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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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And may he stay there, and rot away.Geo.H.W.Bush spoke of a new erra, and it turned out to be Very bad for 98% of americans.
I know what happens: GOP-controlled House lets the country hit the "fiscal cliff" so that automatic tax increases take place. Then they can come back, vote on something only slightly different from "Plan B" and claim that they actually CUT taxes.
No, I am not God.
Regardless of your religious belief as a leader of our country you should be able to make a decision for us....not leave it up to GOD.
Why does the Gop wish to trust God to have an answer when it comes to politics yet know nothing about faith?
faith being the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen yet not knowing that faith without works is dead, well that's what you get with false Christians or those that invoke God and not know anything about Him. what a boner Boehner
Hysterically funny. "God only knows..." (?) Boehner and the Repiglicons are absolute proof there is NO God.
Yep its pretty disturbing to hear John "do nothing but what Im told" Boehner resort to hiding behind God whereas the budget deal is concerned. Here is a clue John if you are listening.
"President Obama won the election rather handily and did so on the very clear intentions of leveling the playing field for the wealthiest Americans who have benefited the most from the Bush tax cuts. The party is over boys!
The American public by a vast majority is in favor of dropping the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans while extending those tax cuts to the middle and lower class. As politicians your job is to do what the public expresses they want you to do. If you cant act on behalf of the voting public and have other forces directing tyour policy you need to GET OUT OF WASHINGTON!
This is the worst exhibition of political obstruction our nation has ever seen and we should not sit back and accept it. Make your voice heard America!
McConnell tries to blame Obama; meanwhile, Boehner can't even get his own party members to back a bill that continues tax breaks for people earning $999,999.99 per year. Republican "leadership" has no credibility anymore- not even in their own party.
The Republican Party has become a radical ideology Im afraid. The faster we can disband them the better off the world will be.
Johnny, I couldn't agree with you more, but while everyone is focused on the fiscal cliff, the Repuplinazis are very busy at a state level, gobbling up senate seats. Their next power grab is going to be doing away with the electoral system(And with enough repug govnors they can and will), and insert a winner take all approach for presidential elections. So, big urban centers where most dems live will only get as much of a vote as as small rural(Primarily Repug) county. The numbers have been crunched.If the last election had been done that way, Romney would have won. I'm sorry to say this fiscal cliff is just a diversion for them. We know they don't care about most of the country, and we know they would be willing to throw most of the country under the bus to protect their rich buddies. Let's all remember the story about the scorpion.
We have seen a lot of the Republican gerrymandering(vote fixing) in Ohio in trying to consolidate power and keep it.
Gregor1956,
Not possible for GOP to do away with electoral system. It would require an ammendment to the Constitution requiring 2/3 (67%) of the legislative body in Congress and Senate with an additional US Supreme Court victory case within the Judicial branch of Gov't to happen. The best Republicans could hope for is to manipulate (gerrymander) certain districts in some States to change certain outcomes of the elctoral vote............
Let them spend their wheels. When was the last time either Panext 40 years at leasrt.........When was the last time any Party had 67% of the entire Gov't in it's entirety. Not Since FDR. And it won't happen for the GOP......it's just on their santa Claus wish (bucket) list
Tony, I appreciate your response. I live in Wisconsin, and have seen how organised their manipulations are. I will be watching. Thanks again G
Gregor1956,
Your welcome. The same applies to all these GOP States wanting to seceede from the US Gov't within their delusions. It won't happen. Texas lost that US Superme Court decision in the 1860's when siding with losing Southern slave owners getting their a$$e$ kicked on the Civil War Battlefield.
I just came back from Madison some months ago. It's a beautiful Town with friendly people.....angry at Gov. Walker...Lol.
Has the Court still ruled to put a hold on Walker's anti-Collective Bargaining Bill ???
Tony, The last word is that the courts ruling is being appealed. I'm thankful that not every court/judge, are in the Koch Brothers pockets. However, millions of dollars have poured into Wisconsin from so called conservative groups thruout country, to wage war on collective bargaining, and labor in general.
I just hope that if the country goes over this fiscal cliff, then recession, then who knows what? that folks will realize that it was all in the name of protecting the very wealthy. I know me and mine, have already
adjusted budget(Much Less Disposable Income) to deal with this. I wonder if most folks realize how much less they will have to spend?
Thanks Again Tony, for your responses. G
It's always easy to throw out the phrase "God only knows" but in this case I think he is giving God too much credit.
I feel sorry for Boehner. He has lost control of the Republican caucus because of Tea Party nuts like the guy from Kansas. They don't negotiate anything and want to be martyrs, just a Steve LaTourette(R) said. The reasonable Republicans are leaving in droves and the crazy ones become CEO of American Heritage (DeMint) or FreedomWorks.
I cant bring myself to feel sorry for Boehner. If you dont show some inner gumption youll be treated as the puppet you are. He doesnt have what it takes to straighten out the mess that the Republican far right have made of thier party. They are gonna stick to thier beloved Norquist pledge at all costs and those costs may be higher than they expect. What do they care? They have cushy jobs and free health care plus a cozy pension at the end of thier Govt funded rainbow.
