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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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i do not call him "Saint Obama" but Boehner has now demonstrated what a true ass hole looks like. Did anyone else notice that the "Weeper of the House" was not seen shedding a single tear down his fake tan face about Newtown. I think he is the Creep of the House.
Stopping the out of control spending will stop the problem!
For all of you who think increasing tax rates on the Uber Wealthy is a crazy idea, I offer you HISTORY.
Can you handle HISTORY?
Tax rates on the rich for the last 80 years of our Country's history have been MUCH higher than what Obama has now proposed.
See it here...scroll down a bit and see how today's rates on the rich are a BARGAIN!!!
http://www.businessinsider.com/history-of-tax-rates?op=1
All of you crazy TEA NUTS need to get a HISTORY LESSON!!
What? You don't respect history??? Then you are damned to repeat it!
Obama's fiscal plan, even God does not know! What a bunch of idiots!
Aldeb,
your lack of facts is stunning!
The people elected Obama, a corrupt Chicago Democrat trained by a party known to bankrupt a state with governors who end up in jail. Obama supported the last jailed Illinois Governor. What can the GOP do when the US news media, less critical than China's, support corruption and incompetence? All the GOP can do is to bring Obama appointees via subpena to Congress and request prosecution by the states. Every Obama appointee could be in jail by August 2013!
You're a delusional fool
IF we go over this "CLIFF" Those conservative tea party republicans taxes will go up a well & hurt their paychecks too, so why are they stalling on this???
If determined that they are wrong about this which & they are hurting many struggling Americans including my self by their actions ----------GOD is watching.
"God only knows" what a dim bulb John Boner is
A man who gives up his responsibilities, like Boner, throws his hands in the air and invokes the name of God as the ultimate authority on the US economy is practicing voodoo economics.
seriously Boner, this is all you have ?
And you make HOW MUCH MONEY to turn in this recent comment as a summary of the US economy ?
Please leave the building, and ....no just leave now. You are not worth what you are being paid by a longshot.
Way too much money is being paid to losers who cannot handle their responsibilities, especially in Congress.
But that fight is not over, dear. Stay tuned and you will see that truth, justice and decency always prevail. Walker will be a sad footnote in history.
The thing is, Obama, Pelosi, and Reid WANT us to go over the fiscal cliff. This is the liberal dream to automatically gut defense, raise taxes on everyone, and blame the republicans. You know they are not serious and Obama will just stand by and let it happen; yet Obama can bypass Congress on things he wants like immigration? Really?
The libs have caused systemic failure in the housing market with the CRA, and just recently, stood by and watched while four Americans died in Bengahzi.. Systemic failure is what the report called it, the libs are in charge. Funny MSLSD never reports news they think you shouldn't hear.
Logic failed you.
Boehner - no leadership....no nothing ......
just a partisan hack playing the partisan game
He should resign his position as Speaker and go back to handing out checks from tobacco lobbyists to fellow Congressional sleazes on the floor of the House as he used to do.
I mean - he is the best the Repubs can do for both leadership and "governing"?????
Give me a break
Silly, silly libs.
Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, the same old half-truths and misinformation from you righties again and again. After 4 years of delaying, denigrating, and denying anything Obama wanted to do, including re-training programs and money for community colleges, I am not surprised about your supposed "fact". I must admit, though, that the Republican Messaging Machine has been good at fooling and manipulating scared and anxious people with this stuff. Sadly, it appears you are one of them.
The tax hikes and tax cuts were already worked out months ago and agreed to by BOTH parties. They will take place Jan 1, 2013. STOP the media and parties drama ! Let's move on to something real like negotiations over the National Debt and the debt ceiling.
Fellow U.S. Citizens and those who are not U.S. citizens but were allowed to vote in the elections, why do we keep voting in those same politicans (both parties and independents (who always vote with the Democrats))? I think we are the ones to blame.
Actually President Obama is 100% better than the last clown that the Republicans stuck us with. I guess it hurts when the first black president is ten times as smart as anyone in the Republican Party. Good luck with that egg that is all over your face. I luv when a plan comes together.
