In search of Republicans who have John Boehner’s back
If all goes as planned, Barack Obama and John Boehner will spend Sunday at the White House, locked together in what may be the largest game of Texas hold ‘em the world has ever seen.
The president and speaker are the two figures with the most skin in the Washington debate over an increased debt ceiling and the $14 trillion federal deficit. Obama wants to be re-elected. Boehner wants the U.S. House to remain Republican.
Neither wins with a Wall Street meltdown, which is what we’re assured will happen if the pair don’t reach an agreement on raising the federal government’s borrowing limit by Aug. 2.
U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Savannah/AJC file
Democrats in Congress are likely to rally, however reluctantly, to whatever cuts to entitlements Obama agrees to. But Boehner’s hold on his Republican troops is less secure. Especially if the deal includes increased federal revenue — not through tax rate increases, but the elimination of tax breaks.
Which of Georgia’s eight Republican members of the House are likely to join their speaker? Right now, it looks like very few.
In an interview on Bloomberg TV on Friday, Tom Graves of Ranger was skeptical of any need for a deal with the White House. “I think it’s very safe to say that Aug. 2 is a deadline that’s been put out there by [Treasury Secretary] Timothy Geithner. It’s been moved throughout. They’re already preparing for that date and to go past that date.”
Paul Broun of Athens pointedly introduced legislation this week that would lower the debt ceiling — not raise it. “I wholeheartedly hope that my colleagues will either ante up or try their luck at another profession,” he said.
On Thursday, Rob Woodall of Lawrenceville declared he wanted no part of a debt-ceiling vote — House Republicans, he said, had already turned down the idea. Hours earlier, Tom Price of Roswell appeared to rule out any package that included revenue increases.
“The quickest way to further stall economic growth is to raise taxes on American families under the guise of fiscal responsibility,” he said.
Phil Gingrey of Marietta, Austin Scott of Tifton and Lynn Westmoreland of Coweta County have remained relatively quiet.
The tea party’s indisputable strength in Georgia is one reason for the shortage of Georgia Republicans leaping to Boehner’s side. But another is the lack of engagement on the debt-ceiling issue by the Georgia business community.
In Washington and New York, economists and financial wizards have warned of the dire consequences that would follow federal default. But in Georgia, little cover has been provided to those Republicans who might be in the mood to back Boehner’s play.
Joselyn Baker, a spokeswoman for the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, admitted that her organization hasn’t yet engaged with members of Congress on the debt-ceiling debate.
That will soon change, she added. “It’s an issue that’s currently being discussed here.”
For now, the only House Republican from Georgia who might cast a vote for a debt-ceiling deal is Jack Kingston, who as a House Appropriations subcommittee chairman qualifies as a member of Boehner’s leadership team.
“If the president is willing to support some entitlement reforms, and if for every dollar of debt increase, there’s more than a dollar cut — or at least a dollar-for-dollar match — that will be very helpful,” Kingston said in a telephone interview.
Large, unpleasant pills will have to be swallowed — by both sides — the Savannah congressman said.
Some House Republicans are demanding passage of a constitutional amendment to require a balanced federal budget. But the president doesn’t control the U.S. Senate, so that’s not going to happen, Kingston said.
House Republicans will have to be content to pursue that separately.
Military spending will probably have to be included in spending cuts House Republicans are insisting on, he said. Kingston said he would like to see federal spending reduced from 24 percent of the gross domestic product to something approaching 18 percent.
On the revenue side, Kingston said House Republicans are willing to take some suggestions from U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss when it comes to the elimination of some tax subsidies in order to boost revenue that can be applied to the federal debt.
“If it’s a tax loophole that helps one industry to the detriment of others, I think we’d certainly want to close it,” Kingston said. “If it’s a wealthy individual and they’re skating on their taxes, nobody’s in favor of that.”
Chambliss, in particular, has raised the possibility of eliminating tax deductions for the interest on mortgages on second homes.
