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Subscribe to RSSUPDATED 2:27 PM ET: House Speaker John Boehner Tuesday repeatedly challenged the president's willingness to go against his own party on issues that include reforms to social programs and spending.
"I think he'd like to deal with it [fiscal problems], but to do the kind of heavy lifting that needs to be done, I don't think he's got the guts to do it,” the Ohio Republican said in a meeting with a small group of reporters for nearly an hour Tuesday morning. “He understands there is a spending problem. He understands that we need changes and reforms, and we need to solve these problems."
When pressed about the severity of that statement, he modified, saying the president does not have the "courage."
Washington is in the midst of yet another fiscal crisis, facing a political showdown over so-called "sequestration," the self-imposed round of across-the-board spending cuts to domestic programs and the Pentagon. The sequester was supported by both the White House and Congress as a way to encourage lawmakers to find common ground. Instead, they have been mired in a stalemate, unable to find an equitable solution for both sides.
"I am not suggesting that this is easy,” Boehner said, “but what I am suggesting is that he is the President of the United States. This is the biggest threat to our society."
J. Scott Applewhite / AP
House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, repeats his call for President Obama to submit a budget proposal to Congress, during a news conference at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2013.
President Obama campaigned on raising taxes on the wealthy and got that in the showdown over the fiscal cliff. He wants more revenue -- from what he says are "loopholes and deductions" for the wealthy. Republicans have balked at that notion, saying he already got all the revenue he was going to get.
The White House has accused Boehner of walking away from "grand bargains," deals to reduce the country's deficits, in both 2011 and 2012 because he could not sell it to his base. Boehner's office vehemently disagrees with that notion, instead pointing the finger back at the president.
Republicans also feel as if they have already given in and do not want to give more, particularly after passing the tax increase and punting on the debt ceiling, voting to suspend it temporarily until the Democratic-controlled Senate passes a budget, something it has not done in years.
But those maneuvers have not been without staunch GOP opposition and misfires. President Obama and Boehner were thought to be, once again, close to a deal when Boehner abruptly announced "Plan B," an initiative pushed by House leadership, including Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA), that would have let tax cuts expire for millionaires. But Boehner pulled the measure after he realized it did not have majority support within his conference.
President Barack Obama is expected to ask for more tax revenue and fewer spending cuts during Tuesday's speech but can his plan pass Congress. Gene Sperling, the director of the White House Economic Council, Bloomberg Businessweek's Josh Green and Bloomberg View's Margaret Carlson discuss.
Instead, Boehner issued a statement urging President Obama and the Democratic-controlled Senate to pass something to avert the fiscal cliff. Boehner eventually brought the Senate-passed measure to the House floor. It passed without majority GOP support.
On immigration, Boehner claimed in the meeting, "The thing I am most concerned about immigration reform is the president getting in the way. Sometimes I think he'd rather have an issue than a solution. Here's the guy who four years ago said he was going to have immigration reform, and he's done absolutely nothing for four years. I hope the president will play a constructive role."
Democrats say that prior to the 2012 presidential election, they have faced a brick wall of opposition on immigration, despite President Obama's promises, especially from House Republicans. In December 2010, Senate Republicans filibustered the DREAM Act, which would have given a pathway to citizenship for children brought to the United States illegally. President Obama supported the measure, and it got 55 votes, five short of the required 60 to overcome a filibuster.
But since Obama's re-election, in which he won 71 percent of the Hispanic vote, Republicans have sounded a different tune on immigration.
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), who will give the GOP response and is leading an immigration-reform effort in the Senate, dropped by the meeting as well.
"I didn't mean to interrupt--,” Rubio said, as he looked for a cup of coffee.
When asked if he is feeling any pressure tonight, he gave a big smile and said, "No."
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"Boehner accuses Obama of not having the 'guts' to cut spending"
Boehner must be suffering another bout of Delirium Tremens, you Know the condition called (DTs).
What Obama s problem is, he doesn't have a Time Machine to stop the insane spending of Bush Jr.
How many times do we have to cover this same ground. No President can spend money. Congress has the Power of the Purse. They write the Bills that spend money, The President either signs them into law, doesn't sign them into law or vetoes the bill. All spending originates in Congress and the House has been controlled by Republicans since 2010.
