MORNING MESSAGE: Republicans Have Nowhere To Run
OurFuture.org's Richard Eskow: "'Robert E. Lee was offered easier terms at Appomattox,” [Charles] Krauthammer added, 'and he lost the Civil War.' Mr. Krauthammer might like to bone up on his American history: Lee’s army was disbanded at the Appomattox courthouse, and all acts of insurrection ceased. It’s true that his officers were allowed keep their horses and sidearms, and to return home … but they were on parole. Parole: That’s a good way to look at the current state of the Republican Party. They lost the Presidency by 4,500,000 votes, the Senate by nearly 13 million votes – and lost the House by 570,000 votes. Their influence over the Senate derives mainly from their routine abuse of Senatorial procedures, while their control of the House is the product of abusive gerrymandering … the President’s proposal clearly reflects the will of the majority, as reflected at the ballot box and in our post-election polling."
Republicans Refuse To Make Offer
Geithner offers math, Boehner rejects in dueling interviews. W. Post: "…the senior negotiators for the White House and the Republicans took to the airwaves Sunday to accuse the other side of intransigence … Boehner added that the Republicans have offered a way to break the stalemate — by compromising on an overhaul of the tax code that would limit deductions that disproportionately benefit the rich. But Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner rejected that proposal Sunday, insisting that the wealthy pay higher tax rates … Democrats say it’s not possible to preserve enough spending on government programs without raising well over $1 trillion in new tax revenues during the next decade — and they don’t believe it’s possible to do that without raising rates on the wealthy, raising taxes on the middle class, or dramatically scaling back worthwhile deductions such as the one for charitable giving."
Republicans fail to make counteroffer, embrace specifics, understand what exactly is going on, argues Daily Beast's Daniel Gross: "They don’t have a single, specific proposal to avoid the fiscal cliff. And even if they had one, they don’t have a roadmap to get there. They keep expecting Obama to come back with something more to their liking, which they’d also reject. Many Republicans literally don’t understand what is happening. Sen. Charles Grassley tweeted over the weekend that he was frustrated that President Obama hadn’t embraced the recommendation of the Bowles-Simpson Commission. Apparently, he is one of the many people in Washington who doesn’t understand that Bowles-Simpson recommended letting the Bush tax rates on the wealthy expire, while also proposing to cap or eliminate deductions primarily enjoyed by the wealthy."
Boehner's $800B tax deduction claim based on fuzzy math. W. Post: "'We put $800 billion worth of revenue, which is what he’s asking for out of eliminating the top two tax rates,' [said Boehner yesterday] … [That] is only half of the $1.6 trillion revenue target that Obama is asking for … that figure assumed that a simplified tax code with a lower top rate … would spur economic growth—'dynamic scoring' that Democrats have long rejected…"
Norquist still calling shots for GOP, suggests W. Post: "…even some of the most prominent lawmakers publicly flirting with a break from Norquist have assured him in private that they remain loyal soldiers … conservatives closed ranks around him during an unusually packed session of the regular meeting of activists and GOP officials Norquist hosts every Wednesday … Norquist says he will not hesitate to support 2014 primary challenges against Republicans who violate the pledge…"
Dems Hold Firm
Geithner maintains Social Security should be kept separate from deficit talks. Politico quotes: "…we think you have to do that in a separate process so that our seniors aren't, don't face the concern that we're somehow going to find savings in Social Security benefits to help reduce the other deficits."
Pelosi threatens to force House vote on extending current tax rates for middle class. CNN quotes: "If Speaker Boehner refuses to schedule this widely-supported bill for a vote, Democrats will introduce a discharge petition to automatically bring to the floor the Senate-passed middle class tax cuts."
Tough negotiating posture may still lead to concessions. The Hill: "…while labor leaders and progressives are celebrating the president's opening salvo as evidence Obama is ready to draw a hard line, White House officials are indicating the president is still likely to offer significant compromises as the negotiations continue … Democrats believe they have presented Republicans with a sophie's choice between either explicitly outlining, and taking ownership of, unpopular cuts to popular government programs or taking the president's deal. Still, the White House acknowledges a deal with Congress will need to include a give-and-take from both sides, including concessions from the left on entitlements and spending."
Breakfast Sides
Activists step up pressure for comprehensive immigration reform. NYT: "The leaders of the United We Dream network, the largest organization of youths here illegally, decided to push President Obama and Congress next year for legislation to open a path to citizenship for them and their families. The move will increase pressure on Mr. Obama and lawmakers to pass a comprehensive overhaul, rather than taking on the debate over immigration in smaller pieces to try to gain more support among Republicans."
CO2 levels hit global record. NYT: "Emissions continue to grow so rapidly that an international goal of limiting the ultimate warming of the planet to 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, established three years ago, is on the verge of becoming unattainable, said researchers affiliated with the Global Carbon Project … the decline of emissions in the developed countries is more than matched by continued growth in developing countries like China and India…"