Obama, Boehner negotiations at standstill; focus moves to the Senate

Source: CNN

With many in the Senate, including both Republicans and Democrats, not happy with the House proposal to extend the debt limit but keep the government closed, a bipartisan group started working on their own plan.

Furthermore, some Senate Republicans also see their House colleagues as part of the problem.

There is growing concern being expressed in private meetings that the House GOP plan to extend the debt ceiling for six weeks would come back to haunt the party because it would expire close to the holidays, hurting retailers.

There also are worries about the impact of the partial shutdown dragging on, especially with polls showing the Republican Party getting the brunt of the blame.



Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/12/politics/shutdown-showdown/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

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I do think that MSM stories are misleading because they do not make clear that the House Republicans never offered to re-open the government, just to extend the debt ceiling for a very short time. Also, from a purely political, not economic, point of view I am starting to wonder whether the President should have accepted the House's proposal just to extend the debt ceiling. The government would still be closed, which people blame on Republicans. Worse, the next debt crisis would return just before the holidays. Republicans would widely be blamed as the Grinch who stole Christmas if they start pulling this ransom act again.

However, if you are thinking the good of the country, then inviting a debt ceiling crisis right before the holidays is a HORRIBLE idea. It almost makes you think that the Tea Party caucus has some sort of death wish for their party and the rest of the country.