Boehner: Conservative Republicans Who Opposed Plan B Are ‘Drowning’ The Country

[MaxShimba]

Less than 12-hours after Congress failed to pass the so-called Plan B, House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) insisted that he has not abandoned negotiations with President Obama to avert the so-called fiscal cliff and called on Congress and the President to continue working towards a deal

During a press conference alongside House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA), Boehner sought to shore up confidence in his speakership and his conference, although he admitted that he could not convince conservative members to increase taxes on the richest Americans for the good of the country.

Boehner’s so-called ‘Plan B’ extended the Bush tax cuts for Americans making up to $1 million and was even supported by anti-tax zealot Grover Norquist. Republican leadership sought to entice conservative members by offering a companion bill of spending cuts to food stamps, Wheels on Meals, and Medicaid. That measure passed, but the modest tax hike didn’t.

“There was a perception created that that vote last night was going to increase taxes,” Boehner explained. “That impression was out there. There were a number of our members who just didn’t want to be perceived as raising taxes.” He went on to compare the intransigent members to lifeguards who refuse to save drowning swimmers:

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Boehner: Conservative Republicans Who Opposed Plan B Are 'Drowning' The Country | ThinkProgress

 

[Yegomasika]

Speaker John Boehner is in deep trouble, he can't put his house in order. He lost big time yesterday!.

 

[MaxShimba]

Speaker John Boehner is in deep trouble, he can't put his house in order. He lost big time yesterday!.

He is in trouble, where is GOP?

 

[kui]

He's coming swinging because that was 'HIS' plan na siyo ya Prez., how come he didnt mention a thing against republiklans when they refused the prez's plan the first time??!

 

[MaxShimba]

 

[Sumasuma]

US Congressional leaders are mounting a last-ditch attempt to stop the threat of steep tax rises and spending cuts, known as the "fiscal cliff".
Both the Senate and House of Representatives are primed to vote on a compromise measure if one is agreed.
Failure to reach agreement by a 1 January deadline could push the US back into recession.
Earlier, President Obama increased pressure on Republicans to accept a deal, blaming them for the deadlock.
He said their "overriding theme" was protecting tax breaks for the rich.
Deadline extended Efforts to reach a deal suffered a setback on Sunday as Senate leaders missed their own 15:00 (20:00 GMT) deadline to reach a compromise\

The current stand-off has its roots in a failed 2011 attempt to tackle the government debt limit and budget deficit. Republicans and Democrats agreed then to postpone difficult decisions on spending until the end of 2012, and imposed a threat of compulsory cuts if no deal was reached by 31 December.
That is also the date that tax cuts introduced by former President George W Bush are due to expire, though both parties want them extended for most Americans.
Analysts say that even if a deal is reached on the fiscal cliff, it will do little to reduce the original problem of the deficit and the government debt limit, raising the prospect of further political in-fighting early in the new year.
No counter-offer
Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid and his Republican counterpart Mitch McConnell were locked in negotiations over the weekend.
The two senators appeared to admit not long before the 15:00 deadline that negotiations were at a standstill, with their two parties still divided over core ideological issues about tax and government funding.
Senator Reid said the Democrats were as yet unable to make a counter-offer to an apparent Republican proposal to slow cost-of-living increases for social security recipients, known as "chained CPI".
Meanwhile Senator McConnell said he had asked Vice-President Joe Biden for help in breaking the deadlock.
"I'm concerned with the lack of urgency here. There's far too much at stake," he said. "There is no single issue that remains an impossible sticking point - the sticking point appears to be a willingness, an interest or courage to close the deal."

 

[Sumasuma]

Rais Barack Obama wa Marekani amefupisha likizo yake katika jimbo la Hawaii na atarudi Washington kuanza tena mazungumzo na viongozi wa bunge yanayolenga kufikia makubaliano ya kupunguza nakisi kabla ya mwaka kuisha.

White House inasema Rais Obama ataondoka Hawaii Jumatano na anatarajiwa kufika Washington Alhamis asubuhi.

Mwanzoni mwa wiki iliyopita rais alisema yeye na spika wa bunge m-Republican, John Boehner walikaribia kufikia makubaliano juu ya kukamilisha mtafaruku wa fedha uliopo ili kuepuka kile kinachoitwa “Fiscal Cliff” ukataji wa matumizi ya lazima ya dola bilioni 500 na ongezeko la kodi ambalo litawaathiri takribani wafanyakazi wote wa Marekani kuanzia Januari mosi. Lakini mwishoni mwa wiki iliyopita juhudi hizo zilivurugika wakati wabunge walipoondoka Washington kwa likizo fupi ya kusheherekea sikukuu ya Krismas.

Bwana Obama na familia yake pia waliondoka White House na kuelekea Hawaii na kile kwa kawaida huwa likizo ndefu wakati wa sikukuu. Lakini mwaka huu Obama atarudi mapema kwa ajili ya mazungumzo ya “Fiscal Cliff”.

Likizo ya sikukuu ilianza muda mfupi baada ya wabunge wa chama cha Republican kuzorotesha jaribio la kupitisha pendekezo la suluhisho lililotolewa na Boehner ambalo litaongeza kodi kwa mamilionea huku ikipunguza kodi kwa watu wengine wa daraja la kati. Bwana Obama anataka nafuu ya kuongezewa kodi kwa kufikia kiwango cha mapato ya dola 400,000.



source. voice of America