“I think you could argue that. You could also even say flood insurance on a second home. National flood insurance is subsidized heavily,” Kingston said. “It’s consistent with the Republican philosophy of both tax simplification and tax fairness to look at things that only a select few industries or portions of the population can take advantage of.
“I’m not convinced that there’s real revenue in it, but for the sake of good faith, I don’t think we should run from that,” Kingston said.
- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider
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149 comments Add your comment
Phillip
July 10th, 2011
8:29 am
“Democrats in Congress are likely to rally to whatever cuts to entitlements Obama agrees to.” When I read that, I realized the writer was a clueless hack. (By the way, Nixon “defaulted” on the national debt when he refused to pay, as agreed, in gold.) You’re telling us that monstrosities like the Department of Agriculture which spends 75 cents of every dollar of GDP agriculture itself brings in (look up the numbers, they’re easy to Google) can’t be cut by 90% and save $125 Billion there?
Gawd, it’s gonna be great to be singing Dylan songs like “The Times They Are a Changin’” again. Bye bye democrats, you’ll never be given power again.
Phillip
July 10th, 2011
8:35 am
Karen wrote “The south is 100 years behind.”
If ONLY that were true. Then our fiscal and tax policies would be circa 1911, 2 years before the federal income tax and the Fed were created, when individual responsibility and private charity were still how most problems were managed in this country. I only wish snarky Karen was correct.
Frederick Douglass
July 10th, 2011
9:27 am
Phillip @ 8:35
And only 46 years after the biggest blight on this nation ended, yes S-L-A-V-E-R-Y. Individual responsibility. and charitable donations didn’t help the former chattle, and their descendants. No one wants to address it, but that was the monstrous elephant in the room in 1911, and while not as large now,remains a huge factor now.
tail wind
July 10th, 2011
9:37 am
Who would follow Chambliss, pretty dumb, he has tried to take them off cliff before, maybe he has some more Mexicans working frm him, since he loves the so much.
He want be reelected anyway
Real Athens
July 10th, 2011
10:23 am
J-Con:
Check out the 14th Amendment of the Constitution (sections 4 and 5) Some Constitutional scholars believe that the President can raise the debt limit without a Congressional or Senatorial vote if it comes down to it.
Section 4. The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void.
Section 5. The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.
Again, all the “congressman” mentioned in this article voted to raise the debt limit 6 times during the previous administration. Where was the Tea party then? Oh, I forgot they’re just Republicans in drag.
kc
July 10th, 2011
11:04 am
it would be nice of repubs who drove up more debt under reagan bush I II to come to the table and solve the problem. anyone believe cutting tax loopholes and hedge fund managers will result in massive job losses…..who can believe repubs as trickle down has been thoroughly repudiated…to hear tell repubs it is not fair to tax rich and not tax 50% of income earners…but it is likely true that top 1% hold 42% of financial wealth of country …does that seem fair
anne
July 10th, 2011
11:22 am
Get ready Westmoreland I will do everything I can to get you sorry – - – out of Washington. save your money stop sending out those stupid flyers. You should be ashamed of the way you have represented us.
Pike County
captguitarman
July 10th, 2011
11:25 am
Centrist and td, in addition to your right on comments about why politicians will never buy into a simple, fair tax plan (tax laws would no be of any use in punishing political enemies and awarding political friends and allies), there is another reason that something like that will never happen. Such a plan would wreak unemployment chaos for hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of highly paid, highly educated professionals, consultants, lawyers, lobbyists, etc. who make fantastic incomes helping clients to interpret (if possible) and then flank, avoid, get around, ignore, and then fight the unfavorable provisions in the bloated, illogical, ill-conceived, unfair, unfathomable, contradictory, full of loopholes tax laws we now have in place. A simple fair tax plan for this nation, as good as it would be for the vast majority of Americans and our economy will NEVER happen. Our political leaders are struggling even now – with still no sure signs of success – to make a deal necessry to stave off an econmic armageddon. How then could they ever make a deal to change a corrupt tax system with so many rich and powerful vested interests at stake, starting with their own?
td
July 10th, 2011
11:28 am
anne
July 10th, 2011
11:22 am
Have fun trying but I do not think you have much of a chance since he is in a district that voted for him in the last election by over 65%.
td
July 10th, 2011
11:33 am
kc
July 10th, 2011
11:04 am
it would be nice of repubs who drove up more debt under reagan bush I II to come to the table and solve the problem.
