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House Republicans are discussing the prospect of a short-term extension in the nation's debt limit to avoid fault and give negotiations between lawmakers and the White House more time to succeed.
Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, the House Budget Committee chairman and erstwhile GOP vice presidential candidate, told reporters at House Republicans' retreat that members were "discussing the virtue of a short term debt limit extension."
Ryan elaborated that the idea would be to raise the nation’s borrowing authority for a few months and tie the matter into discussions with the White House and Senate on the other fiscal issues facing the country, such as the automatic spending cuts associated with the sequester and how to fund the government in the next fiscal year.
The comment is a significant development because it suggests there is movement in the House GOP Conference to avoid the debt limit when it's scheduled to hit in February, and instead shift the political battle in their favor by transforming the debate into a fight over shutting down the government or offsetting $110 billion dollars in cuts to defense and domestic programs.
When asked by NBC News whether he believed the House GOP Conference was unified enough to not have a repeat of the fiscal cliff fiasco, when many Republican lawmakers were reluctant to support plans by the GOP leadership, Ryan said, “We want people to have clear view of what's coming so there are no surprises, that means setting expectations accordingly so we can move forward in a unified basis.”
Ryan spent the morning with House Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp, R-Mich., briefing members about the upcoming “triple threat” of fiscal issues to be played out in Washington over the late winter and spring. GOP aides tell NBC News the talks are part of an effort by the Republican leadership to gauge the mood of the conference as well as map out the best possible path for the party in the next few months, so far they consider the response from members to be "positive."
The retreat is the House GOP’s annual occasion for members to talk to leadership, relax with their spouses and kids and also learn from communication professionals about to contour their message to fit the electorate. In light of the drubbing the GOP received amongst women and minorities in the 2012 election, the retreat will feature a seminar titled: “Coalitions-Discussion on Successful Communication with Minorities and Women.”
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If the repugs don't like government then get the frig out! We don't need'em or want'em.
Fire'em all!
spend your entitlements while you can get them, but be ready to work, some time in the future
don. The largest group on food stamps are elderly whites in red states.
Red states get more federal aid than blue states, BTW.
Herron
You do realize that 90% of those states were run by democrats until recently?........................
Negotiations over deficit reduction are fine and need to happen. Negotiation over the debt ceiling should be off the table. These people voted for the spending and now are saying, "We're not going to pay for what we authorized." NO MORE endangering our credit rating.
If the baggers can't come to agreement with moderate republicans and the dems, let the sequester take effect.
When Bush was in office, Congress raised the debt limit several times without batting an eye.
Texas. 15 times under GW, and 18 times under Reagan!
Its called kicking the can down the road, America cant live like that!!
SHORT-TERM? Hell no, approve the damn thing LONG-TERM and let's move on to working on job creation, sensible gun safety, immigration, and really need to improve our schools with top tech, removing excessive vacation time, and bring back PE ..so our kids will physically and mentally be able to do better than we are....we suck.
Hey Republicans...Instead of this constant blocking of the President...let's try working with him for the good of the country and stop behaving like immature idiots. Try pretending he isn't black, get a little patriotism, forget the folks that bought you, and get to work earning your salary and forget what you were paid by the rich.
By only supporting the rich, you are bringing this country to it's knees and you were hired to serve this entire country, not be traitors blocking it's growth.
How incompetent and racially biased has today's news media become
With all the deaths of young blacks in Chicago, two more this week, 14 and 15 years old, why NO coverage and focus on these senseless deaths?
Why all the focus on Sandy Hook? It has to be a racially motivated press to ignore Chicago - sad
Next how incompentent is the reporting on the Notre Dame player story - No investigaton into his claims
MARCUS, I agree with with you to an extent. However, the issue with places like Chicago is that these murders occur on an almost daily basis. The other factor is that the real horror of Newtown was both the age of the children as well as the number slain.
So - the daily basis murder of black youth is acceptable in the media's eyes? Serious?
The media is racist not to make this a much bigger issue - period - close to 500 in the last 12 months
Marcus, more diversion to protect the scum bag Obama. The hypocrites will never bring it up.
I agree - but why is the press/media ignoring all the deaths there - is it because they're just little black kids?
Where's the anger, where's the out-cry, where's the press?
What's that old saying? "Republicans preach about how bad government is, and then they get elected to public office and prove it".
Alot of you people on here like to give federal government alot of breaks that the gov would never give them, if you owe them $$$ will they raise your debt ceiling???
