Moving The Fiscal Cliff To Christmas

Who needs the Republican leadership anyway?

Trump sides with Democrats in debt limit, funding, Harvey deal

The agreement sets up a brutal year-end fiscal cliff

Donald Trump, who casts himself as a master negotiator, took the first offer Democrats put on the table.

Republicans left the Oval Office Wednesday stunned. Trump had quickly sided with Democrats on a short-term debt ceiling increase, even overruling his own Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to concur with "Chuck and Nancy," as he later called them on Air Force One. 

But Trump defied more than his top aides. He turned on Republican leaders in Congress when he caved to Democrats’ demands to raise the debt limit and fund the government for three months, setting up a brutal year-end fiscal cliff. The move shocked everyone, as top White House officials and GOP leaders had been gearing up to raise the debt ceiling through the 2018 midterm election, looking to pass legislation as soon as Friday.

But even after Mnuchin, Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell pushed back on the Democratic demands in the meeting, Trump agreed to the three-month deal that will also head off the possibility of a government shutdown until mid-December.

Trump being Trump. Presumably he sees a fifth dimension to the chessboard.

Comments

[Robin in chilly upstate NY]

No way. First?

[henry]

Santa will give him another 3 months.

[henry]

Besides, Ryan and Turtle keep sandbagging the American people. Stick them on a fence post for three months, maybe they'll behave.

[hrtshpdbox]

It's not like the Republicans in Congress have been doing Trump (or the country) any favors; they couldn't bring down Obamacare, they did absolutely nothing in August, they snipe at Trump and ignore their own fecklessness. Now, if they can man up and treat their Dec 15 deadline with some maturity and sense of purpose, maybe they can start to earn their salaries.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

McConnell and Ryan have gone out of their way to snub and insult a guy they know doesn't tolerate that.
I'm ready to make this my all purpose tag line with the number of idiots on earth but;
What did they think was going to happen?

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

As a poster on Twitter said, Trump is being criticized because he only kicked the can a short distance down the road instead of a long one.

Recommend paying attention to Thomas Wictor and Scott Adams. I side with them.

[squaredance]

"Now, if they can man up and treat their Dec 15 deadline with some maturity and sense of purpose, maybe they can start to earn their salaries."

hahaha! Really? Stop it, you are killing me.

[RattlerGator]

I thought Byron York did a good job of seeing the strategery:

[1]

So big worry was this Fall Congress had to handle 1) Budget 2) Debt ceiling 3) Hurricane and 4) Tax reform, plus 5) Avoid shutdown.

— Byron York (@ByronYork) September 6, 2017

[2]

So Trump-Dem deal takes 1) 2) 3) and 5) off table for September. Gives time to do--well, how about that--tax reform.

— Byron York (@ByronYork) September 6, 2017

Not that hard to see, is it?

* * *

RG, I understand your point. But I want perp walks. And skulls. Now.

Posted by: henry | September 06, 2017 at 07:54 PM

I do too. I'm having to work really hard to maintain and, at times, not go ballistic. But . . . faith and patience.

I am taking my cues entirely from the President, and I am giving him wide, wide latitude to handle his business as he confronts things we cannot know. Including modification of previous stances because that's precisely what the Founder's demand by the system of forced compromise they devised.

He has tremendous adversaries inside the party and on the other side. More than I ever imagined. I'm equal parts impressed by what he has accomplished *and* by those who insist he hasn't done anything at all.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

I choose not to live in the world of cynicism. I understand it, given the history of the last 20 years, but I have to have some hope.

Trump is my hope, or I wouldn't have voted for him in the primaries.

Well, if I am wrong, I am wrong. At least in the time prior to disaster, I have hope.

Besides, I think I am right.

[Another Bob]

There are some some awfully cool customers working for Delta and the San Juan airport.

https://mobile.twitter.com/i/moments/905487561182908416

[Captain Hate]

Levin thinks Trump did the wrong thing so this is one of those times I'll disagree with Ol' Yeller.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Can anyone seriously claim the GOP congress has done even a minor fraction of its job?

If it were a business those dumb asses wouldn't even be able to collect unemployment because the useless bastards would have been fired for cause long ago.

[Threadkiller]

Donald Trump, who casts himself as a master negotiator, took the first offer Democrats put on the table.

I didn't know the Dems passed a bill out of the House and the Senate.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Threadkiller,

So we know that was the democrats' first offer? What if it was Trump's first offer and they grasped it like a lifesaver?

[narciso.]

How far gone are the wets

http://telegraph.co.uk/women/politics/anti-abortion-jacob-rees-mogg-could-set-tories-back-decades

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

How we know we are winning:

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2017/09/06/you-know-virtue-signaling-corporations-are-losing-when/#more-138301

Be sure you watch the video!

[Comanche Voter]

Geez Louise. What have Paulito and Mitchsky done for me lately? Not a hell of a lot. So tough noogies.

