** "WH source tells CNN that Boehner agreed to let Bush tax cuts expire" **

[Clio the Leo]

Major spin going on between the two sides so take the following w/a grain of salt, but this what CNN"s Lisa Desjardins (http://twitter.com/#!/LisaDCNN/) is reporting (Twitter)..


@LisaDCNN - BREAKING: @YellinCNN reports WH pushing back on GOP statement. Admin source says 2 sides were "80%" there on revenue. Nxt tweet biggie.
http://twitter.com/#!/LisaDCNN/status/89901262870552576

@LisaDCNN - BREAKING - GOP gave in on Bush tax cuts?: WH source tells CNN that Boehner agreed to let Bush tax cuts expire as part of tax reform.
http://twitter.com/#!/LisaDCNN/status/89902160682303488

@LisaDCNN - DEBT TALKS more: WH source tells @YellinCNN GOP wanted tax reform to b only three income tax rates, all lower than now.
http://twitter.com/#!/LisaDCNN/status/89903182972600320

@LisaDCNN - The s** is flying right now. We need to report what we're hearing but will spend next day at least sorting out truth.
http://twitter.com/#!/LisaDCNN/status/89905645100335105

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. I am holding my breath and hoping this is true...

It's big if it's true.

[Adsos Letter]

2. You got that right! Not holding my breath on this one though.

[Renew Deal]

3. That last one is funny

Coming from CNN.

[Clio the Leo]

5. I like the "the sh*t is hitting the fan!" part...

..... not common language for this particular reporter.

[dkf]

4. Wow. If this is true I am thrilled!

I'll have to pay higher taxes which sucks but if it saves this country so be it.

[The Magistrate]

6. That is the Patriot's Response, Ma'am: Those Who Make Another Are No Patriots But Enemies Of America

"What my noble lord requires of you is two thousand ounces of silver yearly. Otherwise I shall be forced to quarter my braves on your granaries."

[still_one]

18. Taxes must be increased on the lower incomes, only the affluent. You don't increase taxes on the

middle class during a depression

[DrDan]

20. you are missing a word in that subject line . . . . . right?

[still_one]

21. Yes, I meant NOT increased on the lower earners, thanks. Too late for me to change it /nt

[awoke_in_2003]

42. the bush tax cuts...

didn't lower the tax load of most americans very much at all- I think my paycheck was affected about $10 a week. I will gladly pay that again, as long as our "betters" start paying their fair share.

[pa28]

7. Check out the next tweet.

The "tax reform" referred to would be for rates lower than Bush levels. No reason to extend the Bush cuts in that case.

Looks like tomorrow will be an interesting news day.

[ClarkUSA]

31. The WH rejected that aspect of the Boehner deal, according to The NYT.

[boxman15]

8. If this is true, I'm ecstatic.

I'll wait and see, though.

[Cali_Democrat]

9. Boehner is not needed to let the tax cuts expire.

Amazing how people think this man is some all-powerful god where he's needed to let the tax cuts expire.

Bull-fucking-shit.

They expire when nothing is done.

[alcibiades_mystery]

10. "... when nothing is done."

Kind of like debt default and government shutdowns that way, yes?

[gateley]

11. Good point! nt

[slipslidingaway]

16. +1 n/t

[ClarkUSA]

30. He's needed because the date talked about was the end of this year.

[Cali_Democrat]

33. So then it's not about expiring?

It's about passing legislation that repeals the Bush tax cuts at the end of this year?

[sofa king]

46. It's interesting though, ain't it?

It suggests to me that part of the negotiations surround the idea of extricating the Republicans from the tax-cut trap that President Obama lured them into last December. That issue alone is going to defeat dozens of Republicans in the House in 2012, and this may be their last chance to untangle themselves, if they ask us nicely.

Hardly a powerful negotiating position. In fact, it's a bit like the negotiations in this scene.

And since when the witching hour approaches, it will be the Republicans who want to prevent the shutdown, as per instructions from their benefactors, it seems to me that they're not going to get it, and may be further hoodwinked into sacrificing even more electoral viability in the name of "compromise."

