John Boehner On Debt Ceiling: 'There Is Going To Be A Two-Stage Process'

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican U.S. House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner said Sunday that he would prefer to unveil a bipartisan deal to raise the debt ceiling and that his last offer to Democratic President Barack Obama was still on the table.

"The preferable path would be a bipartisan plan that involves all the leaders, but it is too early to decide whether that's possible,'' Boehner said on Fox News Sunday. "If that's not possible, I and my Republican colleagues in the House are prepared to move on our own.''

He also said that raising the debt ceiling and implementing major reforms would have to be done in two stages. `"There is going to be a two-stage process. It is not physically possible to do all of this in one step.''

Boehner said his offer that included some $800 billion in new tax revenue and massive spending cuts was never withdrawn. That plan was dubbed the ``grand bargain'' despite his decision to walk away from negotiations with Obama last week.

"I don't know, it may be pretty hard to put Humpty Dumpty back together again. My last offer is still out there. I've never taken my last offer off the table,'' Boehner said, noting that the White House never has agreed to it.

At the moment, however, Boehner said that the better path was working with his congressional colleagues "to put together a process'' that is do-able. (Reporting by Jeremy Pelofsky and Donna Smith, editing by Christopher Wilson)

Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters. Click for Restrictions.

Comments

[NYC619]

11:49 PM on 07/25/2011

"Two-stage process"=Orange-Glo's regimen, Step 1-Spray on, Step 2-Drench on

[SalesmanForLife]

11:43 PM on 07/25/2011

America, stop being wimps and letting the repubs bully you. Stop allowing it by turning your heads.

[smburwick]

09:26 PM on 07/26/2011

The bullies are on your side.

[wrascil]

10:51 PM on 07/25/2011

I watched John Boehner give the response of a true statesman, unlike the childish finger pointing of 0'Bomber the war monger, I am willing to bet if he had gone to congress and asked for the money to invade Libya instead of violating the war powers act he would be getting the 2.7 TRILLION DOLLARS he wants right now, if he did not invade Libya he would have had over 1 TRILLION DOLLARS on hand that he spent attempting to over throw the sovereign nation and MURDER it's leader and his innocent family... hell if he'd have brought the troops home as his campaign promise he'd have an extra 3 TRILLION DOLLARS and if he hadn't been on world tour since his election there would be an extra TRILLION DOLLARS sooo I am like saying dude you pissed off 5 TRILLION DOLLARS without any stimulation to me and that's not even including the stimulator fund and big bank bailout money you spent

[sammi 56]

11:26 PM on 07/25/2011

Boy do you have your wires crossed Wrong on everything. go have a beer

[Brian Gilmer]

07:02 AM on 07/27/2011

You do realize that you are describing what President Reagan did in 1986?

[Alex Krislov]

09:45 PM on 07/25/2011

Sorry, no. That "q uote" is bogus. Lincoln never said it.

[lindaj3884]

08:36 PM on 07/25/2011

As long as a cult controls the Congress that does not have a clue how government runs you will never put Humpty Dumpty back together. Pack your bags Mr Boehner. Eric Cantor wants your job.

[zjfoster]

07:01 PM on 07/25/2011

To blame one party for the this debt crisis is undoubtedly ignorant and fallacious. Both parties are avoiding the number one issue for debt and that is entitlements. Less people paying in for the baby boomers will lead to a worse debt crisis in which major entitlements will be going bankrupt but of course politicians wouldn't do that because many will loose their job and they prefer to wait till it is a imminent problem.

[Brian Gilmer]

07:07 AM on 07/27/2011

Except the major "entitlements" SSI and Medicare both have their own revenue stream and are not adding debt. The "baby boomers" paid extra since 1983 in order to create a trust fund in order to keep from burdening the current generation and SS is currently drawing from that trust fund.

Restart you argument at that point.

[StopMakingSense2]

05:38 PM on 07/25/2011

You broke it, you own it Boehner. Since you like to cry your going to love the results of your stupidity!

[StopMakingSense2]

05:27 PM on 07/25/2011

Isn't it supposed to be a ten step program for republicans? Political delusion addiction destroys lives and only you can help! Support the PDAA.. Your senator is counting on your intervention next election!

[stardustnine]

05:20 PM on 07/25/2011

Well, you broke him, you bought it. If humpty is a mess it is your mess. Stop arguing and complaining and clean it up! And stop demanding you get something in return It's like asking the shopkeeper for credit against the broken crystal vase you paying for now.

[AKansasComment]

05:00 PM on 07/25/2011

The term "Budgeting" implies two things:
Revenue and Expenditures.

Why is it the gop can't add one and one?

[StopMakingSense2]

05:28 PM on 07/25/2011

Because their corporate masters said so! Where have you been?

[Ernst Angst]

09:01 PM on 07/25/2011

Like supply and demand; they only understood half of that one, too!

[CajunSpectre]

04:50 PM on 07/25/2011

Is this about Boehner trying to put together the bottle of merlot that he dropped and broke?

[smburwick]

04:32 PM on 07/25/2011

Watching rock grow: I never liked his policies and it is the fault of our congress too.

[AKansasComment]

04:05 PM on 07/25/2011

Humpty Dumpty in pieces. Was he referring to the GOP?

[smburwick]

09:26 PM on 07/26/2011

No Obama.

[OFP2009]

03:56 PM on 07/25/2011

Can't put humpty dumpty back together again? What does Gov. Christie have to do with this?

[smburwick]

09:26 PM on 07/26/2011

He'll put you in your place.

[FoxNude]

02:53 PM on 07/25/2011

They've moved the goalpost and nw they can't put Humpty Dumpty back together again in Boners Fantasyland.