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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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I wonder what would happen if China called and said hey Congress and Mr. President when you reach 18 trillion in debt that is your credit limit. Wonder if they could start to solve the problem then?
These f*cking republicans don't get it. Obama is not going to negotiate with them on an issue that is very straightforward and clear as crystal to the American public. Congress ran up the bills and it's now time for Congress to pay up. Can you imagine if you wanted to pay the monthly bills and your spouse (who controlled the checkbook) wouldn't pay them unless you agreed to cut family spending by X%. I doubt that the creditors would let you get away with that maneuver and would threaten to cut your credit rating immediately, costing you thousands in higher interest rates on future borrowing. I also doubt that either of you would have any credibility with anyone.
stop paying congress. they are not getting anything done anyway..
you are right,lets not pay these clowns until they address the problem,they would need the navy to rescue all the people with the tears that they shed,they are a joke.come 2014 i hope they are a memory.
Well though it is no surprise little paulie is saying the opposite as on the campaign when he complained about kicking the can down the road rather then face up to the issues.
Little paulie , of course, must not understand that his comments are on tape and show him to be a hypocrite.
Sorry paulie but we can see through you and know that the smartest republican as they claim you are is about as smart as the lizard you are crawling on your belly.
Ryan, STFU.
In 2007 and 2008 - a spend happy Democrat controlled Congress - torched a very robust economy
History - It doesn't lie
Check the numbers - before and after
Can't have it both ways now - can you
@Marcus D....
And Bush lost his VETO stamp at that time?
Does anyone else think the air smells bad on this vine.....oh yes, Say What is here.......enough said
"Check the numbers - before and after"
The economic decline started in late 2005. Why do you think Republicans lost control of both the House and Senate in the 2006 elections?
The debt is 100% the responsibility of the Republicans. They have, for over three decades, intentionally run up the debt as part of their "starve the beast" philosophy. That tactic has completely failed in its objective to reduce the size of government (in fact GW Bush massively increased the size of the federal government, even creating a new cabinet level bureaucracy) however they have succeeded in running up a huge debt.
Below is a right winger ADMITTING that their strategy is to INTENTIONALLY increase the debt.
Peter17
“The real winner with this legislation is the Tea Party and Grover Norquist. Their mission has NEVER been to protect the top 2% or anyone else. It is to force the end to "Big Government" in Washington DC.
The Tea Party was born because neither Democrats or Republicans were ever in the mood to cut spending and reduce the size of government. By handing out the pork to the folks back home, they kept on getting re-elected. That means the TP needed a different approach, and they found one - "Starve the Beast". If you cannot get Congress to pass legislation to lower spending, prevent them from raising the tax revenue needed to run "Big Government". Therefore they oppose tax increases of any kind on anyone. Less money will eventually mean smaller government.
So what does Obama do?? He makes almost all the Bush tax cuts permanent, cutting federal tax revenue over the next 10 years by $4 trillion. The TP probably cannot believe it because Obama has signed a "death warrant" on big government. Can you imagine anyone voting to raise taxes by trillions of dollars any time soon??? Not likely. The only way to get the country onto some kind of sustainable financial course now will be even more trillions of spending cuts than people were anticipating. Say goodbye to big government over the next 10-20 years. There now is no way to fund even a scaled back big government in Washington DC, thanks to Obama.”
@J. Willard:
What, Bush expanded the govt? He appointed another czar? How come the pukebags never mention this part of history? Guess they don't want a few remaining people to realize just how freaking stupid they are?
"What, Bush expanded the govt?"
Yes he did -- he expanded the government more than any other president since LBJ. The number of government employees increased by over 25% during the Bush administration. He created an entirely new department. And the term "czar" is made up by the press. It has no official standing in the government.
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.
Everything is another "short term" fix so then we can put our backs against the wall again and again with one crisis or another.
Here's a thought you Washington bozos.....think long term solutions to our problems and work towards a stronger more unified America.
Is that too much to ask?
According to a new ABC News/Washington Post poll, President Barack Obama’s approval rating is
near an all-time high, and the public is on his side in the upcoming debt ceiling debate.
