and reid. republicans walk out on the gang of six and republicans walk out on the president. the time is running out. of course, we would prefer something balanced and we would prefer to see revenues as part of the mixture. but we re heartened by the fact and hairy reid s proposal that there s nothing in there with regard to social security, with regard to medicare, and with regard to medicaid which are vitally important programs. to the people we re sworn to serve. we d like to see a balance so we can enhance programs going forward. i think that discussion can be had at another day. right now i think with the nation running so perilously close to having bond ratings dropped and within the republican conference them not even being able to agree on boehner s proposal, right now i think harry reid has got the best path forward for us to make sure that the country doesn t default now. the ball is in the republicans
of six and republicans walk out on the president. the time is running out. of course, we would prefer something balanced and we would prefer to see revenues as part of the mixture. but we re heartened by the fact and hairy reid s proposal that there s nothing in there with regard to social security, with regard to medicare, and with regard to medicaid which are vitally important programs. to the people we re sworn to serve. we d like to see a balance so we can enhance programs going forward. i think that discussion can be had at another day. right now i think with the nation running so perilously close to having bond ratings dropped and within the republican conference them not even being able to agree on boehner s proposal, right now i think harry reid has got the best path forward for us to make sure that the country doesn t default now. the ball is in the republicans court. they control the majority in the
he is trying to deal with a very serious problem. how did it go today and how serious is the dilemma the president is in? well, the dilemat president is facing is very serious. he inherited a deficit. he understands to give congress the confidence to vote for increasing the debt limit and insure our country doesn t default for the first time, we have the challenge to bring it down, give companies confidence, jobs? our country and do so in way that is consistent with our values. that means to do it in way that strengthens, not against the recovery, in way that makes sure we are invest flg the future. help every american work their way up and in a way that s consistent with our basic social compact in american dream.
conferences we wish there s no time limit on it or that we like the press briefings decides when it ends because there are a number of things but the two most dominating issues are ones that we haven t heard the president on, that s the debt limit negotiations, the issue of coming up with a deal to raise the debt kreel sog that the u.s. government doesn t default and at the same time coming up with something both republicans and democrats agree with. those talks are back at i call it square b. sort of square one looking for a plan b and then the second big topic is the president on libya. we haven t heard a lot from him on libya. we know there s a ton of congressional criticism from both sides of the aisle essentially his lack of explaining what the u.s. presence is in libya. is it consistent with the war powers act or not? so, hearing getting that fleshed out is going to be, i think, a key among the key
getting push-back and may have to give a bit. it looks like he s going to get the votes but with a big caveat. the president has saying he wants a clean vote which means nothing else added, just raise the debt ceiling so the u.s. doesn t default. but republicans have been pushing for it to be coupled with more spending cuts. white house has repeatedly rejected that until essentially this weekend when secretary geithner was on the sunday talk shows acknowledging, yeah, we ll have to give a little bit to the republicans. i think that s again one of the reasons liberals have been so nervous. seems like every time speaker boehner comes in to negotiate something on the budget the president is giving in. but i think it is just political reality. the white house has tried to negotiate out of strength but they realize the votes are just not on the hill unless they have real serious deficit reduction attached in a separate vote that s right after, before,