Obama has risen the debt, in almost 2 1/2 years, as them combined in 20 years.
Frederick Douglass
July 10th, 2011
11:48 am
td @ 11:22
It’s hard to imagine that 65% of Lynn Westmoreland’s district is sitting at home beaming from ear to ear because they sent an absolute piece of deer crap to Washington. These are indeed interesting times we are living in, what’s up is down, and what’s down is up……Jeeze!
td
July 10th, 2011
11:55 am
Frederick Douglass
July 10th, 2011
11:48 am
What has Westmoreland done that has your panties in such a wad this morning?
Don Abernethy
July 10th, 2011
12:10 pm
Why not declare bankruptcy and get rid of our debt then send everyone in the Senate and House and
Whitehouse home. Erase all laws except the constitution. Start all over again.
t-bone
July 10th, 2011
12:55 pm
Since taking office, Obama’s spending has exceeded George Bush’s spending by more than $1 trillion per year. You mean to tell me that if we returned to the spending levels of just three years ago that the country wouldn’t be able to survive? Returning to the the Bush budget, which Obama constantly labled as excessive during the campaign, would save the country over $10 trillion in the next decade. These dumbarses in both parties are just worried about the election and not what is in the best interest of the country. We don’t have leaders, we have politicians. Leaders would never have gotten us in this mess in the first place. Politics will be our destruction.
ATL Guy
July 10th, 2011
1:27 pm
The one thing that people aren’t doing is extrapolating the disastrous impacts of the series of Bush tax cuts pushed through by the Republicans and extended by Pres Obama. Since the enactment of the first set of Bush tax cuts, the country’s surplus has been squandered and the economy has been in a downfall. The more tax cuts the Republicans pushed, the more precarious the nation’s finances became, the bigger the imbalance between the wealthy and the poor and the worse off the employment picture became. Ever since Obama extended the Bush tax cuts, hiring has slowed, the deficit has continued to grow and the wealthy has continued to get wealthier. Yet, the Republicans think the solution to our problems is…….more tax cuts. Have a headache? Here’s a tax cut. The cat ran away from home….here’s a tax cut. The kids aren’t eating their veggies….here’s a tax cut. Yet the more we cut taxes the worse our nation’s finances become.
I don’t believe that the Republicans will ever agree to any deal. The President has to put everything on the table – including Medicare and Social Security – yet still insist on even limited tax increases to show just far off the deep end the Republicans have gone. Obama should continue to put things that Republicans have argued against for decades in the mix but still insist on tax cuts just so that people can see where their value system has degraded too.
Corey
July 10th, 2011
1:42 pm
My fair minded fellow and rational thinking Americans, the only view of our government we see is what’s presented via the media. Controversy sells, and the punditry, aka talking, heads play the game so well. We see this or that politician appear befor the camera for about 30 seconds and spew this or that venom because he or she thinks it emboldens their party, and sadly the media keeps this carnival front and center. Yes, the issue of defaulting on the nation’s obligations is serious business, however; the media would lead us to believe that whenever two mebers of Congress from opposing parties encounter each other all hell breaks loose. Nothing could be further from the truth. Relax. These men and women may not always include what each of us believes should be in or left out of legislation, but that’s the system we have which represents over 350 million persons with a myriad of values and interests.
