Fez Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 So apparently Boehner's latest offer is:$1 trillion in new revenue (including from raising the rates on incomes over $1 million)$1 trillion in entitlement cuts (but no mention of raising the Medicare eligibility age this time)Raising the debt ceiling for one yearReplace the sequestration with an equal amount of targeted discretionary cutsIts still not anywhere close to a good deal. There's no mention of where the all the revenue comes from (you don't get anywhere close to $1 trillion just from a millionaire's tax) and there's no specifics for the entitlements cuts beyond the "let's use a chained CPI from now on" demand. Still, its an encouraging sign that Boehner is finally admitting that some rates will go up and his willingness to push back the debt ceiling is a good faith move (but that means the fight will still eventually happen, Obama is right; this hostage-taking needs to be broken. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrackerNeil Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 So apparently Boehner's latest offer is:$1 trillion in new revenue (including from raising the rates on incomes over $1 million)$1 trillion in entitlement cuts (but no mention of raising the Medicare eligibility age this time)Raising the debt ceiling for one yearReplace the sequestration with an equal amount of targeted discretionary cutsIts still not anywhere close to a good deal. There's no mention of where the all the revenue comes from (you don't get anywhere close to $1 trillion just from a millionaire's tax) and there's no specifics for the entitlements cuts beyond the "let's use a chained CPI from now on" demand. Still, its an encouraging sign that Boehner is finally admitting that some rates will go up and his willingness to push back the debt ceiling is a good faith move (but that means the fight will still eventually happen, Obama is right; this hostage-taking needs to be broken.Use the whip-hand while you have it, since you generally don't have it very long. If Obama can break the back of Republican resistance now he won't have to do it again, at least as far as the debt ceiling is concerned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Progressive Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 I'm with trackerneil on this. Whip the repubs further because they will crack ......... i think there are definitely signs that the teabaggers are being brought into line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fez Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 Erza Klein is reporting a deal is almost at hand. And, well, its pretty shitty. However, he's been pushing that a deal's at hand for a few weeks now and it hasn't come together yet (mostly because Obama keeps standing fast when he, and the people he talks to, expect him to finally compromise with Boehner). If this time he's right though, the details are:Somewhat more than $1 trillion revenue through a return to tax rates for incomes above (probably) $500,000 and enacting that 28 percent limit on itemized deductions that's been floating around for a while.$1 trillion in entitlement cuts. Chained-CPI would be enacted immediately, the rest of the cuts Congress would be instructed to find at a future date.The Sequester will be removed but replaced with something similar (but better designed) that would go into effect if Congress can't find a better way to cut discretionary spending.Debt ceiling will be lifted for a year.Unemployment insurance and the expiring refundable tax credits will be extended. The payroll tax cut will expire.Also, "Some amount of infrastructure spending is likely"There's no mention of the Medicare "doc fix" or what will happen with the estate tax or capital gains tax.And regarding, the debt ceiling: "In contrast to a week or so ago, when the White House was very intent on finishing the debt ceiling fight now, they’re sounding considerably less committed to securing a long-term increase in these negotiations. The argument winning converts, I’m told, is that since the White House won’t negotiate on the debt ceiling now and won’t negotiate on it later, there’s little reason to make it the sine qua non of a deal."So, yeah. There's the deal. Maybe. Personally I have my doubts. I think Erza continues to be too sure of Obama moving towards Boehner at all when he hasn't done so yet and I think even if this was the deal it would already be too much for House Republicans. I don't see Boehner ignoring the "Hastert Rule" (no bill gets brought to the floor unless a majority of the Republican caucus supports it) either; not if he wants to stay Speaker next Congress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WrathOfTinyKittens Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 God dammit just abolish the debt ceiling already. Raise top rates, raise CG rates, raise estate taxes with a $5MM exemption, with some kind of language to protect family farms so that they can't be used as the GOP's martyr (though you'd have to be careful with that, or else we'll suddenly have a lot of very wealthy old farmers around). Cut defense spending, increase infrastructure spending - repair and replace roads and bridges while updating and possibly burying electric lines so they're less of a hassle and eyesore for the whole country. Immediately legalize regulate and vice-tax pot. Legalize gay marriage and enact punitive taxation