 |
| philly.com |
President Obama and his family arrived Honolulu for a Christmas
vacation in Hawaii early Saturday, just hours after he urged
congressional leaders to take one last shot at crafting a bill that can
prevent tax hikes on middle-class Americans.
The president, who optimistically claimed he would be back "next
week" to handle a budget deal, touched down in Air Force One shortly
after midnight and left quickly with his family for their vacation home.
Friday's pitch by Obama to jumpstart talks on a deficit-reduction
deal came as he and virtually everyone involved were preparing to bolt
Washington for the holidays.
House Speaker John Boehner, who until several days ago was Obama's negotiating partner, headed home to Ohio on Friday.
It remained unclear whether they really would return next week to strike a deal.
Time is running short before sweeping tax hikes kick in Jan. 1 --
followed by aggressive automatic spending cuts -- and the two left in
their wake a cacophony of recriminations over stalled efforts to avert
the looming fiscal crisis and growing doubts about the prospects for
compromise.
After a Republican package collapsed in the House the night before,
the president said Friday he remained optimistic. "I actually still
think we can get it done," Obama said, after meeting briefly with Senate
Democratic Leader Harry Reid and speaking separately with Boehner.
Obama specifically called on Congress to pass a bill that extends
current tax rates for middle-class Americans, which he typically defines
as those making under $250,000. He said such a package should also
extend long-term unemployment aid and lay "the groundwork for further
work on both growth and deficit reduction."
"That's an achievable goal. That can get done in 10 days," he said,
adding he would "immediately" sign it into law before Jan. 1. "It's that
simple."
The problem, though, is that Republicans are adamantly opposed to a
bill raising taxes on families making over $250,000, claiming it would
hurt the economy and particularly small business.
The array of proposals and avenues for a deal all have encountered serious issues.
Talks between Boehner and Obama aimed at crafting a compromise hit a
wall earlier this week. The House has resisted the kind of bill that
Obama and Senate Democrats are pushing. And the Senate has resisted a
Republican bill that would extend current tax rates for everyone.
Adding to the complications, Boehner's "Plan B" to extend current
rates for all but those making more than $1 million was pulled from the
floor Thursday night after it failed to garner enough Republican
support.
Obama said Friday that "nobody can get 100 percent of what they want," as he urged Republicans to come toward him.
Boehner spokesman Brendan Buck said, in response, that "we remain
hopeful he is finally ready to get serious about averting the fiscal
cliff" and that Boehner would return to Washington after Christmas
"ready to find a solution."
But Boehner, while signaling a willingness to resume talks with Obama, also wants the Senate to act first.
On the heels of his "Plan B" tax bill failing the night before,
Boehner did not offer any specific proposal Friday. While expressing
interest in a broad agreement, he added: "How we get there, God only
knows."
As lawmakers peeled away from the Capitol, they delivered their
parting shots. Each party was calling on the other to step up with a
solution, but the tone was hardly in keeping with the holiday spirit.
And it hardly stoked optimism that both sides were working toward an
agreement.
House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi claimed Republicans were "taking
food out of the mouths of babies and seniors" with their proposals.
Reid accused Boehner of wasting a week on a "futile political stunt."
Boehner complained that, "at some point, the United States Senate has to do something."
Boehner acknowledged Friday that his "Plan B" did not have enough
support to pass. "It's not the outcome that I wanted, but that was the
will of the House," he said.
He called on Democrats to step up and get serious about spending
cuts, noting they control the Senate and White House. House Republican
Leader Eric Cantor said "we stand ready to continue a dialogue with this
president to actually fix the problem."
The reality remains that any package to avert the crisis must pass
both chambers. Boehner may be facing the balancing act of his political
career. Democrats claimed that without a robust coalition of Republicans
behind him, Boehner would have to compromise with them.
But if the speaker goes too far to the left, he could easily lose Republicans.
Boehner's Republican allies were fuming Thursday night at the course of events.
"It's the same 40 chuckleheads that screwed this place up," Rep.
Steve LaTourette, R-Ohio, said, referencing the conservative lawmakers
who were opposed to raising tax rates at any level. "(Boehner's) done
everything to make nice to them."
During an emergency conference meeting Thursday night, Fox News is
told that Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., jumped up and implored members to
reconsider. He asked: "Is this the best we can do? Is this the best we
can do for John Boehner?"
The House was able to pass a plan Thursday to replace automatic
spending cuts set to hit next month. The House bills, though, had been
adamantly opposed anyway by Democrats in both chambers.
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario