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[Cman]

Saw this piece on politico this morning in which Boehner basically says he's willing to consider increasing revenues/taxes.

And in what’s sure to become hotly discussed in conservative circles, Boehner said he’s willing to accept new federal revenues from a “fairer, simpler, cleaner Tax Code.” Such talk of new revenues may cause some on the right to recoil but has long been a part of Boehner’s position.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1112/83495.html?hp=r2

I really appreciate Boehner saying this, and it makes me optimistic for bipartisan compromise.

[Fafnir]

I read the full speech, I don't think its anything other than simple "appear as reasonable while being somewhat vague in public" before negotiations start over the coming expiration of the Bush tax cuts and the begining of the spending cuts the debt deal put into place.

They will make a deal of some kind certainly, but this doesn't tell me much about how smoothly things will happen.

[Chris]

I like the fact that now that the election has passed, both sides seem to be setting the table to really compromise on this.  Hopefully its not just more hot air.  There is a middle ground here, and if they don't find it, they are going to be hurting a LOT of people.

[Fafnir]

I like the fact that now that the election has passed, both sides seem to be setting the table to really compromise on this.  Hopefully its not just more hot air.  There is a middle ground here, and if they don't find it, they are going to be hurting a LOT of people.

Don't get too excited, their last big compromise was essentially "kick the can down the road till 2013".

[Cman]

I read the full speech, I don't think its anything other than simple "appear as reasonable while being somewhat vague in public" before negotiations start over the coming expiration of the Bush tax cuts and the begining of the spending cuts the debt deal put into place.

They will make a deal of some kind certainly, but this doesn't tell me much about how smoothly things will happen.

Yes, but I prefer he at least *say* he's willing to negotiate rather than say he's not.... Boehner has a tough balancing act between working with Obama to get something done and appeasing the tea party/2010-ers in Congress.

[Amonkey]

It seems that Boehner was at least willing to work with Obama last term on the fiscal policy but got held down by the tea party people. Maybe this time he can take a harder stance and not let those people who signed "the pledge" stop the line of compromise. Meanwhile, I also hope that Obama and his Democrats can take a deep look at what is expandable in the entitlement program and make some real cuts.

Ideally, I would like to raise the tax on the rich to increase revenue (but not as drastric as in France) and cut to some entitlement programs, mostly the ones that are given to poor people that doesn't promote growth on their part. So no cuts to programs that helps our seniors, military people and disabled people, but place time limits on food stamps, unemployment, rental discounts and things of that sorts. There are people who like to manipulate the system so just take those things away.

[fairweatherfan]

Boehner was ok with revenue increases as part of the "Grand Bargain", until the Tea Party bloc scuttled it.  With several prominent Tea Partiers out of office and the party reeling, he's probably not as worried about Cantor breathing down his neck now, and more concerned with keeping the House.  So it's not a tremendous surprise.

[Fafnir]

Boehner was ok with revenue increases as part of the "Grand Bargain", until the Tea Party bloc scuttled it.  With several prominent Tea Partiers out of office and the party reeling, he's probably not as worried about Cantor breathing down his neck now, and more concerned with keeping the House.  So it's not a tremendous surprise.

Plus the leverage is now different. Obama isn't running in a few short months and the tax cuts expire meaning that Republicans can say "I voted to cut taxes".

[Chris]

I like the fact that now that the election has passed, both sides seem to be setting the table to really compromise on this.  Hopefully its not just more hot air.  There is a middle ground here, and if they don't find it, they are going to be hurting a LOT of people.

Don't get too excited, their last big compromise was essentially "kick the can down the road till 2013".

True.  But I am a big believer in the theory that a President in his second term, is ready to compromise and get things done.

And I like to think that Boener and company will feel the pressure to work it out, and meet him somewhere in the halfway range.

[guava_wrench]

I read the full speech, I don't think its anything other than simple "appear as reasonable while being somewhat vague in public" before negotiations start over the coming expiration of the Bush tax cuts and the begining of the spending cuts the debt deal put into place.

They will make a deal of some kind certainly, but this doesn't tell me much about how smoothly things will happen.

Yes, but I prefer he at least *say* he's willing to negotiate rather than say he's not.... Boehner has a tough balancing act between working with Obama to get something done and appeasing the tea party/2010-ers in Congress.

Considering the low opinion America has of the Tea Party in 2012 according to opinion polls, I don't think the Tea Party has much leverage with the Dems outperforming the Reps this past election. I think Boehner is in a better position if he is really willing to compromise to regain trust with the American people.

Obamacare shows that Obama can come pretty far right in the name of compromise, ending up with a conservative health care reform plan. Yet, even when that happens, we see certain politicians and media trolls framing this as some socialist conspiracy. With all there yapping, they lost political power on Tuesday, so it is probably time for a new plan.

I don't think politicians fear the Tea Party anymore. The fad has passed.

[wdleehi]

I think fear will set in soon as these congress member realize they have to run for re-election. 


There is no point in trying to cream Obama anymore.  He already won.  Or on the other side, time to stop being afraid to being connected to a first term president.



For them, now is the time to show their voters that they can be part of the government that can get things done. 




Or at least I hope.

[Fan from VT]

I like the fact that now that the election has passed, both sides seem to be setting the table to really compromise on this.  Hopefully its not just more hot air.  There is a middle ground here, and if they don't find it, they are going to be hurting a LOT of people.

Don't get too excited, their last big compromise was essentially "kick the can down the road till 2013".

True.  But I am a big believer in the theory that a President in his second term, is ready to compromise and get things done.

And I like to think that Boener and company will feel the pressure to work it out, and meet him somewhere in the halfway range.

I think its the opposite in that obama was ready to compeomise last time but his oposition was not.  Now that obama is gyaranteed to be out of ofice in 4 years the whole philosophy of "obstruct everything to make obama look bad at all costs" has less teeth.

[Chris]

I think fear will set in soon as these congress member realize they have to run for re-election. 


There is no point in trying to cream Obama anymore.  He already won.  Or on the other side, time to stop being afraid to being connected to a first term president.



For them, now is the time to show their voters that they can be part of the government that can get things done. 




Or at least I hope.

That, and none of them want to be called out by all the people in their district who lose their jobs, because partisan bickering led them to sequestration.

[jambr380]

Yeah, I agree. Now that there isn't a four year referendum on getting Obama out of office, they should all be able to come together and make some compromises, which is what the general masses want. I, personally, was a bit afraid of how the dems might have acted if Romney had won. I would have mostly agreed with them, but being stubborn for the sake of being stubborn just doesn't work...these are, afterall, our elected officials.

This isn't all bad for republicans either. They get the guy they really want for president running in 2016 in Christie...hopefully this will be a win-win for all of America.

[nickagneta]

I think the compromise will be that the Bush tax cuts will be allowed to expire for those that make over $250,000 per year but that the rest of the Bush tax cuts will be extended for another two years.

Then there will be some cuts coming to Medicaid assistance being handed out to the states and Medicare prices will get a slight increase in parts B and D across the board.