Ghost Rider
July 10th, 2011
1:47 pm
This was President (then Senator) Obama’s view on raising the debt ceiling in 2006:
“The fact that we are here today to debate raising America’s debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the U.S. Government can’t pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our Government’s reckless fiscal policies. … Increasing America’s debt weakens us domestically and internationally. Leadership means that ‘the buck stops here. Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better.”
I do not diagree with him: it is a leadership failure and America does deserve better.
Paul Randall
July 10th, 2011
2:50 pm
How do you define “tax loophole”?
cs
July 10th, 2011
3:33 pm
the con exposed is a better headline. rep kingston and the house gop is all for cutting spending…just not the 150 million a year they send to brazillian cotton growers. lets cut tom price is all for cutting…..just not the 687 billion war mongering budget. hell, just cutting 200 billion from that monster will save 2 trillion over a decade! the gop is full of crap and the tea party and republican party at all costs worshippers are being taken for a ride. i am for some cuts but also for some revenue increases. going back to some former tax rates is a good idea to pay off debt as just balancing the budget is not good enough for me.
td
July 10th, 2011
3:59 pm
cs
July 10th, 2011
3:33 pm
You and your liberal friends just do not understand that the military is one of the true functions of the Federal government. All these social service entitlement programs should be cut to zero before the military is touched. IF you think these wars are wrong then why did not Obama and the Democratic led congress end them?
td
July 10th, 2011
4:00 pm
Ghost Rider
July 10th, 2011
1:47 pm
Where are all the Democratic defenders when you quote Obama and they do not like it?
The Centrist
July 10th, 2011
4:03 pm
Despite these dire predictions, the tax cuts we passed contributed to a record 52 months of job creation. (Applause.) They helped produce strong economic growth — and the increased revenues from that growth have put us on track to a balance our budget by 2012. (Applause.) Here is the bottom line: tax relief works. George W. Bush, 2008 State of the Union Address. What he did not mention was that…”We are already running a $1 trillion budget deficit and $9.5 trillion in debt. By 2012, when the increased revenues because of the tax cuts will offset spending approved by the GOP, the debt under my leadership will be $13.5 trillion, and folks this will be before additional increases made if a liberal Democrat succeeds me as President (Applause). Did we miss something in the historical translative addition?
Rural Education
July 10th, 2011
4:07 pm
Bush never included the price of his wars in the budget. It was all under supplemental spending. Obama includes the cost, this is a large part of his deficit
double
July 10th, 2011
4:15 pm
Yeah with debased $.
Ghost Rider
July 10th, 2011
4:20 pm
td:
“Where are all the Democratic defenders when you quote Obama and they do not like it?”
I have no idea, sir. These were the Presiden’t (Senator’s) words in 2006. Either he lied then or he is lying now.
kc
July 10th, 2011
4:32 pm
td, sure obama ran up some debt because bush left him on edge of cliff when economy tanked causing more deficit and two wars that should have been over long ago casusing more spending….at least half the obama debt can be directly linked to bush’s issues. now obama tries to put dent in debt with reported 3 or 4 times spending cuts vs revenue generators but repubs can’t take yes for an answer….what a bunch of dimwits
kc
July 10th, 2011
4:45 pm
how many times did repubs raise the debt ceiling under georgie
cs
July 10th, 2011
4:48 pm
td, you and your hypocrite war mongering friends need to spread the pain rather than demanding your cake and eat it to. the republic was founded with desiring minding our own business in mind. sounds like some smart folks back then eh?
its simple as the egg on your face. your heroes the gop does the budget in the house. they have more than enough votes to cut military funding. protecting mcdonalds in china exxon in iraq aint one of governments real duties.
td
July 10th, 2011
4:59 pm
kc
July 10th, 2011
4:45 pm
how many times did repubs raise the debt ceiling under georgie
And how many times has it already been raised under Obama? When do we stop putting everything on the credit card and start paying off some of the debt instead of passing it off to our children and grand children? We are killing our children and grand children’s futures because we are to selfish to take one fewer trips a year or eat out a couple times less a month. We should be ashamed of ourselves but I can see some of us just keep saying “give me more”.
td
July 10th, 2011
5:05 pm
kc
July 10th, 2011
4:32 pm
“3 or 4 times spending cuts vs revenue generators”
Our revenues are basically the same as they were when Clinton was in office but our expenditures in domestic spending has increased by 25% since Obama took office. Why can we not just go back to the spending levels when Bush was in office? We do not have a revenue problem in this country we have a spending (credit card) problem and we are addicted to getting handouts from the government.
