Obama, congressional leaders make no progress on budget

[alp227]

Source: The Washington Post

The first federal government shutdown in more than 15 years drew closer Tuesday as President Obama and congressional leaders failed to make progress on a budget for 2011 after back-to-back meetings at the White House and on Capitol Hill.

Obama and Congress remained billions of dollars apart and at odds over where to find savings after an 80-minute West Wing meeting that included House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) and Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.). In the meeting, Boehner floated the possibility that he may seek as much as $40 billion in cuts, $7 billion more than the two sides have been discussing for the past week.

Growing irked by the prolonged negotiations, Obama demanded that the congressional leaders “act like grown-ups.”

“If they can’t sort it out, then I want them back here tomorrow. And if that doesn’t work, we’ll invite them again the day after that,” Obama told reporters in a rare appearance in the press room, hours after the meeting.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/as_government_readies_for_shutdown_obama_dismisses_gop_stop_gap_plan/2011/04/05/AFAa71iC_story.html

[bhikkhu]

1. The freshman repugs think government is a waste of time and money

...small wonder they applaud the idea of it shutting it down.

I only hope people wind up seeing how stupid it was to listen to the teabaggers in the first place.

[LawnKorn]

2. John Boehner and the Teabaggers are intent on shutting down the Government

The Republicans hold a (temporary) majority in the House, but they incorrectly believe it gives them total control over the whole Government. President Obama has it right when he identifies them as acting in a manner other than "grown-up".

The little infantile Teabaggers are going to throw a tantrum, and lose their position in the 2012 elections.

[Playinghardball]

3. Warning agencies to prep for shutdown, Obama digs in on budget war

Source: Raw Story

WASHINGTON (AFP) – An impatient President Barack Obama is in a high-stakes battle to clinch a budget deal and avert a government shutdown by Friday's deadline, but his dramatic intervention failed to break the deadlock.

Obama upped the ante after he met top Republican and Democratic leaders at the White House, warning it would be "inexcusable" not to resolve the standoff this week. Yet his administration has already warned departments to prepare to shutter the government.

"The only question is whether politics or ideology are going to get in the way of preventing a government shutdown," Obama said at an impromptu White House press conference.

A government shutdown could see hundreds of thousands of federal employees furloughed, national parks closed and non-essential services halted when the money approved by Congress for their operations runs out at midnight on Friday.



Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/04/06/warning-agencies-to-prep-for-shutdown-obama-digs-in-on-budget-war/

[grahamhgreen]

4. This is what Americans want: "The most popular: placing a surtax on federal income taxes for those

... who make more than $1 million per year (81 percent said that was acceptable), eliminating spending on earmarks (78 percent), eliminating funding for weapons systems the Defense Department says aren’t necessary (76 percent) and eliminating tax credits for the oil and gas industries (74 percent). "

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41876558/ns/politics


If this guy doesn't get on board, the train will obviously leave without him.

[FarLeftFist]

5. Obama needs to take advantage of this situation...

By pointing out how this will affect our citizens, especially with tax refunds, the economy, and assistance to seniors and the poor. Then point out the GOPs incompetence and how it affects our citizens. Then finally, averting a shutdown and "saving the day" for Americans should boost his ratings, paint the republicans as bad. The entire Democrat party needs to get their message out, as Howard Dean pointed out, the republicans are their own worst enemies. Their policies speak for themselves.

[Plucketeer]

6. Since he took office...

he's been above spelling out details like this. He's been against showing ANY resolve, as far as I can see - unless he'd secretly resolved to carry forth Bush's agendas. :grr: