House, Senate negotiators reach budget deal

[Faygo Kid]

Source: Washington Post

House and Senate negotiators have reached agreement on an $85 billion package to fund the government past Jan. 15, avoid another federal shutdown and end the cycle of budget crises that have dominated Washington for much of the past three years.

The deal did not include a key priority of House Democrats who wanted an extension of long-term benefits for the unemployed. But Democrats said they would continue to press Republicans on the issue in hopes of preventing more than 1 million people from losing their unemployment checks at the end of the month.

Senate Budget Committee chairman Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and House Budget Committee chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) scheduled a news conference for 6 p.m. to unveil the deal, which would partially repeal sharp agency spending cuts known as the sequester in fiscal 2014 and 2015.

Those savings would be replaced by roughly $63 billion in other policies, including fee increases for airline travelers, cuts to federal-worker and military pensions and higher payments for federal insurance of private pensions, according to people familiar with the talks. . .



Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/house-senate-negotiators-reach-budget-deal/2013/12/10/e7ee1aaa-61eb-11e3-94ad-004fefa61ee6_story.html

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No unemployment extension?!? I want my tax dollars spent on that this season. "Press Republicans?" They will laugh in the face of those in need, as they always do.

Don't like it.

[Tx4obama]

1. President Obama Calls Budget Deal A "Good First Step," Presses For Unemployment Insurance

Here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024160292

[24601]

2. In other words, there will be no 2014 government shutdown. At least there will not be one

before the congressional elections.

[SCVDem]

3. Is there any way to get a tally

on how many people these assholes just killed by not extending unemployment?

How can anyone get a job if they can't pay a cell bill or auto insurance.

This is the "Death Panel"!

Merry fucking Christmas!

[OmahaBlueDog]

4. In the wake of Detroit, pension cutting will become an epidemic

I think you had to see the non-extension of unemployment benefits coming. With the news that unemployment hit 7%, and the projections for continued economic growth in 2014, I feel certain that they argued that this was the time for the extensions to end.

I'm not at all pleased to see the pension cuts for federal and military. Pensions have now become fair game.

[SoCalMusicLover]

5. Thanks For Getting Deal Done, Say Goodbye To Unemployment Extension

That dog just won't hunt now.

Democrats will continue to press repubs on the issue.......well, because they have to appear like they're actually doing something, don't they?

The chances to get the extension through on it's own are slim and none, and slim has left the building.

[DCBob]

6. Other than not extending unemployment.. it sounds reasonable.

maybe that can be dealt with in a separate deal.

[groundloop]

9. Well, pension cuts suck also

It's wrong for so many reasons to cut retirement benefits out from under those who have been counting on them, all so that the wealthiest amongst us can contribute less to this country.

[MarcoS]

7. Wow

These must be the massive Pentagon spending reductions promised by sequestration.

Now our NSA is claiming the same people who pay their salaries are not allowed to complain when they trample all over our Constitution.

[freshwest]

8. No government shutdown over the debt increase again, as promised. Meanwhile the GOP scum still...

resist jobs bill or stimulus to employee those million - and more - who want to work, but it's against GOP Religion.

I'd like a headline saying:

'1,000,000 Unemployed Apply For Disability Pension'

For no other reason than they are fucking sick of this shit!



Otherwise, good deal in the face of soulless psychopaths. Now to 2014 to vote their craven, depraved asses out.

[DallasNE]

10. May Not Be As Bad As First Reading

The unemployment extension was probably left out because the bottom line number would have looked too unfavorable to get the necessary Republican votes to pass. I'm guessing we will get an extension later this month but perhaps only a 4-6 month extension. The Medicare spending level probably isn't as bad as it looks either because Obamacare is already bringing down Medicare costs and this may just reflect the new reality. I might change my mind as I learn more details but first reading this is clearly an improvement over the old sequester level spending so for now I support it. Not mentioned but often a budget agreement has a debt ceiling increase that would fund the spending for the budget. Does this also address the debt ceiling?

[former9thward]

12. There will be no extension later this month.

Congress is set to adjourn for the year and will not be back until sometime in January.

[mtasselin]

11. Really

Patty Murry said she was proud of this agreement, why, this agreement is something you should be ashamed of. Even when we win elections we seem to lose and republicans win, don't kid yourself the republicans won. The American people lost plain and simple and the rich and powerful won again. I am so pissed off right now I can't type fast enough and still make sense.