on all persons whose votes opposed it :POk that might have gotten out of hand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fez Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 The thing that really bugs me about that deal, if its the deal that's made, is that Democrats are getting almost nothing from it. Okay so taxes on the middle class won't go up, but that was a damn near given. If no deal was made, than January 5 (that's right a Saturday, the day after people getting their first paychecks under the new rates) there would've been a deal to just deal with that. And the unemployment insurance and expiring tax credits are being extended and maybe there'll be some infrastructure spending, that's it. In exchange Democrats would be giving up $1 trillion in entitlement cuts. And discretionary spending is still going to get slashed again, just in a different way from the sequestration.The big Democratic gain, the new tax revenue, would've happened anyway under the cliff; this deal is giving up $1 trillion in entitlement cuts for maybe $100 billion in spending. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lokisnow Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 yes, it's a totally shit deal that doesn't make any sense at all. And how the fuck is it a fucking good thing that the fucking democrats push the fucking debt cieling off the table from this year into a fucking election year?! Those fucking democrat morons think that the fucking republicans will be less likely to nuke the fucking country with the debt ceiling in a fucking election year with the fucking debt ceiling fucking expiring right when all the fucking crazy fucktarded shitfaced republican fuckwits are under threat of being fucking primaried!!! FUCKING hell who the fuck are these fucking inept short sighted cocksucking motherfuckers!If they push off the debt ceiling for a year and instead set the debt ceiling bomb to explode in the middle of the fucking primary season then the fucking bomb is ABSOL-FUCKING-LUTELY going to be detonated.The republicans will destroy this country in a year, but we got a 'deal'. Jesus fucking christ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shryke Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 I think Ezra is relying too much on pundit-style "news" gathering. Which is basically distilling the Beltway consensus from hanging out at cocktail parties.I don't see that being as effective in this situation because the beltway consensus is and always has been against the kind of deal Obama would want. So even though he has the upper hand in this situation, they think he'll "come around" or some bullshit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravenhair Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 She was dehydrated because of a stomach virus and felt light headed, leading her to fainting and a concussion from the fall (if I have the sequence correct). I dont think this fall has anything to do with her 'history', but I spent like 30 seconds reading about it.You are exactly correct. She fainted, most likely from dehydration from a stomach virus. George Bush 41 threw up on the Japanese ambassador, and allegedly, Gerald Ford fell enough times to become a regular skit on SNL. Bearing on the ability to do their job--zero.Eta: I like your subtle disdain for the idea that Hillary's fainting means anything other than she fainted. Next, she'll be questioned about whether she travels with a hairdresser. Oh, wait.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fez Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 I think Ezra is relying too much on pundit-style "news" gathering. Which is basically distilling the Beltway consensus from hanging out at cocktail parties.I don't see that being as effective in this situation because the beltway consensus is and always has been against the kind of deal Obama would want. So even though he has the upper hand in this situation, they think he'll "come around" or some bullshit.You're probably right about that. I try to give Erza more credence than most pundits though because he usually at least tries to acknowledge quantitative data and actual facts. But its hard to totally break free of the Washington consensus, which is so often simply based on 'gut'.ETA: In other news, Sen. Daniel Inouye died today at age 88. He had a remarkable career and was a legit hero; was awarded the Medal of Honor for his service during WWII. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravenhair Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 Here's a little push back against the idea that Scott Brown would win re-election in another special election in Massachusetts.Btw, Trisk, as Hereward pointed out, good call on Kerry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horza Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 Also, that's not Hereward, it's Killick, who appears to have switched identities with him in the endeavour to prove that they aren't two identical fragments of England's collective neurosis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inigima Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) has passed away at age 88 due to respiratory complications.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/17/daniel-inouye-dead-dies_n_2316242.html?utm_hp_ref=politicsRIP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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