(CNN) - President Barack Obama spoke by phone Wednesday with House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on the congressional impasse over extending the payroll tax cut, White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters.
"John, we negotiated a compromise in good faith and your side reneged because you cannot control your conference. We are not going to sit down and negotiate another compromise for your side to renege on.
"This is a problem within your own party, not of my creation, and not mine to resolve. The American people have spoken. I suggest that you listen to them instead of those voices in your conference."
December 21, 2011 01:00 pm at 1:00 pm |
Jariv
Finally....
December 21, 2011 01:04 pm at 1:04 pm |
GI Joe
Boehner can't be bothered with the little people. He'll probably collect $40 THOUSAND dollars from his lobbyist corporatists at the bar this holiday drinking season. He had to go home. Worst "leader (from behind Cantor and the baggers)" in HISTORY.
December 21, 2011 01:05 pm at 1:05 pm |
Stephanie
I need more information, please.
December 21, 2011 01:05 pm at 1:05 pm |
The LONE OKIE
The Senate has gone home for Christmas, and said they are not coming back until after the holidays.
December 21, 2011 01:06 pm at 1:06 pm |
Truth and Nothing But the Truth
Stick to your guns Boehner! Make these stinking Senate Democrats do the job they are being paid to do.
It is quite unbelieveable that it is this difficult to give the Democrats and Obama EXACTLY what they wanted. I think the Dems have totally lost their minds.
December 21, 2011 01:09 pm at 1:09 pm |
Mikey
Boehner can't lead his own caucus, so he cries that the President should do it for him. He must be the most ineffective Speaker in a long time. Of course, trying to control a bunch of Tea Party members who can't see or don't understand the big picture is an unenviable task. However, it's his job. They were happy to get the Tea Party wave that gave the GOP control of the House, now they are dealing with the consequences. Unfortunately, we are all suffering the consequences, whether we supported that band of idiots or not.
December 21, 2011 01:11 pm at 1:11 pm |
Woman In California
Let me guess: the president picked up the phone first. Unbelievable.
December 21, 2011 01:13 pm at 1:13 pm |
Critical_Mass
Talk to the rock – maybe it will roll over.
December 21, 2011 01:14 pm at 1:14 pm |
Steve, New York City
Having "principled disagreements" is one thing. . .but going against EVERYTHING the President says and does (b/c of an interest in trying to ruin him personally) is un-American.
It would be deeply inaccurate to say that all Republicans have acted like this. However, some of the "reckless garbage" (YOU LIE, TAR BABY) stemming from the mouths of some of the House Republicans has truly battered my perception of them.
December 21, 2011 01:17 pm at 1:17 pm |
ConcernedDad
What is so bad about going to conference? The Senate has refused to take up a number of bills this year. At least the House has offered to consider the differences in conference. This is more of a courtesy than they were offered when multiple budget bills were sent to the Senate and "tabled".
December 21, 2011 01:29 pm at 1:29 pm |
vet in tx
Liberals, please take any and all bets from conservatives, limbaugh listeners are easy targets, they believe whatever he says and are used to giving away their money.....sarahpac, emergency food, gold, carbonite,etc. A few hundred that barry wins in 2012, should be a drop in the bucket for those easiest to fleece!
December 21, 2011 01:29 pm at 1:29 pm |
PA_outofwork
Guess Obama looked at the latest poll and found out the American people are going to blame Obama and the Democratic Party in Congress for this mess.
This is not a tax cut! The money taken out of “your pay” and matched by “your employer” goes against “your Social Security account”. Essentially; Obama and the Democrats in Congress are reducing “you funding your retirement with your money”.
December 21, 2011 01:33 pm at 1:33 pm |
Four and The Door
John Boehner really needs to get "Caller ID", then he would not have to sit on the phone all morning listening to whining, sniveling and begging. Harry and Barry. One lies and the other one swears to it. I think my morning has been a little more enjoyable than John Boehner's.
December 21, 2011 01:38 pm at 1:38 pm |
Sniffit
"Stick to your guns Boehner! Make these stinking Senate Democrats do the job they are being paid to do."