Me too Johnny! Come January 1, everyone's taxes go up, all the credits and holidays disappear, and everyone will pay their fair share! I might even say he's 200% smarter than the Republicans! I mean, who else can get us all to believe the mantra that the 1% is the entire problem, and then deftly switch that to the 2% without missing a beat? Man, this guy is good! I'm eagerly waiting for him to make it the 5% or dare I say it, the 10%???
Have a Happy Holidays Mr. President -- You've earned it!!
President Obama will have a wonderful holiday because he tried to convince Repubs to fix the fiscal mess that Bush Jr. made and instead they shot themselves in the foot. (Yes, they are known as the "Bush tax cuts".) If Obama knew this was going to happen, he is a total genious. But not all the credit for this maneuver can go to him, it was mainly "built" by the brainless Tea Partiers in Congress. How? The same way they built their epic presidential election defeat in November. By ignoring logic, reason, numbers and the will of the people. Cheers!!!!
Maria, I can't defend the Republicans or their leadership. There have been major screw ups by both parties over the years. I'm just trying to look forward and determine the best way. Actually, I think the fiscal cliff is the best first start, and once the new Congress is sworn in, instead of trying to fight for tax cuts, they should reform the tax code, keep tax rates where they are. The biggest reform would be to make dividends and capital gains taxable as ordinary income. We won't have to worry about Romney and Buffett paying 15% effective tax rates any more.
We all need some shared sacrifice, and like it or not, the bill the President signed is a good first step.
Deflect, deflect, deflect...
Four more years of this unmitigated crap. This is what happens when you vote a boy in to do a man's job.
You are right. That cry baby Boehner should should dry his crocodile tears and start acting like a man. The problem is the Mad Hatters won't let him.
8 years of a complete ass-hole named George W. Bush who very nearly destroyed us, an elitist out of touch ass-hole named Mitt Romney for a Presidential candidate , and now a complete imbecile for a speaker of the House named John Boehner who is a f-ucking drunken alcoholic lush on top of it who couldn't negotiate the sale of Girl Scout Cookies. Republicans continue to give us nothing but dog-s-hit for representation in this country
Yep and its very obvious that the Republican Party is what we thought they were. Thieves and obstructionist idealogues. sickening that any American could support this crew.
I couldn't agree more! Luckily, the President, in what I find was a masterful move, 18 months ago, got both sides to agree to a bill that he signed! So, all of this stuff is just posturing, he's already got what he wanted, which is raise taxes on everyone, stop all of the tax credits, end the Payroll Tax Holiday (another term for having someone else pay 30% of our SS contributions), reduce Medicare reimbursements by approximately 30% (which will cause a lot of doctors to drop said patients), make significant cuts in discretionary spending.
A brilliant move and he's got the 98% right behind him because hey, the 2% are evil anyway. Although I do have one question: Remember when it was the 1%? What happened? Did the President decide that we needed more people to hate? Inflation?
"God only knows" LOL. What does God know? That the Earth isn't flat? How to cure a blind man but won't tell us how? Please...
The Republicans love to hide behind "God" dont they?
But this is priceless! The more the Republicans try to harm the president the deeper they sink to their doom. So, come January 2013, Republicans will be blamed for raising taxes on everyone, just to save their precious rich "base". Horror! Aren't they supposed to be the ones against rising taxes? Then comes President Obama, our knight in shining armor, saving the poor and the middle class from the Republican evil doers. The president should take the high road and send flowers to Boenher and company. The Republicans are no longer a political party, they are a comedy club.
The Republicans have become an ideological radical quasi religion. Common sense has no place in thier agenda. Just me me me and me
You know Maria, I was thinking the same thing. I must admit, sometimes I have sold our President short, but to get Congress to send legislation to his desk, and sign it into law 18 months ago was pure brilliance! He's able to campaign how he's for keeping taxes the same for the 98% (remember when it was 99%? I didn't even notice he changed it!! Brilliant indeed!) and punishing the "evil" 2%. So, he gets elected, says how he's ready to negotiate, and then deftly dodges any serious discussions so that the new law will take effect.
So, when it does, he gets everything he wants: Everyone's taxes increase, unemployment stops for millions, all the credits and holidays stop, Medicare reimbursements drop 30% (causing many doctors to drop those patients). Man, this guy is GOOD!! And, to top it all off, he gets to blame it all on the Republicans! Everyone will actually be happy when their taxes go up because "their President" didn't buckle to those evile Republicans!
