Prev Next
Featured Quizzes
Politix Daily Headlines
Featured Debates
Issues

See all 17 issues

People
White House

See all people

FISCAL CUFFS

Obama Told Boehner: 'You Get Nothing'

President went nuclear in fiscal cliff talks

Next>

by Mary Noble

Senior Editor t

Image: AP

It sounds like Obama got a lot tougher during fiscal cliff negotiations than he was given credit for.

Last week, while the President was being accused of "committing suicide" by distraught liberals, he was privately raking John Boehner over the coals.

That's according to a Wall Street Journal scoop published Sunday. Obama apparently told Boehner that if he didn't bend over, the POTUS "would use his inagural address and his State of the Union speech to tell the country the Republicans were at fault."

And Obama wasn't taking any nonsense from Boehner's about "concessions." At one point "Boehner told the president, 'I put $800 billion [in tax revenue] on the table. What do I get for that?' 'You get nothing,' the president said. 'I get that for free.'

The president then elaborated, in case Boehner hadn't understood: "My offer is this. Nothing. Nothing except the tax hikes on the rich, which I would appreciate if you offered to me personally."

And to make sure Boehner understood what he was up against, apparently Obama "repeatedly reminded Mr. Boehner of the election results: 'You're asking me to accept Mitt Romney's tax plan. Why would I do that?'"

One disturbing detail from the WSJ scoop: fiscal cliff talks had "already broken down" on Monday. That's right: while we were all speculating on a possible deal last week, the powers that be had already given up.

Via the Wall Street Journal.
Like this article? B Vote Up
?

What's your take on Obama's hardline stance during fiscal cliff talks?

View results

Comments (view in Forum)

  • marine1
    !
    let it all go belly up, it's time to start over and maybe get it right this time? A welfare state with high taxes is not the way to go. Bring back the jobs so people that want to work can and those that don't want to work can suck hind teet.
  • PNWest
    !
    I think he lis leading just fine. It's high time those losers on the right pay attention to the needs of the American people instead of the billionaires. John Boehner could bring up a bill already passed by the Senate that would keep the Bush tax cuts for 98% of us. He refuses to do so. I'm glad to see Obama finally growing a pair and putting it to the GOP. Taxes are going up on the rich regardless of what the GOP does. The only question left is whether or not the GOP is willing to stand in the was of a tax cut for the middle and lower classes. What he should have told Boehner is "This is gonna hurt more if you wait until January"
  • methinks
    !
    Compromise is when BOTH sides give a little. That's best for every stakeholder.

    This attitude just shows who the REAL obstructionists are in DC, and it ain't the Republicans!

  • View all 39 replies >

  • o
    thejimbo
    !
    Typical Obama, the lying Liar-in-Chief.

    More taxes NOW.

    In exchange for what?

    Maybe, in the indefinite future, Obama will get around to discussing the hypothetical possibility of slowing down the rate of spending increases and new entitlements.

    About as likely, as Argentina's populist Peronists and Kirchners disavowing soft Marxism.

    As long as soft Marxists (Obama included) retain power, and their lavish spoils & priveleges, they could care less if the country burns.
  • stepped_in_it
    !
    @Bobolinsky Interesting story about Argentina. Sounded like some of the riots here....except country wide! Really liked the part about the unrest of the poor having to pay taxes that they didn't pay before after receiving a "raise". Are we seeing the future of the USA a couple years from now? Time (and our administration) will only tell. Thanks for the post!
  • Bobolinsky
    !
    @stepped_in_it-- That was the most bizarre part.

    "Thousands of people marched in front of the presidential palace earlier this week demanding the elimination of income tax, which many lower-paid workers never had to pay before but must now after receiving a salary hike earlier this year."

