(CNN) - House Speaker John Boehner painted a bleak picture Sunday when talking about fiscal cliff negotiations between the White House and Republicans.
"Right now I would say we're nowhere. Period. We're nowhere. We've put a serious offer on the table by putting revenues up there to try to get this question resolved, but the White House has responded with virtually nothing," Boehner said on "Fox News Sunday."
– Follow the Ticker on Twitter: @PoliticalTicker
Boehner said the reason negotiations are going so poorly is that Obama administration officials - in particular, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner - aren't taking Republicans seriously. Boehner said he was shocked at Geithner's proposal to Republicans last week.
"I was flabbergasted. I looked at him and I said, 'You can't be serious.' I've just never seen anything like it," Boehner said.
Geithner has said his plan included cuts to Medicare and additional stimulus spending, but also an expiration of Bush-era tax cuts to those making over $250,000 a year. Furthermore, the proposal included the closing of some loopholes and new limits on deductions, as well as an increase in the estate tax rate and taxes on capital gains and dividends.
Boehner acknowledged that President Barack Obama won the election on a platform that in part was based on increasing taxes for those making over $250,000. This is a major sticking point in negotiations, and Boehner said the president must compromise with the GOP.
"They won the election, (but) they must have forgotten that Republicans continue to hold the majority in the House. But the president's idea of a negotiation is, 'Roll over and do what I ask,'" Boehner said.
While Boehner admitted that going over the fiscal cliff would be detrimental to the economy, he said out-of-control spending is mortgaging the future of the next generation and must be reined in. Accordingly, the speaker said going over that cliff is a distinct possibility.
"I'm determined to solve our debt problem. We have a serious debt problem and it is going to be dealt with," Boehner said.
From CNN Politics
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertising practices | Advertise with us | About us | Work for us | Help
Why do the news agencies keep treating this GOP partly-line crap of protecting the 1% at all costs as news?
Trickle down economics is trickling down Boehner's leg and it's starting to stink. This GOP-LOT needs to get with it. And where does he snivel and complain? Why, FOX News of course! Meanwhile, my right wing neighbor flies his yellow "Don't Tread On Me" flag in everyone's face and bars no holds telling everyone how to vote! The shouting just gets louder and louder!
"We've put a serious offer on the table"
Is it invisible?
Finally, Boehner gets it right.
There is no room to negotiate with someone who thinks a1.2 trillion tax hike today with an additional 50 billion in spending we don't have for some 200 Billions in cuts down the road is good managing of nations resources. It's a bunch of crap. Obama is hell bent on bankrupting our country as fast as he can. Well Obama didn't build our country even though he profits from it. Our country is not Obama's to Bankrupt. He can bankrupt himself and his party but not our Country!!!!
There seemsz stalmate ..we must go forward!!!
Obama lost the House. It takes two houses and a President, not one house and President. Obama is Tyrant who has over regulated business in our country, and provided such a high degree of uncertainty that he hurt business at every turn. Obama's single goal is the end of capitalism. The end of the only driver of economic growth. The only system that reduces poverty not increase it, like Obama wants to. Becuase he thinks if everyone is poor it fair. What a moron.
Why don't we stop paying Congressmen and Congresswomen until they make a decision? I bet you two American dollars they'll get off of their hands and start using them to sign legislature.
Wait a minute, is everyone still blaming Bush for things??? His tax cuts expired almost 2 years ago, so if this was such a bad thing then blame it on the President who continued them. These are the Obama tax cuts that he wanted. Now he's blaming the Republicans and Bush still for his own actions. He's clueless.
Instead of the the US falling off a Fiscal Cliff a better solution is to to throw Boehner and the whole damn Republican Party OFF A CLIFF. What a bunch of jerks. If the US people re-elect any of these jerks at the mid terms they should have their heads examined. We need new blood on the hill and whole bunch of it and get rid of these buffoons running this country.
The GOP cracks me up. They are so irrelevant and still do not get it. The only reason they have the house is because of the gerrymandering. It wont be much longer until the minorities infiltrate many of their districts. This is a political party that is a complete joke and wants to go back a century. The people that vote for them are the people that think the world is only 6000 yrs old. Sorry I can not take the GOP seriously. I am a white male but the GOP is nothing but angry white males, mostly older. Glad I have a mind of my own.
