Boehner: Fiscal Cliff Talks Have Gone Nowhere

But insiders say a deal is on the cards

To hear Boehner tell it, fiscal cliff talks have gone nowhere, and meanwhile the economy is going to hell in a handcart.

Boehner wants Obama to tell Republicans everything he's willing to concede up front, to which they'll say yes or no - most likely no. Obama has not done this, since he presumably doesn't want to leave himself without any grounds for bargaining. "The president is not going to negotiate with himself," as a Democratic official told Politico.

Harry Reid is complaining of Republicans allegedly doing exactly the same thing.

But in contrast with Boehner and Reid, anonymous sources say a fiscal cliff solution is imminent. As Politico reveals, "behind the scenes, top officials who have been involved in the talks for many months say the contours of a deal - including the size of tax hikes and spending cuts it will most likely contain - are starting to take shape."

Via Politico.

Do you think Boehner's correct that fiscal cliff talks are going nowhere?

[DerivePI]

I believe the use of the word "cliff" tells you where we are going.

[Catty]

It could be an advantage to the Democrats to go over the cliff. Taxes, sequestration, etc. could then be renegotiated before they actually go into effect. Republicans would come out on the losing end of this situation. I say, go for it.

[DerivePI]

@Catty - There is no doubt in my mind that regardless of what the GOP does, they will come out on the losing end of this deal. And, regardless of reality, the liberals will pin the looming economic collapse on their enemies.

[PoliticalSpice]

@Catty

[PoliticalSpice]

Agree 1000 percent @Catty

[Thunderchicken]

I won't believe these guys are serious till there are real spending cuts in place. Then I'll still be holding my breath that the cuts stay in place.

[DerivePI]

4 years is a long time to hold your breath.

[LGRepublican]

Not just in place, but turned into reality. The promise of budget cuts and a buck will get yo a cup of coffee.....

[Thunderchicken]

@DerivePI

I've got big lungs.:-)

[harold]

Boehner either delivers the votes in the House to make a deal, or in two years elections will give us a new House to deal with.

[methinks]

Also, Boehner agrees to tax increases and the economy is still the same 2 years from now, then the Dems will be up against the wall at election time. If they want to play politics, then Boehner should just agree to the increases and just see what happens, because you know those increases will only pay for 8 days of government operations and there will be no decrease in the debt. It's all a shell game.

[DerivePI]

@methinks - the GOP are gone regardless of what they do. If they break their pledge and vote for the hike, they won't get re-elected. If they hold the line, they will be painted as the party of no and won't get re-elected. The only difference is whether they leave on principle or failure.

[PoliticalSpice]

@DerivePI
Their principle is failure, wasn't that the lesson of of 2012 election?

[DARSB]

At his "press availability" today the Speaker complained no specific proposals had between offered on spending cuts by the White House but when asked about the GOP proposals he declined to provide details. So, it's still about the politics and posturing - from both sides.

[MongoAPillager]

So, it's still about the politics and posturing - from both sides??of course it is,did you every watch pro-wrestling?combine it with a shell game and wah-lau ,its all a script

[DARSB]

@MongoAPillager Maybe if Linda McMahon had been elected to the Senate the "script" would at the least be more entertaining.:-)

[MongoAPillager]

@DARSB Dooohh! another Google search for me

[woodtick57]

@DARSB

She sure spent enough money trying. now that is economic stimulus!

[MongoAPillager]

this so called fiscal cliff,the media is so worried about it taking place,maybe its a good thing,forced spending cuts,now thats scary,tax hikes,who are they kidding there has never been a time we didn,t have tax hikes one way or another.i have my supplies built up,Bring it on baby

[PNWest]

It's better for the economy if a deal is reached but only on Obama's terms. If the GOP fails to yield let them pay the price in 2014 and 2016. Make it an easy race for Hillary.

[LGRepublican]

I think it's the exact opposite. Why shouldn't the GOP hold firm? If no deal is done, they'll get the blame anyway. There's no reason to cave into Obama for two reasons. One, they'll totally alienate fiscal conservatives and two, they'll gain NO votes by compromising. If the GOP has any hope of winning in 14 & 16, the best way to do it is to stick to their guns.

[mtkopf]

@LGRepublican I disagree. I used to consider myself a moderate Republican, even though I couldn't force myself to vote for McCain. Its the nut job teabaggers, like Joel Walsh, and their insistence to constantly act like children instead of acting like leaders sent to govern, that is what pushed me to vote straight Democrat this year. If they keep acting this way I will continue to reward the dems with my vote.

Sidenote--i respect john McCain the pow and his longtime service as a Senator. I did not agree with his choice of Palin as his running mate. Still baffles me to this day.

[LGRepublican]

@mtkopf OMG, you think Joe Walsh acts like a child? What would you call the "leader" of the Senate who REFUSES to even allow bills passed by the house to come up for a vote? What would you call the antics of the former speaker during the whole Obamacare fiasco? Seems like if acting like "leaders" was the yardstick, you wouldn't have voted "D" either. Besides, if the GOP caves, it's not like a bunch of left wingers are suddenly going to say "Gee, they're not so bad after all" and start voting Republican and whatever independents you'd gain would be more than offset by losing your core. The best way is to stand by your principles, shore up your constitutes, and hope to peel off some fiscally conservative independents......

[PNWest]

@LGRepublican I see we are in agreement again! Let the GOP refuse to compromise. You're side will do the old noun-verb-Obama schtick and our side will point out the republican obstructionism that caused 98% of American's taxes to go up. We'll see whose argument prevails in 2014 and 2016.

