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J. Scott Applewhite / AP
In this Jan. 4, 2013, photo, House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, walks to a strategy session with GOP members, on Capitol Hill in Washington at the start of the first full day of business for the new 113th Congress.
Throughout the 2012 presidential campaign, President Barack Obama and his Democratic allies in Congress confidently predicted that the re-election of the president would break the partisan “fever” they claimed had enveloped Washington and the Republican Party.
But the weeks since the election have found Republicans as dogged as ever in their resistance to Obama, whose initiatives – including gun control, immigration reform and efforts to boost renewable energy – still face an uncertain path forward, particularly in an unruly House of Representatives still controlled by a Republican majority. Republicans are signaling a willingness to go to great lengths to bend coming battles in their favor, especially versus a White House whom they view as just as unflinching in its views, if not more so.
“I believe if we're successful – when we’re successful in this election – the fever may break. My hope and my expectation is that after the election, now that it turns out the goal of beating Obama doesn’t make much sense because I’m not running again,” Obama said at an event on June 1. “We can start getting some cooperation again, and we’re not going to have people raising their hands and saying – or refusing to accept a deal where there’s $10 of cuts for every dollar of tax increases, but that people will accept a balanced plan for deficit reduction.”
That was an expectation the Obama administration carried all the way through the campaign; Vice President Joe Biden said on MSNBC just days before Election Day: “I think you’re going to see the fever break.”
President Obama nominated Chuck Hagel to defense secretary on Monday, January 7, 2013. The Morning Joe panel -- including the Council on Foreign Relations' Richard Haass and Dan Senor -- discusses why several top GOP lawmakers are having a tough time with the president's nomination.
But the just-finished fight over the fiscal cliff suggested that, if anything, Republicans are more entrenched than ever before. While Obama ultimately won the income tax rate increases on the wealthy, on which the president campaigned, it wasn’t until Republicans had exhausted every feasible move that they relented to Obama’s demand. And even then, it wasn’t until the U.S. had gone over the fiscal cliff – if only for a matter of hours – that Congress agreed to act, passing the bill in the House with mostly Democratic votes.
Debt limit a 'point of leverage'
But Obama might be mistaken to assume his toughest fights with congressional Republicans are behind him. While Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s vow to make Obama a one-term president is now moot, Republicans appear as emboldened as ever to both battle with the administration and keep true to their the ideological conservatism that a large number in the party represent.
The temporary fiscal cliff deal sets up a series of potentially more contentious battles this spring over continuing government funding and authorizing more borrowing authority for the government. And top Republicans are now openly discussing options, like a government shutdown, that they had taken every pain to disavow in 2011.
"It may be necessary to partially shut down the government in order to secure the long-term fiscal well being of our country," Texas Sen. John Cornyn, Republicans' No. 2 in the Senate, wrote last week in the Houston Chronicle. "President Obama needs to take note of this reality and put forward a plan to avoid it immediately."
The government will reach its debt limit next month, and unless Congress raises the debt ceiling, the U.S. will default on 40 percent of its obligations. Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., explains what will happen to the economy, if the U.S. defaults.
And House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, called the debt limit fight "one point of leverage" in an interview with the Wall Street Journal; a Politico report, also published Monday, suggested the House speaker was more circumspect about the possibility of defaulting on the national debt. In 2011, Boehner stressed at every turn that defaulting on the U.S. debt was not an option.
Senate Republicans’ budget chief was more explicit: “I think it should be a firm principle that we should not raise the debt ceiling until we have a plan on how the new borrowed money will be spent,” Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions told the Washington Examiner on Tuesday.
If Obama was hoping there were more deals to be had on taxes, too, Republicans all but tried to slam the door on such an idea.
“We’ve resolved the tax issue now. It’s over. It’s behind us,” McConnell said Sunday on “Meet the Press.”
Fight over defense secretary
And those are only the spending fights; other clashes are already taking shape.
Former Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., whom Obama nominated to be the next secretary of defense, appears likely to face strong Republican resistance in the Senate.
Obama has also suggested that he’s willing to dive headlong – and quickly – into battles over comprehensive immigration reform and gun control, fights which could only threaten to intensify hostilities between the White House and congressional Republicans (and put some moderate Democrats in a tough spot politically in the meanwhile).
The president’s second-term initiatives could fall victim to the same fever that killed the DREAM Act, cap-and-trade legislation, the Employee Free Choice Act and the “public option” in health care reform during his first term.
“There will be plenty of time to take a look at their recommendations once they come forward,” McConnell said Sunday of Obama’s hope for quick action on curbing gun violence. “What’s going to dominate Washington for the next three months here is going to be spending and debt.”
Leave a Comment:
d
Only Obama and the liberals (media included) could call $41 in tax increases to $1 in spending reductions a Balanced Approach...there has been 0 cuts in anything the last 4 years and 6 trillion in spending...a liberal balanced approach
This whole idea that if cuts are needed that they should start at the bottom, from those that have very little in order that the rich can maintain and "grant" us all jobs is about as nonsensical as Regan's trickle down ideas.... LOL
Reagan's 'trickle down' has always been more 'trickle on'....and the GOP tells you it's raining.
Good little low info voters
The GOP have yet to spell out what spending cuts they want...as part of their side of the negotiations. They will blink on the debt limit and either give Obama carte blanche or extend it enough for one or two years...or risk economic collapse by holding it up. On sequester, those are automatic cuts that will affect the economy if they go into effect. But the Dems may opt for defense cuts to kick in if the GOP tries to go to far on entitlements...and the GOP will be lambasted by defense contractors if that happens. The GOP better learn to compromise or their 'safe' districts may not be so safe in 2014.
Even democrats can see what is happening to the USA. The liberals can't or wont untill it bites them in the rear. I wont go into all of it as I said most in post 165. Ademocrat can talk without trying to call names and tear everyone else down . The liberals can't talk without trying to demonise the other side for not believing like they do. This is very childish and shows their mentality.
Tarriffs should be proposed on foreign goods and services commesurate with the loss of Tax revenue and reflecting the need that unemployed workers need Government subsidies that would solve this long term. If you earn your livelihood by selling in the US isnt there a law that you have to pay income taxes?
Loss of jobs and banks buying up the properties from the unemployed is not acceptable.
How many of you who call yourselves "conservatives" also claim to be religious/Christian?
How can you support those who sign pledges out of prejudice and/or greed against the President of the United States, who call themselves fellow "Conservatives", Republicans, Tea Partiers, or blue-footed boobies for all I know.
Don't you realize you're dancing like puppets for the puppeteers pulling your strings? Ever tried actually thinking for yourselves, instead of mouthing talking points you've been fed from the likes of Rush Limbaugh and Fox News? Look around you. The pieces of this puzzle are just waiting for you to start putting them together. We're ALL about to fall into a much deeper hole if you don't wake up!
Ah, so what you are implying is that YOU have the answer to all our problems, but all the rest of us are clueless right?? Ok, ya sure, whatever LOL LOL
You are a @!$%#ing moron. Just who do you think is digging the damn hole deeper every year. Quit spending money we don't have.
a friend of mine made a good point,he saidthat even if we vote out the crooks in congress and senate there will always be more crooks waiting in the wings due to greed,and the ones who were voted out don't care cause they lined the mattress while they were there,kind of like a white mafiosa.got to be a way to catch them stealing.
To you, Ed-2781260,
I don't have all the answers. Never claimed to. None of us have ALL the answers, which is why we need to start having civil, adult compromising conversations with each other again. But, when arrogant, vulgar people like canon-2792132 like you and he/she are involved, we all pay.
Putting two wars on a credit card, handing out tax cuts to people who don't need them and giving people license to squirrel their record profits away in foreign countries to avoid paying their fair share while we're forced to make up for their greed is not what I call being fiscally "responsible". Working two or three jobs just to put food on the table, pay a mortgage and put clothes on our kids' backs, I believe, is being darn fiscally "responsible", wouldn't you?
perhaps Activist you can enlighten me how we are so ignorant because we cannot support the most radically leftist president in our history?
