Senate talks at temporary halt

[brooklynite]

Source: Politico

Fast-paced Senate talks to reopen the government and avert a default came to a temporary halt Tuesday as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell waited to see whether House Republicans could pass their latest proposal.

According to senators and aides close to the talks, McConnell is waiting to see whether the House can pass its bill, which calls for more Obamacare changes than the proposal under consideration between the Senate GOP leader and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.).

If the House fails to adopt the plan Tuesday evening, then the McConnell-Reid negotiations would resume. House Speaker John Bohener’s failure would strengthen McConnell’s ability to sell the Senate proposal as the last, best possible deal for his party to end the fiscal crisis. But if the House passes its bill, then McConnell is in a far trickier position. He could demand passage of a House GOP bill Reid and the White House strongly oppose — or he could try to cut a bipartisan deal that many House conservatives are already balking at.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2013/10/senate-budget-default-debt-ceiling-government-shutdown-98333.html?hp=f1

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An hour ago, everyone was talking about how the Republican counter-bill had collapsed.

Let me suggest that this afternoon is likely to be very confusing, with conflicting messages about what is and is not being considered by whom. Let's not jump to conclusions that anyone is "winning" or "caving" until facts are clear.

[lostincalifornia]

1. It sounds like they have crossed the rubicon

[robinlynne]

2. wtf? wait?

[winter is coming]

3. Sounds like they're waiting to see how much influence teh Crazy Caucus has. n/t

[Liberalynn]

4. Again I hate to be chicken little

but the pukes don't want any sort of deal they want a default.

I want to be wrong but I am afraid I am not.

[MSMITH33156]

5. Huh?

Who gives a shit about the House bill? It's a Fairy Tale anyway. It won't pass the Senate and sure as shit won't get the President's signature.

[brooklynite]

6. You should care because it will delay the process...

...and there's limited time available.

Boehner MAY bring the Senate Bill up for a vote, but he definitely won't do it until the House Bill is disposed of.

[davidthegnome]

9. Good point.

Just... having any faith in Boehner seems like a lost cause. He may not be one of the tea party fanatics - but he is very much their puppet.

[MSMITH33156]

10. Perhaps I was unclear on the

"who cares" part. Why is the Senate delaying negotiations while they wait for the House to do something that won't become law anyway?

Not sure what the purpose of McConnell's pause is here. The House stuff is irrelevant.

[davidthegnome]

8. +1

That's my thinking at this point too. You know, I wonder if it's their religious views and their urge to bring on the apocalypse that are leading us to this point. Maybe they think that Jesus will come back and give them 99 virgins or something. They know their bill is a joke, but they're pretending to push it anyway... the question is why.

[freshwest]

12. Cruz says default is 'God's will and it shall be done.'

No room for negotiation with that group, and he's now the GOP lead in their polls, making Rand look reasonable. If such were possible.

[Snake Plissken]

7. The Republicans are going to default on the nation's debt over fucking birth control.

Sorry baggers you've used up all of your 'fiscal conservative', personal responsibility' , 'smaller government' passes

I don't ever want to hear another bagger claim he or she is anything other than a religious extremist.

[PatrynXX]

11. it did collapse

President said no. so any voting on the matter is a waste of time but thats what the house does. waste time