This Housespeaker, brings nothing to the table, but negativity. He has no respect for the president at all. Everything the president says or does in his eyes are wrong. But keep it up, the results of this election speak for themselves. He is one of the reasons why the Negative or should I say Republican party is going nowhere.
yes, let's go over the cliff, close all the bases, cut and chop and hack.
gee, can we find some adults to run the country – or at least produce some useful ideas in the comments section?
The GOP response is two idea, mutually exclusive. First they complain that the President has no plan, which is, in simple terms, a bald-faced lie! But still they say it. Now, when the administration lays it all out again, they complain that "it's the same old plan." Apparently the same old plan is also the plan that doesn't exist. In any case, you can search the entire world to find any GOP proposal or "plan" that includes anything remotely concrete. They're willing (supposedly) to discuss increases in revenues, but then add the condition that the must be generated by "increased economic activity." So...they'll allow more taxes to be collected, but only as long as the increase is coming from new people getting jobs. I guess they skipped class the day that the difference between Dumb and Stupid was discussed, because this idea is both! The GOP lost some seats in the House last month, and if they keep this up, they'll lose a bunch more next time. They may be stupid, but the American people, for the most part, aren't, and we can see who's holding the gun in this attempted robbery.
Hello Hand our liberals. How is it going? What more you want for free? Maybe a ride to your favorite environmentalist (fraud) professor?
"Flabbergasted" – This is coming from the guy who on election night, before Obama even had a chance to give his victory speech, was declaring that the GOP would never allow any sort of revenue increases whatsoever.
Another 4 years of those in the House refusing to not do their jobs !!!! We shouldn't have to wait 4 years for this to change. Are they still receiving their salary, benefits and every "perks".....then they need to be held accountable for refusing to work.
Wow obama said it was for the 1% remember what happened now its 2% were all going to feel the tax increase ok i make only 19k but with obama care i now make under 16k this president is against our country he is pinning us against one another. I say to the GOP hold your stance don't give in to what obama says he doesn't want to compromise he's a bully with a bad agenda "IMPEACH OBAMA 2012"
Ungast your flabber and get serious, ,jerkwad. You lost the election. Lead, follow, or get out of the way.
It's not a fiscal cliff, but more of a front porch to street, with gradual ramp access. Just bend over and wait for it. Boehner has no power on this, nor is Obama obligated to negotiate with him. The tax cuts will expire, and the rich will pay a tiny fraction more. The recovery of lost revenue through deductions is just as real to those who repeatedly rely on those deductions to shelter part of their income. Why are Republications OK with tightening up on deductions, but not on raising taxes? It's still money.
We have a Speaker of the House problem much bigger than a debt problem.
I'm flabbergasted that he paid so little to the President's campaign. How can anyone be flabbergasted when a person has been saying exactly that for so many months. Poor Bohner, I guess it's time for him to go enjoy his retirement now too. But before he leaves, let's see that counter offer.
They play the game because of lobby money , What the problem is over Money . They ,Congress is the problem .
It's not there money ,they spend ,but tax money collected (about 1 trillon dollars a year ) and thats not the budget .
Money is what it all about period and that does nothing for the National Debit of 16 trillon dollars .and the interst we pay on top of it. 16 trillon and what do you get a bigger debit . How long is 16 trillon seconds ? fig it out .
Grover has Boehner shaking in his boots
Th "Party of NO" is quickly turning into "The Party of NO FREAKIN' CLUE." And Boehner is leading its parade.
Wake up, Dude!! This is why you lost not only the Prez election but lots of seats you THOUGHT you'd get back...
If everyone one suddenly send emails, snail mail, phone calls, etc., to B. + his minions, maybe they would wake up!
You bhetter unflabbergast yourself and do the job you are supposed to do. Your job is NOT more important than the country bonehead!
Your party lost the election. You came out to say that the American public had spoken and for ONCE you were right!!
You are not doing your party any favors by keeping the middle class hostage yet again!!