I developed my libertarian views before conservative talk radio or Fox news existed. My views were shaped over 50 years ago by reading the Constitution, the writings of the Founders, and those who influenced them.
It's is the result of those readings that drives me to oppose Obama, the Democrats, and most Republicans.
I agree it's a deeper hole and that's why people like myself will continue to fight against the marxism that has driven this country into moral and fiscal bankruptcy.
BTW, the wealthy do pay their fair share. What percentage of tax revenue from the top 1% would you consider fair? I'm not talking tax rates. That's meaningless. no matter when we had a 90% top rate or 28% top rate the total of income taxes has been around 18-20% of GDP.
So what percentage of tax revenues is fair for the top 1% to pay?
Secondly, who's responsibility is it for you, me, or anyone else to take care of putting food on the table and paying our bills?
The real question is: "Who are the constituents that these so called "representatives" represent? It does take an election, right? We need to talk to these people, come on now, step up and let your little Repub lights shine.
Three things that should be demanded before any increase in the debt ceiling is given:
1) Entitlement reform and actual spending cuts that equal 1 trillion per year (NOT DECADE).
2) A budget that will pass both the senate and the house (HAVEN'T SEEN THAT IN FOUR YEARS)
3) A Constitutional Balanced Budget Amendment that will prevent us from getting back into this mess (IF WE CAN EVER GET OUT OF IT).
Until those three things happen. NO MORE MONEY. SHUT IT DOWN.
Now let the liberals complain!
Spoken like someone who has no power to do anything....I think it's called backseat coaching, and is just about as useful LOL.
The United States must pay the bills for what Congress has already spent. A default would cost ALL of us dearly.
Each House of Congress passes its own budget. Neither is voted on by the other House. The budgets serve as frameworks in each House for development of the 13 Appropriation Bills that are supposed to be voted on and passed by both Houses of Congress and sent to the President for signature. If I am not mistaken, I believe Obama signed the FY 2013 Defense appropriation bill into law late last year.
screw them go ahead and default,most mid-americans just don't care what these clowns have done but they made sure they got their raise but to hell with us,quoting an old frenchwoman ms.marie anthonette,let them eat cake,the cake is stale,the wine is piss warm and you idiots in washington are no longer in vogue,the public opinion poll proves that,2014 is coming and boy are the people pissed,gerrymandering won't help you dipsh!ts.
I see, and now it is YOU that speaks for what everyone else cares about?? Ok, ya sure, whatever LOL
The House voted down the pay raise and has sent it to the Senate
6:31:04 P.M.
H.R. 6726
Considered as unfinished business. H.R. 6726 — "To prevent the 2013 pay adjustment for Members of Congress and persons holding other offices or positions in the Federal Government from being made."
6:58:00 P.M.
H.R. 6726
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 287 - 129 (Roll no. 655).
Larry
You're dealing with low information voters ( and posters )....but, keep it up.
And, I wonder how many Dems were in the 129 no votes?
Two things I love about this particular story...
First, the photo of Boehner in the corridor with a super-sized cup of self-tanner leading Butch and Nancy-boy to wherever it is they go to rub it on him and the dude in the background looking like he paid good money to watch.
And second, the title wherein the last-minute sparingly applied "avoidance" of the fiscal cliff by doing as little as they possibly could for America is referred to as a "setback" for them. Recent testing has proven there is more integrity in a drain-snaked hair ball than in all of the House GOP combined.
May they all return to wherever they were excreted from to begin with... We've already seen what happens when you let them clump together.
1/2/2013 Daily Ticker: “The Republicans may not have gotten everything they wanted out of the Fiscal Cliff
deal, but they got almost everything.
And when it comes to the broader fiscal battle, the Republicans are winning: The federal government's tax revenues are at the lowest level as a percent of GDP in the past several decades. The Republicans, in other words, are well on their way to starving the beast.”
