Boehner expects short-term fix to fiscal cliff

Regardless of the outcome of tomorrow's elections, the current Congress and the current president are tasked with handling the looming "fiscal cliff" before the end of the year. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said he's not holding his breath for large comprehensive fiscal reform but suggests that a short-term "bridge" is likely.

Boehner said a lame duck Congress "probably shouldn't do big things," telling CNN that "the best you can hope for is a bridge.

"I would think that would be the best you can hope for, and even that is going to be very difficult to do," he said.

Congress is set to come back into session next week to deal with unfinished business, including the Bush-era tax cuts that are set to expire at the end of the year and $1.2 trillion of automatic cuts to defense and non-defense programs to go into effect in January. Economists say the sudden jolt in fiscal spending and taxes will have a devastating impact on the economy.

In a separate interview with National Journal, Boehner said the House has already "done its job" by passing a bill to implement alternative cuts to avoid the sequester and to extend the tax cuts. "It's sitting over in the Senate. You know, at some point, the Senate can't just keep ducking and hiding. The Senate's got to produce something. I guess we'll have to see what they're able to produce," he said.

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"I think it's important that we avoid the fiscal cliff, but that doesn't mean I'm interested in raising tax rates and killing jobs," Boehner said while on a two-day swing for Mitt Romney through his home state of Ohio.

"There isn't a whole lot of time," he said, suggesting a stop-gap measure is the best option before the new year because he said it would be difficult to retroactively accommodate alterations to the tax code. However, he didn't shun the idea of dealing with the issue wholesale when a new Congress convenes in January.

"If we're going to go solve this problem, let's go solve it. If we're going to rip the Band-aid off, let's rip it off," Boehner said.

[GOP-R--Con-Men]

Ever notice republicans NEVER run budget deficits on spending to help average Americans? They ALWAYS waste taxpayer dollars on things to empty the treasury without helping people. This is strategic by republicans. They do this and then cry the country is broke and we can't afford that! They do this because they NEVER want average americans to thing government can help and enhance them. They ALWAYS use government to help corporations, big oil and the wealthy, not average Americans. This is why republicans ALWAYS speak negatively of government. Wake up people!
This is why they have been on a 30 plus years crusade against governemnt. To convince average Americans that government is no good and cannot do anything positive for them. They use the term Limited Government" what they really mean is republican we limit governments ability to help and enhance the lives of average Americans while enhusiastically supporting corporations, big oil and the super rich.

[GOP-R--Con-Men]

Republicans are using playing on the racism against President Obama of some voters to get them to vote republicans. Which ironically is the very party that has blocked and stopped ever piece of legislation from President Obama that would help average Americans. This election voters will decide whether to reward the republican party which ahs brazenly worked to keep them jobless or reward President Obama for constantly fighting against them on behaf of average Americans.
Wake Up Voters!

[frankie2fing]

Littlered, besides advertising to everyone that you have a small phallus, what purpose do you serve. You obviously are a teabagger, not just because you have boner's marbles in your mouth, but you are completely ignorant of facts. Thank God your movement is over. Go back to that rock you live under and hibernate for a couple of decades. Maybe your time will come around again, but I hope not...

[audemus]

I think we all should do a little experiment. Let's go to work tomorrow, and tell our boss that we are not going to do any work for the next four years, but he still has to pay us our salaries and keep our benefits current. What sort of reaction do you think you'd get as an employee ? What sort of response would you give if you were an employer ? And yet that is precisely what the "Republicans" have been doing for the last four years, and exactly what they intend to do for the next for years....Boehner just told us.,,and not only that, but they all expect a big fat pension and perks until they die after they stop being Senators and Congressmen. We should demand a refund.


Why are you tolerating this lunacy America ?

[Jaylah54200]

Wonder how much "LittleRedTop" gets paid per post.

On a related note, I see the TeaPublicans have been hard at work putting doorhangers on all the doors of my street, directing us to all go vote in another precincts polling place. (Not ours.) And yes, it was a TeaPublican SuperPac organization at the bottom of the door-hanger.

Typical. If you can't get enough idiots to believe your mindless inconsistencies and lies to get you elected fairly, cheat!

Yup, I reported them to the County auditor. One more reason it will be quite some time AFTER November 6th before we get the official results of this election.

[stupa5]

Boener dhould go Gangan Style!

[sweetcakesmaria]

Boehner is a hopeless failure as speaker of the house and there is no hope that the house is going to suddenly began to function under his leadership. Hopefully a real leader will step up and lead this disfunctional organization to get the peoples work done.

[Jaylah54200]

LittleRedTop obviously lives under a rock and had no idea what the word "socialist" or "revolutionary" means.

[bbglow]

Sad, the current congress has an opportunity to do something historic for their country and the American people and they "choose" to do NOTHING ...

[sjc_1]

If some people will not change things at the polls, the majority will have to change them directly. We have to expose Republican and Tea Party members for what they say and do. We need to let the people decide whether more tax cuts for the rich in times of deficits are what we all want.

[WitchBroom]

It's important to know what Boehner didn't mention. The legislation sent to the U.S. Senate after it passed the Republican-controlled house perserves tax breaks for the wealthy. The legislation substantially reduces investments geared toward creating jobs and strengthening the economy.

The independent Tax Policy Center weighed in on the issue by saying "taxpayers earning more than $1 million a year could save about $87,000 in taxes annually, while those earning less than $200,000 a year would see their taxes effectively increase by $500 per household."

[Jaylah54200]

Ah yes, Mr. Boehner. Let's don't do anything that might make this president look at all good unless 1) you're clearly stuck with him for another four years and you know for sure that the American taxpayer/voter isn't going to keep swallowing your obstructionism that long, or 2) he's out of the White House and you can then pretend that ..."oh, we *wanted* to work with him all along, but he just wouldn't compromise."

Frankly, I don't care. If Obama wins another term in the White House and keeps the Democratic senate for another 4 years, I hope he starts steamrolling all over you and figures out that "compromise" is the dirty word you've said it was for the last four years, instead of caving to your every demand like he has been for the last four years.