We have cut the spending in Georgia by 25% in the last 5 years (some departments by more than 50%). Is it really effecting services that much? Why can not the Federal government do the same thing?
kc
July 10th, 2011
5:05 pm
td, the repubs are truly dumb if they don’t take a 4 trillion debt reduction plan…..if they are right on the issues they can do more after the election or do they really work for MOTU
cs
July 10th, 2011
5:07 pm
td, i agree with you when you say…. “When do we stop putting everything on the credit card and start paying off some of the debt instead of passing it off to our children and grand children”.
glad you realizing taxes have to go up.
cs
July 10th, 2011
5:11 pm
td, you say…Our revenues are basically the same as they were when Clinton was in office but our expenditures in domestic spending has increased by 25% since Obama took office
i see. using your figures and own logic it appears you are comfortable with the 8 trillion of debt george w bush administration laid on us? when and how does the gop faithful plan on paying that back?
td
July 10th, 2011
5:11 pm
cs
July 10th, 2011
4:48 pm
Like I said before, the Democrats had control of both houses and the White house for two years with super majorities. If the wars were that bad then why did they not end them? Why did Obama follow the policies of Bush and actually double down in Afghanistan? Could it be because both parties feels the wars were in the best interest of the United States?
You far leftest and isolationist on the right think we can just leave the world alone and it does not effect us. How did 9/11 work out for us? You people live in some fantasy world that think no one wants to harm us. You all really should wake up someday.
cs
July 10th, 2011
5:15 pm
td, like i said, the gop has the house now. i am no leftist by a long shot. but if we arent living in the same world when you gonna wake up and realize that medicare and social securoity are apart of todays world then? just using your own logic and arguments here.
td
July 10th, 2011
5:15 pm
cs
July 10th, 2011
5:11 pm
i see. using your figures and own logic it appears you are comfortable with the 8 trillion of debt george w bush administration laid on us? when and how does the gop faithful plan on paying that back?
It is basic economics. When the economy grows then more more will come in and as a result revenues will increase. The problem is and has always been keeping the politicians hands off the increased revenue and paying off the debt. This is why we pass a balanced budget amendment and make the Federal government operate the same way most state governments have to operate.
cs
July 10th, 2011
5:24 pm
td, whats with the isolationist labeling? does that make you an EXPENSIVE TRADE AGREEMENT promoter? oh, that’s right, yall call it FREE trade. aint a thing FREE about it from where most americans sit.
gm
July 10th, 2011
5:26 pm
Its is amazing to hear Rep hypocrites now all of sudden care about our grand kids and spending, Bush raised the debt ceiling 11 times and spent money like their was no end with a good economy, and you never once heard Boehner and the hypocrities say a word.
Its obvious around the world that the rep party are doing everthing to halt this economy to make President Obama look like a failue, even at the expense of the American people, but we have to many stupid tea party idiots, who can not see this, because of their own hate ful bigotery.
The Rep party has been in control since Nov, how many job bills have they come up with? at least the Dem came up with something, these retards on the right continue to get support by a bunch of low self esteem low middle class whites who have no clue how they are being expolited over over.
