Are Republicans as frustrated as Democrats over these debt-limit negotiations?

[kentuck]

And why is the President doing the job of the Congress? His job is supposed to be to execute - not legislate. Yes, we know. The Repubs would not do anything unless the President was involved. But did he have to agree with them? It is a Congressional responsibility.

Obviously, the President and the Democrats want a grand and large plan to get past the next election. Naturally, the Republicans do not want to give up their perceived advantage on this issue and would like a smaller deal to get through this year, so they can come back with the same attacks this time next year.

And now, the Washington Post is reporting that the sticking point is really the Bush tax cuts.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/boehner-abandons-efforts-to-reach-comprehensive-debt-reduction-deal/2011/07/09/gIQARUJ55H_story_1.html
<snip>
"Obama, at least, was willing to make that leap and had put significant reductions to entitlement programs on the table. But on Saturday, Boehner blinked: Republican aides said he could not, in the end, reach agreement with the White House on a strategy to permit the Bush-era tax cuts for the nation’s wealthiest households to expire next year, as lawmakers undertook a thorough rewrite of the tax code.
...
In private negotiations with the White House last week, Boehner dangled a tax deal that he thought might bridge the divide. Republicans would immediately extend the Bush tax cuts for middle-class households, leaving the cuts that benefit the nation’s wealthiest taxpayers on track to expire next year. That would have been a huge win for Democrats, whose liberal base views ending tax cuts for the rich as a top priority — and one that Obama has failed to deliver."
<end snip>

So, we now see how the Bush taxcuts are coming back to bite Obama and the Democrats in the ass. In reality, the Bush taxcuts should have already been gone. They expired at the end of last year but Obama and the Democrats agreed to extend them. Now they have become the central debating point in negotiating the debt limit. Who is surprised?

Is there any wonder there is so much frustration with the Democrats? Our incompetence overfloweth.

.

[Chan790]

1. Based on early breakfast today...

here in DC. Yes, Republicans are frustrated. I hope they choke on it...they thought "We'll get our way and put nothing on the table." Now there is fear that Democrats "will get their way and put nothing on the table."

You'd love to know how many junior Hill staffers on that side of the aisle are very afraid that their bosses are going to be forced to go home and tell constituents that they had to raise the debt ceiling (without anything in return) so that they wouldn't have to raise taxes to address the deficit.

I've been hard on this President the past few days but if he can eat the Orange Man's lunch on this and not feel compelled to give them any "win" now that they're on the ropes on this one issue, I'll take it all back.

[Long Shadow]

2. Regrettably, money, or lack thereof, is the source of many frustrations.

Ds & Rs arguing over money is reminiscent of a husband and a wife arguing over the same thing.

[kentuck]

3. If it were only so trivial...

No one would be frustrated.

[Tippy]

4. Read earlier this AM the TeaParty is making big waves on the deal

Republicans are worried they will lose more to Tea Party in next election...I no long believe they have the clout....but could be wrong

[ejpoeta]

5. they are the ones that hitched their wagon to the tea party. i hope that it backfires.

the tea party primaries them and then the regular folks will not want the tea party idiots. i know there are places though where the tea party candidates will do ok. i just hope it will be so small as to be incosequential. they are dangerous.

[still_one]

6. The repukes made threats on this months ago, and the President should have taken an active role then

Not only that, the message should be very clear an unambiguous from the administration

Similar nonsense happened during HCR, people were not sure what was happening, what the administrations view was, etc.

You would think they would communicate more effectively.

After we lost Ted Kennedy's seat that should have been a loud and clear warning sign that things were not being communicated effectively

[SoutherDem]

7. Could the Republicans be hedging their bet?

A big fix would last into the next term. If they won the WH and possible the Senate but not 60% they would be stuck with the plan. If they kick the can down the road far enough to get pass this crisis, yet no real fix they hope it will give them ammunition to win in 2012 when they can do what they want. Also, maybe I was wrong about President Obama's actions, possible he knew Republican's didn't want to risk getting the blame of cutting SSI while protecting the Bush tax cut and the corporate loopholes. Then it may have been luck.