"Now, I expect the GOP will bargain if Obama is open to any kind of meaningful entitlement reform. Don't know what form that will take. Will we get 100% of what we want? (which is of course what FR wants but of course negotiations don't usually work that way). We'll see."
The Senate Dems have flat out said "No" to any entitlement reform. Obama has declared multiple times he wants to raise taxes on the "wealthy". So, what you're likely to be stuck with is a situation where loopholes are taken out, without reduced rates (which effectively is a tax increase)... all for a "binding" promise next year to work on entitlement reform. The Dems will then use that to demagogue Republicans for the mid-term elections. Just watch.
Say what you want, but without immediate entitlement reforms, the rest is meaningless. They will just keep kicking the can down the road.
Of course they have. That's obviously what they've been saying for years.
is a situation where loopholes are taken out, without reduced rates (which effectively is a tax increase)... all for a "binding" promise next year
Don't think so. Reid is the one who has called for everything to be negotiated now while Obama's popularity is highest (including so-called entitlemmet reform). They don't want any part of a deal to go till next year when the Obamacare taxes are hitting.
Boehner will likely put off some of the negotiations till next year (in order to see Obama's popularity diminish first) but will tie it to something the Dems want now to force them back to the table.