Bigger fights loom after U.S. fiscal cliff deal

World Jan. 03, 2013 - 07:15AM JST ( 11 )

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11 Comments

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Herve Nmn L'EisaJan. 03, 2013 - 10:49AM JST

" In fact, bond rating agency Moody’s Investors Service warned Washington on Wednesday it must do more to cut the deficit than it did in the “fiscal cliff” measure if the country is to turn around its negative sovereign debt rating."

Considering that neither party has the wherewithal to actually address the austere measures that are necessary, it's going to get much worse. A credit downgrade is surely coming, and likely even before February.
-1

yabitsJan. 03, 2013 - 12:30PM JST

Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid also drew the ire of Boehner, who told Reid in the White House to “Go F yourself” after a tense meeting last week, aides said.

Well, there's class and civility for you.
1

SuperLibJan. 03, 2013 - 04:56PM JST

The Ohio congressman also drew criticism on Wednesday from his fellow Republicans for failing to schedule a House vote on a bill passed by the Senate that would provide federal aid to Northeastern states hit by the storm Sandy.

Perhaps Boehner didn't see what was in it for him.
0

LagunaJan. 03, 2013 - 05:01PM JST

The fate of the House GOP is growing more interesting. Despite a rare almost-unanimous vote in the Senate for the cliff dehanger, two-thirds of House Republicans opposed it - including Eric Cantor, the Majority Leader and a main reason Boehner has his food checked for toxins.

Of course, senators are elected by states and thus must act a tad responsibly, whereas representatives are elected by gerrymandered monstrosities of districts that leave them (particularly the GOP reps) with only one fear: Someone running from their right. It is not unlikely that Boehner will be challenged for the Speakership; it is not unlikely that the House will grow even further deranged in partisanship and Apocalyptic politics.

None of this bodes well for the coming two months of negotiations. Perhaps the only bright spot is that these House GOPers are creating large rifts in the Republican Party - which also contains senators, governors and perhaps some aspiring to the presidency.

The GOP lost in the last elections, which are the battlefield for vision and policy. They seem prepared to attempt a coup by holding the economy hostage to an arcane rule which requires a majority of the majority ("Hasten rule") - i.e, in effect, a minority - to agree to pay for what the majority has already pledged to spend. In the long term, this can't be good for the GOP. We might even see figures like Chris Christie switch parties.
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zurcroniumJan. 03, 2013 - 08:47PM JST

“The 112th Congress is set to enter the Congressional record books as the least productive body in a generation, passing a mere 173 public laws as of last month. That was well below the 906 enacted from January 1947 through December 1948 by the body President Harry S. Truman referred to as the ‘do-nothing’ Congress, and far fewer than even a single session of many prior Congresses.”

This is what voting for republicans get you. The party of No is totally irresponsible and cannot manage government, period. They are flops and failures who know their time is limited, despite gerrymandered districts in most of the south and midwest republican states.

Fact is the democrats won the House, Senate and White House votes by clear majorities in the last election. And if the republicans shut down government again, yes they have done it before under Newt, they will just bring their end days that much closer. But of course that is what they will do as saying no is all they are able to agree to do.
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SerranoJan. 03, 2013 - 08:58PM JST

"President Barack Obama and congressional Republicans face even bigger budget battles in the next two months"

This is because voters stupidly voted in too many Republicans into Congress, lol.
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SerranoJan. 03, 2013 - 09:10PM JST

zurconium: "Fact is the democrats won the House, Senate and White House votes by clear majorities"

Fact is, though the Democats squeaked out a plurality of the popular vote, 49.1% to 48.1%, the Republicans retained a 234 to 201 seat majority in the House. And Obama squeaked out a 50% to 48 % popular vote win over Romney. Romney! Not Chuck Norris!
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LizzJan. 03, 2013 - 09:29PM JST

Obama gave up the best club that he had---the "why are you holding middle class tax cuts hostage" club. The club is gone in the sense that the rates are now permanent and even Democrats are admitting they will need another game plan for future revenues. The case for cuts was always dependent upon the threat of a shut down, but at least now we can make that case without the income tax hikes that Obama keep using. The issue of spending always comes down to the debt limit and/or shut downs. This is a much cleaner shot with the middle class tax rates settled.

Without a government shutdown, nothing is going to happen on spending. Any Republican worth his or her salt needs to be willing to go off the cliff on this one.
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SushiSake3Jan. 03, 2013 - 10:16PM JST

Lizz.- "Any Republican worth his or her salt needs to be willing to go off the cliff on this one."

And shaft the middle and lower classes with interest and mortgage rate increases when going off the cliff or more insane GOP brinkmanship triggers another credit rating downgrade.

Right on.

Lizz, you're exhibit A of the heartless conservative mindset that is ready to throw the middle and lower classes under the bus at the blink of an eye and also a key reason behind why the GOP lost the last election and will continue to lose future elections.

But please do stay blogging - the Dems need more people like you to ensure they keep on winning. :-)
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SushiSake3Jan. 03, 2013 - 10:25PM JST

Lizz, it's folks like you who are probably going to lead Republicans like Chris Christie to run for president - as Democrats.

The GOP couldn't even pass a bill within the fiscal cliff law to send money to their own people affected by hurricane Sandy, and to top it all off, the GOP just let the Violence Against Women act expire.

Unreal.

GOP members should all be charged for "crimes against the people of the United States."
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SerranoJan. 04, 2013 - 08:26PM JST

Sushi: "GOP members should all be charged for ( with ) "crimes against the people of the United States"

All of them? lol