John Boehner, Mitch McConnell Refuse To Budge On Debt Positions

WASHINGTON — Republicans and Democrats are refusing to budge when it comes to their already hardened positions on spending cuts versus tax increases to deal with the nation's debt.

House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., both said Sunday that when Congress is asked to raise the nation's borrowing cap after the election, they'll insist on spending cuts to offset the increase. Democratic leaders countered that the GOP stance was irresponsible, given that the partisan showdown over the debt ceiling last year caused a downgrading of the U.S. government's credit rating.

"If the president is going to ask us to raise the debt ceiling, and he will early next year, we do need to have another serious discussion about trying to do something significant about the deficit and the debt," McConnell said on CBS' "Face the Nation."

Both sides showed they had little appetite for compromise last week, when Boehner insisted at a meeting with President Barack Obama on Wednesday that he would seek spending cuts to offset an increase in the nation's borrowing limit. Obama warned he wouldn't accept more cuts without also extracting tax increases on the wealthiest Americans.

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi of California, speaking on ABC's "This Week," said that Boehner "wants to go over the edge."

"My response to what the speaker said is, `Here we go again.' This is not a responsible, mature, sensible place for us to go," Pelosi said. "There has to be more reductions but we have to have revenue and have to have growth."

The most obvious showdown will happen soon after the Nov. 6 election. Unless a lame-duck Congress can strike a deal, the economy will suffer a double whammy of large tax increases and spending cuts starting Jan. 1. The tax increases would hit virtually every working American and the spending cuts would affect both military and domestic programs.

On top of that, perhaps by late January or so, Congress and the president – be it Obama or Republican Mitt Romney – will again confront the need to raise the country's borrowing limit or else trigger a first-ever government failure to pay its debts.

Boehner, on ABC's "This Week," said Congress should begin tackling those issues now.

"Why do we wanna wait and rush this through at the end of the year, after the election?" Boehner said.

Comments

[wyliecoyotepi]

12:59 PM on 05/21/2012

I'm not sure a debt ceiling fight makes sense in an election year. 1) I don't think it's as much a political tool while the rest of the economy is still dragging along, and there are more important issues to take care of that repub's think it is. 2) If people who get government checks have them jeopardized in an election year, they will vote for those who will protect those payment. 3) Democrats control the levers this time. The fallout can be pushed off until the next congress comes into power, meaning the repub's don't have as much leverage they think they have. 4) voters who didn't pay attention last year, will be paying attention this year, because it's an election year. (Moderates, swing voters.)

[drsolo]

10:17 AM on 05/21/2012

President Obama needs to use the "nuclear" option. That will end the brinksmanship.

[drsolo]

10:17 AM on 05/21/2012

WHO IS THE TEA PARTY? ALEC and the Koch Bro have bought and paid for them. The are the puppets of the corporations, that is who the 3rd party is.

[David Ewers]

02:40 AM on 05/21/2012

For years we had a government that worked, sometimes with a few bumps and a few bruised egos. As the Tea party gained influence over the Republican party that as changed dramatically. Long term politicians who once worked arm and arm across the aisle now bring us the to the ledge every time.

Many of the senators and congressman were on the opposite ends on most social and economics issues but in a rare occasion, they would have a common interest such as cancer research. So to get this common interest passed through congress they would compromise on other issues and things would get done.

Now with the tea party with influence the story has changed, they want you to see all of their issues as right and if you don't, they will not talk to you. So nothing gets passed.

The Tea party is the most dangerous political party ever to exist in our country. They have surpassed the KKK influence of the 1920's. With so many citizens ardent backers of the tea Party it will take some time for us to remove this cancer.

I will ask the Speaker of the House to renounce all affiliation to the Tea Party and deal with the Democrats like years past

[Jules212]

04:24 PM on 05/21/2012

"I will ask the Speaker of the House to renounce all affiliation to the Tea Party and deal with the Democrats like years past "......and who are you? I assume if you had any influence on the election you wouldn't be on here posting. " Remove this cancer" ...I think you need to go finish smoking your weed.
T axed
E nough
A lready
For those that didn't know what the TEA party stands for. We pay over 35% in taxes and I'm tired of supporting the lazy people that just want to live off the Government and you can't tell me there aren't plenty of them out there...
I've always been an Independant but lately I'm leaning much more to the Right...

[Sabrae]

12:40 AM on 05/21/2012

How many of our tax dollars are being spent to rebuild the middle east? We can fund other countries, but we face austerity measures?

The DoD get over 600 Billion, which does not include no bid contracts to Halliburton. Afghanistan is not only getting a military in place with our money, but they're also getting new roads, bridges and railroads.

The taxpayer who funds the above now has to tighten our belts to fund the above.

Enough is enough.

[knott wrench]

12:09 AM on 05/21/2012

Well, Free Publicity and a Reason to vote DEM in November.

Their positions proves that the GOP TPers are Liars. Even when you reach an agreement with them, they try to change the rules afterwards, even tough its in:

Writing

[miketothad]

11:59 PM on 05/20/2012

So much for the GOP and their 2010 "jobs" agenda.

[FL TallMan]

11:55 PM on 05/20/2012

Boehner: "Congress should begin tackling those issues now."

Well, hello!! Who is the Speaker of the House? Who can begin the process of tackling those issues? Instead of repeating the same old line over and over, maybe Boehner should get to tackling those issues. He needs to hurry before January when the House is again taken over by Democrats.

[Pizza Guy]

11:51 PM on 05/20/2012

I say "fine". If Boehner wants additional spending cuts to offset raising the debt ceiling, then ALL CUTS SHOULD COME FROM THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT.

See how Boehner reacts to that !

[Danlar]

11:30 PM on 05/20/2012

"The Grand Bargain" would have been the best thing for our country but Cantor and friends turned that down and got us DOWNGRADED....foolish
Monarchies Don't have compromise......King Henry the 8th wasn't really into compromise I imagine....the Magna Carta took away some of the kings absolute power....
The Revolutionary War we set up a system of separation of powers and checks and balances....that said...compromise is implicit in a democracy...it is as American as Baseball, hot dogs and apple pie!
...especially when your party controls only a single branch of a branch of our federal government....
we must end the filibuster and let the majority rule.......and compromise, it is only sane.
22 GOP congresspeople including Michelle Backmann and VP can. Palin were actually Cheering a default! lost me right then and there

[schrodster]

11:23 PM on 05/20/2012

Ground Hog Day was a movie guys.

[Demgirl2012]

11:07 PM on 05/20/2012

Nothing is going to happen before the election anyway.

Obama should slam them for it in his campaign though.

[Danlar]

11:31 PM on 05/20/2012

Yup, make the case for common sense......people compromise.....only monarchies and tyrants do not

[Demgirl2012]

10:09 AM on 05/21/2012

This Republican House needs to be removed period. Nothing is possible with them in charge of anything in government.

[Jules212]

04:28 PM on 05/21/2012

That sounds like a great idea, let's divide our Country even more......great idea Liberal!!!

[widdles]

10:55 PM on 05/20/2012

Alright, all you righties. All this time you are coming down on the Democrats for not coming to the table for compromising.

Here are your leaders who are claiming obstruction.

What say you now???

[gammay]

10:46 PM on 05/20/2012

Interesting that these two guys called more taxes for the rich "punishment", but cutting services to the poor, SS, Medicaid and Medicare, isn't.

[huffmatoo]

10:43 PM on 05/20/2012

How much money are Boehner and McConnel getting from the military industrial complex?? Anybody??

[knott wrench]

12:20 AM on 05/21/2012

Probably a lot from Chuckie and Davey Koch, for starter.