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REAL WORLD EVENT DISCUSSIONS
They did it! House Passes Bipartisan Budget Deal
Friday, December 13, 2013 1:26 PM
NIKI2
Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...
Quote: The Republican-led House on Thursday passed a bipartisan budget deal aimed at mitigating painful spending cuts and avoiding more government shutdowns. The vote was 332 to 94 with 169 Republicans and 163 Democrats voting for it. The bill now goes to the Senate, where it is expected to pass, and subsequently be signed into law by President Barack Obama. If the bill becomes law, it would mark a major turning point after three years of paralyzing partisan disputes which culminated in the 16-day government shutdown last October. It means Congress would return to the normal budget process, if only for two years, rather than funding the government in incremental steps. The modest deal, brokered by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), boosts discretionary spending from $967 billion to $1.012 trillion in 2014 and $1.014 trillion in 2015. It relieves $63 billion in across-the-board sequester cuts to defense and domestic programs, and is projected to lower the deficit over 10 years relative to current law. The legislation offsets the spending increase with a mix of targeted cuts and non-tax revenue, such as higher airline ticket fees and higher federal worker contributions to retiree benefits. In order to satisfy each party's core demands, the agreement does not raise any tax revenues or cut benefits from safety-net programs like Medicare and Social Security. Surprisingly for some, House conservatives didn't mount much of a rebellion. Ryan paved the way for the deal by pointing out that a continuing resolution at sequester levels lacked the votes to pass the House. GOP military hawks and appropriators, he told skeptical members, would have joined Democrats and voted against it. The budget deal was sold to the GOP conference as the most conservative plausible outcome in divided government. The deal is Ryan's first major bipartisan breakthrough that stands a chance of becoming law. While modest, the higher spending levels have drawn rebukes from hard line conservatives who often praise Ryan as a conservative hero. Democrats weren't thrilled with the agreement but reluctantly accepted it as an improvement on the status quo. They're angry that it doesn't extend emergency unemployment benefits, which are set to expire on Dec. 28; they believe it serves special interests by failing to unwind any tax loopholes for corporations; they dislike the effective pension cuts for federal workers. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) reportedly urged Democrats to "embrace the suck" so that they could move forward. She told reporters that she while she doesn't like the bill, it's "an OK thing to vote for." http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/no-more-shutdowns-house-passes-ryan-murray-budget-deal
Friday, December 13, 2013 2:10 PM
Quote:While Senate Democrats are confident they can keep their 55-member caucus united, it remained unclear Friday which five Republicans would cross the aisle to break an expected GOP filibuster when the Senate takes a procedural vote on the bill on Tuesday. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) signaled earlier this week he would back the budget because it would soften the blow of sequestration’s cuts on the Pentagon and reduce the likelihood of another government shutdown next year. So far, that’s about it. Senate insiders in both parties still predict that the measure will pass the chamber next week, especially after the House passed the bill on a surprisingly large 332-94 vote Thursday evening. But Senate Republicans are still weighing the policy implications and the political backlash from the right for supporting the plan — and they have the power to defeat it if they choose to unite against it. If they block the plan, it could make them culpable for any government shutdown that ensues in January as a result of the stalemate. Despite the strong support from House Speaker John Boehner, Senate GOP leaders are expected to oppose the bill. GOP senators who are facing tea party-inspired challenges next year also are opposing the plan, including the defense hawk Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who said the proposal would cause “disproportionate harm” to military retirees. Plus, Senate Republicans have been engaged in a tit-for-tat all week with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid Nevada on presidential nominees. Republicans have refused to let Reid quickly process those nominations, so Reid has kept the chamber in session overnight on consecutive days to work through the arcane Senate procedures. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is widely expected to oppose the budget measure, a position that could sway fence-sitting GOP senators. But it appears unlikely that GOP leaders would strong-arm their colleagues and urge them to vote against the measure. Moreover, many Senate Republicans have raised deep concerns that the plan puts off spending cuts until the next decade when they may never have been realized, echoing concerns of conservative outside groups who have been locked in a war of words with Boehner for much of this week. If the proposal does not pass, it would increase the risks of another government shutdown in January since the two chambers will not have agreed to top-line spending numbers. http://www.politico.com/story/2013/12/senate-budget-deal-vote-101127.html#ixzz2nNoGzJrQ
Friday, December 13, 2013 2:47 PM
WHOZIT
Friday, December 13, 2013 2:58 PM
Friday, December 13, 2013 3:57 PM
SIGNYM
I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.
