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'Fully engaged' McConnell expresses optimism on debt deal
The Hill ^ | 07/30/11 | Molly K. Hooper

Posted on 07/30/2011 3:02:36 PM PDT by Qbert

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Saturday he and Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) are fully engaged with the White House on a debt deal and expressed optimism an agreement will be reached. 

“I’ve spoken with the president and the vice president within the last hour and a half," McConnell said at a press conference with Boehner shortly after the House rejected Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's (D-Nev.) debt-ceiling plan. 

"We are now fully engaged with the one person … who can sign a bill into law,” McConnell told reporters. 

Fewer than three days before the Aug. 2 deadline for raising the $14.3 trillion debt ceiling, McConnell insisted that the economic doomsday scenario would not happen. Faced with questions about whether soldiers would receive paychecks, McConnell said a deal would be made. 

“Our country is not going to default for the first time in our history – that is not going to happen – we now have a level of seriousness and the right people at the table that we needed and thought we had, as the Speaker indicated last week,” McConnell said.

McConnell added that he is “confident and optimistic that we can get an agreement in the very near future and resolve this crisis.”

McConnell spoke hours after House Republicans rejected Reid's plan and less than a day after Senate Democrats dispatched with Boehner's plan. 

The end game on the debt deal now appears to revolve around talks between McConnell, Reid and President Obama. 

Reid and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) traveled to the White House for a meeting with Obama late Saturday afternoon. 

The tricky part for the congressional leaders remains finding a bill that can move through both chambers, including a House dominated by Tea Party freshman Republicans. 

McConnell said at his press briefing that he had talked with Obama and Vice President Biden on a way forward. Top ranking leaders in the House and Senate are "discussing ways to reach an agreement," McConnell said.

Boehner, who walked out on talks with the White House more than a week ago, agreed that a deal would come together soon.

He said “in spite of our differences, we are dealing with reasonable, responsible people who want this crisis to end as quickly as possible, and I’m confident that it will.”

Reid's proposal was defeated in a 173-246, with 11 Democrats joining House Republicans in voting down the measure.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: debtceiling; debtlimit; mcconnell; obama
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To: Son House

I think everything said on the floor by the leaders (of both parties) is a ruse. It’s all taking place in private talks (and was largely laid out weeks ago).

Just watch.


21 posted on 07/30/2011 3:19:13 PM PDT by Qbert ("The best defense against usurpatory government is an assertive citizenry" - William F. Buckley, Jr.)
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To: Qout

No, it means that we are going to get screwed again and we are one step closer to collapse.


22 posted on 07/30/2011 3:19:30 PM PDT by sport
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To: Qbert

Exactly.

Kubuki Plays are confusing sometimes.


23 posted on 07/30/2011 3:20:28 PM PDT by tennmountainman
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To: Qbert
"The end game on the debt deal now appears to revolve around talks between McConnell, Reid and President Obama."

Who's representing the House?

24 posted on 07/30/2011 3:20:35 PM PDT by Repeal 16-17 (Let me know when the Shooting starts.)
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To: Roccus

How about a correction instead? They should have voted down their own bills, and wrote the right bill in the first place. Reid on FOXNEWS now...


25 posted on 07/30/2011 3:24:24 PM PDT by Son House (The Economic Boom Heard Around The World => TEA Party 2012)
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To: tennmountainman

“What planet are u from? Democrats will be stampeding to vote for this bill.”

—I’m from planet Earth. (How are things on Uranus?...)

You do understand that the more Dems in the House vote against any bill (if they can safely get away with it), the more Repubs will be forced to vote for garbage, don’t you? That’s part of the scheme.


26 posted on 07/30/2011 3:24:28 PM PDT by Qbert ("The best defense against usurpatory government is an assertive citizenry" - William F. Buckley, Jr.)
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To: sport

I hope for the best, but I keep feeling this sharp pain in the center of my back, between my shoulder blades, like someone is sticking a kife in there and twisting it around.

Along with that I feel like someone is giving me a colonoscopy with no pain killers and a colonoscopy machine as large as a baseball bat.

I hope I am wrong,but I have little faith in my hope and lot more in my pain.


