“The third ranking Democrat in the Senate says a deficit-reduction proposal put forward by Majority Leader Harry Reid has the best chance of ending the political stalemate and avoiding a government default.
New York Sen. Chuck Schumer tells MSNBC he expects the Nevada Democrat to release details of his plan later Monday. Schumer says the deal would last through 2012, cut spending by the same amount as borrowing is increased and contain no new taxes.”
Which is exactly what Boehner wanted from jump street. The Daily Caller, May 11:
“Boehner took the ambitious stand in negotiations to raise America’s debt ceiling while speaking to the Economic Club of New York, saying, “Without significant spending cuts and reforms to reduce our debt, there will be no debt limit increase. And the cuts should be greater than the accompanying increase in debt authority the president is given.”
While the Treasury Department has yet to specify exactly the size of the increase Congress will need to approve for the $14.3 trillion debt limit, estimates are currently settling in around $2 trillion. That means, according to Speaker Boehner, that the White House and congressional Democrats would have to agree to spending cuts equal to at least $2 trillion as well. The only thing “off the table” is tax increases, said Boehner.
So after 6 weeks of kabuki, we’re right back where all this began. And unemployment is still our biggest problem. Nice.
Desperado's Outpost 