If you deprive "big government" of enough tax revenue, eventually it will be forced to contract.
So how long have you been wearing that hat with the little propeller on top?
Peter17: Yes, you're correct. That is the TEA Party's plan to destroy the American economy, the American government, and the American people. You seem to think the consequences for the American Republic will be prosperity, if all government employees are fired and all government agencies are shut down. We will then live in a land that is better than life.
Tjeff
You might be on to something if we all worked for the government...
See Peter...low info voter. No ones said to eliminate government, just reduce it down to 10-15% of GDP...not 20-25% like now.
Thank god for something like a Tea Party...and the best thing about it is liberals can't find it. LOL
I particularly liked the Von hollen picture and him licking his chops watching Barney Frank waddle down the aisle. Dreamy eyed visions of ol Barn.
Ed all the power I have right now comes from the pen, but given the attitude of some people it may have to start coming from something else.
J. Willard - I did not say don't pay the existing bills I said quit spending. There is a difference. Yes we must cover our debt but we don't have to keep spending money the we don't have.
Pete the goal is to have the senate and the house and the president agree on a common budget.
Republicranks have for the last 40 years placed politics over their country. I don't see that changing anytime soon.
At this point we as Americans can no longer put any faith in the Republican Party which places special interests and lobby money ahead of all else. For goodness sake they made a unconstitutional pledge right out in the open to a man who is not an electd official and is the ultimate lobbyist!!!!???? They are one of the most dangerous groups on this planet and yet we see fools who still support them only because of party loyalty? We are the dumbest bunch of humans it seems when we support the ones leading us to slaughter.
Dems have run the country for 75% of the time I've been around. All the blame should be on them...especially the dominance of the 60's and 70's during the plundering of our treasury for pet welfare programs.
The 'fever' of the Great Obstuctionist Party is the same as it has been, beginning four years ago, although the election has changed their direction from 'don't let him be elected again'. It's still, 'whatever it takes we're going to screw him up and do what we can to make a black, Democratic president a political failure'. Sorry, I've always seen racism as one of the drivers of this unrelenting GOP/teabagger policy.
I've been puzzled by the rather constant attacks of claims of racism, when if I were black I'd be furious at President Obama for the little he's done for the jobs for the black population. . . .contrary to his great efforts for the middle class. . .he's seems to have ignored the plight of those less fortunate . . . .except to extend food stamps and unemployment benefits. . . helpful of course. . . but no solution to the problem of still rising unemployment.
Don: The unemployment rate today is below 7% in most American cities. Surely there are some African-Americans in that 7'%, or do you think not?
Another low info voter....LOL
So all the liberal kool-aid drinkers on this site are okay with borrowing trillion$ to spend today (46 cents for every dollar spent) and that saddles our children, grand children, and great grand children to pay back; all so we can avoid making the tough, adult decisions today and sacrifice some of our comforts.
Seems there are a number of Democrats commenting. . . I have one sincere question. . . keeping in mind that there was a Dem Senate, House and President the first half of Obama's Presidency. . . Doesn't it bother you that no budget has been offered to run the country. . . .While adding 4 trillion to the debt . . . the Government of President Obama has been running without a budget.
Seems almost like malfeasance of office. . . It is scary to me that our Government seems to think it can keep spending more then it takes in and our President is reluctant to propose any cut in the spending. . . Why isn't he leading the way to sanity like President Clinton who understood Prospertiy is a product of prudent spending and Government surplusses.
The Republicans set a record for the number of filibusters. They obstructed and sabotaged everything proposed by the Dems. In time of crisis, Republicans did nothing but devote all their time to screwing the Dems. Sabotaging of our economic recovery is nothing less than Republican treason. They dug their heels in as soon as they realized Obama was going to win the 2008 election. In time of crisis, the GOP-Tea Party ignored America and pursued their usual path of greed and corruption and social and religious narcissism.
