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News Cliff continued from page 5 “We’re going to be here New Year’s Eve,” retiring Sen. Joe Lieberman said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union,” adding that it was likely the nation would go over the fis- cal cliff. Failing to meet the year-end deadline on striking a deal would amount to “the most colossal, consequential act of congressional irresponsibility in a long time,” said Lieber- man, an independent from Connecticut who caucuses with Democrats. “Maybe ever in American history, because of the impact it will have on almost every American.” However, Norquist called the situation part of a longer process. “This is not a fight that begins and ends the first week of January,” he said, predict- ing “a regular fight” when Congress needs to authorize more government spending and raise the federal debt ceiling in coming months. “There the Republicans have a lot of clout because they can say we’ll let you run the government for the next month, but you’ve got to make these reforms,” he explained. Obama spoke separately Friday with Boehner and Reid to try to salvage a fiscal cliff deal by the end of year, then delivered a previously unscheduled statement to reporters at the White House. He acknowledged what has become obvi- ous: The broader deficit reduction deal he seeks will probably come in stages, rather than in the so-called grand bargain he and Boehner have been trying to negotiate. In particular, Obama called for Congress to come back after Christmas and work with him on a limited agreement to prevent tax hikes on the middle class, extend unem- ployment insurance and set a framework for future deficit reduction steps. Boehner’s spokesman said the speaker will be “ready to find a solution that can pass both houses of Congress” when he returns to Washington, as now planned for Thursday. The GOP opposition to any kind of tax rate increase has stalled deficit negotiations for two years and led to unusual political drama, such as McConnell recently filibus- tering a proposal he introduced and Thurs- day night’s rebuff by House Republicans of an alternative tax plan pushed by Boehner, their leader. Boehner said at a news conference Friday that his Republican colleagues refused to back his plan, which would have extended all tax cuts except for income of more than $1 million, because of fears of being blamed for a tax increase. The negotiations with Obama on a broad deficit reduction agreement hit an impasse last week when both sides offered their “bottom line” positions, Boehner said. In what was considered as progress just a week ago, the president and speaker made major concessions but remained a few hundred billion dollars apart. Reid and other Senate Democrats say House Republicans must accept that agree- ment will require support from legislators in both parties. He insisted that the Senate- passed plan with Obama’s $250,000 thresh- old, which polls show is strongly supported by the public, would pass the House if Boehner would allow a vote. Some House Republicans have said they would join Democrats in supporting the president’s proposal in hopes of moving past the volatile issue to focus on the spend- ing cuts and entitlement reforms they seek. The possibility of a fiscal cliff was set in motion over the past two years as a way to force action on mounting government debt. Now, legislators risk looking politically cynical by seeking to weaken the measures enacted to try to force them to confront tough questions regarding deficit reduction, such as reforms to popular entitlement pro- grams such as Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Polling has consistently shown most Americans back the president, who insists wealthy Americans must pay more, rather than Boehner and his Republican col- leagues, who have balked at tax rate hikes and demanded spending cuts and entitle- ment program reforms. A new CNN/ORC International survey last week found that just over half of respondents believe Republicans should give up more in any solution and consider the party’s policies too extreme. The two sides seemingly had made progress early last week on forging a $2 tril- lion deficit reduction deal that included new revenue sought by Obama and spending cuts and entitlement changes desired by Boehner. The president’s latest offer set $400,000 as the income threshold for a tax rate Mick Mulvaney, a Republican from South increase, up from his original plan of Carolina, said GOP members were wary of $250,000. It also included a new formula voting on a measure that stood no chance of for the consumer price index applied to passing the Senate and being signed by some entitlement benefits, much to the cha- President Barack Obama. He also pushed back on suggestions the grin of liberals. Called chained CPI, the new formula episode reflected a failure of leadership includes assumptions on consumer habits in from Boehner, pointing to broad opposition response to rising prices, such as seeking to the Plan B measure from both moderate cheaper alternatives, and would result in and conservative Republicans. “This was not a fight that divided conser- smaller benefit increases in future years. Statistics supplied by opponents say the vatives and moderates within the party,” change would mean Social Security recipi- Mulvaney said, also on “State of the ents would get $6,000 less in benefits over Union.” “This was a legislation-specific vote and not a vote on leadership.” the first 15 years of chained CPI. Lieberman told CNN chief political corre- Liberal groups sought to mount a pressure campaign against including the chained CPI spondent Candy Crowley on Sunday that after news emerged this week that Obama failing to meet the year-end deadline on was willing to include it, calling the plan a striking a deal would amount to “the most betrayal of senior citizens who had con- colossal, consequential act of congressional tributed throughout their lives for their ben- irresponsibility in a long time.” “Maybe ever in American history, efits. On CNN’s “State of the Union,” Sen. Joe because of the impact it will have on almost Lieberman said prospects were poor for the every American,” he said. The remaining option, Lieberman said, is possibility of a debt-reduction deal by mid- night on December 31. The retiring senator a smaller deal brokered in the Senate to predicted Sunday that Washington would be stave off large across-the-board spending bustling with negotiations as the clock ticks cuts set to be enacted at the beginning of next year. toward 2013. “I’ve talked to a lot of Republican col- “We’re going to be here New Year’s Eve,” Lieberman said. “In the aftermath of House leagues in the Senate who are favorably Republicans rejecting Speaker (John) inclined toward the idea to protect the mid- Boehner’s so-called Plan B, it’s the first dle class from the tax cuts,” he said. “Let’s time I feel it’s more likely that we’ll go over raise taxes on people over $250,000, and the cliff than not,” he said, referring to the let’s stop those terrible cuts in defense, failed attempt by the GOP leader to extend homeland security, education.” tax breaks for Americans making under $1 million. Boehner, sensing he lacked enough support from GAMBLING TOO MUCH? House Republicans, Free, confidential help is available statewide. Call 1-877- scrapped a vote on the meas- MY-LIMIT to talk to a certified counselor 24/7 or visit ure Thursday night. 1877mylimit.org to chat live with a counselor. We are not Explaining the Plan B here to judge. We are here to help. You can get your life breakdown Sunday, Rep. back. We honor the many accomplishments of African Americans. It is our primary goal as a labor union to better the lives of all people working in the building trades through advocacy, civil demonstration, and the long-held belief that work- ers deserve a "family wage" - fair pay for an honest day's work. A family wage, and the benefits that go with it, not only strength- ens families, but also allows our communities to become stronger, more cohesive, and more responsive to their citizens' needs. Our family wage agenda reflects our commitment to people working in the building trades, and to workers everywhere. In this small way, we are doing our part to help people achieve the American Dream. This dream that workers can hold dear regard- less of race, color, national origin, gender, creed, or religious beliefs. The Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters Representing more than 5.000 construction workers in Oregon State. Do you want to know more about becoming a Union carpenter? Take Time to Read. www.theskanner.com December 26, 2012 The Portland Skanner Page 11
