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wwwest 
Group: Members
Posts: 4059
Joined: Dec. 2002
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Posted on: Dec. 21 2012, 2:16 pm |
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An interesting op-ed piece today that is grasping at straws to try and slavage some hope from the Republican fiasco with Plan B, and the desertion of the Tea Party radicals from their duties to the country:
The politics-as-usual route probably entails Mr. Obama working with Senate Democrats to pass a fiscal plan in the upper chamber that Republicans in the House can’t swallow, heavy on tax increases and light on spending cuts. If the House grumpily acquiesces, fine; if not, then Republicans can be blamed when the nation falls off the fiscal cliff.
But if he wants to resist the temptation of winner-take-all politics, the president could instead improve on the template for compromise that he and House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) had been fashioning, before Mr. Boehner left the table for his ill-advised and ill-fated Plan B gambit. The speaker had given substantial ground, agreeing that revenue needed to rise and that higher tax rates for the wealthy had to be a component of that increase.
Mr. Obama in turn had offered substantial concessions of his own, agreeing to change the way cost-of-living increases are considered for Social Security and other benefits, while offering to raise tax rates on households earning $400,000 and up, instead of his preferred $250,000.
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What would Mr. Obama gain from such largeness of spirit? First, he would put the nation on a sounder fiscal path. As he understands, rising health care costs and the aging of the population mean the nation can’t solve its debt problem through tax hikes alone. Controlling entitlements is a national necessity, not a partisan goal. Mr. Obama could remind his party that, as the creator of Social Security and Medicare, it has the largest stake in restructuring them to survive over the long term.
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Never negotiate with yourself is usually a pretty good rule in politics. But Mr. Obama has no one left to negotiate with. In victory, he could seek a win for the whole country.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinion....ry.html
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| Post Number: 2
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High_Sierra_Fan
Group: Members
Posts: 39564
Joined: Aug. 2005
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Posted on: Dec. 21 2012, 2:22 pm |
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I'm still not certain something like this isn't already baked into the grand political theater that has been playing out ever since the election.
The behind the scenes action during the debt ceiling fiasco was substantial and very well hidden for months and months, I'm suspicious something similar is going on now.
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mocamper1
Group: Members
Posts: 1909
Joined: Aug. 2006
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Posted on: Dec. 21 2012, 2:37 pm |
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What ever the deal is, it will still be you and I paying for it--one way or another.
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"It's time to be immortal 'cause heroes never die!"
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| Post Number: 4
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wwwest
Group: Members
Posts: 4059
Joined: Dec. 2002
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Posted on: Dec. 21 2012, 2:40 pm |
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Of course it will, but as Warren Buffet says, it would be better if the millionaires paid their fair share also. Which is NOT happening now.
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Ben2World
Group: Members
Posts: 23917
Joined: Jun. 2005
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Posted on: Dec. 21 2012, 2:51 pm |
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My concern is that Boehner has hurt his own credibility so much with that Plan B gimmick of his -- that whatever he and the president might agree on -- there is now no credible leadership within the GOP! Republican reps have just said "no" to their leader -- and got away with it. Whatever hard decisions that need to be made, they may be even less likely to say "yes" now.
Not good.
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The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page. -- St. Augustine
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| Post Number: 6
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Ben2World
Group: Members
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Joined: Jun. 2005
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Posted on: Dec. 21 2012, 2:57 pm |
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(High_Sierra_Fan @ Dec. 21 2012, 11:55 am)
QUOTE
(mocamper1 @ Dec. 21 2012, 11:37 am)
QUOTE What ever the deal is, it will still be you and I paying for it--one way or another. Well the bills do need to be paid.
Yep. And thus, the so-called fiscal cliff that everyone presumably wanted to avoid.
It takes two to negotiate: the president and Boehner as the leader and point person of the opposition. Now, the opposition may effectively be rudderless because of what Boehner just did to himself. Amazing. But sadly, I don't see this as a golden opportunity for anyone.
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The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page. -- St. Augustine
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| Post Number: 8
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wwwest
Group: Members
Posts: 4059
Joined: Dec. 2002
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Posted on: Dec. 21 2012, 3:31 pm |
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Not really a big surprise from the Party of NO, is it?
The Republicans have greatly strengthened Obama's position with this fiasco, and if he is as smart, and as tough, as I think he is, he now has the opportunity to shape a solution that is clearly good for the country, and for which the Republicans will be forced to approve in the end to avert permanent eletive disaster for the Republican brand.