[sbw]

.Donald Trump, who casts himself as a master negotiator, took the first offer Democrats put on the table.

Who sez he was negotiating against the Democrats?

[Threadkiller]

As far as I can tell he has pinned both the Dems and the Republicans.

[Clarice Feldman]

MM, I'm worried about your financial situation. In case you are interested, here's a starter job right up your alley:https://gwcareers-goodwillindy.icims.com/jobs/3382/merchandise-posting-clerk-–-clickgoodwill/job?mode=job&iis=Job+Board&iisn=ZipRecruiter&mobile=false&width=1951&height=500&bga=true&needsRedirect=false&jan1offset=-300&jun1offset=-240

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Clarice!

Perfect position for me! I will apply tomorrow!

Thanks so much!

[sbw]

Go MM! Goodwill with military precision. It’s you!

[Clarice Feldman]

Smooches..Good luck.

[Frau Karl der Hammer]

Miss M will be the only applicant with a zillion recommendations from all over the US.

(Just on the qt, I think her husband needs a visit asap from one of the NJ "family" to remind him of his debts.)

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Frau,

My son has a friend who is in the mercenary line of work a la Blackwater.

Don't think we haven't thought about scheduling an operation. Cost is prohibitive, though.

[narciso.]

Well that's an angle i hadn't figured

https://sputniknews.com/analysis/201709051057098493-myanmar-rohingya-energy-china-soros/

[Clarice Feldman]

https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/21370879_10213689664738948_2449571523482690487_n.jpg?oh=6576d907ad56314f90fb8ed8214c33aa&oe=5A193AA8
Report Israel bombed Syrian chemical weapons plant.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Clarice

I want to thank you for taking the time to look up that job listing. even if I don't get it, it gives me ideas for forging ahead. It was really very kind of you.

I can look forward to something, which has been a big problem for me over the last few months.

I am very grateful.

Now, I am heading to bed.

Nytol!

[Clarice Feldman]

I have my fingers crossed. If it doesn't work out, check the other listings on Zip recruiter.

[narciso.]

An interesting site for a chemical plant, one is surprised it took that long

[Clarice Feldman]

narciso, I cannot find any confirmation of that 1 24 report.

[narciso.]

So if they had such a facility

[narciso.]

Why did they fly all the way from khan shaykun in march?

[Porchlight]

Besides, I think I am right.

I think you are, too, MM.

Trump has graciously invited all of Congress to see things his way or paint targets on their own asses.

Anyone remember the last time a Republican president did so? Me neither.

[Clarice Feldman]

Syria does have a chemical production facility in Hama:https://www.nti.org/media/pdfs/syria_chemical_facilities.pdf

The report on I24 was "from Syrian sources" and is dated 10:45 p.m. Maybe no one else has yet picked it up.

[Clarice Feldman]

Looks like the end is near for ISIS:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/09/04/isil-first-time-urging-women-join-battle-combat-dwindling-manpower/

[Frau Karl der Hammer]

End is near? Good! Will the women receive 42 virgins, too, if they make it to Muslim paradise? Pfui!

[Frau Mackie Messer]

Miss M sez, "Cost is prohibitive, though."

Isn't that what GoFundMe is for? Call it a life-saving operation.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Let's hope we aren't headed for another Hurricane season of 1780.
Too bad they didn't negotiate those Paris accords just a couple of years earlier. Oh wait that was the Treaty of Paris.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

I would be happy to recycle some Gogetfunding to either shoot MM's useless bum or help her in any way she needs help. Lord knows she deserves it more than me. I would love to see the people who get slammed by the people they should have been able to trust be helped out the way I have been.

And a huge thank you to everyone who helped out in whatever way anyone could; especially to our local angel Porchlight.

[GUS]

From the last thread. Rodhams BIG PANTS.....she was so hot back then, that Janet Reno impregnated her. Or so I'm told.

[Captain Hate]

Looks like the end is near for ISIS

But it's unpossible that an oaf like Trump could do a better job of bringing stability to the ME than the brilliant Gaylord Focker; it must be the deferred impact of the JEF calling them the JV. These things take time.

Btw if anyone is looking for a book that has a similar feel to "To Kill a Mockingbird" albeit about a wildly different subject matter, I recommend D. M. Pulley's "The Buried Book". FTR I don't hold the Harper Lee book in as high regard as most people; for God's sake it's a children's book and doesn't deserve being in the same conversation as Tolstoy, Flaubert, Joyce, James, Austin or Faulkner for starters. Having said that, it's a perfectly nice page turner that tells a story well, and that's how I regarded The Buried Book. Also the writer will be joining my book group on Saturday and I've already got a few questions for her.

[Captain Hate]

Will the women receive 42 virgins, too, if they make it to Muslim paradise?