    Guess I'm so used to the Left dancing around their hypocrisy and classism.
  • stepped_in_it
    !
    @Bobolinsky I guess what is not understood is...after the "rich" tax and that is not enough, then comes a middle class tax and that won't be enough. Then comes the poor tax....and that won't be enough!
    It's not the tax, it's the spending....stupid politicians!
  • Romney2012
    !
    Sure raise taxes on the rich, who cares? But we should also start making companies like General Electric and Google actually pay taxes! But we know that won't happen because Obama has their butts covered!
  • PoliticalSpice
    !
    It's about time Obama started pushing back.
    Granted, one thing that is bi-partisan is protecting big corporations from paying their share.

    Personally, I think it's about time Obama started to show some tesolve and stop letting them treat him like a doormat. They have been pushing for two years. They humiliated him and undermined the entire economy during the debt negotiations, it's about time Obama started acting like president. I've never seen anuone in that office let congress push him around like obama has.
  • armed_liberal
    !
    The Republicans have done nothing but try to tube the US economy the last 2 years. They will lose the house in 2 years. Marco Rubio can't save them.
  • PoliticalSpice
    !
    Oh and obama can not raise taxes on google or general motors, that takes elimination of tax loopholes through a bill in congress, so you have no badis, other then blind hatered against obama, to claim it won't happen because of him until congress sends him a proposal to eliminate whatever deductions or loopholes those companies are relying upon, and i agree with @armedliberal a name change is long overdue.
  • Thegrif
    !
    So at the end of the day Rep will get the last word, cause the tax increase will amount to nothing and what little it cod do will not be felt for three years, until then it will be more and more of the same, moving in the - direction.
  • Thegrif
    !
    @Sonny obama won if thats what you mean, but beat the hell out of "our guy", not hardly. Obama absolutely did not win based on the issue's and his record, that is laughable, lol.
    Obama won with 93% of one race voting for him, and 94% of another.(Hell we could run only one white guy and only let whites vote, and the one white guy still wouldn't get 93% of the white vote). He won based on racism, and all those non-indendant people looking for more, looking to take from someone else. All those who couldn't manage to do for themselves, so they voted for the guy who says, those damn rich people owe you a living and I will take it from them for you. It's funny, and laughable to me. I at least thought Libs were realist, yet come to find out you actually believe in Robin Hood Philosophy, take from the rich and GIVE to the poor, what a joke.
    The little tax increase is just like a scratch on a old paint job- it accomplishes nothing and nobody even notices.(lol)
    Obama has offered up a passifier to shut the cry babies up, that and he knew if he tells all the takers in America he is going to GIVE some freebies away he would be a shoe in for re-election. Yeap, it worked too, congradulations!
    Extend unemployment for another year, that will make people run out and look for work. The man, if you can call Obama a man, promotes lazyassity to a society actually desiring to do nothing. Obama dangled a world of lollipops and candycanes in front of America, and Americas takers jumped all over it, suckers!
    Obama out spends the what he is asking for in tax increase. Given that every child being born today comes into the world with a bill of around 180,000, wow! I don't know if you have kids or not, but I bet they are so thankful.
    Obama has not helped America, in fact the people helped him cripple a nation.
  • o
    Sonny
    !
    @Thegrif You said....."obama won if thats what you mean.." And my answer to that a resounding ...YES!!! That's Exactly what I mean....So then you go off complaining about the voter demographics---and race-baiting the issue...So I merely stopped reading anymore of that nonsense....I'm not interested in your racial politics....So long as you rightfully acknowledged that you LOST...Nothing else need be said...So better luck next time...LOL!