[mtkopf]

@LGRepublican I live in Joel Walsh's district. I have met both Joel Walsh and Tammy duck worth. I have seen firsthand how Walsh acts when one of his constituents disagrees with him.
You mention Harry Reid. What about the 300+ times the Republicans used the filibuster? Those don't count? How many bills, some of them bipartisan, are stalled in the House bc Boehner refuses to bring those to a vote? Those don't count either? No they shouldn't try to REALLY govern, they should waste more time and vote to repeal obamacare for the 97th time. Yeah, that's REAL leadership there Johnny boy!
Further, its not the GOP caving; its the GOP doing what they were elected to do and that is govern. Part of governing is compromise.

[bsking]

and they will go nowhere. if boehner was smart he would walk away and let oBama do what he wants to do which is to destroy capitalism.

[Hireman]

I'm inclined to agree with the guys driving the talks the most (Boehner/Reid) when they say they haven't made the process that "insiders" say they have.

[MaxPain]

Boing Boing Boehrner and his GOP Hoard think this is all just a joke

[Zoe2012]

Yes because Obama is uncooperative and wants to label himself as a victim. The left will believe it as usual. As you know, 69% of the folks without a high school diploma in Ohio, voted for Obama, which explains why they believe his goofy antics.

[Denizen_Kate]

"69% of the folks without a high school diploma in Ohio, voted for Obama"

We "heard" you the first 10 times.

[PoliticalSpice]

Question: if the Ombama folks are so dimb, and you wackos are so smart, why did you guys lose the election? I mean, besides Ohio, other states dumped romney too, you know!

[RobertJHarsh]

If we go off the cliff and taxes auto-jack up...Obama wins because the Republicans are obstructionists. If the Republicans cave in give to the tax hikes, Obama still wins. I say bring on the cliff. I can live with a couple of years of government shutdown. I am a producer and the only way it'll effect me is my taxes going up a bit.

[tohickon]

There's a shock! You cant be anti-progressive and expect progress as a result.

[FFX_VA]

I think our country is going nowhere until they get off their arrogant a$$es and be representatives of the people and caretakers of the country instead of politicians. It's all y'all's fault Congress, President... and self serving special interest groups with or without clothing on!

[mtkopf]

I saw a poll yesterday, I believe on Diane sawyer that said over 60%(don't recall exactly but I think 62%) believe that taxes should be raised as part of any deal. If Obama only received 52% of popular vote then there is quite a few Republicans wanting a hike also.

[Vance1]

Fiscal Cliff Talks Have Gone Nowhere?
Truly did anyone believe that it would!
The left is so stuck on Entitlements for Everyone, Let the Workers/Taxpayers/Wealthy pay for Everyone. This is their mantra.
There simply is no way of battling Liberal Clause, these Santa or Robin Hood type Liberal Commie Crats will not budge on the hand outs.
So the Conservative Republicans need to play the same tactics, and Not give on anything as far as Tax increases on the workers, taxpayers, and the wealthy.
This is why we send people to Congress and the Senate, I expect Republicans to FIGHT for what my side wants , and Liberals send their folks to FIGHT for what their side seeks.
This is how a Government works. You don’t like it well then stay out of politics'. the liberals are pushing their people for a Communism style America, We push our people toward an American style America.
The liberals intend to Regulate and Tax virtually everything, and bankrupt our country with their anti capitalism tactic's , they have a goal of an un armed public, open border , welfare state.
I am against all of the Liberal agenda "George Soros" type government. And I send folks to Washington To Fight it and always will.
So without Entitlement "Reform" We simply can not Raise Taxes on anyone end of story.

[FollowTheMoney]

Congress has no intentions of solving the problems they, them selves, have created.

[Thegrif]

Regardless of if the 2 parties come to some kind of agreement or not, the current tax cuts are set to expire, and will. So see the rich will pay more, of course, so will you and I, but that was the Obama plan all along. Come on now, he knew that to not be willing to cut spending that the Reps would never go Long with raising taxes, so all he had to do is wait.
So taxes will go up for all of us, deductions will go down, medicare benefits will be cut, along with other cuts. America will go another trillion dollars in the hole. The only up side to all this is after a first term spent blaming Bush, I guess Obama will have only Obama to blame this term. Lmao, if he hated the debt he inhereited from Bush? Wonder how he likes the debt he inhereited from his self? He must like it cause he refused to give an inch to compromise a solution, which could have avoid all this. Yeap this is Obama's mess now, and I say let him and all the Libs have it. We can just sit back and watch as our Dem friends start to realize they were conned by a guy who said one thing and did another.

[bsking]

there is no cliff.

they just like the stimulus had to be voted right now quick right now no time to look at it just vote NOW

same thing were told about the healthcare and vote for before you could read it got to vote for it to see what's in it...

this is all bullshit.

Obama want to raise taxes on everybody...period. he's a liar and we know it.

[Politic-n]

Yep, it's all scare tactics! Both political parties are working together to create a New World Order by destroying the existing one so that it can be rebuilt into a more "progressive" - aka - Socialist/European style where the elite control everything and the middle and lower class have no say anymore.

[bsking]

@Politic-n yep. our new national motto and flag should include ,in phrase and illustration , "leading the lemmings "....or "bringing the sheeple to slaughter since the 1930's "

[Citrus93ta]

Dont worry the obamas are going on a 21 day 4 million dollar vacation in dec . So all must be well in the country . The sad thing is since obama will be obviously working so hard and we go off the cliff the republicans will get all the blame . Smh !

[PoliticalSpice]

I say go over the cliff. Let the Bush tax cuts expire, let the sequester happen, then negotiate from a position of streanghth.