Since Obama was elected, Republicans have been obstructing, sabotaging and creating chaos to fend off investigations and prosecutions themselves, Bush, Cheney and others associated with the GOP. In other words, everything a Republican says is a veil of BS to hide his own motives and record...
Don: The country has been running without a budget approved by Congress is what you mean. Every government agency runs on annual line-item budgets and those budgets are pretty much what they were since the last one was approved. It's a sorry situation, but that what we have. That's only one reason the latest poll shows that Congress is less popular than a root canal or a colonoscopy.
Cockroaches and head lice beat them too!
Senate dems voted down even the budgets obama suggested...what a hoot.
And, I see Pres Bush still controls the minds of lib/progs
There is a budget from the House. It still is Ryan's budget which wants to privatize Social Security and puts Medicare on a voucher system. It was passed by the House but was not brought to the Senate floor. It was voted down when Romney lots the election.
Time for more GOP control laws!
Don doesn't pay attention, most radical right wingers don't.
And who really cares about a budget passing congress if spending increases are the lowest they've been in 50-60 years?
Sure wish we had this partisan bickering 2001-2009 while Bush took spending from $2trillion to $3.5trillion.
there should be NO spending increases......america needs massive spending cuts....obama is an ass....
Suddenly ass clowns like mcpaddywhack-off only care about spending after Obama takes over the Bush spending disaster.
hahhahahahahhaha
What fools these whack job right wingers are
We tried to stop Pres Bush too, with no help from dems...that's why the Tea Party was formed..
If all you libs are really for controlling spending, you should join up...if you can find them..LOL
keep up the good work repubs.........the only way to deal with this ass obama is to obstruct and oppose everything he supports or proposes....their is still hope for our nation despite the re-election of this marxist ideologue by the freeloader voting bloc.....
McPaddy, opposition to what Obama wants is fine as long as those who object offer a better approach. Seems that the R's have got the opposition part down pretty good, but haven't seen any counter proposals from them.
its ironic that much of the republican electorate is dependent on the government
The GOP is so sick it's beyond help. Hopefully, it's terminal.
Al Gore is now worth more ( monetarily ) than Romney, but, is more in touch with the common man
Un-employment is up, since the election..
What an amazing propaganda machine the dems have.
Fiscal uncertainty because of Republican obstructionism has held the economy hostage so its the Republicans who are to blame for the slight unemployment surge. What does Al Gore having money have to do with him being more able to understand middle Americans? The propaganda machine is fox news and Rupert Murdoch. Sorry
Al Gore is a scam artist with his 'carbon credits' and claimint to have invented the internet.
Considering all of the lies he's been caught in, how can liberals still believe him?
Tammy,
Congrats on the Trailer Park getting the Internet.
Now, get a clue.
Wait, the dumb, drooling, knuckle dragging tea publicans have held the whole economy hostage...and the brilliant, patriotic, compassionate democrats can't do a thing about it...even though they have controlled the fed govt for the last 6 years?
And the dems didn't say Romney couldn't relate to the poor or middle-class because of his wealth? REALLY...and you don't see the connection to Al Gore being rich yet we are told he CAN relate to the poor?
I'm supposed to think that I dreamed the events of the last election?
Wow, and I learned that from fox news? REALLY!!!!
The Republicans are soooo irrelevant. If it wasn't for fear driving Fox News and Rush Limbaugh the Republicans could have been a viable alternative had we not had two Bush presidents. If they had ever used their heads instead of their bulging wallets, we may have had a little balance in the government.
If republicans are so irrelevant, why are you so upset by them?
As a Democrat I believe America is best served by a vibrant two party system and the Republican Party isn't holding up its fair share of the burden. Opposing a plan or policy is fine, but proposing something better would be in everyone's interest.
Tammy
They have all the power but can't seem to be able to do a thing because of those bad republicans.
REALLY.
Bruce
What have the dems proposed that was in everyone's interest?