  • View all 13 replies >

  • o
    Sonny
    !
    That's right---So the best thing for the republicans to do ---is Get the Hell out of the way and stop being the Obstructionist they have been over the past four years...Otherwise IT WILL BE THEIR FAULT---And we will not forget that fact!
  • u
    UScentral
    !
    @Politicskid Corrupt? How? Partisan? Yes! He's on the side of the majority of the American people who elected him twice on the platform he is openly representing.(Sorry if you don't agree with us.) Politician? Yes! Again, head and shoulders above anyone the GOP currently has taking up space in DC. Especially Boehner.
  • CATTLEPROD
    !
    republicans like boehnor are why I call myself a conservative these days, not a republican. He should announce to the country that the house will not vote for any tax hikes, period. They are going to get the blame no matter what happens. blame for raising taxes when they said they wouldnt, blame for disfunction and allowing us to go over the cliff, etc. Spending cuts are what are needed, not new taxes. He is the leader of the house, a branch of government EQUAL to the president and, in charge of the purse. Lets have this fight. But with a tea party member as speaker. I hope when the new congress covenes they will do just that.
  • Politicskid
    !
    @UScentral Obama is corrupt because he buys votes. He supports forcing people in unionized jobs to support him and his fellow democrats campaigns. He gives favors to people by promising and giving them outrageous unemployment benefits, amoung other "social programs". In essence, he's using other people's money to buy votes. If that's not corruption, I don't know what is.
  • Bobolinsky
    !
    "My offer is this. Nothing. Nothing except the tax hikes on the rich, which I would appreciate if you offered to me personally." -President Obama

    "My offer is this. Nothing...not even the thousand dollars for the Gaming Commission, which I'd appreciate if you would put up personally." -Michael Corleone

    Is that supposed to be some kind of threat?
  • Bobolinsky
    !
    @ST_Louie_Sue-- I know. It's uncanny isn't it? It like he watched the negotiating scenes from the Godfather Saga to get himself psyched for negotiations or something.

    Makes me wonder what the "offer we can't refuse" will be.

  • View all 10 replies >

  • DARSB
    !
    They were re-elected, you know, meaning most of us don't necessarily think they have anything to prove.
  • stepped_in_it
    !
    I don't know about yews guys, but the comment "Obama apparently told Boehner that if he didn't bend over, the POTUS " just cracked me up. Occasionally I get to act like a 10 year old (early onset of dementia?).....LOL
    Now, I don't like or agree with it, but, the GOP has to understand they made that monster (Obama). Now, they get to feed him and clean up his pen!(They did put Romney up against him, they could have "chosen" another.....with a better chance)
  • Roco
    !
    The Repubs for 4 years acted like they were the President and everything was their way or the highway. Now they know how it feels. They get to have 4 years of being walked on. I'm not saying this action is what I would like to see come out of Washington, but it's been going on for 4 years when the Repubs thought they were in charge. The shoe is on the other foot now.
  • stepped_in_it
    !
    @Roco UMMM, you sure about that 4 year thing? You do realize that the Dems had control for Obama's first 2 years, doncha? Well, maybe you don't!
  • Roco
    !
    @stepped_in_it I'm quite sure about that 4 year thing. You don't realize that this 2 yr control crap is just that, a bunch of crap. See:

    1) http://www.thepragmaticpundit.com/2011/12/oba... ;
    2) http://www.winningprogressive.org/democrats-h... ;
    3) http://sandiegofreepress.org/2012/09/the-myth... :
    4} http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/did-the-demo...

    Democrats had a 60 seat majority from September 24, 2009 thru February 4, 2010. 4 months; not 2 years!! I guess that new math that most are using comes out to 2 years. Read the entire articles and don't just listen to some sound bits from a bunch of loser news outlets and pundits.
  • DARSB
    !
    From the sounds of it Mr Boehner was negotiating as though he had some leverage. Thanks to the Tea Party revolt last Thursday, he now has no credibility, either.

    Lacking a coherent Republican party I think we are now unavoidably committed to failure. The only way this is not a catastrophe is if the Fiscal Cliff turns out to be a water ride.
  • jessejaymes
    !
    Boehner went in with no leverage and the Tea party has just destroyed an possibility of the GOP surviving the 2014 elections. But my honest Opinion is that the "fiscal cliff" phased in over 10 years won't make a visible dent in either the economy or the deficit. In poker when you're staying in a hand trying to make a hand you compute the number of "outs" you have that could enable you to win a hand. The number of cards available to help your hand and percentage of you getting one of those cards. Boehner has no outs. He's drawing dead.
  • PNWest
    !
    No matter what happens Obama wins. The bigger the cliff the worse it will be for the GOP. Boehner has achieved the great distinction of being considered an idiot by both those on the left and the right. IF he is Speaker next year he will be forced to work with the democrats. I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't run. GOP congress 9% approval rating!
  • Post Removed by Moderators
  • o
    woodtick57
    !
    @Grubby