Friday, December 13, 2013 4:06 PM
STORYMARK
Quote:Originally posted by whozit: I bet you own a lot of cats.
Saturday, December 14, 2013 9:07 AM
Quote:Senate Democrats are on the cusp of securing enough GOP votes to break a filibuster next week on the bipartisan budget, temporarily ending the fiscal crises that have dominated Washington for the past several years. With 53 Democrats and two independents expected to back the measure, four Republicans — John McCain of Arizona, Susan Collins of Maine, Jeff Flake of Arizona and Richard Burr of North Carolina — said that they would vote to cut off debate on the budget, putting proponents just one vote shy of advancing the measure to final passage. Several additional GOP senators signaled Friday that they may also vote to advance the deal, including Sens. Bob Corker of Tennessee, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and John Hoeven of North Dakota, giving proponents new confidence that a messy and acrimonious first session of the 113th Congress appears close to ending just before Christmas. The Senate is poised to hold the critical procedural vote on the budget bill on Tuesday. And several GOP senators said while they may oppose the underlying bill, they would join with Democrats to advance the measure for a final up-or-down vote. “I’m not OK with it,” McCain said Friday, “but I think it’s better than shutting down the government.” Added Collins: “I will vote for cloture. I’m still weighing [final passage] but I’m inclined toward it … The advantages of having a budget outweigh the reservations that I have.” The last week of the budget fight has amounted to an unusual role reversal for the House and Senate. For much of this Congress, it’s been the Senate that’s passed bipartisan deals, only to see House Republicans balk. But this time around, House Republicans — who were burned by the last government shutdown — pushed the bipartisan deal through their chamber, only to see their GOP counterparts in the Senate scoff at the measure. The differing views speak to the party’s continued divide over fiscal strategy as conservative groups rail against the measure, and senators up for reelection or eying higher office — such as Ted Cruz of Texas, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Marco Rubio of Florida — have all come out strongly against the plan. The big House vote appears to have convinced at least a handful of GOP senators to break a filibuster, but the margin is expected to be much narrower in the closely divided Senate. Despite strong support from House Speaker John Boehner, Senate GOP leaders are expected to oppose the bill. GOP senators who are facing tea party-inspired challenges next year also are opposing the plan. More at http://www.politico.com/story/2013/12/senate-budget-deal-vote-101127.html#ixzz2nSRGFXi1
Tuesday, December 17, 2013 1:40 PM
Quote:Budget compromise clears Senate filibuster hurdle A federal budget compromise that already passed the House cleared a key procedural hurdle on Tuesday in the Senate, increasing the likelihood it will win final Congressional approval this week. Tuesday's vote overcame a Republican filibuster attempt that required 60 votes in the 100-member chamber to proceed on the budget measure. The count was 67-33, with a dozen Republicans joining the 55 Democrats and independents in support of the plan. Final approval in the Senate requires a simple majority of 51 votes. The politics of the issue were clear in Tuesday's vote breakdown. Only one Republican Senator facing a primary challenge in their re-election campaigns voted with Democrats to overcome the GOP filibuster -- Lamar Alexander of Tennessee. Final congressional approval of the elusive budget agreement would mark a rare win for bipartisanship and a step up for a Congress infected with political dysfunction and held in low public esteem with midterm elections less than a year off. http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/17/politics/senate-budget-deal/index.html?hpt=hp_t1
Wednesday, December 18, 2013 4:21 AM
SHINYGOODGUY
Wednesday, December 18, 2013 4:25 AM
Wednesday, December 18, 2013 6:38 AM
AURAPTOR
America loves a winner!
