With tax cuts in the bag, McConnell wants talks with Obama on deficit recommendations

[somone]

http://www.politico.com/blogs/politicolive/1210/McConnell_wants_to_negotiate_with_Obama_on_deficit_commission_reccomendations.html

December 05, 2010
McConnell wants talks with Obama on deficit recommendations

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said Sunday that he’s prepared to meet with President Barack Obama to figure out which of the deficit commission recommendations could move through Congress. The Kentucky Republican wouldn’t get specific on NBC’s "Meet the Press" about what he’d compromise on, and there was nothing to indicate the two parties are significantly more sincere about budging (beyond the urgent tax-cut question) than they have been in recent weeks.

“It would be absolutely irresponsible to sit here on a Sunday talk show and blow the talks by starting to endorse and rule out things,” McConnell said. “What I’m saying is: this is the road map. We need to sit down with the president see what we can do together because the only way we will actually accomplish something. I want to actually accomplish something. What I endorse is the effort to underscore the magnitude of the problem.”

McConnell appointed three Republican senators to the commission. While the House Republican members all voted against advancing the recommendations, all three Senate Republicans voted in favor of it. The top Senate Republican said Sens. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, Mike Crapo of Idaho and Judd Gregg of New Hampshire voted that way on Friday more to underscore the importance of tackling the debt than to support all the specific proposals.

The minority leader said he is pleased that he has had more conversations with the president “in the last two weeks than the last two years.” “You cannot do entitlement reform … with just one party,” he said. “You can only do entitlement reform on a bipartisan basis.”

[yourout]

1. I say we start with the military.

[Skittles]

2. FUCK YOU, MITCH

"entitlement reform"? How about your "entitlement" to stupid, senseless wars? How about your pimping for the obscenely rich, the ALREADY "entitled" ? FUCK YOU MITCH.

[sasha031]

3. I'm so glad they are getting to be friends

:sarcasm:

[Angry Dragon]

4. i would tell mitch that if they are so important to you

then you start

[Tuesday Afternoon]

5. I would tell McConnell that he his old enough that his wants won't hurt him.

Leave him scratching his head and walk away.

[badtoworse]

6. It will be a package deal, just like the tax cut extension will be.

In my opinion, the real purpose of the Catfood Commission was lay all of the ways to reduce the debt on the table at the same time. In that way, everyone gets to see how they are going to get hosed and no constituency can say they've been singled out. It was a way of advising the public that drastic steps are going to be taken and what those steps are likely to be. When the real negotiating starts, the shock of what the commission recommended will have already occurred and the negotiating environment is likely to be calmer and more conducive to an agreement. (It's still going to be heated, but nobody will be frothing at the mouth.)

The commission's recommendations will be the base on which negotiations start and most, if not all of its elements will be in the final package. Everyone is going to take a hit: The military will be substantially cut and so will entitlement programs. Taxes will go up for everyone and the SS retirement age will rise. It's going to suck really bad, but realistically, I don't see what choice there is.

The Fiscal Reality: We are borrowing at a rate that is not sustainable. We will be having the same problems that Ireland and Greece are having if we don't do something and eventually, we'll be forced to implement the same kinds of draconian measures (e.g. 20% spending cuts and massive layoffs of government workers).

The Political Reality: With control of Congress split, neither side has the political muscle to impose it's will unilaterally. That means drastic cuts to or elimination of entitlements is not going to happen because the Democrats will not allow it. Confiscatory taxes on the rich or drastic cuts to the military won't happen either because the Repub's won't allow it. Both sides recognize that action is urgently needed, so the only option is a deal where everyone gives up something. The Catfood Commission identified what the chips are and the bargaining will start next year.

It would be nice to get everything you want and not give up anything, but it rarely works out that way.

[badtoworse]

7. Self delete - dupe

[NCarolinawoman]

8. McConnell will talk Obama into weakening Social Security, and then will lay in wait for

the citizens of the country to say, "Look what happened to Social Security under the Democratic watch!!!"

The Democratic brand will be meaningless after that and the party will never recover.

Mission accomplished.....and McConnell will smile and smile and smile....

[jaysunb]

9. Struttin like a rooster

are we ? :evilfrown:

[mikehiggins]

10. If a bill screwing with Social Security reaches Obama's desk and

he does not veto it, he will be a one-term President and the GOPukes will roll back into power for the foreseeable future.

Seniors vote.

[TwilightGardener]

11. Wait...did Harry Reid die, and no one told me?