[bluestateguy]

12. This will be walked back

Guarantee it.

[msongs]

13. boner's agreement IS NOT REQUIRED to let tax cuts expire. no biggee nt

[ClarkUSA]

32. It is. The date talked about was the end of THIS year.

[Cant trust em]

14. If it were really true, they shouldn't have leaked it.

Now it's just going to be another thing to deny and ruffle feathers.

[slipslidingaway]

15. An anonymous WH source, thought that was frowned upon? n/t

[BklnDem75]

24. It's speculation...

Unlike others who use sources for constant attacks against this President, many are taking a wait and see approach with this news. It would be nice if it was done for both good and bad news.

[slipslidingaway]

25. Agree to some extent, the big difference though is good news does not hurt you ...

and bad news does.

I remember when Billy Tauzin said he had reached a deal with Obama and the WH denied any such deal being made, in the end we come to find out Obama had made the deal with Billy. Since nobody believed Billy, the WH probably did not hear from too many unhappy Dems and the deal went through.

You have to be out in front to stop the bad events from happening.

[BklnDem75]

26. Sorry. I simply don't believe that 'secret deal' rumor

A lobbyist for big pharma is not a reliable source.

[slipslidingaway]

27. The deal already happened, Medicare cannot negotiate for drug prices...

and there was no provision in HC reform to allow importation of drugs from other countries.

Same thing happened back then, there was speculation and then we learned that the WH had in fact cut a deal.

Just google DU, Tauzin and 2009 and you'll find lots of threads, here are some of them.

The deal already happened and again not being vocal about what could hurt people matters more than "the good news."

:shrug:

Drug Makers Score Early Wins as Plan Takes Shape
Jul-17-09
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=3973118&mesg_id=3973118

Billy Tauzin has more access to Obama's White House than any number of single-payer advocates
Jul-23-09
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=8545631&mesg_id=8545631

Obama gives powerful drug lobby a seat at healthcare table
Aug-04-09
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=6217524&mesg_id=6217524

Dem Senators: White House Says It Cut No Deal With Drug Makers
Aug-07-09
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4004292&mesg_id=4004292

Messina said what Tauzin said was true
Aug-07-09
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4004292&mesg_id=4004311

[BklnDem75]

28. None of those links back your accusations

First link: Speculation from Murdoch's business rag
Second link: An opinion from a DUer
Third link: Denial from the WH
Fourth and Fifth link: Tauzin making claims and people lapping it up

There's no actual proof, just people wanting to believe the worse.

[slipslidingaway]

29. White House Affirms Deal on Drug Cost

the NY Times article was in the 5th link, same thread as the 4th link.

I would rather not believe the worst, but I'll not bury my head, especially when it already happened.

How did the bill turn out?

Just like Billy Tauzin said, they promised 80 billion over ten years. It could have been 300 billion if they allowed Medicare to negotiate for bulk pricing. This figure was cited in the Obama/Biden HC plan with a link to a study on pricing by the VA.

And there is a video of Senator Carper speaking about the deal at the Senate Finance Committee meeting in September 2009, I'll find the video for you tomorrow or you can look it up yourself.

Here is what Carper said ...

"I was not involved in negotiations with PhRMA but I believe that the administration was, obviously PhRMA was, and I presume this committee was involved in some way in those negotiations.

And what PhRMA agreed to do through those negotiations is to pay about
80 billion dollars over 10 years to help fill up half the donut hole. That’s my understanding. And they are prepared to go forward and to honor that commitment. As I understand it, the commitment from our colleague Senator Nelson would basically double what was negotiated with PhRMA.

And whether you like PhRMA or not — remember I talked earlier today in our opening statements, I talked about four core values, and one of those is the golden rule, treat other people the way I want to be treated?

I’ll tell you — if someone negotiated a deal with me and I agreed to put up say, 80 dollars or 80 million dollars or 80 billion dollars and then you came back and said to me a couple of weeks later — no no, I know you agreed to do 80 billion and I know you were willing to help support through an advertising campaign this particular — not even this particular bill, just the idea of generic health care reform? No, we’re going to double — we’re going to double what you agreed in those negotiations to do. That’s not the way — that’s not what I consider treating people the way I’d want to be treated.