Wednesday, December 18, 2013 7:34 AM
M52NICKERSON
DALEK!
Quote:Originally posted by AURaptor: Let's make it simple for the fans of this budget deal. If our govt has taken $1000.00 dollars out of our kids future. Then with this deal, we've handed them back $22.00. How is this a good thing ?
Wednesday, December 18, 2013 9:17 AM
Wednesday, December 18, 2013 9:34 AM
Quote:Originally posted by M52NICKERSON: Quote:Originally posted by AURaptor: Let's make it simple for the fans of this budget deal. If our govt has taken $1000.00 dollars out of our kids future. Then with this deal, we've handed them back $22.00. How is this a good thing ? What in the bloddy hell are you talking about? I do not fear God, I fear the ignorance of man.
Wednesday, December 18, 2013 2:34 PM
Wednesday, December 18, 2013 3:03 PM
Quote: A final effort by Senate Republicans to halt cuts to pensions of military retirees failed late Tuesday, after Democrats blocked an amendment to the controversial budget bill. The two-year budget agreement, which cleared a key test vote earlier in the day, was expected to get a final vote no later than Wednesday. Ahead of the final vote, Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., tried unsuccessfully to use a parliamentary tactic to force a vote on the amendment, which he wrote to undo the cuts for military retirees. A provision in the already House-passed bill would cut retirement benefits for military retirees by $6 billion over 10 years. Sessions wanted to instead eliminate an estimated $4.2 billion in annual spending by reining in an IRS credit that illegal immigrants have claimed. He and fellow senators argued the bill unfairly sticks veterans and other military retirees with the cost of new spending. “It’s not correct, and it should not happen,” Sessions said on the floor.
Wednesday, December 18, 2013 3:44 PM
JONGSSTRAW
Wednesday, December 18, 2013 4:01 PM
Wednesday, December 18, 2013 4:06 PM
Wednesday, December 18, 2013 4:19 PM
Quote:Originally posted by AURaptor: Keeping it simple. Easy to sound as if this bill does a lot of good when you claim it saves 22 billion dollars, but when you borrow 1 trillion on the front end, that " savings " amounts to pennies on the dollar. It's a bad deal that does nothing but kick the can down the road. There needs to be FAR bigger cuts. And not to soldiers benefits ( which the GOP tried to save, btw ) in favor of welfare for illegals. @ Niki - you're not really that stupid . You can't be. Just stop it.
Wednesday, December 18, 2013 5:38 PM
Quote:Originally posted by M52NICKERSON: As far as the cut to retired soldier benifits it looks like a very bypartisan plan will fix that.
Quote: Now as having bigger cuts that is simply not realistic unless you want to kill the economy. Right now our budget deficit is not a problem.
Thursday, December 19, 2013 2:51 PM
Quote:Originally posted by AURaptor: Which is why I said... "Hard to believe, I know,but our govt is doing it." You see, it was a bi-partisan plan which Ryan signed off on, even as a Republican was trying to fix parts of it. The Democrats balked at fixing it. So much for bi-partisanship.
Quote:Originally posted by AURaptor: Would you spend nearly $300 million on a blimp? More than $300,000 to study angry wives? Or $5 million for crystal stemware? These are some of the examples cited by Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., in his annual look at what he considers wasteful and "low-priority" spending by the federal government. The 100 examples Coburn singles out in his Wastebook 2013, released Tuesday, total nearly $30 billion. Coburn, the top Republican on Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Commitee, said it's just a fraction of more than $200 billion that the government throws away as a result of fraud, waste, duplication and mismanagement. "There is more than enough stupidity and incompetence in government to allow us to live well below the budget caps," Coburn said. "What's lacking is the common sense and courage in Washington to make those choices — and passage of fiscally responsible bills — possible." This is at least Coburn's fifth year highlighting such federal spending.
Thursday, December 19, 2013 3:11 PM
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