Hoyer says no deal, on Gang Of Six plan.

[mzmolly]

The second-ranking House Democrat on Tuesday threw his weight behind the party's blanket opposition to entitlement benefit cuts in a debt-ceiling deal.

Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said it was the consensus of Democrats to oppose any benefit cuts under Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid as lawmakers haggle over how to hike the debt limit and rein in deficit spending.

"We have made it very clear that we have no intention of supporting a bill that cuts beneficiaries' benefits," Hoyer told reporters in the Capitol Tuesday.

The comments represent a subtle but significant change in Hoyer's approach to the negotiating table. As recently as last week, the Democratic whip was being careful not to rule out any policy options during the contentious debt talks — a position shared by President Obama.

More at - http://thehill.com/homenews/house/172259-hoyer-no-benefit-cuts-in-entitlement-programs?wpisrc=nl_wonk

[Stuart G]

1. I hope Hoyer sticks to this "no cuts statement"

[mzmolly]

2. Hoyer, Pelosi and others have all said no to any cuts.

I too hope that we avoid any such adjustments. I don't want to pay for the Bush tax cuts on the backs of average Americans.

[joeybee12]

3. I hope he sticks to that...maybe he, like pelosi is sick of Obama

ignoring Democrats.

[mzmolly]

6. I think it's all part of a coordinated

plan. Obama will remain the so called "adult" by being "open" to ideas and Democrats in the house and senate will oppose cuts to entitlements. This, while Republicians dig in their heels, for the wealthy.

[lamp_shade]

14. Clearly, msmolly. Anybody with good knowledge and experience KNOWS this. Steny, Nancy,

Bernie, Harry, Dick... are all playing their roles brilliantly.
Kudos to the choreographer... the President and his staff.

[joeybee12]

19. That's really funny...

Funny what you wrote when you meant it to be insulting!

[mzmolly]

22. Unless of course one thinks that the 4T gang of six plan is about to pass?

And/or that politicians never play politics? I'd be interested in learning more. :hi:

[lamp_shade]

30. There's a bunch here who like to believe Bernie et al are "attacking Obama". I chuckle.

:hi:

[mzmolly]

31. Oh heck no.

I love Bernie! :hi: I signed his petition too. ;)

[Marr]

18. I agree-- this whole thing is about passing out political cover

while pushing a more or less settled agenda. From Obama's deficit commission to the final rounds of drama we're seeing now, it's all just PR.

[iwishiwas]

27. took him long enough!

[leveymg]

4. I'll give him praise for that. So are the Gang of 6 playing with themselves behind closed doors?

Can't we just all agree to convene another Catfood Commission for another year and put this nightmare behind us?

[jtown1123]

5. Whew! Pretty surprising from Hoyer but I'll take it at this point.

[Ganja Ninja]

7. How many times have we seen this?

Obama caves then house Democrats vow to fight only to give in a few days later.

[mzmolly]

8. Coordinated,

me thinks. ;)

[wiggs]

28. They don't have to cave...their votes won't matter. So he can say whatever

he wants and house dems can be the good guys opposing the house gop vote. You can bet there will be just enough senate dems, joining with all the senate pugs, to pass a compromise debt bill.

There will be 'good' dems who voted against it...it's their turn to be the good guys. The senate dems who go vote for it have been told it's their turn to be the bad guys.

[mzmolly]

32. The bill raises taxes too.

I just don't see how this bill, gets done in this climate.

[jtown1123]

34. It raises taxes onthe middle class, lowers on the wealthy. It's a massive stinker

[mzmolly]

38. It raises taxes on the wealthy by closing loopholes.

I'm not supporting any particular plan, I'm just pointing out that there are a few things progressives would applaud. I greatly dislike the bill overall, frankly.

[tularetom]

9. I can't tell the players without a scorecard anymore

Who is for this gang of 6 plan? Who's against it?

Who has endorsed the Reid/McConnell compromise? Who has opposed it?

Whose position has remained constant throughout the process and who has wavered?

All I know is this - if I make repeated concessions to another person in an effort to reach an agreement, and all those concessions are ignored or rebuffed, then screw 'em, I'm going back to my original position and we'll just have to play chicken.

We may be at a point where the solution is worse than the problem.

[EFerrari]

10. Didn't they do this with the bail out, too? Or was it with TARP?

Anyway, they made a big deal out of not giving banks money with no strings and they wound up doing exactly that.

[mzmolly]

11. I think what may come as an end result of the political posturing, is a clean debt ceiling

vote.

[leveymg]

13. That will shut down the federal government. What then?

[mzmolly]

23. A clean debt ceiling vote will keep Government

funded.

[leveymg]

33. Not if the House majority doesn't vote for it.

[mzmolly]

39. IMHO, last minute,

enough of them will.

[Greybnk48]

12. Sounds like he's only referring to those presently

receiving benefits, or am I reading too much in to the wording "no intention of supporting a bill that cuts beneficiaries' benefits." He does not say he won't agree to cut future beneficiaries' benefits. Am I being too cynical?

[leveymg]

15. That's a good point. Thanks for reminding us about how the game really is played

[mzmolly]

20. Current beneficiaries are not impacted by the gang of six

plan.

[leveymg]

36. Yes, we know. Transfers the cuts onto the rest of us.

[mzmolly]

17. Those presently receiving benefits are already exempt from the "six"

plan. So, yes you're reading too much into the wording. ;)

[Greybnk48]

29. Hope so. You must admit the wording is odd. Once

carefully parsed, it could mean that he's opposing something that hasn't been proposed! LOL. O.k. enough of that.

[damntexdem]

16. Hurrah for Hoyer. Now, if he will only stick to it.

Let's hope that more Congressional Dems utterly repudiate the crime-gang-of-six plan.

Hey, I WOULD like there to be somewhere in the Democratic Party for me, not to mention somewhere in American society for me and millions of others.

[Marr]

24. Oh, he won't. It's just his turn to play good cop for the cameras.

Rest assured there will be some small adjustment to the plan's severity (not direction), and he will shift to supporting it.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

21. What's preventing Obama from doing the same?

[mzmolly]

25. The desire for an "adult in the room"

persona? I too wish he'd do the same. However, the chained COLA formula (which also increases taxes and cuts federal employee pensions) was the brain child if a former Carter appointee.

[jtown1123]

37. Chained CPI is a massive cut for seniors. Who cares where it came from.

[mzmolly]

40. I don't support it but I'm still trying to find accurate information on how "massive" it actually

is. If it is massive, it's sure to fail b/c it will impact federal employees. Surely, Republican Senate and House members don't want any kind of pay cut. ;)

[iwishiwas]

26. Good. maybe he learned from Nancy?

[Uncle Joe]

35. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, mzmolly.

[mzmolly]

41. Hi Uncle Joe.

:hi: Nice to see you.

[Uncle Joe]

42. Likewise, I always have a strong urge to link to this whenever I click on your threads.

so I might as well get it out of the way and be done with it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqHQqb5ot74

Peace to you, :hi:

[mzmolly]

43. LOL

:pals:

[LiberalEsto]

44. Thank you, Steny! nt

[eridani]

45. Excellent! For chrissakes, stick with it now! n/t

[MannyGoldstein]

46. Hold tight. Hold tight.

Open war within our Party would be a good thing. The first step in winning it back.

[mmonk]

47. Wow, really? Must be getting some fierce feedback.

Good news.