MSNBCWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama said Friday night that House Speaker John Boehner was “walking away” from negotiations to the nation’s debt ceiling and avert financial catastrophe.
Still, Obama said he was expecting congressional leaders from both parties at the White House Saturday morning.
In a dramatic appearance in the White House briefing room Obama said it was up to congressional leaders to explain to him how they intend to avoid the default that is threatened after Aug. 2.
“I expect them to have an answer in terms of how they intend to get this thing done in the course of the next week. The American people expect action,” Obama said.
“This was an extraordinary fair deal,” said the president. “If it was unbalanced, it was unbalanced in the direction of not enough revenue.”
He said Republicans need to ask themselves, “Can they say ‘yes’ to anything?”
“We have now run out of time,” said Obama. “What we’re not going to do is continue to play games and string this along,” said the president. “I’ve been left at the altar now a couple of times.”
He added, “I cannot believe that Congress would be that irresponsible that they would not pass a package to avoid a self inflicted wound.”
Read more here:
SG2’s rant: John Boehner is not fit to hold the position as Speaker of The House. He is reckless & irresponsible. Leaving a deal on the table and walking away from the Country’s crisis proves incompetence!
What are your thoughts, 3 Chics?
‘Super Congress’: Debt Ceiling Negotiators Aim To Create New Legislative Body. http://t.co/ZLukEaU
WE DON’TNEED NO STINKING “SUPER CONGRESS”
RAISE THE MOFO DEBT CEILING AND GET TO CREATING JOBS FOR AMERICA!
Hello out there! I just read this piece from Balloon Juice, saw it on TOD and I thought you might enjoy it. I hope both of you are well.
http://www.balloon-juice.com/2011/07/24/compromise/
Boehner Set To Call Obama’s Bluff In Push For Short-Term Debt Ceiling Deal
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/23/boehner-obama-bluff-short-term-debt-ceiling-deal_n_907850.html
WASHINGTON — House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) is set to call the Democratic Party’s bluff on the debt ceiling. The Ohio Republican, in a briefing with his conference on Saturday, announced that he would press for a short-term deal, with major spending cuts paired with longer-term deficit-reduction strategies, as a way around the current impasse.
That strategy puts the speaker directly at odds with the White House and allied Democrats, who have insisted for weeks that they would not support a short-term extension of the debt ceiling. The president went so far as to dare House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) to test his opposition to a temporary deal during a tense meeting more than a week ago.
Whether that rigidity will fade as the Aug. 2 deadline to raise the debt ceiling nears is a big gamble on Boehner’s part.
A Democratic official familiar with negotiations said that at a 50-minute-long White House meeting on Saturday morning the president “said he would not accept a short term extension, because it could lead to a downgrade” of the United States’ credit rating. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) added that her caucus would not vote for a short-term deal.
“For the first time ever,” the source said, “[Senate Majority Leader Harry] Reid was less committed.”
Reid’s (D-Nev.) office immediately disputed that account, with his top spokesman Adam Jentleson calling it “absolutely false.” Minutes later, Reid’s office sent out the following statement:
I want to reaffirm my statement from last night. I will not support any short-term agreement, and neither will President Obama nor Leader Pelosi. We seek an extension of the debt ceiling through at least the end of 2012. We will not send a message of uncertainty to the world.
This mofo right here! WTF is wrong with these ass clowns? They’re willing to take down the country in order to defeat the black guy!
Working-stiffs of America, unite!
Obama Gets A Hickory Stick And Takes The GOP To The Woodshed
http://www.politicususa.com/en/obama-gop-woodshed
After John Boehner quit on the debt ceiling talks, President Obama delivered a lashing to the entire Republican Party that will definitely leave a mark.
After laying out his plan, Obama launched his first salvo at the Republicans,
It is hard to understand why Speaker Boehner would walk away from this kind of deal and frankly, if you look at the commentary out there, there are a lot of republicans that are puzzled as to why it couldn’t get done. In fact, there are a lot of Republican voters out there who are puzzled as to why it couldn’t get done. Because the fact of the matter is the vast majority of the American people believe we should have a balanced approach. Now, if you do not have any revenues as the most recent Republican plan that’s been put forward both in House and Senate proposed, if you have no revenues at all, what that means is, more after burden on seniors, more traffic cuts to education, more drastic cuts to research. A bigger burden on services that are going to middle class families all across the country, and it essentially asks nothing of corporate jet owners. It asks nothing of oil and gas companies. It asks nothing from folks like me who have done extremely well, and can afford to do a little bit more. In other words, if you don’t have revenues, the entire thing ends up being tilted on the backs of the poor and middle class families, and the majority of Americans don’t agree on that approach. So here’s what we’re going to do, we have now run out of time. I’ve told Speaker Boehner. I’ve told Nancy Pelosi. I’ve told Harry Reid, and I’ve told Mitch McConnell, i want them here at 11:00 tomorrow. We have run out of time and they are going to have to explain to me how it is that we are going to avoid default, and they can come up with any plans that they want and bring them up here and we will work on them. The only bottom line that i have is that we have to extend this debt ceiling through the next election into 2013.
