White House: We won't let GOP hold economy "hostage" again
/ AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais
Updated at 3:53 p.m. ET
(CBS News) House Speaker John Boehner on Tuesday seemingly drew a new line in the sand over the nation's debt and the federal budget, but the White House on Wednesday said Republicans must accept a "balanced approach" to the budget that includes tax increases and spending cuts.
"We're not going to recreate the debt ceiling debacle of last August," White House press secretary Jay Carney told reporters today. He added that it's "not acceptable to hold the American and global economy hostage to one party's ideology."
President Obama today met over lunch with Boehner, House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell. In the meeting, Boehner brought up the issue of debt -- Congress by the end of the year will have to once again raise the debt ceiling (the nation's borrowing limit). Yesterday, Boehner said that when the time comes, "I will again insist on my simple principle of cuts and reforms greater than the debt limit increase."
The remarks suggest Congress could wind up in a showdown like last year, raising the prospect the U.S. could default on its debt, or as Carney put it, "risk tanking the American economy."
Boehner told reporters today, "I am not threatening default."Pointing to the nation's nearly $16 trillion in debt, he said, "What I'm trying to do is encourage people on both sides of the aisle on both sides of the Capitol and on both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue to be honest with the American people and to be honest with ourselves to begin to tackle this problem in an adult-like fashion."
In a readout from today's meeting with the president, Boehner's office said the speaker asked Mr. Obama if he is proposing that Congress pass a debt limit increase that does not include any spending cuts to help reduce the deficit. "The President said, 'yes,'" the readout says. "The Speaker told the President, 'as long as I'm around here, I'm not going to allow a debt ceiling increase without doing something serious about the debt.'"
After the meeting, Pelosi defended the president's position, suggesting Boehner's office mischaracterized it.
"It wasn't that the president said, as is characterized there, that he won't have any cuts -- no," she said. "We know there have to be cuts. There has to be revenue."
Carney today noted that Mr. Obama has already made significant compromises in last year's Budget Control Act, the legislation that came out of last year's debt limit crisis. As part of that deal, Mr. Obama signed into law $2 trillion in non-defense discretionary spending cuts, bringing that portion of the budget to its lowest level since Dwight Eisenhower was president.
Carney argued that the "emerged consensus" from the prolonged debate over deficits and debt is that there should be a "balanced approach" that includes spending cuts, entitlement reforms and increased revenues from taxes.
"The primary stumbling block to bipartisan cooperation is the absolute intransigence, the absolute refusal of Republicans to accept... that we need a balanced approach to this," he said.
According to a Senate Democratic aide, Reid said at the meeting that any discussion of the debt ceiling was premature at this point -- Congress should first let the $1.2 trillion in across-the-board cuts go into effect or replace it with a "balanced agreement that pairs smart spending cuts with revenue measures asking millionaires to pay their fair share." The $1.2 trillion in cuts are the result of the Budget Control Act, but Republicans strongly oppose the cuts targeting defense spending.
The aide said that Reid "thought it was unfortunate to see Republican leaders engaging in the same kind of brinksmanship that led to a slump in economic confidence and a downgrade of the U.S. credit rating last year."
Mr. Obama met with congressional leaders today not to discuss the looming debt ceiling issue but instead to push his "to do" list for Congress -- specifically, his call for Congress to pass a 10 percent tax credit for small businesses that create new jobs or increase wages.Before heading to the meeting, Mr. Obama stopped at Taylor Gourmet, a local sandwich shop in Washington, to meet with small business owners who have grown their businesses with government incentives. The president bought $62.70 worth of sandwiches from the shop for himself and the congressional leaders. Holding up one of the sandwiches, he said, "This is a serious sized hoagie."
The readout of the meeting from Boehner's office said the speaker was "very pleased" with the sandwiches. Carney said of the meeting, "My sense is the tone was congenial, the discussion was productive, the sandwiches were delicious."
Carney added that the president's "to do" list is made up of "the kinds of priorities Republicans and Democrats should be able to come together on."
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_____________________________________________________________________Blue Laws (so named because originally they were on blue paper), were religious in nature. Laws against selling certain things on Sundays(remember when they were still in effect, going into stores that had entire rows roped off or similarly blocked), certain activities were not allowed on Sunday. There may be a parallel or point in calling them "BLUE LAWS", as religious leaders ( and others) hold a very dim view of what they consider abnormal sex.
Frankly, whatever two consenting adults do in private is NOBODY'S BUSINESS but their own.
As for abortion, I may not agree with it, but I have NO right to tell another what to do with their body or life. It is their decision, any consequences good or bad are theirs to bear.
Meanwhile you're ignoring the REAL issue, posted at 4 yesterday morning:
Simple solution, folks: There should BE no votes on the debt ceiling.
Congress passes appropriation bills; those bills require the executive branch to spend money. If the federal government isn't collecting enough money (because tax rates are too low or because of a recession), appropriations bills require the executive branch to borrow money in order to spend the money Congress appropriated.
A separate vote on the debt ceiling is pure grandstanding, NOT a legal or Constitutional requirement. Congressional Republicans are trying to have it both ways: approving all the appropriations bills and then hyperventilating about the debt when it's time to raise the debt ceiling. If you don't wanna raise the debt ceiling, don't pass the appropriations bills!
This is the only W.H. that got America's Bond Rating Downgraded From it's Standing AAA.
That they said on election day they were going to get rid of him?
That they have stopped every initiative he has tried?
THat they don't give a dam about America if they can't have everything their way!
That they want to go back to the 30's?
No vote for women?
No health insurance for women?
Keep using the cialis and hopefully it'll kill you. One ***** less in the world!
How stupid do the Republicons think we are anyway?
LOL!
Amercia is being held hostage by the Socialist.
Yep, the nations largest employer, Wal-Mart, has the highest percentage of the working poor that earn so little that they pay no taxes and qualify for food stamps, Medicaid and housing assistance.
What should they do to keep the rich from suffering a 2% tax increase that would reduce our deficits, save Social Security, Medicare, and our local governments???????
LOL!
Bill Clinton came out 2 days ago and said you and Obama can take all of the money from the rich and will still have to shake down the middle class in order to keep the entitlement spending......
The Irony.
SS is paid for by YOU and your employer! If you don't work, you don't get it!
The GOPs biggest problem is sharing the one brain you must have somewhere because you keep talking!