Boehner says he's the 'most reasonable, responsible person' in Washington
(CNN) – House Speaker John Boehner, talking about the prospect of negotiating with President Barack Obama on a deal to avoid the so-called fiscal cliff, said in an interview Thursday that he is the "most reasonable, responsible person here in Washington" and that Obama knew he was ready to hash out a plan.
"Of course we'll talk about it. We talk about all kinds of things we may disagree on," Boehner said in the interview with ABC News.
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Congress faces an end-of-the-year deadline before massive spending cuts kick in and tax breaks begin to expire, including the Bush-era tax cuts at the end of December. The fiscal cliff also includes so-called sequestration - automatic across-the-board spending cuts set to trigger at the beginning of 2013 if Capitol Hill fails to create a deficit-reduction plan.
In his interview, Boehner echoed sentiments expressed Wednesday in a speech in Washington, in which he said higher tax rates would be unacceptable to Republicans who control the House.
"I've made it clear to the president, and I think I laid out yesterday - raising taxes on small business people is the wrong prescription, based on where the economy is," Boehner said Thursday.
"Frankly it couldn't even pass the House. I'm not sure it could pass the Senate."
The House speaker said he was glad to see Rep. Paul Ryan return to Congress, despite having lost his bid for vice president alongside Mitt Romney. But asked if Ryan was now the leader of the Republican Party, Boehner (who himself could be considered his party's leader) said the Wisconsin congressman was more focused on economic policy.
"I wouldn't think so," Boehner said. "Paul Ryan's a policy wonk. He's involved in the cause of trying to bring us pro-growth economic agendas for America and making sure that we're doing this in a fiscally responsible way."
Boehner said he had every reason to believe Ryan would return at chairman of the House Budget Committee.
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Lies. President Obama and the Dems have compromised on spending cuts. WHAT has Boehnor compromised on tax increases?
another lying cry baby
How this man keeps this position is beyond belief. What are people thinking, when electing someone of this caliber to head up a branch of government. It's beyond all reason, as to why he's not recalled.
"raising taxes on small business people"
Don't be fooled, folks: Boehner is including in this group hedge fund managers – who make millions upon millions of dollars every year – who file as S corporations. Boehner is trying to fool folks into thinking he's protecting small, mom-and-pop businesses when nothing could be further from the truth.
Lyin' Ryan as head of the House budget committee is a joke. The guy's numbers don't add up – and his policy recommendations would hurt the most vulnerable among us.
BTW, if Sheldon Adelson and the Koch brothers can afford to throw hundreds of millions of dollars at elections, they can afford to pay 3% more in income taxes.
Reasonable and responsible people do not hold the entire country hostage to get partisan goals accomplished. You sir are a puppet of the Tea Party, and the least you could do at this time of shame for your party is to resign and disappear. Maybe you should ask where G.W. Bush is hiding, seems to be a safe and cozzy place for you too.
After Paul Ryan's inability to balance the numbers during the campaign, this member of the public doesn't believe he is qualified to chair the House Budget Committee. Stepping down and maybe out of politics may be the best thing Mr. Ryan can do at this point. Americans said NO to the GOP and their economic policies!!
The day you come down from BS Mountain, start dealing with reality, start putting country ahead of party and start taking responsibility for the harm you've done to our nation with your obstruction, is the day I'll consider you reasonable and responsible, Boehner.
Until then, you're just another cry-baby Republican ...
Dear Lord in Heaven, "the most reasonable, responsible person in Washington"????????
Well, he sure can lie with a straight face.
Boehner says he's the 'most reasonable, responsible person' in Washington
I say that Boehner is one of the primary reasons congress has an approval rating in the low teens
I say that Boehner is responsible for obstructing our governments most basic functions
He is also responsible for the looming fiscal cliff. He is stubborn, uncompromising AND a total failure as Speaker of the House.
Are you freakin kidding me?!?!?!?!? Let me have what he's having.........
Peace~
Obamacare is the "LEX LOCI". Law of the land. I tell this person again. Better compromise in fiscal reformsand TAX REFORMS. Thanks, John.
Huh. I would have said that President Obama is the most reasonable, responsible person in Washington D.C. He's proved it numerous times. Speaker Boehner is the guy who wouldn't take his phone call, and thinks Paul Ryan is worth listening to, and sings the Tea Party tune. Case closed. Boehner: fail.
He speaks with forked tongue.
If Boehner is the most reasonable, responsible person in Washington, does he have any chance at all to get he fellow Republicans in the House to follow his lead? Based on the last two years experience, if the policy is reasonable then he cannot get them to follow.
Boehner says he's the 'most reasonable, responsible person' in Washington .
Grover Norquist feels the same way , so dose Karl Rove .
Not a Happy Guy !
I just remember him last weekend , being confadent about the people of Ohio voting for Mitt.
The next 2-4 years is as much a referendum for the President as it is for Republicans to work with this President. It’s going to take sacrifice on both sides, and I hope that they are all ready to do it.
Now would be a good time to send Speaker Boehner a message – people showed with their votes they are tired of obstructionism, Tea Party pledges, riders about "personhood", and other political theater designed to score political points. As you can see by results of the election, Republicans gained nothing from obstructing progress and promoting a radical agenda. Now is the time to offer real ideas for solving Americas problems. Now is the time to become patriots rather than politicians.
He must be drinking agian!!!!!!
Than why did he force the fiscal cliff upon the President when they were trying to raise the debt limit that caused a downgrade of our ratings??????????????????
I hope u all Republican work with president and the Democratic leaders because Americans are tired of you all playing politics with American life. Grow up we put u all in Congress and We sure can not vote for u all in the next 2 years.
God help us all.. If Mr. Bonehead sees himself as the most reasonable person in Washington ...Our country wold be better off and Romney might still be Governor.
Boehner appears to have a very distorted image of himself. Unreal. From what I've seen, Boehner and the Florida Governor Richard Lynn Scott should be sharing a prison cell together for crimes against our country. Shame on the people who have elected them.
And then he woke up.
The people have spoken if they dont listen middle term election will be fun.