Yes but they all look like Sidney Blumenthal. The men get 42 Lynn Stewarts.

Btw Frau, our next book group selection is The Luminaries.

[Man Tran]

Buckeye and Boris,
I've played the grooves off Ronnie Earl's Healing Time. His comfortable interaction with the B-3 is never tiresome.

[Richard McEnroe]

Mitch the Bitch and Wetback Paulie thought they could blow Trump off without consequences. Maybe they'll take the hint.

Nah.

[2 minute duda]

The genius of Pelosi and Schumer was to fuck the President of the United States in the ass in such a way....it looked like he was winning. It could only work if his supporters thought he was winning.

You ask for Miracles,Theo....I give you the republican leadership.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2017/09/07/september-7th-2017-presidential-politics-trump-administration-day-231/#comments

“It doesn’t help our leadership to try to hold us Republicans together on anything when they know the president will chop them off at the knees,” said a House Republican lawmaker allied with Ryan. “Trump has got to start caring more about his colleagues over here.”

=====================================

Cry me a river, Mr. Anonymous lawmaker.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2017/09/06/mccain-considers-a-new-obamacare-repeal-bill-and-activists-scramble-to-stop-it/?utm_term=.072a91dce39e

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Oops! This is the link for the story I intended to link at 5:29:

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/09/06/hill-trump-relations-242411

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/08/29/exclusive-senator-lindsey-graham-block-grants-truly-and-fundamentally-a-different-approach-than-obamacare/

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

This is a funny comment from CTU by someone whom I am certain is also a frequenter of the Reddit site:

"Imagine how the ineffective Republicans in Congress feel right now… the next time they tell President Trump they can’t get A. B. or C. done, you know they’re going to be scared to death he goes in a room with Pelosi and Schumer and screws them again.

On the other hand, Pelosi and Schumer are going to be looking for opportunities to do this….

So we now find ourselves in a situation where the God Emperor has somehow convinced Congress to free-market compete with each other to see who gets to work with the President…."

[anonamom]

During Martha McCallum's program out of Houston last evening, she did a segment highlighting the firefighters who lost their homes--many due to having the levees opened. The lovely neighborhood she toured with one firefighter is still flooded. Hard to imagine his home will be salvageable.

The website for the 501 (3) c firefighters created a few years ago to help firefighters in need was not not accessible last night; I suspect they lost a significant amount of potential donations.

It's working now:

firehelpingfire.org

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

https://townhall.com/columnists/KurtSchlichter/2017/09/07/curse-of-the-woke-conservatives-n2377758

[anonamom]

OL--
RG says patience, MM says patience, Kurt Schlichter says patience---

I guess in the meantime, we can send money to Kelli Ward and the Houston firefighters. And send scathing emails to our Congress representatives about their 12 workday month.

Do what we can do.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Isn't this price gouging?

https://twitter.com/johnrobertsFox/status/905498075011190785

[James D.]

I've got a dumb question. Since the GOP holds the
Majority in both houses of congress, couldn't Ryan and McTurtlr, if they were actually competent at their jobs, cut "Chuck and Nancy" out of any and all legislation?

Doesn't the fact that they can't or won't do that perfectly illustrate their incompetence and weakness and demonstrate exactly why the President can't rely on them for anything?

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

anonamom,

I call my GOP senator's office from time to time and give him what-for. (Todd Young.)

Guess who my rep is since we moved: ANDRE CARSON!!

This is the Muslim guy who got his seat because of the district being gerrymandered to include almost the entire black population of Indianapolis, and who is one of the clients of the Pakistani spy ring AND who sits on the Intelligence Committee!

He will not grant interviews to any local press including the NPR site.

I was dumbfounded when he got named to the Intelligence Committee by Pelosi. He is not only a security risk, but he is as dumb as a box of rocks. He is the grandson of the woman who formerly held the seat, Julia Carson, whose political base was formed in the black community by originally being the Center Township Trustee who handed out relief checks (separate from welfare).

[Captain Hate]

Schlichter gets it right and Levin doesn't. Good for Clown Hall for being a forum for him and tossing those dueling pussyboys, AllahPander and Poppin' Fresh, off the conservative gravy train. Yes RNCe, we want MOAR COD and no Fake Flake. Why? Because fuck you.

[anonamom]

Free market, MM.

Jet Blue capped their flights our of FL at $99 yesterday.

Free Market lets us all decide who we'll use next time we book a flight.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Someone retweeted this to me from August 28:

Mike‏ @mike_Zollo Aug 28

Think of this, almost every problem Trump is dealing with, is the fault of Barack Obama. ISIS, racial divide, N Korea, MS13, & Obamacare.

[Captain Hate]

“It doesn’t help our leadership to try to hold us Republicans together on anything when they know the president will chop them off at the knees,” said a House Republican lawmaker allied with Ryan. “Trump has got to start caring more about his colleagues over here.”