If you want to control spending, the Republicans have to be voted out in the next election.
Throughout two years of demanding cuts to social programs, entitlements and everything else under the sun related to seniors and the middle class, the Boner has yet to specifiy one cut, detail one loophole, or detail one tax reform he would want. As Speaker he can introduce any bill at any time to change the tax code. When he did have a chance a couple of years ago, the GOP rejected an attempt to end oil company subsidies, so those companies still get billions of tax breaks every year. He demands leadership of the President, then says he is afraid the President will "get in the way". The Boner is a menace to the United States
Throwing seniors out to die is not courageous.
If I were him I don't think I would worry about Obama's guts. Republicans have controlled the white house and congress before and never offered to cut what they call entitlements. What they did do is vote to invade two countries without paying for the wars that were supposed to last 90 days. They are like democrats. Rather than admit that private health insurance spends 20% on administration and government spends 5% for the same thing. What they want is to make the citizens that need the most help like disabled veterans, the elderly and the poor to pick up the tab while their backers pay nothing additionally to cure the problem. They want Obama to sponsor spending cuts on those people because republicans do not want to take the blame. It is similar to immigration reform. Now that they have lost the Hispanic vote they are willing to reexamine their principled position on illegal immigrants. Democrats are just as bad but easier to take because they are not as sanctimonious about their positions.
The President should dress up in a flight suit, get in front a big banner on an aircraft carrier and say: "Mission Accomplished". (Psssst.... it has worked before).
Boehner know gutless. He does not have the guts to deal with then tea party . He does not have the guts to be honest and stop lieing.
If you want to see where the US is headed under Obama look at where Argentina is now under another socialist president.
If you want to see what the sequester would do, look at Europe. Austerity is a good thing, but not during a slow growth period.
Now Obama is supposed to pout like a child and burst into tears and prove Boehner wrong by cutting spending during a recession when that is the worst thing to do? If Obama was 10 years old, it might have worked, Boehner, you dumb azz! Too bad Boehner wasn't president. I actually think it would work on Boehner - that is cry like a 10 year old! It doesn't take much to get him to cry anyway!
Wow....both sides have the nuts out today.
Who the heck cares who caused the mess. The fact is we are here.
According to the Dems, we don't have a spending problem, the taxes are too low. However, if you say that we don't need to cut spending, these tax increases must hit all of us. This means that your take home pay will be going down, while the continued printing of currency will make things cost more.
Does anyone think this will be a good thing?
Well, here are the facts: dubya said that if we decrease taxes, the economy would improve... 8 years later, the economy was in the toilet!
Why should we believe Republicans this time?
OK, Boner. Explain how it takes guts to cut SS and Medicare so that the upper 10% can continue to suck up 90% of the wealth, tax free. Sounds more like slime than guts.
My oh my!! A challenge from the right-wing. Wouldn't doing what Boehner and friends want make the President a Republican? Last I checked, the POTUS is a Democrat. Stick to the principles of your party, Mr. President. Let the haters rant.
no, boner, you don't have the guts or leadership qualities to handle your own caucus...
Face the truth. Both parties lack leadership.
When that crybaby cuts his own salary and benefits, and insists every Representative do the same, now that's throwing down the gauntlet - not some easy headline-grabbing statement about our elected Presidents guts.
"...I don't think he's got the guts to do it." Anybody else notice that there are 4 fingers pointing back at Boehner?
Boner is the more appropriate spelling of his name. He ought to have another cocktail and retire.
Or you can stop throwing around childish names at people and talk real issues.
actually, that is the correct pronunciation of the man's name. one can understand why the family changed its pronunciation.
Boehner does not get it; is not about the President, it is about the middle class and lower class folks. It is about the people who work everyday and can't afford to buy gas for their car, pay the electric bill or heating bills or buy a new coat or or go on vacation.It is about the working class people who have not received a pay increase for the pass 4 or 7 years. It is about people who can't afford to have a family.
