GOP Expresses Shock Over Fiscal Cliff Offer They Received Weeks Ago (funny part bolded)

[Tx4obama]

Last edited Fri Nov 30, 2012, 04:27 AM - Edit history (1)

Fiscal Cliff Talks: Behind Obama's Opening Bid

WASHINGTON -- Republicans in Congress reacted angrily to an Obama administration proposal delivered Thursday by Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner that offered to avert the fiscal cliff by raising $1.6 trillion in new taxes, in exchange for some $400 billion in cuts to entitlement programs to be negotiated next year.

But the proposal wasn't new. The offer that has Republicans furious was presented to them earlier this month by President Barack Obama at the White House, according to a well-placed Democratic source, and confirmed by two GOP sources involved in the talks.

What surprised Republicans wasn't the newest offer, but who delivered it. The original offer, delivered by Obama, simply wasn't taken seriously. Republicans assumed that Obama's initial offer floated to congressional leaders would go like many others he's made in the past, and quickly soften amid staff talks. That seemed to be happening, which left them taken by surprise by Geithner. Acknowledging that Thursday's offer was essentially the same as the one presented by the president, a GOP aide said that White House "staff has been back-channeling flexibility up until now. This was the first time their staff echoed his fantasyland numbers." A second senior GOP aide called Thursday's offer "a more detailed version" of Obama's. "The day after the White House meeting, we gave them our framework. It took them 10 days for them to give us theirs and it didn't reflect any of the conversations we have had since then," he said.

A source involved in the talks provided HuffPost with a GOP summary of the White House offer as presented Thursday. A Democratic source involved in the talks confirmed that it accurately reflects the offer, adding that it's "no different than what was discussed last Friday."

-snip-

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/29/fiscal-cliff-talks_n_2215089.html

I added the bolding to the text above - I got a huge chuckle over that part! LOL

The GOP needs to realize that they are dealing with '2nd term Obama' now

[Victor_c3]

1. I haven't seen anyone mention military cuts in all of this

At a minimum, we need to implement the sequestration cuts on the DOD. Reinvesting in America instead of tools to implement death and destruction would be a real way for us to move forward.

[Live and Learn]

3. +1 nt

[apnu]

5. +1 means you're +2.

The silence on the DoD's $1 Trillion per year spending (yes that includes debt service) is deafening.

[Historic NY]

2. I think the oh crap moment will hit when Boehner either fishes or cuts bait...

Geithner was the "this is your final answer guy". Remember the GOP voted for sequester they really don't have many choices.

[John2]

4. Well,

I will point out, that we have a third Party that was not elected to anything in these talks, which has interjected their opinions, and continue to do so. Don't forget the media Punditry. They are joining the right wing Republicans in calling the offer silly.

President Obama needs to continue to include the electorate in this discussion because the Pundits do not represent the wishes of the Electorate, but their own corporate interests, whom they work for and are part of the people, that will see their taxes rise.

If the media Pundits, really did their jobs, then they would reflect Public opinion, which clearly falls on the side of the President's proposal on what to cut. The spending cuts fall in line with Public Opinion, yet the media Pundits, leave that aspect out every time. 68 percent of Americans, which includes Republicans, does not want to see the Retirement Age raised, yet the Pundits have stepped in to provide cover for Boehner's talking points. If the media was truly not bias, then they would question why Boehner, is scared to place specific items, what Boehner wants to cut in spending.

The media knows perfectly why. Boehner would be put on record, that he wants to raise Retirement ages, which his constituents don't. So the President can kill two birds with one stone, by exposing the media also. So it is mow time to add the media in as part of the Problem also which has encouraged this environment of obstructionism. People like Joe Scarborough are not analysts or journalists. He was hired to push corporate right wing agendas. MS NBC should fire him and get real analysts on the show. Nobody will miss him. And not only this, true analysts and journalists such as Rachel Maddow, Laurence ODonnell and Ed, has pointed out, that Boehner is lying about his Republican coalition in the House. They are really divided, but Boehner is the problem, because he is keeping them in line. True reporters, have went around Boehner and got the true pulse. Boehner, McConnell and Cantor are the ones keeping them in line.

[Johnny2X2X]

6. Wow

Obama is playing some serious hardball, I love it. The GOP should have taken the deal he was offering last year, instead it was about politics for them and the election.

Obama is going to do what's best for the American people, period. I expect him to negotiate a little, but he must have decided that the debt cliff will not be as bad bad as some say. Let's go over the cliff or Republicans can take this deal, that's it, period!

[bemildred]

7. "My God, they're bullshitting us too!" nt

[Tx4obama]

8. Huh? Who are you quoting? n/t

[bemildred]

9. That would, hypothetically, be Boner or Mitch.

When they realize all that "compromise" talk means exactly as much as their bipartisanship talk: nothing.

But the truth is I made it up, should have used a sarcasm smiley.