If Boehner is going to be "de-boned" by his own Party, as Speaker. He may as well go "out" doing the right thing for the country or be a Coward afraid of Grover Norquist.
Tony,
I suspect those 40 or so Congressman/woman wanted to see some real spending cuts before they vote for an increase in taxes of which virtually every cent will get pissed away. One thing I think we can all agree on is that this congress and administration have virtually no discipline or credibility on reducing spending.
At the end of the day they are all probably doing us a favor by forcing us over the cliff. I do not want my kids to have to deal with the Obama/Reid/Boehner/Pelosi/McConnel financial fiasco. Time to solve the problem and not really fair to label those that want to solve the problem as extreme. Some of us would call them clear headed as opposed to beholden to gimmick public opinion polls.
Elections have consequences and they were voted in based on their committments to their constituents. Good for them for sticking to their positions. Let's go over the cliff. All of these tax cuts were agreed to be temporary anyway so let's roll and see where we end up. In any case, the middle class is going to get crushed with the expiring tax breaks and Obamacare taxes staring us in the face. I fear the sledding is going to be brutal for the middle class which our current POTUS supposedly wants to protect. Clearly he never had intention of doing so.
Hey, Bonehead! You and all your right wing buddies go suck a bottle of hooch, crawl into bed with your closest NRA pal for a little slap and tickle and forget the disgusting waste of space you are to all US citizens. Hope your stocking is full of coal, you deserve nothing less.
Thats funny and it may be truer than we can imagine. I can imagine there are plenty of closet nancys in the Republican Party voting against gay rights all the while playing naked twister.
Boehner's Fiscal path forward : Unemployed Bartender in FY 2013 wishing for huge US Gov't unfunded coporate tax cuts applying to all Millionaire-Billionaire nightclub-bar owners...........
Its like the whole darn country has already gone over the edge from the standpoint of sanity, not just the politicians in Washington DC, and it has been coming on for many years now, too! Mass insanity seems to be gripping the entire nation like a deep freeze. This Christmas Day 2012 is when I finally 'throw in the towel' when it comes to trying to turn this insane country and world around. From here on out they are all on their own now, since the entire country is basically hellbent on self destruction. - Rick Carter
How does the GOP and it's supporters rant about the Feds living within it's " Means" when the military budget is bloated and unmanaged, Immigration is rampant and again uncontrolled leading to more overburdening of our social services that the Feds always look to cut first!. The flow of billions into washington has to stop!. The corporate "buying " of political favor is destroying this country!. Low wage jobs, no medical coverage, pensions lost!. The gap between the rich and even the average household let alone the poor is widening!. It's not hard, Tax corporations and reward them with tax breaks by how many Americans they employ!. end American offshore coporations from hiding overseas!. Cut the military budget and start taking care of your own first!.
Here's the thing, dummy: it is the job of the House of Representatives to create ANY spending/budgeting bill. It is THEIR job, not Obama's, to come up with something that can "pass Congress". All the President does is provide guidelines for an agenda.....oh, for crissakes, why the f**k am I explaining this AGAIN? Just absolute morons....it's embarrassing, it really is, to think that some of these people are in the positions they are in.
DB17, you have to keep explaining everything to the pukebags, as Fox Noise has not told them the real truth about anything. And yes, they do have some very low informed base people. How anyone in the pukebag party could/can vote against their wallets all the time is beyond me.
I guess they think those rich people will elevate them up to the rich elevation. Guess what you low informed FOOLS, that ain't a gonna happen in your lifetime or mine.
All those low informed idiots in the base are simple little tools for the rich pukebags. And they are too stupid to realize it. So yes, DB17, you gotta keep trying, not that it will do any good, but you never know, it might.
Which shows you how really pathetic the GOP has become! Their own speaker says "maybe" and they say NO. It shows what a broken mess the Tea-publicans are. It also shows that America needs a real middle class party with solid representation. The Obamanation plan wants to give the welfare crowd a free ride and the GOP wants to protect the 1%. In the meanwhile, the middle class is taxed out of existence and on the fast road to hell. What a joke!
That's the problem with idiot politicians like Boner and the morons who are playing this sick game of chicken with the country's financial problems. "Only God knows.." Bullcrap, the idiot politicians who play these selfserving games are the reason we are in this financial mess. Repubs and Demos in congress who play this political game for their own personal gains should be held accountable for the economic tragedy that will come.
The idiot is an ALCOHOLIC
A Weak-Kneed Wannabe(rich) replican
And citizens expect him and his ilk to
Raise taxes on themselves
No way
Jose
Most rep. and senators are millionaires
They have so many Cocaine/Marijuana Parties
In the State Capitol Bldg.
In Austin, Texas
They ought to Drug-Test every-one of the idiots
That would have to be when there not wit a whore
In every picture I've seen of Boner, he looks completely lost - somewhat like that idiot from Texas - Perry. Those two are peas in a pod - completely incompetent, both. Either that, or you wonder what foreign government they work for. Or what billionaires they work for. Anyway you cut it, they are both hurting this country. Polititians like these two need to be weeded out and sterilized.
Re: Boner's "God only knows" quote - Call on somebody you know, Boner!
god forgive them for they know not whats best for us as the people.but we do when 2014 come and that silver eyed warewolf is being watched.