Obama to confer with Democratic leaders on debt

[OmahaBlueDog]

Source: MSNBC

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama will confer with Democratic congressional leaders at the White House Sunday night over the political stalemate that has prevented the government from raising the $14.3 trillion limit on its borrowing.

News of that meeting came as House Speaker John Boehner was telling GOP members in a late Sunday afternoon conference call that no accord on raising the borrowing limit had yet been reached.

Republican leaders had earlier said they wanted to show progress by 4 p.m. EDT Sunday, before trading got under way in Tokyo, Shanghai and other East Asian financial markets.

Boehner and other congressional leaders are struggling to devise a plan that would prevent turmoil in financial markets by allowing the government to raise the limit on borrowing in time for Congress to act before the deadline, Aug. 2, which is one week from Tuesday.



Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43864749/ns/politics-capitol_hill/

[Ruby the Liberal]

1. Fingers crossed...

[Angry Dragon]

2. Why cross your fingers??

They have had plenty of time to produce job bills and
get this budget under control and all they have done is attack
women, the poor, the children.
Any bill passed at this late hour will just be a piece of garbage.
There will be no time for debate, no time for citizen input.


They should just slink away and resign ...........

[harun]

8. Correct. They are going to throw a giant pile of poop of a bill at the

Senate and House at the last minute and say "You must pass this without changes, this very moment or we will all be destroyed."

The Dem's in the House and Senate will cave and poof, poop passes.

[PSPS]

15. I think you're right.

This whole charade is to get to the "We have no time!!11! Must pass now!11!!!" point to keep scrutiny to a minimum. This way, we won't know that they've stolen all the Social Security and Medicare money that we've all been paying until it's "too late." This is how they managed to "legally" shovel $13 trillion into the pockets of the banksters -- the "bailout bill" was rushed through because "We have no time!!11! Must pass now!11!!!"

[Liberalynn]

3. I wish I believed that miracles happened

cause I fear that's what it will take at this point to get us all off this runaway train to nutsville.

I hope The President and the Dems in Congress can come up with something to pull us away from the Cliff, but bracing myself for the worst at the same time.

[No Elephants]

20. You hope they will. I only wish they would want to.

[Firebrand Gary]

4. Is there a Media personality that has the courage to ask this question?

Since the GOP has taken over the house what bills have they passed?
When were they notified about raising the debt ceiling?
If they believe they will be rewarded for holding the American economy hostage?
Why they have an allegance to the Norquist Pledge OVER the US Constitution?

And to keep it balanced........

The Democrats needs to be asked why they are in effect "giving away the store" if they think they will be rewarded by not forcing the GOP to accept a debt deal that is 100% fair and balanced...

[trayfoot]

5. Right On, Gary!

I have called my reps in both houses 3 times in as many days. I've also sent messages to Pelosi and Reid. I am so furious about the dems even considering cuts without revenues and cuts to the "big 3"! This mess is made even more infuriating when you hear the dems thinking about giving in!

[Liberalynn]

6. I want the question that has been asked at DU over and over

"If tax cuts for the wealthiest create jobs then where are they? A major tax cut to the wealthy has been in place for years now and still NO JOBS! WHY?"

[harun]

10. Your questions and the op's are perfect. We should keep a list of

real questions and send them to Keith Oberman and Amy Goodman.

[Plucketeer]

12. That's certainly a fair question, but

WHEN have you heard a news head PIN a Rethug down with that question??? THAT'S what's wrong with the media. They keep asking questions as if they'd just stepped off the boat! We KNOW what the GOP line of crap is - we probably mumble it in our sleep at night! Yet not ONE ever really corners a Thug and says: "Here's the statistics from the Bush years, Mr Pachyderm. Here's the massive tax cuts for your vaunted "job creators". Why the fu*k was there a steady job DECLINE if they were SO tax-lessly inspired to put folks to work? Huh? Why?" :grr:

[No Elephants]

21. When have you heard a media talking head pin down a Democrat OR a Republican

regarding the kabuki theater for the benefit of the plutonomy that passes for government in this country and other nations?

No one wants the curtain pulled aside, least of all the five or six corporations that control all significant media in this nation.

[sweetapogee]

14. Not that I

...disagree with you but there is a problem, a couple of threads up from this we are all gushing over Sen. Durbin's one liner to the pukes about owning the recovery if it tanks over any gooper budget deal that flops. On the other hand the President is making the case that jobs are now being created. So the tax cuts are either working or the administration is in for some rough sailing 2012. I think we have painted ourselves into a corner and that, while it pains me to say it, is the reason the dems are going to (as many others here have said) fold.

Of course I hope I'm wrong but we cannot loose sight of the fact that our immediate Democratic future depends on the economy removing it's self from the old shit can.

[Auntie Bush]

16. That's what I ask every time they say tax increases with hurt job growth.

We plunged into this hell even though Bush cut taxes...proof tax cuts didn't help the economy, jobs or the deficit. Bush is 100% responsible for the mess this country is in.

[julian09]

7. Dems can't force Gop to accept fair and balanced deal

Dems are being brought to edge of cliff and told to jump or be shot.
If Obama accepts deal he loses; if he vetoes he would be first president to allow default. lose lose situation. Once debt ceiling fails all that is left is the blame game for the consequences; but blame won't bring back your 401k, lower your interest rates, improve housing sales, help unemployment.

