters during obama's first term, 603 of which happened during his first two years.
Picture 2014 Midterm elections and the Tea Party vanishing, the GOP in shambles and Boner crying like a baby.
Nice isn't it?
And then spending continues to spiral out of control. You kids and grandkids live in poverty for 30 years trying ti recover from the charge and spend Democratic party.
Then you wake up and say thank God the GOP still exists as a counter measure to the democrats.
Obama has always intended to cut spending, and his 1 trillion in cuts will finally happen when you lamebrains finally get out of the people's congress. Furthermore, both wars will finally be over and the medicare part D plan will finally have its trust fund in order and pending on those two fronts will finally stop (260 billion gone from the budget). Not to mention stimulus spending is done this year (300 billion more) That puts us 400 billion in the black for those not keeping score.
That is all you'll be able to do is picture it because in 2014 the Republicans will win a majority in the House and Senate.
Bend over America....here comes Boner AGAIN to screw you over.
There is ALWAYS time for lube!
Yea really, you understand completely, we, in Amerika, are about to take a "stiff" one up the poop-chute............except there won't be one drop of lube. Then we'll see how everybody likes these folks we have (so-called) leading this country.
The people aren't hurting enough yet, so it will be a while longer.
Ok, as the only one on this forum who has read cover to cover every budget proposed within the last 3 months, here is the reality of this entire debacle.
The GOP have not genuinely compromised on anything except a MAYBE on tax hikes to the top (now 0.6%) earners whereas obama has moved up from 250k to 400k (big income difference) on his hike demands. The GOP have asked for cuts and not specified from where when demanding democrats come up with their own budgets, and have then shot down those budgets whenever they touch even 1 dime of the obviously bloated to bursting military budget.
Furthermore, whenever a democrat budget is proposed in the house, it is universally editted beyond recognition by the partisan gop majority who leave no room for democratic opposition or opinion (just see the floor interactions of june 6th 2012). The budgets often become loaded down with GOP pork and don't accomplish half of the original intended cuts which obama and reid proposed. It's dirty play to blame democrats when the new legislation arrives in the senate and the democrats cry foul.
When the GOP have proposed their own budgets, one can often find in excess of 200 billion in new spending going directly to red state government welfare while programs like PP and the federal school lunch programs are gutted in their entirety. GOP proposals generally have also contained pay freezes on Social security while reappropriating funds from it to their constituents (mainly in montanna, I don't know why) indirectly via state government laundering and "administrative costs" to organizations in the bible belt I've never even heard of. In addition, one can find cuts deep into medicare and a near gutting of medicaid while also increasing the salaries of congressmen. This is the kind of garbage that has to stop!
Obama put SS pay freezes on the table to help make SS solvent until the economy recovers, but only upon the condition that military takes a very small hit (less than 80 billion, which is less than 5% of their budget). Obama has also put medicare and medicaid on the table only on the condition that efforts be made to control costs to the consumer while trimming the budgets therein. Obama has done the heavy lifting and has offered his 1 trillion in cuts (mainly by trimming a little off of every government program, including congressional pay, which isn't pleasant to any of those self-entitled bastards) and has compromised on most fronts.
It is now time to see boehner act in good will and good faith and truly negotiate. Anyone who wishes to contest the above must cite the budgets by section, page number, and paragraph. If you post me a wall of text and don't give where it's from then there is no way to even put it in context. I'm done dealing with idiots. Let the truly intelligent on both sides come forth and dispute this IF YOU CAN.
Where is verfication of the Republican budget figures that you refer to?
Why stop with teachers carrying weapons, ,why not high school students, cafeteria workers, janitors...
The NRA is not a 2nd amendment advocacy group. it is the lobby arm of weapons and ammo industries.
A long time ago in a faraway high school I would often bring my shotgun or hunting rifle to school with me in my truck or car.
If it was a new one or special, I would show it to my friends.
My how times have changed.
Will The Orange Boner be sober again in 2012?
I highly doubt it!
More and more Boehner and Cantor seem totally incoherent. They can't control anything, can't direct anything, can't do anything. The tea party crazies are in control of the republicans and they are truly crazy. They don't understand how government works, how economics works or how anything works. They are just crazy. We've never had a group this out of control in charge of anything and they may put us back into recession or even into a depression. They are crazy!!!
I can't believe we, the taxpayers pay these Republicans a very handsome Government Salary with Gold Plated Benefits, then Bush Jr. and his fellow Republicans tank the economy then want everyone's Social Security and Medicare.
What are we paying these A$$hats for? We slave away at our little jobs playing by the rules and they throw this crap in our faces all along we were expecting them to do their jobs and look out for the Average Working Stiff. You can't turn your back on these jerks for a second and just try and live a normal life playing by the rules anymore.
Looks like Cantor moves from behind progressively closer to Boehner's podium. Will the Cantor poster boy of the tea party replace Mr. Boehner soon?
As the tea partiers rebrand the Republican Party as standing for their version of Keynesian tax cuts for the 1% and austerity for the 99%, they will bring into sharper relief their dysfunctional ideology. Fanatical ideologues would rather die and take as many as possible with them than compromise.
