« Obama Had Control of Both Houses in 2010 and Never Moved to Pass a 2011 Budget | Main | Obama Threatens to Veto Troop Funding Bill »
April 08, 2011
Eric Cantor: We Will Not Leave Town Until We Cut Spending & Get Our Fiscal House In Order
Eric Cantor: We Will Not Leave Town Until We Cut Spending & Get Our Fiscal House In Order
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor promised the American people yesterday:
“We will not leave town until we cut spending and get our fiscal house in order.”
The Republicans gave him a standing ovation. The democrats sat on their fannies.
Boehner: 'Far more than one provision' holding up agreement
Meanwhile, the House planned to move forward Thursday with a bill extending funding for one week and financing the military for a year. The legislation, which also includes an abortion restriction for the District of Columbia, is designed to pressure Senate Democrats. “There is no policy reason for the Senate to oppose this,” Boehner said. Republicans have dubbed the measure a “troop funding bill,” and the Speaker cited the U.S. involvement in “a third war” in Libya as a reason to pass it.
Obama on Thursday afternoon threatened to veto it. ( Please see my other post about this and what obama is doing ~ Wild Thing ) The sharp rhetoric earlier Thursday contrasted with a sense Wednesday night that the two sides were making slow progress toward a deal. Boehner and Reid made a joint appearance following a White House meeting in which they emphasized their desire to avoid a government shutdown.
They also said their staffs would work through the night in continued talks.
Reid said negotiators have basically agreed to the total level of cuts for the rest of fiscal 2011 but strong disagreement remains over controversial policy riders.
“The numbers are basically there,” Reid said. “But I’m not nearly as optimistic — and that’s an understatement — as I was 11 hours ago. The numbers are extremely close. Our differences are no longer over how much savings we get on government spending.
“The only thing holding up an agreement is an ideology,” Reid told the Senate’s presiding chair. “I’m sorry to say, Mr. President, my friend the Speaker and the Republican leadership have drawn a line in the sand, not dealing with a deficit we know we have to deal with.
“The two main issues holding this matter up are the choice of women, reproductive rights, and clean air,” Reid said. “These matters have no place in a budget bill.”
Reid said the president and Democratic leaders would not give any more ground in the talks.
“We have given everything that we can give,” he said.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) responded immediately by blaming Senate Democrats for the impasse.
“This bill does everything Democrats have previously said they want. It cuts Washington spending by an amount that Democrat leaders believe is reasonable. The policy prescriptions it contains have been previously agreed to by Democrat leaders and signed by the president. And, most importantly, this is the only proposal out there that keeps the government open," he said, according to prepared remarks released by his office.
He pointed out that Democrats haven't released a plan to keep the government running.
"Since they have produced no alternative to the bill that the House is sending over today, this is the only proposal currently on the table that will keep the government open," he said.
“In other words, if a shutdown does occur, our Democrat friends have no one to blame but themselves — because they have done nothing whatsoever to prevent it," he added. "So rather than talking about a shutdown, I hope our Democrat friends join us in actually preventing one. There is one way to do that — by quickly passing the House bill and sending it to the president for his signature before tomorrow night.” Reid on Thursday said the House one-week measure, which Boehner described as a "reasonable troop funding" bill, would not pass the Senate.
“The House is now going to pass a short-term stopgap, it’s a non-starter over here,” Reid said. “Doing that is an assured way to close the government. There are no more short-term extensions.”
Reid said he could agree to a short-term measure to keep government operating as long as it did not include controversial policy riders.
“We’ll be happy to do a clean CR, one that will allow us to work out the details of an agreement,” Reid told reporters Thursday afternoon in reference to a continuing resolution to extend funding.
Senate Democratic Policy Committee Chairman Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) dismissed a question about the possibility of the Senate amending the House's one-week stopgap and putting the ball back in Boehner’s court.
“Our focus right now is to try and get a deal because this short-term, short-term, short-term doesn’t work,” he said “Let’s wait and see what happens at the [1 p.m.] White House meeting.”
In his own floor remarks on Thursday, Boehner rejected assertions that the House bill is bound to go nowhere.
"There's no policy reason for the Senate to oppose this responsible troop funding bill that keeps the government running," he said. "It reflects a bicameral, bipartisan agreement that was reached in December regarding the troop funding bill, and no Senator has objected to the policy in this bill."
Boehner added that "no one" wants a government shutdown, and called on the Senate to "follow the House in taking these responsible steps to support our troops and keep our government open."
Obama, in a rare late-night appearance in the White House briefing room Wednesday, said it would "inexcusable" to shut down the government over political issues.
.
Wild Thing's comment........
Obama, in a rare late-night appearance in the White House briefing room Wednesday, said it would "inexcusable" to shut down the government over political issues.
What a total ass obama is, he is the one that said he would veto any bill that did not include funding abortion etc. He is the one making this policital all the way. His political agenda!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Defunding increases federal spending? What planet are they from?
In the early days of our Republic, they used to attack each other with canes, when passions flowed in Congress. With this batch of politicians I’d gladly give them M16A2, Need popcorn and CSPAN. Want to bet DIMS don’t know what a charge handle is?
Posted by Wild Thing at April 8, 2011 05:47 AM
Comments
Shalom Eric and Happy Passover and Holy Week shortly to Bear Nation!
Posted by: darthcrUSAderworldtour07 at April 8, 2011 01:21 PM
Darth, thank you my dear friend. (((hug))
Posted by: Wild Thing at April 9, 2011 05:24 AM