They did actually...and so did the Senate GOPers for that matter in this instance. They passed compromise legislation...boom...done. Boehner and the House GOP are refusing to vote on it and have gone so far as to have the acting Speaker walk off the House floor in the middle of Hoyer attempting to request a unanimous consent vote. Spew whatever talking point nonsense you want, but the the reality is that the GOP is in serious serious trouble here in terms of public opinion, they've lost the blame game entirely, they know all this and yet it's only causing the extremist Teatrolls to dig their heels in further because they think it makes them look like hero-martyrs.
December 21, 2011 01:40 pm at 1:40 pm |
BEH_Florida
The House is correct, the Senate (both DEMs & GOP) are wrong. The Senate needs to get back to DC to do the job they are being paid to do!!!! This is not about President Obama, it's about a non-functional Senate!
December 21, 2011 01:41 pm at 1:41 pm |
Phil in KC
So.... what did he say to them?
@PA_outofwork – actually, the latest polls show that the American people are blaming the Republicans for the impasse.
December 21, 2011 01:43 pm at 1:43 pm |
beevee
Looks like a majority of the republican congressmen are extreme conservatives (Teapertiers) and Speaker Boehner is having a hard time getting them to agree to any thing he suggests and caving in to their demands. I hope american voters realize what a mistake it is to bring them to power. They don't do any good to this country's economy, instead they are going to bury it if things go their way. We need to get rid of them in the coming elections.
December 21, 2011 01:43 pm at 1:43 pm |
Sniffit
"This is not a tax cut! The money taken out of “your pay” and matched by “your employer” goes against “your Social Security account”. Essentially; Obama and the Democrats in Congress are reducing “you funding your retirement with your money”."
OMG WHO KNEW!!!!???!!! THIS IS A DISASTER!!!!! EVERYBODY FREAK OUT AND DON'T READ OR REPORT ON THE PARTS OF THE BILL THAT PAY FOR ANY REDUCTION IN SS REVENUE!!!
December 21, 2011 01:43 pm at 1:43 pm |
vet in tx
Paout of work....is out to lunch, stop listening to gold salesmen, and read on how ss actually works......its a general fund with no accounts
December 21, 2011 01:46 pm at 1:46 pm |
Jules
The president is once again the only grown-up in the room when it comes to this house and its speaker. Next thing I would do politically if the GOP doesn't get this done in the next day or so – I'd bring my wife and children back home for the holidays – great picture of the two girls having to change their Christmas plans because the so called adults in the House can't do their job.
December 21, 2011 01:46 pm at 1:46 pm |
Dave
Boehner and his group of GOP dolts are behaving like a bunch of spoiled brats with big mouths and no brains. It's time to treat them as such.
December 21, 2011 01:54 pm at 1:54 pm |
Larry
He will probably 'cave in' just like he's done all yr .
December 21, 2011 01:59 pm at 1:59 pm |
Larry
they ended up putting an "earmark" in the bill, haven't you heard ?? They ( the senate) won't pass it, b/c they (the house) ended up putting a bill in there, for the people who are on "un-employment" have to take a drug test, before they can collect. I mean, where are they going to get the money for that
Don't cave Mr. President.
"John, we negotiated a compromise in good faith and your side reneged because you cannot control your conference. We are not going to sit down and negotiate another compromise for your side to renege on.
"This is a problem within your own party, not of my creation, and not mine to resolve. The American people have spoken. I suggest that you listen to them instead of those voices in your conference."
Finally....
Boehner can't be bothered with the little people. He'll probably collect $40 THOUSAND dollars from his lobbyist corporatists at the bar this holiday drinking season. He had to go home. Worst "leader (from behind Cantor and the baggers)" in HISTORY.
I need more information, please.
The Senate has gone home for Christmas, and said they are not coming back until after the holidays.
Stick to your guns Boehner! Make these stinking Senate Democrats do the job they are being paid to do.
It is quite unbelieveable that it is this difficult to give the Democrats and Obama EXACTLY what they wanted. I think the Dems have totally lost their minds.
Boehner can't lead his own caucus, so he cries that the President should do it for him. He must be the most ineffective Speaker in a long time. Of course, trying to control a bunch of Tea Party members who can't see or don't understand the big picture is an unenviable task. However, it's his job. They were happy to get the Tea Party wave that gave the GOP control of the House, now they are dealing with the consequences. Unfortunately, we are all suffering the consequences, whether we supported that band of idiots or not.
