House Republicans’ Fiscal Plan Collapses

[onehandle]

Source: New York Times

WASHINGTON — House Republican leaders struggled on Tuesday to craft a new proposal to reopen the government and alter parts of the president’s health care law after a plan presented behind closed doors to the Republican rank and file failed to attract enough support immediately to pass.

After more than two hours, Republican leaders walked back from a plan that had emerged this morning. Speaker John A. Boehner told reporters there are “no decisions about what exactly we will do.”

“We’re trying to find a way forward in a bipartisan way that would continue to provide fairness to the American people under Obamacare,” he said, but acknowledged that “there are a lot of opinions” among his fractious troops.

The apparent disarray left Mr. Boehner with a crucial decision as time ticked down toward a possible default on government obligations on Thursday. Does he accept whatever bipartisan plan emerges from the Senate, likely on Tuesday, or does he continue to try to get his troops in line behind a counterproposal that still does not exist?

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/news/fiscal-crisis/2013/10/15/republican-leaders-back-off-new-plan

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Bye, bye stock market.

Congratulations, China. You own the future, even sooner.

[cosmicone]

1. ummm ... there is no link in OP n/t

[onehandle]

4. Live breaking news has no link.

Happens in LBN all the time. I said I would update the story.

Seven minutes later, NYT updated from headline, to linked story.

[cosmicone]

8. Got it. I thought you forgot. n/t

[brooklynite]

13. Updated link

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/16/us/politics/congress-budget-debate.html?hp&_r=1&

[Mass]

2. It was clear from the GOP presser they did not have the votes to pass it.

They were calling Dems to the rescue, in fact, as it becomes clearer and clearer that they cannot pass a bill alone (too many idiots)

[TomClash]

3. FWIW Dow has dropped 40 points in the last 15 minutes nt

[BeyondGeography]

5. "There are a lot of opinions."

Sounds like Boehner's way of saying, "I'm dealing with amateurs here." Of course, that's what happens when you'll do anything to keep the job.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

6. If the economy tanks and I lose my job or anything over this Republican f@ckup I will personally

be very angry.

[Myrina]

7. Can someone 'splain the whole Cantor-Boehner thing to me?

IIRC, last week the GOP snuck thru a rule that essentially gave control of the house to Cantor. Yes?

Which would mean Boehner is nothing more than a talking head at this point. Yes?

So why is he still the one out front of the House GOP? Was the rule rescinded?

I'm so confused.

[muriel_volestrangler]

11. I think it said no-one apart from Cantor could resurrect an old resolution

The idea was to stop Democrats bringing up what Republicans had thought acceptable a few months ago, putting in one or two fixes, and saying 'how about this - you have to admit this is a compromise', when what the Repubs have demanded since has become far more extreme. I thought it was more to take power away from normal representatives, rather than from Boehner.

[Agnosticsherbet]

9. "We’re trying to find a way forward in a bipartisan way" I did not know bipartisan meant

my way or the fuckin' highway.

There is no bipartisan in the Hastert Rule.

[Laelth]

10. This is a good sign.

Speaker Boehner concedes that he can't get rid of the ACA. He's cushioning the blow for his constituents, and that means he knows he's lost on that issue. I expect to see further concessions from him in rapid succession.

-Laelth

[joc46224]

12. The new drinking game word: "fairness'

So the last week the drinking game word when listening to Boehner and other House GOP'ers was "conversation". After listening to Boehner, Cantor, and other House GOPs talk to the press today it's clear that the new word is "fairness". "We just want fairness for the American People.". "This fight is about fairness." Is feels like Sesame Street's Word of the Day. Nauseating.

[muriel_volestrangler]

14. That was quick - I thought he had enough support in the 'only-somewhat nuts' contingent

to have a majority of House Republicans who'd sign up.

Is this the end of the Republicans as a working political party? When they are the majority in the House, but nothing can get support from a majority of them?

[wiggs]

15. This is happening because of campaign finance laws that allow a small faction

of elected government to wield a disproportionate amount of power BECAUSE THEY CAN THREATEN ANY MODERATE WITH A WELL FUNDED PRIMARY FINANCED WITH CITIZENS UNITED MONEY FROM OUTSIDE THEIR DISTRICTS. This is where they get their power. Wealthy donors can easily drop a couple million bucks into a local race to unseat an uncooperative (less insane) colleague.

This is not democratic in the least. It is bribery, blackmail, extortion. The 50 House conservatives are blackmailing their colleagues into blackmailing the rest of the government to get extreme concessions...or to gain attention....or to exercise power...who knows.

But it starts with national money funneled into local races.

(I use the word 'moderate' in relative context. There are very fewer actual House moderates...but they are viewed as moderate in relation to the crazy fifty)

[Kablooie]

16. Well, that was quick.

[MBS]

17. Andrew Sullivan's summary of the situation:

(Remember, he's a conservative, and he's outraged):

http://dish.andrewsullivan.com/2013/10/15/the-house-goes-rogue/

This brinksmanship with millions of jobs and lives at stake the world over is staggering. The narcissism is staggering. The sheer, rank irresponsibility is staggering. This is not conservatism by any meaning of the word. It is nihilist vandalism.

[bemildred]

18. "nihilist vandalism" -- Exactly. nt

[DCBob]

19. I think this might be a good thing.. see below from the article..

Representative Adam Kinzinger, Republican of Illinois, said that if House Republicans could not rally behind the proposal that their leadership rolled out Tuesday morning, they would most likely be forced to accept the plan taking shape in the Senate — something many Republican House members have already said is unacceptable.

“If our party can’t pass this, then there’s no doubt we’re going to end up with what the Senate sends us,” Mr. Kinzinger said. “Look, if my colleagues can’t muster together and sometimes accept good because they’re waiting for perfect, then that’s on them.”

[louis-t]

20. They sang frickin' Amazing Grace to open the meeting!

They really think that "God is speaking though them". Arrogant assholes. What is WRONG with these idiots?