Posted on 12/21/2012 3:26:59 PM PST by jazusamo
President Obama urged congressional leaders to consider a scaled-back plan to avoid the so-called "fiscal cliff" in a holiday plea for a debt-deal compromise.
The president said that legislators should pass legislation on points where there was consensus — including extending Bush-era tax cuts for all but the top 2 percent of taxpayers, extending unemployment insurance and laying "the groundwork" for future deficit reduction.
"That's an achievable goal that can get done in 10 days," Obama said.
The plan, as described by the president, would leave unresolved issues like the looming defense sequester and the debt ceiling. The president said he was still open to a larger deficit deal, but underscored that he would need Republican support to reach a deal.
"We're only going to be able to do it together," Obama said. "We're going to have to find some common ground."
Hinting at the possibility that he would be leaving Washington until after the Christmas holiday, the president also said he hoped legislators would use the break to "cool off."
"As we leave town for a few days to be with our families, it will give us some perspective," Obama said, joking that lawmakers should "drink some egg nog, [and] have some Christmas cookies."
Before the press conference, the president met with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) in the White House and spoke with Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) by telephone.
Earlier Friday, Reid blasted Republican leaders for moving forward on "Plan B."
“We knew the so-called Plan B was no plan at all,” Reid said on the Senate floor. “It’s too bad Speaker Boehner wasted a week on this futile political stunt.”
During a Capitol Hill press conference earlier on Friday, Boehner insisted he was not abandoning negotiations.
"Listen, I'm interested in solving the major problems that face our country," Boehner said. "And that means House leaders, Senate leaders and the president are going to continue to have to work together to address those concerns."
But Boehner said he did not know how negotiators would bridge a gap on an eventual debt deal, saying that significant differences remained.
"How we get there, God only knows," Boehner said. "But, all I [know] is that [House Majority Leader] Eric [Cantor (R-Va.] and I, and our team here are committed to working with our colleagues on both sides of the aisle, both sides of the Capitol, and the White House, to address this."
The Speaker and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) plan to stay in Washington over the weekend, although Congress will be out of session until after the Christmas holiday. Reid plans to travel to Hawaii for the funeral of Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), but will return to Washington on Monday.
Comments are interesting.
Video posted at link.
Dear Obama: Screw you, over the cliff we go. You signed it, you own it.
His idea of common ground is quicksand. EVERYONE goes under.
The only common ground Obama is interested in is the golf course.
Sure, here’s my common ground.
We all need air.
We all need water.
We all need food.
We all live on Earth.
Obama and the rest of our citizens live in America.
That’s about all I have in common with a closeted gay muslim, who’s hell bent on destroying America and turning the country fascist/communist as fast as he can.
IMHO, there is no way you can find “common ground” with a meathead who couldn’t resist throwing the race card at a memorial service for Senator Inouye. Shove it Barry! Take that jive back to Kenya.
Not sure what’s going on. It seemed to me that pass plan B would give the GOP some cover should an ultimate deal not be reached but, I guess refusing to pass plan B means the GOP still has a clean record of never voting for a tax increase. For many people, this is an inportant principle to maintain. Someone please explain this non-vote so, I can understand the strategy.
Second, the GOP still controls the house and even if they are blamed for everything yet to come the President will also feel the pressure of a mucked up economy.
As an informed person I can clearly and easily see that 90% of the problem in our country is too much spending. With that said, President Obama has convinced the voters that the biggest portion of the problem is on tax increases. Fair or unfair, this is a fact. Get ready for the poop to fall on us.
Why is obama leaving town? He doesn’t celebrate Christmas and Ramadan has come and gone.
....................legislators should pass legislation on points where there was consensus — including extending Bush-era tax cuts for all but the top 2 percent of taxpayers..........
Hey Bozo, where is there consensus to intrease tax on everyone over $250k??
Zer0, never held a job where anyone ever reported to him, never hired anyone, never fired anyone, never met a payroll, never gained a customer account, never designed anything, never manufactured anything, never took a course on economics (I think, as he’s locked up all his past)and:
HAS NEVER NEGOTIATED WITH ANYONE ON ANYTHING!
All this guy knows what to do is to walk around as a Chicago street pimp handing out other people’s money, while voting “present” on anything controversial!
FUBO
The turkey will celebrate anything if he’ll get a vacation out of it.
Keeping up appearances.
His little speech tells me he could not even come to an agreement with the democrats. Very interesting.
I’d rather it burned.
Me and obama have no common ground. I despise everything he stands for and he abhors everything I believe in. Ditto the Democrat Party.
There is no common ground.
1.Obama insists on ripping off anyone earning over $250,000
2.Extending unemployment .99weeks now What would be his limit and what happens when he reach’s that?
3.Groundwork for future Deficit reductions.
We need reductions NOW, not in the future which will never come with Democrats in charge.Future reductions is BS, Obama speak for never.
The president said he was still open to a larger deficit deal, but underscored that he would need Republican support to reach a deal.
In other words Republicans would have to kneel and kiss his ass.
Then he leaves for Hawaii, with the country in turmoil. New Yorkers without homes after the storm, fighting in the Middle East, and screwing the Secret Service Agents out of their Christmas.
Bump!
Just what I was going to say.
We had better lend our support to our Republican Conservatives. They need to know they are not out in the wilderness. We are with them.
There is NO common ground with tyranny.
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