Senators' plan would reopen govt, raise debt limit

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

By ANDREW TAYLOR

WASHINGTON (AP) - With talks having stalled between the White House and House Republicans, a bipartisan group in the Senate is polishing a measure that would reopen the government and prevent a first-ever default on the country's bills.

The negotiations in the Senate come as the chamber meets in a rare Saturday session to vote on a Democratic measure to lift the government's borrowing cap through the end of next year. Republicans are poised to reject it amid talks among the group of rank-and-file senators - talks monitored with the full attention of Senate leaders.

The bipartisan group's focus is on a proposal by Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and others that would pair a six-month plan to keep the government open with an increase in the government's borrowing limit through January.

House Republicans, meanwhile, are slated to meet Saturday morning to get an update from their leaders as matters come to a head.

FULL story at link.


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20131012/DA9CFN080.html

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Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, talks with reporters after arriving on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Oct. 11, 2013, following a meeting between Republican senators and President Obama at the White House on the ongoing budget battle. Republicans from the House of Representatives were offering to pass legislation to avert a potentially catastrophic default and end the 11-day partial government shutdown as part of a framework that would include cuts in benefit programs, officials said Friday. But the impasse was not yet over. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

[joshdawg]

1. Raise the debt limit

by the very least, a year. Open gov't with no concessions. Actually, Dems could force the opening at pre-sequestration levels. They have the RWNJ's by the short hairs..........tug 'em.


Oh, and BTW, cruz is crazier than bachmann.

[KansDem]

4. I never thought it possible...

...that anyone could be crazier than Bachmann!

[Cosmocat]

5. Jesus Christ

THIS is where things are now, and the media is frothy at the mouth happy about it.

The STARTING point is a six month extension on the government and a three month extension on the debt limit.

At what time in our history did it become normal to have a governmental/debt meltdown as regularly as it now is under this President?

[24601]

8. Not sure how to tie a time frame to the debt limit effectively. It lends itself (pun intended) to

be instead be tied to an amount.

Appropriations are easy to bound with a date.

[cui bono]

2. It's not enough, but it would be interesting if it goes to the House and they reject it.

Or Boehner doesn't bring it up for vote.

[davidpdx]

3. My guess is they double down and refuse to vote on it

[Rebellious Republican]

6. This is great theater!

[toby jo]

7. Give 'em 8 - 12 months on raising debt limit,

then we can do this dance all summer, right up to mid-terms.

Keep that fresh shit smell out and about.

[1StrongBlackMan]

10. Actually ...

This "deal" will push out the "next crisis", i.e., the closing of government to January (of the election year) and the debt ceiling to about April of the election year ... Democratic campaigns will benefit if the modern gop pulls this crap again, if current polling is any indicator.

[bucolic_frolic]

9. When will Boehner Cantor et al

start blathering for more tax cuts?

After all, as soon as you've dealt with the debt you have to borrow
more so you can grow the wealthy part of the economy and push
up against the debt limit so you can have more tax cuts

all the while cruzading for entitlement cuts because they're making
too much debt that you have to borrow for

[1StrongBlackMan]

12. They started yesterday ...

but the conversation will come up in negotiations that occur between the "deal" and the next "crisis."

But I'm pretty confident that there will be no tax cuts, unless in the form of a lower statutory rate ... after a closing of loop holes.

[ThomThom]

16. It is time for Dems to put some stuff on the table and see what America thinks

how about:
remove tax breaks for wealthiest corporations
a tax on stock transactions
raise the Social Security cap
100% tax on wealth over 1 billion dollars
huge penalties for off-shoring wealth
restore funding for all those great programs that keep getting cut and cut
these would end the money troubles in short order
time to push back, stop playing in the thugs park
start looking out for the people in need with jobs programs
tariffs to bring jobs back that were off-shored
START PUSHING PEOPLE!!!