27 posted on 07/30/2011 3:25:19 PM PDT by Venturer
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To: bobk333
These are the same negotiations they had at the White House a week ago. Both sides stood firm and the negotiations collapsed. Except this time, Obama and Reid will stand firm and Boehner/McConnell will fold.

This has been repeated dozens of times in these big issues. This is exactly what the one faction of this corrupt "Two-Party Cartel" is supposed to do. It's all a charade. Boner is/has been in on it from the git go.

28 posted on 07/30/2011 3:25:39 PM PDT by Digger (T)
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To: Son House

I was just reacting to the comment about “honor.” ;)


29 posted on 07/30/2011 3:25:48 PM PDT by Roccus (Obama & Holder LLP, Procurers of fine arms to the most discerning drug lords (202) 456-1414)
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To: Venturer

Kife is of course knife. sorry.


30 posted on 07/30/2011 3:26:08 PM PDT by Venturer
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To: Qbert
Kind of amused watching these bad actors pretend to be on opposite sides.

They are the same person, or at least twins.


31 posted on 07/30/2011 3:29:58 PM PDT by bobk333
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To: Perdogg

The fix has been in for some time.
The soon to come Reid/McConnell “compromise bill” will soon be sent to the house.
Will Bonehead “Table” this bill like Reid “Tabled” his?
Of course not.

Bonehead will allow a vote. Because that is the pre-arranged sham. It will pass with the help of the RATS in the house. And free up a lot of conservatives to vote no.

That’s why Bonehead will not table this soon to come bill.


32 posted on 07/30/2011 3:30:40 PM PDT by tennmountainman
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To: Qbert

BOHICA!


33 posted on 07/30/2011 3:33:20 PM PDT by Mr Rogers
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To: Qbert

McConnell is “fully engaged,” eh? Whom does he intend to marry? Obama or Reid?

They could do it in New York.


34 posted on 07/30/2011 3:33:20 PM PDT by Cicero (Marcus Tullius.)
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To: tennmountainman

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2011/07/25/congress-can-learn-from-15-6-debt-ceiling-debate/


35 posted on 07/30/2011 3:34:00 PM PDT by Sacajaweau
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To: tennmountainman
If the fix were in, why not just amend the Boehner bill and send it back as “red State” predicted would happen? It could have been fixed in committee and agreed to.
36 posted on 07/30/2011 3:34:23 PM PDT by Perdogg (0bama got 0sama?? Really, was 0sama on the golf course?)
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To: Qbert

I’ll take u up on that bet.
Why won’t Bonehead tell Reid his bill will be tabled, like Reid Tabled his? Why don’t u think about that and get back to me?

Bonehead will allow a vote. 50 or more RATS will vote for this bill.
Thats my prediction. Whats yours?


37 posted on 07/30/2011 3:34:40 PM PDT by tennmountainman
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To: tennmountainman

House does not have a so called table rule, works completely different than the senate. They write a rule for each bill and it is processed by committees, the bills sponsor finally calls for the bill. Convoluted as hell.


38 posted on 07/30/2011 3:35:54 PM PDT by org.whodat (What does the Republican party stand for////??? absolutely nothing.)
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To: Venturer
I got the same feelings several months ago.

I told my preacher some time back that I knew times like this were coming, but I did not believe that I would be alive when they got here.And last week my brother said to me, I knew things like this were coming,but I did not that they would happen so fast and I did not believe that I would be alive when they came. In other words, we both though that they were way off in the future, but here they are. And other the spelling of their names, both political parties have the same goal.

39 posted on 07/30/2011 3:36:20 PM PDT by sport
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To: Qbert

If an agreement goes to the House, the dems will get votes from right leaning districts they won and the Repubs will get votes from the left leaning districts they won. There will be 218 votes in favor, and everyone on both sides who has a hard core district will get a kitchen pass from the leaders to vote against it.

That way, both liberals and conservatives can say they voted their conscience, while the bill still becomes law - which is what about 90% of both sides want to have happen.

Most of the votes against it will for show.


40 posted on 07/30/2011 3:37:22 PM PDT by Mr Rogers
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