The poll finds Obama’s approval rating at 55 percent, his highest level since November, 2009
(excluding a brief bump up to 56 percent after the president ordered the raid that killed
Osama bin Laden in 2011)… 61 percent view Obama as a strong leader — his highest level in three
years — and 53 percent say they’re optimistic about the policies he’ll pursue in his second term.
By contrast, voters intensely dislike Obama’s opponents in the House of Representatives. Congress
has just a 19 percent approval rating; 37 percent approve of House Democrats, and 24 percent approve
of House Republicans. Additionally, 67 percent believe that Republican leadership is doing too little to
give ground in negotiations, compared to 48 percent who say that is true of the president.
These numbers represent a serious rebuke to House Speaker John Boehner’s assertion that
“the American people do not support raising the debt ceiling without reducing government spending
at the same time,” and some Republicans are taking notice. Many prominent conservatives — including
former House Speaker and presidential candidate Newt Gingrich, and the Koch brothers-backed group
Americans for Prosperity — have warned that a debt ceiling fight could be politically disastrous for the
party.
As Representative Tom Cole (R-OK) ominously told The Hill, ““Majorities are elected to do things,
and if they become dysfunctional, the American people will change what the majority is.”
and we should ALWAYS go with the polls, right? people didn't like Jesus, either.
Mike...
The polls are only accurate when things are not good for us, but, when they are favorable, there is no way they can be believed, right?
That is the wisdom of the right-wing....look back at the polls in 2012. The ones that showed Obama leading were fake and bolstered, the ones with Romney leading were gospel fact. Hmmmmm.....
I don't know about the wisdom of the right wing or the left wing...I just know that, if you're principled, you don't pay attention to polls...I would have thought a man of service would intrinsically know that.
"and we should ALWAYS go with the polls",
Why do you think the Republicans are even talking about a 3 month extension? They KNOW their backs are a against the wall, they KNOW they will get the blame for a government shot-down, they KNOW if the economy tanks they will get the blame, and they KNOW the vast majority of the population blames them for the current stalemate. This 3 months simply is a stall tactic in the hope that their poll numbers will improve over the next 3 months.
Isn't this the same idiot that continually said during his run for VP said no way to kicking can down the road. A bunch of flip flopping from the Repub side. Then again, being Romeny's running mate, he learned how to do that in a big way. They call themselves the Grand Old Party but actually it's the Greedy Old People. He is trying to be the Tea in the Tea Party. What a pip-squeak and loser.
Duchess1
Kind of like the President did when he was Senator by saying raising the debt limit is a sign of failed leadership and along with all the dems voted against raising the debt limit. I wonder, is he not also a pip-squek and loser?
You are aware the economy in 2006 when Obama said that was a little different than in 2013? No, I guess you are not bright enough to see that.
Say What-----------you enhance Stupidity because your blood runs to your brain in vain.
It is all okay as long as your side does it.
GCCal...
You must feel the economy is the same, you did not defend your claim. 2006 was not the same as 2013, no matter how hard you try to defect from the stupidity of your posting.
Get a life...you are a weakling and a light-weight. (and thanks for realizing I have a brain, instead of a skull full of sawdust and mush like you have.)
that's REALLY mature...about what I'd expect from a Naval officer
Will anyone, at anytime in the near future attempt to pay down the annual deficit or national debt? Why is it ok for more people to collect money from taxpayers, though fully capable of supporting themselves both mentlly and physically, than pay federal income taxes? What happens if the money runs out?
Dahly, people would work if there were jobs available. Yes, even the people working at Walmart need food stamps because their wages aren't enough to feed and house and pay bills. But look at the bottome line of profit Walmart makes.
Yes, they are in business to make money, we understand that, but the people that's doing the heavy lifting, so to speak, are not getting a fair livable wage. Do you know/realize what a gallon of milk costs today, or a pound of fatty hamburger?
Try support your spouse and two teen age kids on 9 bucks per hr, and only can work 38 hrs so Walmart doesn't have to pay for any insurance, let alone they don't even support a 401K.
Yes sir, thank goodness for that "TRICKLE DOWN" excretment the pukebags gave us, right?
mr ryan couldn't even do his own taxes correctly. somehow he overlooked 20% of his income and had to file an amended return for 2011 and add the $60,000 he overlooked. do we really believe he can handle a trillion dollar budget if he can't handle his own $300,000 income?
Amazing! What happened to the boy wonders criticism of not "kicking the can" down the road.
Ryan and the ideologues thinking like him caused our country a downgrade in credit that resulted in the nation having to pay higher interest on our debt. It is time for fools like Ryan to begin dealing with their jobs appropriately. The people are fed up with the country paying the price due to those like Ryan in the Congress and they all best understand that 2014 is just around the corner.
I guess the republican/obstructionist/pot party doesn't think an additional $2,000,000,000 a year in interest alone is a big deal.
DEBT LIMIT INCREASES
Obama - 3 (during 1st term and a 26% increase)
Bush II - 7 (90% increase)
Clinton - 4 (44% increase)
Bush I - 4 (1 term 48% increase)
Reagan - 17 (300% increse)
@depraw:
Now you done did it. Confusing those pukebags about who has been doing the spending. You know they don't want to read real FACTS. If they did, they wouldn't be spouting the lies they do. But just what do you expect from the low informed?
At this point the Republicans best move is to raise the debt ceiling without looking for anything in return,; Then stop trying to demonize the President and simply offer to work with him to find ways to bring down the debt. The President wants to do this as much as anyone else does. Take a leap of faith! I think everyone wants the country to come out of this a stronger nation. I, also think that would be there best way to try to gain votes in future elections to. What ever is done to bring down the debt will become public record, and the whole country will know who did what and who did not anyway; there is no need for all this drama and wasting time!
They will never grow up.
depraw; It seems that way.
Awesome idea! Businesses are holding their resources due to uncertainties in the economy. So the Republican plan is to extend the uncertainty as long as they can. Sheer genius!
The only thing that will adequately address the deficit is revenue from taxation at full employment. We won't get to full employment in an uncertain business climate. So much for Ryan the "numbers kiind of guy."
http://www.nationalmemo.com/house-republicans-announce-vote-on-three-month-debt-limit-extension/">House Republicans Announce Vote On Three-Month Debt Limit Extension
House Republicans have announced that they will hold a vote on a three-month extension of the debt limit, signaling that the GOP is ready to fold in the latest debt ceiling standoff. The vote will include a requirement that both chambers pass a budget, or go without pay
One Question. Why are Fuc N republicans such A$$HOLE$? They do not care about our country, our people, our economy and for sure they don't care to do their JOBS. We need to IMPEACH the whole she it n bunch of them instead of them trying to impeach the president. VOTE the whole bunch out, put them on the unemployment line.
Impeach? You mean vote them out? That's what we should have done in last election... and didn't. Primarily because of voter gerrymandering. Those A&%Holes are safe in their regional forts with their supporters.
If anybody finds out where Democracy went, please let me know.
If both parties can just kick the can and the bond traders keep buying it, the checks go out and we're good. If and when they don't, that is when it is going to get ugly. No one can say when that will happen so if you are a taxpayer-just keep paying, if you are a politician-just keep spending and if you are an entitlement recipient, just keep cashing and we're good. No worries, no... none at all.
If I were a can, I'd be pretty sick of being kicked around like this so much. Every time there's a deadline, I get kicked in the gut! Seems like is Congress using me as a punching bag (can?) to vent their pain from being so dysfunctional.
Mainly due to the re-election of the crackpots who got us in this situation in the first place. We had the chance to change Congress in the last election... and didn't. So I just keep getting kicked down the road. It used to happen every year, now it's every three months. Ouch ! ! !
What? Paul Ryan said something? ...whatever.....
--------- YAWN --------- Wake Thee when the Science channel has another 'Fringe' marathon...
"Paul Ryan & Honey Boo Boo 2016" The new and improved Republican comeback team.
isn't a whole year of hearing about this enough - we, the public, do not want to hear about this anymore - FIX the problem and fix it now.....
Ryan is an IDIOT and will always be an IDIOT. Just like Boner and the rest of his greedy republican A--holes buddies in politics are...
Paul Ryan, Paul Ryan, hmm...., no, doesn't ring a bell. Is he some kind of public servant?
No BG, he is an idiot from Wisconsin who thinks he's Vice Presidential .