    jkWhen was this fillibuster proof Senate? You really need to stop listening to fox and the othter idiots. Even thought they repeated this lie many times, it is not true. I fyou cared about your country, you could have known about the true makeup of our senate in those years, and it was not what you were told.

    Sad that people don't even care enough to learn...

  • View all 8 replies >

  • u
    classychazy
    !
    Wtf? They all are acting like five year Old's on the playground while we all have to worry about how we are going to feed and house our children this year! At this point I don't care what the do they just need to get it done!!!!
  • u
    racemonkey
    !
    The president is doing a fine imitation of himself. He's been telling his worshipers for years that everything is the Republicans fault. He never compromises he just pretends that he wants to. The man has zero character, and zero integrity. He could make me forget just how bad Bush was except for the fact that he constantly reminds me. Roll on Mr. President you'll succeed this time for sure.
  • PNWest
    !
    Obama won the election. He campaigned promising to raise taxes on the rich. He is going to fulfill that promise. The majority of the American people want him to fulfill that promise. So no PattyD, you don't sound like a liberal at all. I would tell you what you sound like but the moderators would remove this post if I did.
  • Post Removed by Moderators
  •
    Bobolinsky
    !
    @PNWest-- The republicans in the House are doing what the majority of their voters sent them to Washington to do.

    And I thought PattyD's impersonation of a liberal was spot on.
  • PNWest
    !
    @Bobolinsky Are you talking about the republicans in the house that got close to a million fewer votes than the democrats? The house that would have a democratic majority if it weren't for GOP gerrymandering? You don't see the words GOP and majority too much in the same sentence these days because the majority of the country disagrees with them on everything from abortion to taxes on the rich.
  • Bobolinsky
    !
    @PNWest-- I'm taking about every representative who won their election by getting a majority of the votes in their district.

  • View all 28 replies >

  • jessejaymes
    !
    How would anyone actually know if Obama is doing a good job or not? The right wing screams NO COMPROMISE with Obama and calls him a socialist Muslim when he asks for compromise. On the other hand if Obama acts like the right wingers act and says NO COMPROMISE they call him a socialist Muslim. We have three things in common. The right is going to call Obama names if he comprises the right is going to call Obama names if he doesn't compromise and the right is going do a whole bunch of whining, sniveling, throwing tantrums and screaming no matter what Obama does.
  • Post Removed by Moderators
  •
    stepped_in_it
    !
    Nice knowing you AFarmer.....can you say suspended account. Topix is a better home for you....but you will be missed! Now, what was his name? Umm, don't remember!
  • Ashstop
    !
    I wrote mixed feelings because my view is the only way the left leaning liberals will ever figure it out is to have the country run out of other people's money, just heard again today of the mass exodus from Calf. & New York to our great republican run state of Texas( no income tax, low unemployment , balanced budget) because of the high taxes for big government, high entitlement of those states.
    So Mr. " I can work with anyone" really meant if you agree with his socialistic agenda!
  • o
    woodtick57
    !
    Why are you so hyperpartisan that you think it is only liberals that live off other people's money? is it fun to lie to yourself like that?
  • Ashstop
    !
    @woodtick57
    Been drinking the kook-aid again? Of course I'm not talking about children living off the parents money, I meant grown adults, you know, the ones that should be able to take care of them selfs, they just switch caregivers,from parents to goverment and vote to keep their entitlements without thought of the strain it puts on their country... Kinda like children with their hands out to parents, not worried about where it comes from, it's normal for children.. Not so much for grown, able bodied adults.
  • R Load more comments...