[harun]

11. Exactly, that is why you start with a totally lopsided deal in favor of Dem

priorities. They have the option of the Dem deal, the compromise, or default. Nothing else.

GOP would then look good to their constituents by avoiding the Dem deal. They would say "Look, if we weren't here to negotiate this, you'd have gotten the Dem deal." Instead Obama starts every damn negotiation with the compromise. Then the GOP dig's in on their loony position, then we get screwed.

[No Elephants]

24. Now, Congressional Democrats are following his lead.

Their opening salvo is also zero new revenues and trillions in new cuts.

Thanks ever so, ladies and gentlemen. Words cannot express our gratitude and admiration.

[No Elephants]

22. Hard to force Pubs to do much of anything when your opening salvo is zero revenue growth and

trillions of cuts, including on the backs of those least able to survive them.

"Dems are being brought to edge of cliff and told to jump or be shot."

Oh, please, Louise! They control the Senate and the WH and only months ago controlled the House as well. They were still cleaning tables. Someday, it will dawn on more than a few voters that Dems simply likes them some clean tables, but cannot say so openly.

Edited to correct spelling of Louise.

[harun]

9. The Corporate Media is not on the peoples side.

[No Elephants]

23. Agree, but who is?

[JDPriestly]

13. I will be calling my Congressmember tomorrow morning.

[Divine Discontent]

17. me, too! I am very disturbed by all of this, JDP. Thanks for calling, and if I may

I want to ask if you saw this statement out of the White House?

“The president ran for the office to bring both parties together to solve big problems. That’s what he is trying to do here, even if it comes with political pain,” said Dan Pfeiffer, the White House communications director --- http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/obama-takes-political-policy-gamble-on-big-deal/2011/07/22/gIQACwGNXI_story.html


For me, seeing that the president's communications director sent this message out, shows they just don't get the disgust directed at government for playing their same old tired games, when we were promised, in a very profound manner, transparency this go around.

This is not about the parties coming together by his efforts, it's about just getting the things done without them that needed done. And, frankly, It's about You, and me, and those we know and care about - and to include them at table after table with a comfy chair (meaning, giving them plenty of what they want, but little of what they politically had the right to ask for) was ridiculous.

Yet, it has been repeatedly the focus of the president, for all intent and purposes, to include the horribly disliked GOP and crackpot leaders (how odd are Boner & Cantor), and here we are a decade into ridiculous tax cuts for the rich and powerful, which did not create jobs, and Cantor has been yelling for further corporate cuts. Why then would President Obama resuscitate their party when we handed him a dying animal that hundreds of thousands fought so hard to crush in 2008?

The GOP does not want to do anything but stall any recovery that their disastrous leader dumped upon our country, and they hate the president, they hate him with a passion! Why did the Democrats be so "nice" to the GOP when Obama got in office when those bastards destroyed our country and made life harsh on millions of us and slaughtered thousands of our troops with their false warfare.

They've actually had people in their party pray for God to stop Obama! These people are hate personified (YOU LIE! anyone?) and don't care if this country's citizens suffer just as long as they crush the president politically for God's sake! And yet, on the weekend of a decision that puts his presidency on the line, his communications director says that he ran for office to bring the parties together to work on the nation's problems - no - the GOP needed ignored, so the Democrats could solve the problems - but that's not what we got.

I'd expect a Democratic Administration to be saying there is no reason that the people's Social Security should not even be discussed with the debt ceiling increase - but instead, he's coming to the GOP and offering trillions in cuts to our programs! What world are we living in? Are there other progressive Democrats out there? I ask you to please, call the House and Senate tomorrow and tell them - if you vote to cut our savings, instead of going elsewhere (oh, say the Pentagon budget) and eliminating tax protections for the ultra-rich, then we will look to support a primary challenger against you, and that also means you lose our campaign donations and efforts we've done in past elections for you!

I never worried about the outcome of '08 once the tickets were set for both parties - not once. The ignorant VP choice that the grumpy senator chose assured that the nation was going to finally get to be proud to have its first minority president, but he apparently lost the point of why we elected him, or he never understood what this country resoundingly elected him for - to fix the errors of Dumya! Not bring life back to the GOP, or as they call it, 'work' with them.

It really feels like the bill that is gonna come out of all of this is going to completely set the Democratic party on fire. :(

[JDPriestly]

19. Thanks. Well said, Divine Discontent.

I think some on DU who remain so supportive of the president or who are not concerned about what is happening to Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare may lack experience in working with the poor or being poor or may have or expect some sort of retirement income not related to Social Security. Some people have very generous pensions that lower what they receive from Social Security.

I also think that a lot of young people do not understand how small the Social Security benefits are for so many people. They don't even keep all seniors over the poverty level in terms of income.

[No Elephants]

25. I think they do get the disgust. I don't think they care.

"The Left has nowhere else to go."

Our Congressional Reps and Senators and the WH may have received at least a million communications (calls, emails, letters) about the public option, exclusive of countless online and email petition signatures.

I know I called or emailed my Rep, both my Senators and the WH at least once a week, sometimes more. Medical caregivers walked across the country.

And, of course, none of it was anything but a waste of time and effort.

[Johnny Harpo]

18. To The President And The House Leadership...

get it done already you bunch of over paid cry-babys.

Who do you think you are?...The NFL?

[No Elephants]

26. Zero in revenues, but trillions in cuts? They can take their time.

[defendandprotect]

27. Probably Obama is going to tell them why he has to INCREASE his offers ... !!