Low Expectations for a Fiscal Cliff Deal
Posted at 8 a.m. on Dec. 21, 2012
Expectations that lawmakers can arrive at a deal on the “fiscal cliff” before the new year are at a new low after House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) effectively cut off negotiations with his “Plan B” proposal.
Joshua Green: “To avoid the cliff, House conservatives will still have to vote for a big tax increase. And if there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s that House conservatives won’t vote for a big tax increase. We’re almost certainly headed over the cliff… Plan B is best thought of as an attempt to inoculate Republicans from blame after the U.S. goes over the fiscal cliff.”
Stan Collender: “The rumor that Obama and Boehner were close energized the rank and file in the House and Senate, who have not been part of the negotiations and had little stake in the outcome… In the meantime, Boehner’s ploy is uniting House Democrats as they haven’t been united in years.”
The Hill: “The prospects for a deal on the fiscal cliff seem to be dimming — so what happens to healthcare programs if the country goes over?… Medicaid and Social Security are both exempt from the sequester — a relief to liberal Democrats who have said neither program should be on the table in negotiations… Medicare cuts are limited to 2 percent.”
