TPM - "Boehner Declines To Name Specific Entitlement Cuts He Seeks In Deal"

[TomCADem]

The mainstream media refuses to hold Republicans accountable. They claim that Democrats are not being bipartisan, but they refuse to disclose any proposals. Yet, they get free reign to claim that Democrats are "not serious." Amazing.

http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/boehner-declines-to-name-specific-entitlement-cuts-he

Asked on Friday what kind of specific entitlement cuts he seeks in a deal with the White House over the so-called fiscal cliff, House Speaker John Boehner pointed reporters to previous GOP budgets, declining to name further demands in a potential counteroffer.

"You could look at our budget from the last two years, and there are plenty of specific proposals, most of which were part of the conversation that the president and I had two years ago, or a year and a half ago," Boehner told reporters at press conference. "There have been discussions about many of those same issues this time. So there's a lot from the conversations that we have had to inform almost anybody of the kind of proposals that we're looking for."

Boehner also added that talks with President Obama had come to a significant stand-still.

“There’s a stalemate," Boehner said. "Let’s not kid ourselves.”

[Permanut]

1. Let's help him, here..

For specific cuts, let's start with cutting all expenses for the Speaker of the House if said Speaker obfuscates, hinders or otherwise serves or promotes others to prevent, slow down, arrest, balk, bar, block, bottleneck, box in, burden, check, choke, clog, contravene, counteract, crab, cramp, crimp, cripple, curb, debar, delay, deter, encumber, fetter, frustrate, get in the way, hamper, hamstring, handicap, hog-tie, hold back, hold up, impede, inhibit, interfere, interrupt, louse up, muzzle, neutralize, obstruct, offset, oppose, preclude, prohibit, resist, retard, shut out, snafu, stay, stop, stymie*, terminate, thwart, or trammel the will of the people.

[Wellstone ruled]

2. Mister Boner needs a we bit more

Merelo. Johnny Boy needs to get his sh*t together,his bullshit is getting old and the time is nye for a comeuppin. Me thinks this guy is trying to fix his legacy and that's all that matters. Image and Optics,after all this slug couldn't pass the pee test for a private sector job. It's all about the base in Cinncy,nothing more and nothing less. What a FAKE.

[Thinkingabout]

3. So, tell me again why the repubs are expecting an offer from Democrats?

Is it because the repubs has a present offer on the table? If this is their story then President Obama put his offer on the table during the campaign, was going to drop the Bush tax cuts on $250,000 and above. Story over. Boehner apparently does not have leadership skills. They can whine about Nancy Pelosi but Boehner can not lead.

[TomCADem]

5. Because The Media Buys Into Their Talking Points Generally

Republicans say that the President should "lead," which allows Republicans to sit back and wait for Democrats to bargain against themselves. Then, after putting no detailed proposals on the table, Republicans complain that Democrats have not been bi-partisan. Remember the healthcare debate?

[DreamGypsy]

4. The Trenches: Symbol of the Stalemate

From: http://www.pbs.org/greatwar/chapters/ch1_stalemate.html

Republicans dug in on the Western Front, used dark humor to lighten the strain of living in a trench.

I've a Little Wet Home in a Trench

I've a little wet home in a trench
Where the shit storms continually drench,
There's a dead cow named Mitt close by
With his feet pointed up toward the sky
And he gives off a terrible stench.

Underneath, in the place of a floor,
There's a mass of Ryan budgets and more,
But with the crap that dropped there,
There's no place to compare,
With my little wet home in the trench.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

6. Boehner, McConnell, et. al didn't have a plan for LOSING

They seem to have believed that they would sweep the 2012 elections and come back to the table afterwards with a much better hand. Whoops! Well, elections have consequences, as they are just now starting (maybe) to figure out. If they want cuts to Medicare and Social Security, then it's THEIR job to put 'em on the table or they need to STFU. BTW I haven't seen them willing to actually put any new tax revenue on the table yet- beyond some vague notion of closing a few "loopholes". I'm getting tired of Boehner, et. al demanding that President Obama "lead", which, as far as I can tell, means that they expect President Obama do their jobs for them.

[NewJeffCT]

7. But, he's flabbergasted that Obama wants higher taxes on the rich

even though Obama's been talking about that for a year...

[TomCADem]

9. I Guess His Head Was In The Sand For Most of 2012

What a surprise! President Obama's proposal mirrors the platform he ran on!

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

8. Make them say it out loud....

This is a brilliant strategy on the part of the White House. Republicans have hidden behind non-disclosed and non-descript "spending cuts" as the hallmark of their budget proposal.

Fine.

Dandy.

Let's hear it, boys. Program by program and dollar for dollar. How much are you going to cut and where are you going to cut it?

No wonder the conservatives are in high dudgeon. They've been called on their bullshit