President Obama tried to make it clear to the American people who is to blame,
Up until sometime earlier today when I couldn’t get a phone call returned, my expectation was that Speaker Boehner was going to be willing to go to his caucus and ask them to do the tough thing but right thing. I think it has proven difficult for Speaker Boehner to do that. I’ve been left at the alter now a couple of times, and I think that one of the questions the Republican Party is going to have to ask itself is can they say yes to anything? Can they say yes to anything?
And it’s accomplished without raising individual tax rates. It’s accomplished in a way that’s compatible with the “no tax” pledge that a whole bunch of these folks signed on to — because we were mindful that they had boxed themselves in and we tried to find a way for them to generate revenues in a way that did not put them in a bad spot.
And so the question is, what can you say yes to? Now, if their only answer is what they’ve presented, which is a package that would effectively require massive cuts to Social Security, to Medicare, to domestic spending, with no revenues whatsoever, not asking anything from the wealthiest in this country or corporations that have been making record profits — if that’s their only answer, then it’s going to be pretty difficult for us to figure out where to go. Because the fact of the matter is that’s what the American people are looking for, is some compromise, some willingness to put partisanship aside, some willingness to ignore talk radio or ignore activists in our respective bases, and do the right thing.
President Obama pulled out the big guns and put a face on the impact of a default,
I’m getting letters from people who write me and say, at the end of every month I have to skip meals. Senior citizens on Social Security who are just hanging on by a thread. Folks who have severe disabilities who are desperate every single month to try to figure out how they’re going to make ends meet. But it’s not just those folks. You’ve got business contractors who are providing services to the federal government, who have to wonder are they going to be able to get paid and what does that do in terms of their payrolls.
You’ve got just a huge number of people who, in one way or another, interact with the federal government. And even if you don’t, even if you’re not a recipient of Social Security, even if you don’t get veterans’ benefits or disabilities, imagine what that does to the economy when suddenly 70 million checks are put at risk. I mean, if you’re a business out there, that is not going to be good for economic growth. And that’s the number one concern of the American people.
This was a masterful use of the bully pulpit, by a president who often gets criticized by those on the left and right for not showing enough emotion. At this press conference, Obama showed more than emotion. He revealed where his heart is. This president is trying to protect the most vulnerable members of our society, and those who are hurting in this recession.
The message was clear and powerful. Republicans want to cut the deficit by hurting those who are most in need of our help. Republicans are more interested in playing politics than reducing the debt. Republicans are cowards who refuse to make the tough decisions. Most importantly, his message to average Americans was I am here working for you. I am willing to make the tough decisions, and take the heat from my own party for uncomfortable compromises.
Not only did Obama position himself as working for the American people, but he painted the Republicans as Washington politicians who are beholden to their ideology and special interests.
Republicans could have had trillions of dollars in spending cuts, but as the minutes tick away it is looking more and more like they will have to raise the debt ceiling and get nothing. The GOP now has two options. They can raise the debt ceiling with no spending cuts, or they can allow the country to default and be blamed for another collapse of the American economy.
Obama has not only won the political battle over the debt ceiling, but he has exposed the GOP as deficit frauds. If Republicans don’t agree to cut spending and increase revenues, they will have given Obama the ability to run for reelection in 2012 as the only candidate who is serious about lowering the deficit.
Republicans ached for this fight over the debt ceiling, but the thought never occurred to them that President Obama would take them to the woodshed and beat them within an inch of their lives.
Obama may end up getting everything he wanted and giving up nothing.
He is the best politician in the country, and this press conference illustrated why even with a bad economy, he leads every potential Republican nominee in the polls.
LMBAO @ hickory stick
Republicans ached for this fight over the debt ceiling, but the thought never occurred to them that President Obama would take them to the woodshed and beat them within an inch of their lives.
THIS
Obama strikes with unprecedented ferocity
http://pmcarpenter.blogs.com/
Not even when Bill Clinton was getting his guiltless butt impeached by predatory partisan enemies has a U.S. president so utterly mutilated his political opposition — so righteously denounced the “inexcusable.” Barack Obama’s just-delivered evening announcement was brutal, beautiful, unfaltering, fiercely determined and bloodily retaliatory.
He … has … had … enough.
