White House challenges GOP in deficit talks

[TomCADem]

Source: USA Today

President Obama challenged Republicans on Monday to take on some of their "sacred cows" as budget talks aimed at preventing an unprecedented government default focused on tax increases and Medicare reductions.

The president met separately with the Senate's Republican and Democratic leaders in what signaled the start of critical head-to-head negotiations aimed at cutting more than $2trillion from federal deficits over the coming decade.

To reach that figure, Obama is insisting that tax breaks and subsidies benefiting specific industries and individuals be eliminated — something Republicans thus far have refused to consider.

"Democrats and the administration have shown themselves willing to take on tough issues and make tough choices, and it's important that Republicans are willing to do the same, to take on some of their sacred cows," White House press secretary Jay Carney said.


Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2011-06-27-budget-debt-limit-talks_n.htm

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This debate is heavily influenced by the corporate media. Notice how Republicans can complain, where is Obama on the debt talks even though the White House and the Vice-President have been leading debt limit talks up until this point.

Conversely, when Republicans John Kyl and Eric Kantor abandoned talks because they weren't getting their way, the media did not play the talking point of where are the Republicans? Instead, this hissyfit was portrayed as great leadership.

Finally, the media plays the talking point that President Obama can only display leadership by convincing Democrats to give up, rather than pushing demands for the rich and oil companies to bear some of the burden of reducing the debt. On the other hand, Republicans Mitch McConnell and John Boehner get a complete free pass on their inability to get other Republicans to accept a compromise. Indeed, by failing to even to try to get Republicans to reconsider some of their sacred cows, McConnell and Boehner are portrayed as strong leaders.

Blame Democrats and Give Republicans A Free Pass. The corporate media applies a different set of rules to Democrats, then it does to Republicans and the American public buys into this narrative.