I realize the Tea Hat folks will never come around, but that is good.
We just need enough sensible Republicans who actually do have the best interest of the whole country as their motivating force.
Don't need a lot, just enough to approve the bill.
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| Post Number: 9
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High_Sierra_Fan
Group: Members
Posts: 39564
Joined: Aug. 2005
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Posted on: Dec. 21 2012, 3:39 pm |
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Heck part of the deal could be that Boehner keeps the speakership with a coalition of Dems and moderate Republicans.
The Speaker is elected by a majority of the entire House after all, just like how legislation is supposed to be rather than that "majority made up of at least the majority party" perversion.
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| Post Number: 10
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wwwest
Group: Members
Posts: 4059
Joined: Dec. 2002
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Posted on: Dec. 21 2012, 3:50 pm |
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Whatever. If Obama can use that to get the result the country needs, it is fine with me.
I could not possibly care less about Boehner than I do already.
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| Post Number: 12
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JimInMD
Group: Members
Posts: 3112
Joined: Feb. 2011
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Posted on: Dec. 21 2012, 5:20 pm |
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I think that a reasonable compromise could be met here. Heck, I was oddly encouraged that Boehner and Obama were actually talking one on one.
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Checking out for a while, find me on FB.
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| Post Number: 13
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High_Sierra_Fan
Group: Members
Posts: 39564
Joined: Aug. 2005
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Posted on: Dec. 21 2012, 5:32 pm |
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(Ben2World @ Dec. 21 2012, 12:50 pm)
QUOTE
(High_Sierra_Fan @ Dec. 21 2012, 12:39 pm)
QUOTE Heck part of the deal could be that Boehner keeps the speakership with a coalition of Dems and moderate Republicans.
The Speaker is elected by a majority of the entire House after all, just like how legislation is supposed to be rather than that "majority made up of at least the majority party" perversion. That might work... except we seem to have plenty of Dems who won't work with the GOP as vice versa.
Trimming off both fringes wouldn't be much of a loss, IMHO.
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| Post Number: 14
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Old Frank
Group: Members
Posts: 624
Joined: Sep. 2007
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Posted on: Dec. 21 2012, 6:00 pm |
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I'm retired. Paid SS for over a half century.
But recognize that, without changes, I'll likely receive more than I paid in.
Have been financially fortunate, but SS is still important to me.
Am very willing to accept less, so my Grandchildren can benefit.
And imagine a whole bunch of other GrandPa's and GrandMa's feel the same.
I just want the pain to be shared.
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My favorite compliment: "GrandPa, I've seen other old men, and their faces are a whole lot cruddier than yours is".
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| Post Number: 15
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gunslinger
Group: Members
Posts: 6029
Joined: Mar. 2007
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Posted on: Dec. 21 2012, 6:01 pm |
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Obama? Leadership?
Why would he start now?
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For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
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| Post Number: 16
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| Post Number: 17
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wwwest
Group: Members
Posts: 4059
Joined: Dec. 2002
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Posted on: Dec. 22 2012, 1:03 pm |
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Behind the scenes report on the GOP meltdown that has now put Obama and Reid in the drivers seat. I knew that Obama was going to drive a hard bargain with the Republicans, but didn't think he would get this much ammunition.
Boehner’s statement — released after the closed meeting in the House basement — seemed to hand off the the nation’s fiscal crisis to Democrats.
“Now it is up to the president to work with Sen. Reid on legislation to avert the fiscal cliff,” Boehner said Thursday night.
Boehner’s Republican Conference has relegated their negotiator to the sidelines. Now, Republicans will see why Boehner was willing to offer Obama so much: The final deal Republicans will now have to swallow will be driven by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Obama.
“He’s tried his best,” said Rep. Steve LaTourette (R-Ohio), a longtime Boehner confidant who is leaving Congress at the end of the year. “But sometimes your best isn’t good enough in the face of some people that just don’t want to find common ground.”
Rep. Buck McKeon, a California Republican who has served with Boehner for two decades, said what happened to the speaker is a “real shame.”
“He has worked his heart out to try to get the best deal he can, and to have this happen is very sad for the country,” McKeon said.
In the end, his strategy backfired.
http://www.politico.com/story....p=l1_b3
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