Bipartisan Plan for Budget Deal Buoys President

[Derechos]

snip

The Senate group’s plan, modeled on the recommendations last year of a bipartisan fiscal commission established by Mr. Obama, calls for both deep spending cuts and new revenues through an overhaul of the income-tax code.

But while its sponsorship by staunch conservatives as well as liberals suggested enough flexibility within both parties to get a deal eventually, it would be all but impossible to turn it into detailed legislation — at the moment it is a four-page outline — and pass it in less than two weeks. Both parties were considering ways to use the proposal as the basis for a broader budget agreement if they can find a way to get past the immediate pressure to increase the debt limit.


snip

While Mr. Obama said he did not agree with all of the senators’ plan, by his endorsement of its thrust and his remarks to reporters, he plainly sought to isolate further the House Republicans.

“We have a Democratic president and administration that is prepared to sign a tough package that includes both spending cuts and modifications to Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare that would strengthen those systems” while also providing new revenues, Mr. Obama said. And, he added, “we now have a bipartisan group of senators” and a majority of Americans who agree with such a balanced approach.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/20/us/politics/20fiscal.html?pagewanted=1&ref=us

[ananda]

1. Fuck that! A majority of Americans do not agree with it!

nt

[Derechos]

3. I know.

It seems as if both Reid and McConnell did not expect this either.

The timing displeased both Senate leaders — the majority leader, Harry Reid, Democrat of Nevada, and Mr. McConnell — who have been negotiating the fallback plan to raise the debt limit that Mr. McConnell initiated last week. At a closed-door luncheon for Democratic senators, Mr. Reid gave Mr. Warner 24 hours to develop a plan on how to move forward — a challenge the Gang of Six met later to discuss.

“I’m happy to work and use anything in the Gang of Six that we can,” Mr. Reid said. “But remember we only have 13 days — 13 days — and there’s a number of senators who have said they’ll do everything they can to stop the debt ceiling from being increased, that they would in effect allow us to default on our debt.”

After the Republican senators’ luncheon, Mr. McConnell said of the Gang of Six outline, “I haven’t had a chance to decide how I feel about it.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/20/us/politics/20fiscal.html?pagewanted=2&ref=us

[Me.]

2. So Glad He's Happy To See Us Screwed

[PoliticAverse]

4. Senator Durbin said today it can't be done by Aug 2nd...

http://www.thestatecolumn.com/articles/dick-durbin-gang-of-six-debt-deal-will-not-be-done-by-august-2/