On such acutely personal notes as “I couldn’t get a phone call returned” from the House GOP leadership and that he had been “left at the altar” several times now, Obama blasted with a bittersweet fury at those deranged, reckless pseudoconservatives who have now led the nation to a devastating precipice.
You watched it, too, most likely, so I won’t rehash further. What I will conclude with, briefly, is merely to say that any critical assessments of Obama’s presidential “weakness” can now, and should now, be laid to a permanent and deserved rest.
The GOP= Lowdown dirty thugs in a suit!
That’s Brooks Brothers suits!
Daps!
Anti-tax leader sides with Obama on raising debt ceiling beyond 2012
http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/07/22/debt.talks.norquist/
(CNN) — The head of a conservative group that has backed a high-profile pledge to oppose any tax increase told CNN on Friday that he would support effectively lifting the debt ceiling through the 2012 presidential election.
Grover Norquist, the president of Americans for Tax Reform, spoke shortly after House Speaker John Boehner abruptly ended debt talks with the White House, in part due to his claim that President Barack Obama was insisting that “taxes have to be raised.”
More than 230 House members and 40 senators, almost all of them Republicans, have signed a “no new taxes” pledge that has been circulated by Norquist’s group. But unlike some fiscal conservatives, Norquist advised against taking an all-or-nothing approach in which the nation defaults on its debt unless major cuts (and no revenue hikes) are instituted.
“I assume it’s a disaster,” Norquist said of defaulting on the nation’s debt, which would happen unless Congress takes action by August 2. “There’s no reason to assume otherwise. It is gambling with the economics of the country.”
Rather, Norquist said he supports allowing the debt ceiling to rise through 2013 — thus giving voters the choice as to whether they support candidates who favor a strict cut approach to the deficit issue or one that involves both cuts and tax hikes.
This approach is in line with what Obama told reporters he would consider Friday evening, saying he would not favor any debt ceiling increase that did not extend at least that long.
Grover Norquist, go straight to HELL and take the tea party & the slimely rethugs with you!
Action Alert: Call John Boehner’s office and express your outrage!
(202) 225-6205
Got it! Thanks!
Bone head is not fit to hold anything more than his next drink. He’s toast with whipped cream, your choice of toppings and a big fat cherry on top! PBO has eaten Boner’s lunch, left him in his underwear but did give him bus fare home.
The orange bone head has lost all credibility.
This is some unbelievable ish to walk out on talks with the President when the country is at a crisis. It’s extreme incompetence. Boehner has no business being in that position of responsibility.
I’m a Libertarian who has the attitude that when it comes to Republican and Democrats… It’s the same shit in a different pile.
I think the Republican party is showing their true colors on the debt ceiling issue. They are protecting their rich, wealthy backing. They refuse to accept that the United States can no longer afford to keep the Bush Tax Cuts.
They, the Republicans, want to see cuts being made that hurt the lowest class of American Citizen, the poor, the elderly, and those who depend on public aid because of the economy they created.
I think it is irresponsible behavior to say, “To Hell with American Citizen”. They got rich exporting jobs, they got rich outsourcing to foreign countries, they got rich off NAFTA, they got rich off of government bailouts, they got rich off Reagan tax cuts…. They continue to grow richer as the average America can’t find work and has lost his/her home.
How dare the Republicans try to stick the Middle Class and poor with a burden they created.
I want to be clear. I am not in favor of a welfare state. I think the system is abused and over used by those who don’t need it. But we are in an economic depression and trying to stick the poor and elderly with cuts to money they desperately need should be criminal.
Hi Terry,
The republicans are holding the country hostage because they want to screw the middle class and reward the rich and willing to take down a Nation to do it. I’ll just be damned!
Excellent comment! I’m not in favor of a “welfare state” either. I just want to see every American have a fair chance to work hard, make a better life and have some measure of security in old age.
This promise, this contract that we have all shared has been violated, eroded and is now in total danger of being lost because of the Repugnants and their corporate overlords. None of us, Democrats, Independents, Libertarians, or Republicans of good heart should allow these corporate predators to feed off us anymore.
We are at war and this is a war we have to win, right here, right now or we will all perish.
Speak on it, AG! Speak!
the BOTTOM LINE: Congress NEEDS to raise the debt ceiling.
The GOP as ususal wanted to fruther pilage and rob HARDWORKING Americans; instead of performing a routine procedure. They turned this into a sideshow, and thought they could get away with it.
THE GOP HAS NO INTENTIONS OF GOVERNING, OBSTRUCT, DISTORT, DELAY, LIE, CHEAT, STEAL….. And they’re NOT going to let the BLACK PRESIDENT MOVE THIS COUNTRY FORWARD without performing these nasty, juvenile tactics. They’re a disgrace to America.