The economy can not grow until the working poor and middle class have enough money to spend. Most of us do not want to be rich but we want enough money to be able to put a little aside each money. My employer is planning to move millions of dollars into a investment for the company, yet the employees have been realigned out the door, fired without cause, no increase since 2008 and put on furlough without pay. Now to learn that this company has $417 million in surplus is sickening. People have lost their jobs because of the lack of money now to learn that we have $1.5 billion in the rain day fund and now $417 million in surplus is just mind blowing. All this time we were told that we need to tighten our belts.
sun,
You haven't figured it out yet. Few have. Corporations have record amounts of cash on hand. Why don't they spend it? Obama's administration has created such an uncertain and unfriendly business environment that few companies are willing to make cash outlays. No one knows what Obama is going to do next. No one knows what Obamacare is going to cost employers or us (not even Obama or the CBO). Obama has threatened to wield the EPA this year to increase regulations (and costs). If I owned a company I would hold on to cash reserves until the Obama storm is over. After another 4 years we will probably see a huge jump in the economy.
And yet, under dubya's regime, they had such a certain environment. Why didn't they increase jobs then?? Where were the "job creators" then? from here:
...we compiled the numbers for Bush's last three months. Between October and November, 597,000 jobs were lost; between November and December, 681,000 were lost; and between December and January, 741,000 were lost.
Helluva job, there, wasn't it? Why didn't America improve?
Doesn't have the guts??? LOL!!!
So,.. orange johnny is putting out a bit of junior high level reverse psychology....
Stunning...
Continued high spending means tax increases on everyone (including the middle class) = Less money to spend on things
Continued printing of money means inflation = It costs more money to buy things
Inflation + Income Reduction = Lower Quality of Life for Everyone
Inflation remains at a record low. spending has been reduced.
Ok, let's start with the pentagon, Boehner. How much do you want to cut? I say 15%.
love this post!
Great place to start is cutting the military in half. Yet the Republicans are looking to increase it. no doubt the military contractors are starting to worry their expensive toys won't be bought at the huge cost overrun that's become the norm.
Gut-less wonder has no room to talk. Ball-less stooge who's in every corporate pocket in the country. This "man" has NO REAL T E S T I C L E S AT ALL.
He even just LOOKS like he's full of sh!t.
zanz, aren't you being a little tough on Obama?
Agreed! Obama IS a gutless wonder, a ball-less stooge. It's been said that if Hillary gave Obama one of her balls, she's still have one more than him.
zanzibar i am sure you have seen obamas nuts!!!
What a paragon of courage and guts Boehner is. It takes a brave and courageous man to cut spending for those who need it most but are least able to defend themselves, while simultaneously coddling those who have everything. We can do with a little less of that kind of "courage."
President Stinky (bo) IS a gutless coward. He's a piece of garbage. Trash. Junk. By His own admission, in a hard hitting interview on David Letterman, he doesn't understand math beyond the 6th grade level, or anything else beyond HS Freshman level. It's the only truthful thing He's said since His first election, and explains why He does what He does. He's referred to as "stinky" for good reason. It's because of the "bo".
He was born in Hawaii, and got into college (with horrible grades, again by His own admission) on Foreign Student scholarships. Has anybody ever read any of the wonderful things He must have written in college? No? Good reason for it. Like Stinky, it's trash. Garbage. Junk.
Boehner didn't have the balls to stand up to the teabaggers and accept the deal he and the president had agreed to. It would have cut spending by over 2 trillion dollars but it involved closing tax loopholes. Now the president holds all the cards and all Boehner can do is whine.
Of course he wont, these are the folks that elected him!!
Eric Cantor is just chomping at the bit to take Boehners Job.
No more Republican Obstruction, vote all Republican s out in the next election and then we can get rid of the Gridlock!
President Obama just did the Biggest Spending Cut in a Very long time.
He is bringing two Unfunded Wars to a close that spend Millions per day and brother that ain't chicken soup!
nice fiction
Ted its best to take your meds EVERYDAY.
ted what are you smoking?
HAHAHAHA..love the comments from the left..the sequester was Obama's idea..and a good start..now lets cut the entitlement programs and tax the middle class. strave @!$%#s..starve....