[ffr]

21. I'm with you. They have demands. We have demands.

We have the majority in 2/3rds of the government and veto power. Guess what rethugs? You might feel a little pinch for a second. Think of it as a bonus for pushing a losing position.

[Tom Rinaldo]

11. "part of a framework that would include cuts in benefit programs"

They were never going to be able to defund the ACA. So if Republicans can sell a "cpmpromise" that keeps the government open and the U.S.. from defaulting - in other words releasing their hostages, as part of a framework that would include cuts in benefit programs - that means the Republican kidnapping worked.

[1StrongBlackMan]

13. Well, that's ceertainly how ...

the modern gop will sell it; but think about it ... that's like saying ...

Okay, it's agreed. You put done the gun and release the hostages and when you do, we will talking about "entitlements."

That was going to happen anyway; but ...

Do you really believe there will be any movement on "entitlement" cuts in an election year? And any such discussions will be like 2012 ... drawing sharp distinctions between Democratic and the modern gop.

That's a frame Democratic candidates should welcome!

[Tom Rinaldo]

14. "Do you really believe there will be any movement on "entitlement" cuts in an election year?"

My guess is that there is at least a 50/50 chance of that. The "Third Way" forces (including some influential Democrats) have been pushing the Chained CPI for years now. The Corporate lobby is pushing that hard also and Dems have their own ties there as well. Obama's debt commission backed it, the President once offered it as part of a deal.

It goes strongly against my own read of politics but some in the Democratic Party believe that the Left has nowhere else to go and that if Republicans just play nice and praise some budget deal that includes a chained CPI rather than using it to bash Democrats with, well then it becomes a big win for Democrats. Why? Because they can posture as the adult responsible party that is willing to even make the left flank of thier own coalition unhappy to do what is right for America blah blah blah Under that reasoning Democrats will score points with Independents and lock up the center etc. etc.

Me, I think it would drain all passion out of activisists who the Democratic Party depends on to win elections, and keep millions of Democratic voters at home come election day rather than going to the polls.

The reason why I think the chances are 50/50 rather than strongly favoring earned benefits cuts is that Republicans are so rigid against accepting any revenue increases. As soon as they begin to budge a little on that the Chained CPI becomes more likely than not.

[1StrongBlackMan]

15. I disagree ...

even "3rd-Way" Democrats will run from "entitlement" cuts ... establishment gopers have! Remember what the gop coordinating committee's response to President Obama's CCPI offer was ... (the Democratic position of) "It'll be devastating to seniors!"

And no Democrat, actually came out in support of it ... those in "safe" districts said "Hell No!"; while those in swing districts said, "We can talk about it in the context of an overall package that incluses robust revenue (i.e., taxes) increases" ... a gop non-starter.

The calculus hasn't changed.

BTW, I remain convinced the the CCPI proposal(s) is a landmine, planted to keep the left engaged and tie the right's campaign hands ... they can't be for it, lest they upset their senior base; and they can't be against it, lest they risk a tea party primary.

[Tom Rinaldo]

17. I would rather you be right than I

At the very least I would say do not be complacent regarding this. Powerful forces have been pushing the Chained CPI for years, and I don't mean just Koch Brother types. If it doesn't happen it will be because we remaain constantly vocal and active in our opposition to it. Thre is precedent for cutting entitlements and both parties getting away with it, so tho speak. That last grand bargain that Reagan and the Democrats negotiated about raising the Social Security age etc. If both parties feel like they get what htey need out of a protracted negotiation, sometimes each can resist the temptation to hammer the other regarding parts of it - that too is pre-negotiated in back rooms.

[1StrongBlackMan]

19. I agree ...

But I really don't think "entitlement" cuts will happen. There may be some tinkering with the formula that might affect those that can best afford it, like a lifting of the payroll cap or increased revenues to "strengthen" the programs; but a cut ... NOPE.

GOTV 2014

[jwirr]

18. What do we stand to lose in this one?

[AlinPA]

20. That sounds like a non-starter for the teabagger controlled House. They want default, so nothing

will change that.