God help these sickos in this country”””
cs
July 10th, 2011
5:26 pm
td, its a kind of vodoo economics or better yet, what is called a ponzi scheme.
kc
July 10th, 2011
5:26 pm
td, you are forgetting the repubs in senate have threatened filibuster an unprecedented number of times in early obama admin….
think you are wrong on revenue claim as i read this chart:
http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/taxfacts/displayafact.cfm?Docid=200
Ghost Rider
July 10th, 2011
5:28 pm
Maintaining a strong military and the defense of the United States and its’ interests abroad is one of the few responsibilities of the federal government. President Obama has had more than adequate time to bring the military forces home from Iraq and Afghanistan if he had chosen to do so. Despite blaming everything from the sinking of the Titanic to the dwindling bee population on President Bush, President Obama has done remarkably little to change anything that the former President was doing.
Those who wish to continue their lives with very little or no change from the current elected officials are simply “whistling past the graveyard”. Our indebtedness is $14.5 trillion and growing every second. We simply must make the necessary cuts in our spending so as to not borrow further, and we must begin to repay this debt. There is No OTHER SOLUTION to our problem.
If blame is to be placed for the current indebtedness, let us place it where it rightfully belongs. One political party has bought votes through the creation of entitlement programs. They soon reasoned that expanded entitlement programs would produce an expanded voter pool, and they worked diligently toward that end. We see today the true cost of such folly. My assumption is that I need not name the political party which has pursued this course at the expense of all American citizens.
cs
July 10th, 2011
5:29 pm
gm, you sound like one of them minority whiners of the left…you know, a really smart chad voter. if all you can do is get on the blame whitey bandwagon go back to coloring crayons and let the grownups do the posting.
cs
July 10th, 2011
5:32 pm
Maintaining a strong military and the defense of the United States and its’ interests abroad
there we go again with “our” interests abroad. a pipeline through europe aint my interest. morphine outta afghanistan aint my interest. whether or not south korea makes hyundais aint my interest. whether israel is run by jews or arabs i dont care…etc etc etc etc….
cs
July 10th, 2011
5:36 pm
One political party has bought votes through the creation of entitlement programs.
you got that right ghost rider. the gop with farm subsidies from corn right on through to cotton. the house just voted to keep sending brazillian cotton growers 150 million per year during this “we serious about cutting” comedy.
the gop with tax incentives entitling certain businesses at the expense of others
the gop medicare part d con and ripoff..
etc etc etc..
kc
July 10th, 2011
5:36 pm
ghost can you read, if obama did not have to contend with a filibuster maven senate, he likely would have done more to get the economy moving
would you take 4 trillion in cuts for raising revenues by closing loopholes and taxing hedge fund managers appropriately…show us the cost benefit of these loopholes please
double
July 10th, 2011
6:02 pm
Obama sets precedent by telling lies.Precedent by wanting to raise debt ceiling.Geo. Wash. only president that could not lie,well he could but would’nt. must be some td’s ancestors.
Clinton "Skink" Tyree
July 10th, 2011
7:00 pm
I haven’t used this word in years, but it seems appropriate at this juncture: the folks in Georgia have amassed a good size group of “idiots” who couldn’t find their butts with both hands.
And, so it goes. . . .
Frederick Douglass
July 10th, 2011
7:01 pm
You know who I don’t hear much about anymore, Herman Cain?
td
July 10th, 2011
7:03 pm
gm
July 10th, 2011
5:26 pm
“The Rep party has been in control since Nov, how many job bills have they come up with?”
They passed a repealing of Obama care and have passed bills to open back up the gulf to drilling. Most industry have said they will not add jobs due to Obama care and the mandates on them and opening back up the gulf would create 100,000 jobs and reduce the price of gas. Why didn’t the Democratic controlled Senate pass those bills?
Ghost Rider
July 10th, 2011
7:05 pm
cs:
I would direct your attention to the following covering the origin of farm subsidies:
http://www.fee.org/pdf/the-freeman/0604Folsom.pdf
“the gop with tax incentives entitling certain businesses at the expense of others”
I am not sure what you mean by this. Please elaborate.
The Republicans own Medicare Part D. It proved to be a drug bill written by drug companies with a fraudulent cost projection.