That just doesn’t seem right to me."


http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/06/health/policy/06insure.html?_r=5&hp

WASHINGTON — Pressed by industry lobbyists, White House officials on Wednesday assured drug makers that the administration stood by a behind-the-scenes deal to block any Congressional effort to extract cost savings from them beyond an agreed-upon $80 billion.

A deputy White House chief of staff, Jim Messina, confirmed Mr. Tauzin’s account of the deal in an e-mail message on Wednesday night.

“The president encouraged this approach,” Mr. Messina wrote. “He wanted to bring all the parties to the table to discuss health insurance reform.”

...In an interview on Wednesday, Representative Raul M. Grijalva, the Arizona Democrat who is co-chairman of the House progressive caucus, called Mr. Tauzin’s comments “disturbing.”

[BklnDem75]

35. Isn't the 'secret deal' being tossed about...

here daily about how Obama conspired to get rid of the Public Option? I know that's what I'm referring to.

[slipslidingaway]

36. The deal already happened, Medicare cannot negotiate for drug prices...

was my subject line to you and your reply was ...

"None of those links back your accusations"

Now you want to try and pretend you thought it was about something else!

:eyes:

Guess you never read the links, but were quick to post that I was making unfounded accusations.

[BklnDem75]

37. I suggest you go back to the beginning of our conversation

When you mentioned Tauzin, I said I don't believe in the 'secret deal' rumor. You're the only one pretending here.

[slipslidingaway]

39. And I suggest you read the posts you reply to - "Medicare cannot negotiate for drug prices" ...

before you accuse others, the posts and links speak for themselves.

It was fairly obvious that I was not speaking about the public option.

Unless you believe Medicare negotiating for drug prices is the same as a public option ... who knows maybe you do.

:shrug:

[BklnDem75]

40. Not at all

There's only one 'secret deal' being talked about on this board, and it's always used to claim how the PO was killed. I don't know enough about the 'drug prices' arrangement to comment on it right now.

[slipslidingaway]

41. Again I spelled it out in my subsequent post to you, clearly I was not talking about ...

the PO.

And if you google Tauzin and deal, which is what I said, or "secret deal" the links point to the deal on drug pricing.

Sorry but you have to read the message before replying instead of assuming something.

"There's only one 'secret deal' being talked about on this board, and it's always used to claim how the PO was killed."

Sorry again, but I could probably point to ten of my own posts on this subject and I posted other DU threads to you from other posters - all talking about the 80 billion dollar deal with Pharma.

Here is the video of Carper
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5K9GVkUgnA

April 11, 2011 in GDP

The Legacy of Billy Tauzin: The White House-PhRMA Deal ...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=433&topic_id=653695&mesg_id=654361

[bananas]

17. "Stressing - this is the game. Both sides giving us leaks to make other seem to blame. ..."

http://twitter.com/#!/LisaDCNN/status/89904852393668608

@LisaDCNN Lisa Desjardins
Stressing - this is the game. Both sides giving us leaks to make other seem to blame. V EAGER to hear Boehner response on Bush tax cuts.
1 hour ago via Twitter for iPhone
Retweeted by HeyJacquiDey and 6 others

[flamingdem]

23. I'm glad the Dems are playing, they can get lots of mileage out of this nt

[bahrbearian]

19. Because of the deal Obama made with the repugs , the tax cuts expire Dec. 2012 after the elections.

So lose the election and lose the tax cuts,, Obama trying to give another reason to vote for him. Boner's still in the driver seat

[PragmaticLiberal]

22. Even if this is true...

there's no way Boehner will be able to follow through with people like Eric Cantor breathing down his neck.

[Hand_With_Eyes]

34. Um, didn't Obama say he wouldnt extend them last December?

WTF are they even being discussed?

[bhikkhu]

43. Only to get the unemployment extension

I think most people figured they'd be back on the table in the budget fights, which were already beginning.

[Name removed]

38. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[slipslidingaway]

44. n/t

[AlinPA]

45. It's BS. Boehner wants default. It's the only way he will keep his job.