Let me guess: the president picked up the phone first. Unbelievable.
Talk to the rock – maybe it will roll over.
Having "principled disagreements" is one thing. . .but going against EVERYTHING the President says and does (b/c of an interest in trying to ruin him personally) is un-American.
It would be deeply inaccurate to say that all Republicans have acted like this. However, some of the "reckless garbage" (YOU LIE, TAR BABY) stemming from the mouths of some of the House Republicans has truly battered my perception of them.
What is so bad about going to conference? The Senate has refused to take up a number of bills this year. At least the House has offered to consider the differences in conference. This is more of a courtesy than they were offered when multiple budget bills were sent to the Senate and "tabled".
Liberals, please take any and all bets from conservatives, limbaugh listeners are easy targets, they believe whatever he says and are used to giving away their money.....sarahpac, emergency food, gold, carbonite,etc. A few hundred that barry wins in 2012, should be a drop in the bucket for those easiest to fleece!
Guess Obama looked at the latest poll and found out the American people are going to blame Obama and the Democratic Party in Congress for this mess.
This is not a tax cut! The money taken out of “your pay” and matched by “your employer” goes against “your Social Security account”. Essentially; Obama and the Democrats in Congress are reducing “you funding your retirement with your money”.
John Boehner really needs to get "Caller ID", then he would not have to sit on the phone all morning listening to whining, sniveling and begging. Harry and Barry. One lies and the other one swears to it. I think my morning has been a little more enjoyable than John Boehner's.
"Stick to your guns Boehner! Make these stinking Senate Democrats do the job they are being paid to do."
They did actually...and so did the Senate GOPers for that matter in this instance. They passed compromise legislation...boom...done. Boehner and the House GOP are refusing to vote on it and have gone so far as to have the acting Speaker walk off the House floor in the middle of Hoyer attempting to request a unanimous consent vote. Spew whatever talking point nonsense you want, but the the reality is that the GOP is in serious serious trouble here in terms of public opinion, they've lost the blame game entirely, they know all this and yet it's only causing the extremist Teatrolls to dig their heels in further because they think it makes them look like hero-martyrs.
The House is correct, the Senate (both DEMs & GOP) are wrong. The Senate needs to get back to DC to do the job they are being paid to do!!!! This is not about President Obama, it's about a non-functional Senate!
So.... what did he say to them?
@PA_outofwork – actually, the latest polls show that the American people are blaming the Republicans for the impasse.
Looks like a majority of the republican congressmen are extreme conservatives (Teapertiers) and Speaker Boehner is having a hard time getting them to agree to any thing he suggests and caving in to their demands. I hope american voters realize what a mistake it is to bring them to power. They don't do any good to this country's economy, instead they are going to bury it if things go their way. We need to get rid of them in the coming elections.
"This is not a tax cut! The money taken out of “your pay” and matched by “your employer” goes against “your Social Security account”. Essentially; Obama and the Democrats in Congress are reducing “you funding your retirement with your money”."
OMG WHO KNEW!!!!???!!! THIS IS A DISASTER!!!!! EVERYBODY FREAK OUT AND DON'T READ OR REPORT ON THE PARTS OF THE BILL THAT PAY FOR ANY REDUCTION IN SS REVENUE!!!
Paout of work....is out to lunch, stop listening to gold salesmen, and read on how ss actually works......its a general fund with no accounts
The president is once again the only grown-up in the room when it comes to this house and its speaker. Next thing I would do politically if the GOP doesn't get this done in the next day or so – I'd bring my wife and children back home for the holidays – great picture of the two girls having to change their Christmas plans because the so called adults in the House can't do their job.
Boehner and his group of GOP dolts are behaving like a bunch of spoiled brats with big mouths and no brains. It's time to treat them as such.
He will probably 'cave in' just like he's done all yr .
they ended up putting an "earmark" in the bill, haven't you heard ?? They ( the senate) won't pass it, b/c they (the house) ended up putting a bill in there, for the people who are on "un-employment" have to take a drug test, before they can collect. I mean, where are they going to get the money for that