Ryan wants more time to figure out how to screw working and middle class folks so he can pad the coffers of the wealthy. Same time CEOs want people to work until 70 before they can get s.s and medicare. Why don't we all work until we're dead. That's what these folks want. We already have a problem of recent graduates finding jobs. If people don't retire until thier 70's these young folks will never find jobs. These clowns are pathetic. The only thing they know is how to avoid work and how to kick the can down the road.
Give Obama a few trillion and have him drop the weapons ban.
Thats right. We will be broke but still be able to kill one another.
Like wow man, all we need is more time to negotiate. What a crock.
The Tea Party is the KKK just the spelling is different.
Kimber must be a Republican. I see his focus is on the crotch which is a rather normal for the GOP.
OK people, a word of caution here. Death to the next person, regardless of political affiliation who uses the tired, worn out phrase "Kick the can down the road". I'm on the verge on wretching.
The GOp is against kicking the can down the road.....unless they are trying to kick the can down the road.
$80 Billion a year, just to finance Congress -----for very little in results---no sign of them wanting to cut that spending!!
"It's a joke!!"
Yo Jim, get lost! Didn't you lose anyway? Yeah I thought you did, you loser!
Alot of you guys on here like to give breaks to gov that they would never give you! If you owe them $$$ will they raise your debt ceiling??? Just asking!
Should the school children of America - begin writing letters to Barack Obama to beg him to help get the economy going again - and help their parents get much needed jobs for their families?
Would he read them at a press conference?
More important - would he do anything about it - going into his 5th year - The president of NO Jobs and Bad Economy?
Only Congress can pass laws.
That's exactly what screwed us in 2007-2008 when the Democrat controlled congress went all bizzaro world with spending
Torched a very robust economy
Good...kick the can further down the road. The GOP Tea Party Kocher apparently don't have the guts to take the heat to stand their ground and take the heat for a downgrade of our credit score. C'mon boys and girls stand tall so we have no doubts whose to blame.
" The retreat is the House GOP’s annual occasion for members to talk to leadership, relax with their spouses and kids and also learn from communication professionals about to contour their message to fit the electorate"
= special interest, Lobbyist...
They could simply adopt the Ryan budget plan's planning paper number : $24 Trillion. T^hat is a lot more than the $16 Trillion now in place. And since the Congress in the House.
Since it is a republican number-they should have no complaints-since the already voted for the plan voted for the Ryan plan-we ought hold the to the numbers behind it
So they've been to work for less than a month from the Holidays, and already they have to take another vacation so they can learn how to lie to us all over again. We need to abolish the debt ceiling, anyway. Congress passes the laws and provides the funding, but when the bills come due they don't want to pay them, which is what raising the debt ceiling does. It is stupid to keep hobbling the country in this way.
Lets not abolish it. Lets keep it but under the provision that it increases commensurate with every spending bill congress passes out. What would be far more beneficial is a Congressional Disclosure Act that makes public every rider or earmark attached to legislation ~ who did it and for how much ~ and all the pork be accounted for as a cover letter on every bill passed by congress. Maybe when people learn that we are appropriating $30-million for studying the sex habits of seahorses (as one example) they will see how their money is being wasted. Every senator or representative that adds one red cent to the face value of proposed legislation should be identified ~ name, party, congressional district, amount, and for what purpose the money is being allocated. But that would require legislation in its own right. What are the odds of that ever seeing the light of day?
Couldn't have said it better myself.
Who do we have to blame?------"look in the mirror---we voted for them!!"---as DeToqueville said in the 18th. Century--"in a Democracy people get the Governments they deserve!!"
Ryan'as budget plan suggests $24 Trillion. Let's hold the to their own deficit numbers!
It is time to kick the crooks out --- both democrats and republicans. At the very least 2 terms in office for all of them. WHY?
Every other profession would be concerned if the public opinion of them was so low. BUT as long as they are able to steal money from us to put in their bank account they do not care. I guess the old saying is true --- we get what we deserve !!!!
If they do are don't really matter not they are in a hole trying to find away out.Obama got a trump card to play if they don't and there vary little the tea party or republicans can do about it accept take it to court it is called the 14th amendment.Good luck repukes
Say what?
Conservatives complain...wrongly...about Obama's vacation time. The House GOP came into office two weeks ago and they are already on vacation.....and will be about 200 more days this year.
woodbutcher
At the cost of 7 million dollars?