U. S. House of Representatives breaks for Christmas without deficit reduction agreement to avert fiscal cliiff, Congressional Black Caucus, led by Ohio Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge, refuses to compromise on cuts that hurt middle class, Blacks, poor people, the elderly simply to avoid a fical cliff, Obama says in press release to Cleveland Urban News.Com that Christmas vacation will provide a cooling off period for House lawmakers to spend time with family, friends
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| Democratic United States President Barack Obama |
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Republican Speaker of the United States House of Representatives John Boehner of Ohio (R-8)
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WASHINGTON, D.C.-Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives scolded their own leader on Friday, rejecting a proposed compromise by House Speaker John Boehner (R-8) of Ohio for an agreement for the wealthiest Americans to give up the current tax cut on the rich in order to tame negotiations with President Obama and Congressional Democrats to avert the fiscal cliff, a financial crisis measure set to go in effect on Jan. 1 if federal lawmakers cannot reach an agreement on deficit reduction goals by the end of the year.
House lawmakers, instead, went home empty handed for Christmas but will return on Wednesday to try to hammer out an agreement, the president said during a press conference with reporters on Friday.
Headed to Hawaii to spend Christmas with First Lady Michelle Obama and their two daughters, Malia,14, and Sasha,11, Obama urged patience by congress, and relaxation as the Christmas holiday nears.
"So as we leave town for a few days to be with our families for the holidays, I hope it gives everybody some perspective," said Obama in a press release to Cleveland Urban News.Com on Friday. "Everybody can cool off, everybody can drink some egg nog, have some Christmas cookies, sing some Christmas carols, enjoy the company of loved ones."
The series of tax increases and spending cuts that would take place if the fiscal cliff materializes has Obama fighting for a resolution, though none is in sight as Dec. 31 looms.
Some 12 types of tax cuts are at issue, including the Bush tax cuts, which include tax cuts for the rich, middle class and others that will expire this year that Congress renewed in 2010 and gives a higher tax cut rate to Americans making in excess of $250 thousand annually. And a payroll tax cut holiday, a 2 percent annual tax cut to working Americans.
After meeting with the president at the White House one-on-one last Sunday morning, Boehner had proposed to both Republican and Democratic House lawmakers on Friday for the Bush tax cuts to be eliminated only for Americans that make $1 million or more annually, an offer shunned from the get go by a majority of House Democrats that also offended his fellow Republicans.
Meanwhile, the Congressional Black Caucus, led by U.S. Rep. Marcia L. Fudge (D-11), a Warrenville Hts. Democrat, has balked at any compromise by the president that targets middle class people, the elderly that rely on medicare, medicaid and social security, and the poor, with Fudge issuing a press release against what she called "Boehner's Plan B."
While the debt ceiling compromise is part of the fiscal cliff discussion, Obama, a Democrat who won a second four-year term as president in November against Republican Presidential Nominee Mitt Romney, has focused more recently on the Bush tax cuts.
President Obama was adamant about eliminating the Bush tax cuts on the rich but wanted them to remain for middle class and poor people. And the pay roll tax cut is likely not to be renewed by Congress, congressional leaders have said.
What compromises America's most passionate first Black president is willing to make to stop a fiscal cliff remains to be seen, critics and supporters alike say.
Both sides agree that Obama has the edge, coming off of a win in November, and is likely not to give in too easily on wanting the rich to give more rather than bullying America for tax cut after tax cut in the midst of a slowly improving economic decline brought on, say Democrats, by the failed economic policies of the Bush administration.
Eliminating tax cuts for the rich was a cornerstone of the president's reelection campaign.
The Democrats control the Senate, but not the U.S. House of Representatives, with Democrats from both chambers supporting the president on the financial crisis issue.
All but a handful of Republicans, some still reeling from losing the party's bid for president this year, continue to put up stumbling blocks around negotiations to circumvent a fiscal cliff, Democrats complain.
Reach Cleveland Urban News.Com by email at editor@clevelandurbannews.com and by phone at 216-659-0473.
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