No wonder he's Times Person of the Year! Maybe of the decade! What's he going to do for an encore? Make us all chant: "...its the evil 5% that aren't paying their fair share.."???
Pointless post at best.
Kinda stings, huh Johnny? Please point out something that isn't true, or at least not plausible.
Claiming that the President does not want to get a deal done to keep the middle class tax cuts in order is preposterous and simply untrue. Your rant was purely speculative and most certainly false.
The Bush tax cuts were supposed to be temporary! So let them ALL expire. If it is as you believe (that the majority went to the wealthy-false I might add), the nonwealthy won't be harmed and the nonwealthy may participate in a small way (in your mind) in solving our problems!!!
I actually feel bad for Boehner. He was willing to concede on some taxes and his own party gave him the finger. So much divide within the party is the reason Republicans have done so badly this presidency.
"I actually feel bad for Boehner."
typical republican solution. deny global warming, deny human sexuality, and when droughts happen, crops fail, your daughter gets pregnant, your son is gay, or the economy fails, just hope god will save you and some mythical being will come down out of the sky and make everything better.
Just what is the job of the speaker of the house anyway because whereas John Boehner is concerned I just dont understand his responsibilities. Is he supposed to be some sort of leader because what is clear is that his hands are tied as he is just a puppet for the corporate greed that funds the republican party of no.
Going on five years without a budget from Reid and the senate. The redistributionists continue to control the majority of the government yet the house gets the blame for all the problems, not solved those that control the majority of the federal government. While the obama backed media controls the message and only feeds the public what is pro-obama, the general public will never be informed. The economy is still moving at a snails pace. We are now out of one war and barely in the other. So where is are the money that obama said was to be saved going. No matter who is control of the house, no matter what they agree to, it will never be enough for Pelosi, Reid and obama. The lack of leadership in this country is shameful. obama wants to go over the cliff and blame the GOP for it. That's how he ran his first campaign, his for years, his second campaign and I'm sure his next four years. The only thing he knows how to do is print more money, go on vacation, grow the federal government and print more money. While the magority of GOP controlled states' economies are improving, the lib controlled states are dragging the economy down. I think we are in serious trouble.
way to be so wrong genius
Well said nomore...you capsulated it perfectly.
And Johnny, why the anger? It's the holidays...do you talk to your conservative friends like that?
John Boehner should be pee tested every morning at 6:00AM sharp to see how much alcohol content is still in his body from the night before.
I've seen a lot of people in my life with alcohol abuse problems....and I guarantee this man has one !!!
I don't put all the blame on Boehner but he and the Tea Party zealots are playing right into Barry's hand. Many democrats have chaffed under the so-called "bush tax cuts" for too many years and make no bones about them wanting to bring back the Clinton tax rates. At the same time, they also still rail at the amount of money spent on the military and two "un-funded by both parties" wars. By Obama holding tight to his policy of not offering specific, immediate spending cuts that would satisfy the Repubs(who have already caved on some tax increases), he will force the country to go over the cliff. What will happen then is that the government will get alot of increased revenue from all tax-payers, and at the same time force severe cuts in many government programs including alot from defense. More taxes and less spending equal reductions in the deficit and glory to Obama.
I'm convinced that that is exacting what Obama wants to have happen. For his legacy there is no down-side. Then, over his remaining years in office, he can work to slowly restore spending where he wants it to go and look like the hero he's convinced he is.
They are all just trying to squeeze as much $$ out of contributors as possible plus they are all well off as far as $$ goes and don't really care as long as they got theirs.
Who is stupid enough to give a politician money ?
They have always played this bs game and always will as long as the American people keep voting them in.
Guess one could just stop reading about them though.
I hope that members of the GOP "Grand Old Poopheads" (trying to be polite here) know that when their terms are up, they're going home. Our government is a shining example of the way things should NOT be to run a country. Actually they're not running it, they're ruining it. Thanks to all members of Congress for a job VERY poorly done, and have a Merry F****** Christmas, you jackasses.
Well, no, actually you weren't trying to be polite there. More and more irrational statements by misinformed liberals looking for their share of .... something.