@RP-2387990
tax cuts for 98 percent
insurance companies can no longer deny coverage based on preexisting conditions
student loans can't be sold and resold by banks, without the knowledge of the borrower....banks can't make money off government backed loans in other words
dems proposed getting out of Iraq and Afghanistan
obama proposed killing bin laden
credit card companies can no longer trick consumers into snake oil cards
companies can no longer freely practice predatory lending
etc.
Taxes were already cut ( remember bush )
Try getting covered...bring your wallet and a friends too...doesn't exist
My kids loans went from 3% to over 6% with his new program
bush was going to leave both...besides, are we gone?
Obama proposed no such thing...it was a given by whoever was pres
If by companies you mean banks, very little lending, predatory or otherwise is occurring
Still get same amount of credit car offers as always
So, sorry, as always a big 0...maybe he should try to help the economy...but if his track record means anything, he should stay as far away as possible.
Anything else?
Unemployment surge was caused by Republicans holding up the budget agreement. Truth is no one knows exactly what Romney is worth cause he hides more money than he reports. The real propoganda machine is Rupert Murdoch and Faux news. Sorry
And those jobs bills Boner promised?
hhhahahahhahahhahahhahahahahh
Too bad one sick and twisted district in Ohio subjects the rest of America to the most worthless House speaker in US history.
Common sense did you ever look them up? They are not always titled job Bills ..... There are many job bills that made it out of Congress and were never even brought up in the Senate...The Majority Leader would not even let them hit the floor.....hahahahhhahahhahahahah...you didnt know that did you? I guess he delivered on his Promise ...but the "Do Nothing Seanate " would not act on them.....Its Common sense
You really dont know to much how the Congress and Senate works do you?
@Mike-Pa...save your BS....the republicans in the house would pass a jobs bill with all types of hidden language involving birth control, abortion, and minority disenfranchisement clauses attached to it...harry reid was smart to not waste taxpayer money voting on a bill that would not stand a chance at passing the senate....republicans have introduced a handful of jobs bills,that have all types of outrageous clauses attached to it....but they have literally introduced thousands of bills concerning abortion, birth control, and voter suppression.....
dear mike, eat $hit and die
Not credible information...please post evidence or dry up and blow away...too many big mouths already on here
Besides, Dems do same thing with gay, environmental and other goodies attached...their latest was all goodies attached to the Sandy storm bill that the Reps caught.
Tyr again, but your lame.
You have to love the liberal mentality. Blame the republicans for everything. In fact it is the liberals in the senate that is the obstructionist. They have failed TO LET ANYTHING FROM THE HOUSE COME UP FOR A VOTE. Now there is a party of no. Notice I did not say democrats because Reid knows if he lets most come up for a vote they will be passed The liberals know if they let that happen they they will loose everything that they ever wanted.
Gotta hate the ass clown mentality of any radical right winger trying to grasp at the fact that the house led by Boner has proposed anything.
hhhahahahahahhahahahahahhahaha
What has your messiah Boner sent?
hahhahahahahhahahahahhahahahahhahahhaha
You radical right wingers sure hate this country
Commen Sense I happen to be a democrat.. The house has passed over 40 bills that Reid has refused to come to the floor of the senate. Please do your research before showing your stupidity. I do not follow blindly like all the liberals do.
And what are those "jobs' bills joe?
I'll make it easy for you......NONE
You are following something blindly for sure
Joe, read it and weep:
http://www.policymic.com/articles/11510/senate-republicans-block-another-jobs-bill-face-backlash-from-american-public
6 years they've controlled the senate. 6 years...
And bruce...left wing commie web sites aren't very cool.
The house only passing 40 bills in 6 years just HIGHLIGHTS republican...uselessness....It is very telling how inept the neo-cons are...40 bills and none of them signed into law
Another dimwitted post...
The house has only been controlled by Reps for last 2 years...
Please, you ignorance is screaming...
You would be considered a Low Information voter...along with Common Sense
If the democrats get the house in 2014 then the country will finally get straightened out.
What would you like to see?
If the democrats regain control of the House in 2014 we will see the country in ruins. We're already headed there with the losers that voted largesse from the treasury.