Trickle down economics never has and never will work for the 99%, as more and more Americans understand. The American people voted down the tea party 1% stimulus, 99% austerity program. The President cannot sign off on it. The tea partiers will not compromise. Expect a fall off the fiscal cliff and gridlock until the election of 2014.
x
Boehner and Cantor have got to go before they can do anymore damage.
The country is bankrupt and hussein has no plans to quit spending like a drunken sailor.. Let the country go over the cliff now, its about finished anyway... Why do we have to support people that dont work anyway? Why give money to muslim countries? Why pay for medical care for illegals? Why school them? The heck with it, let the fiscal cliff come.... and Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!!
Ok, as the only one on this forum who has read cover to cover every budget proposed within the last 3 months, here is the reality of this entire debacle.
The GOP have not genuinely compromised on anything except a MAYBE on tax hikes to the top (now 0.6%) earners whereas obama has moved up from 250k to 400k (big income difference) on his hike demands. The GOP have asked for cuts and not specified from where when demanding democrats come up with their own budgets, and have then shot down those budgets whenever they touch even 1 dime of the obviously bloated to bursting military budget.
Furthermore, whenever a democrat budget is proposed in the house, it is universally editted beyond recognition by the partisan gop majority who leave no room for democratic opposition or opinion (just see the floor interactions of june 6th 2012). The budgets often become loaded down with GOP pork and don't accomplish half of the original intended cuts which obama and reid proposed. It's dirty play to blame democrats when the new legislation arrives in the senate and the democrats cry foul.
When the GOP have proposed their own budgets, one can often find in excess of 200 billion in new spending going directly to red state government welfare while programs like PP and the federal school lunch programs are gutted in their entirety. GOP proposals generally have also contained pay freezes on Social security while reappropriating funds from it to their constituents (mainly in montanna, I don't know why) indirectly via state government laundering and "administrative costs" to organizations in the bible belt I've never even heard of. In addition, one can find cuts deep into medicare and a near gutting of medicaid while also increasing the salaries of congressmen. This is the kind of garbage that has to stop!
Obama put SS pay freezes on the table to help make SS solvent until the economy recovers, but only upon the condition that military takes a very small hit (less than 80 billion, which is less than 5% of their budget). Obama has also put medicare and medicaid on the table only on the condition that efforts be made to control costs to the consumer while trimming the budgets therein. Obama has done the heavy lifting and has offered his 1 trillion in cuts (mainly by trimming a little off of every government program, including congressional pay, which isn't pleasant to any of those self-entitled bastards) and has compromised on most fronts.
It is now time to see boehner act in good will and good faith and truly negotiate. Anyone who wishes to contest the above must cite the budgets by section, page number, and paragraph. If you post me a wall of text and don't give where it's from then there is no way to even put it in context. I'm done dealing with idiots. Let the truly intelligent on both sides come forth and dispute this IF YOU CAN.
supporting people who don't work, or supporting people who won't hire the impoverished jumping at the opportunity to work who haven't given up hope (the 7.9% still being counted each day)? Arrogant piece of work you are.
Patrick........love your honesty, but don't have a heart attack trying!
jason you should see me in a gay marriage debate, this is nothing. I hold the record for the longest newsvine post, ever. It was 631 words, no cut and paste, no repeat of ideas. One solid point by point analysis of why gay marriage should be made legal, why it was economically beneficial, and why gays should be allowed to adopt considering they already do at a greater rate by percentage than straight couples. It was glorious, angry, and no one could refute a single point without having their rears handed to them.
Patrick93
How did you make marriage not about creating families?
Gay marriage is the sickest thing ever invented by man. disgusting and against the Bible. Obama has done nothing for a budget, and has done nothing to put real spending cuts on the table for anything other than the military.... he is one sick communist.
If we could get the people to give up their obama phones and stop holding out their hands for free money from the fed then there would be no problems...stop giving the earned income credit which is free money then we may even have surplus funds.
This will never happen...simply because the people who get the free money are the ones who elected this current admin!
dawiz, the poors would love to do that, but no one will hire them, or the ones who are hiring don't even meet living expenses and it isn't worth it (ie mcdonalds). Unless you're a job creator hiring everyone you can while maintaining a healthy profit margin, you should shut your ignorant mouth.
dawiz
Thank goodness there are Americans willing to work at McDonalds. If not, we'd have a lot more people taking money than making money.
Mc Connell and the rest of the loser Repubs need to get over it, over the cliff that is, and here come your military cuts too.
McConnell can spend his days filibustering his own bills!
The sad little Turtle!
McConnell is devious. As an original Inaugural Day conspirator, he vowed to oppose all that Obama proposed. Now, having opposed all that Obama proposed, McConnell criticizes Obama for a failure of leadership!
McConnell is an abject failure at statesmanship. Future historians will portray McConnell as a bigot who could never accept a black (mulatto) President, and as a man who chose failure for America over success for it's President.