Welp, nutless wonder, your leadership didn't do so well in holding TEAM GOP together after shitheads like Portman and McCain bailed on them on ending ZippyCare. Where were the punitive measures against those lying traitors? Why should we care about them? Fuck them and if you don't understand why we feel that way, get ready for a career change.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

http://dailysignal.com/2017/08/31/trump-administration-draining-swamp-state-department/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=tds-tw

[Threadkiller]

I don't think Houston's pension reform has seen the light of day yet. At least I can't find enough on the Internet. Once the heroes realize how much Harvey Overtime dough they are going to have to spike their best three years, will they still have the fireboot out on the street corner seeking donations to their personal problems?

In California the Fire Heroes Unions destroyed a n anti panhandling bill that would have kept bums from begging while you were at a stoplight on yout way to your 30% pension after 40 full years job. Why? So the Fire Heroes can hold out their 9/11 memorial boot to help fund their celebrity golf tournament.

Usually when it is exposed how much the heroes are enjoying the benefits of massive unfunded liabilities on the backs of everyone else it is pointed out that they save lives. I know. It is the job they chose.

[Porchlight]

Colleagues. Oh, now you're Trump's colleagues? Where was your collegiality before when you were bitching about every move he made and failing to advance his agenda on which you also campaigned and won?

Now that you need him, though, you're singing a different tune.

We're not listening anymore.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Captain Hate,

It seems to me that a lot of the GOP thought they could slow-walk the Trump agenda and "act busy" while doing nothing, figuring Trump would just assume that this was how it had to be.

They put up no effort to fight Schumer's slowing down the approval of Trump nominees. They also stopped Trump from making recess appointments. I bet they were congratulating themselves on how smart they were and how they would get rid of him in 4 years and things would go back to normal.

Since I have no use for any of them after their unmasking as frauds over Obamacare, I am glad to see him stick it to them.

Chuck Schumer is a democrat weasel and a crook. However, he doesn't pretend to be anything other than that. Paul Ryan's choir-boy pose while doing NOTHING is just more than I can bear.

My liberal daughter was impressed at how Trump cut a deal with Schumer and Pelosi and stuck it to Ryan. If nothing else, that will warm her to Trump.

She asked me what he had done before becoming speaker, and I was pleased to tell her that except for the Wienermobile, he had always worked in government. HA!

[James D.]

The GOP has controlled the House of Represntatives for 6 years, 8 mo the and 4 days.

The GOP has controlled the Senate for 2 years, 8 months and 4 days.

Paul Ryan has been Spealer of the House for 1 year, 10 months and 10 days.

They have all had more than ample time to write a full conservative legislative agenda that should have been ready to hit Presodent Trump's desk on the morning of January 21st, 2017. They failed.

Worse, they didn't even try.

So femall, with the nearest available rusty, jagged implement.

[Barbara]

I very much approve of what President Trump did yesterday for the reasons stated here on this and the last thread. Byron York stated it best in his comments. The President has cleared the decks for the Congress to focus on tax reform and as well as disaster relief. They may even have a second chance at repealing Obamacare.

If this hadn't happened, McConnell and Ryan would have deliberately dithered around until who knows when unable to get consensus on anything. Even hurricane relief may have been delayed and tax reform would have been put off 'til 2018 at the earliest. O-care? Heh, forget about that.

Their reason for these delays to date has been to make President Trump appear to be ineffective and incapable of not only delivering on his campaign agenda but of Not meeting the needs of the people during a crisis. The President took them out of the equation. It was a masterful stroke.

As for his willingness to work with the Democrats, I wouldn't worry about that. Chuck and Nancy didn't look altogether pleased in that photo op. They may have thought the meeting was the beginning of negotiations and had no idea that the President would accept their 3 month deal.

All in all, the President came out with what he wanted and needed, and he placed a shot across the GOPe bow just in time for the 2018 mid term elections. Now the claustrophobic Congress will have to deal with Tax Reform, repeal of O-Care and DACA. I'm sure that they never anticipated that they would be put in this box.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2017/09/07/hurricane-irma-morning-update/

This has maps and discussion from weather services as well as evacuation and prep tips.

[pagar, a bacon, ham and sausage supporter]

‪‪https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/dontforgetaboutrockport?source=feed_text&story_id=1109433309190257

Posted by Mary Ellen McWilliams @ FB

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/steve-bannon-on-trump-daca-decision-60-minutes/?linkId=41917589

[pagar, a bacon, ham and sausage supporter]

I join-- Posted by: Ignatz Ratzkywatzky | September 06, 2017 at 11:46 PM If someone will put up the page. We've done it for others, why not for one who
contributes so much to this site?

[Marlene]

Good Morning! I thought the photo op yesterday looked like a hostage tape. Paul Ryan had a smirk on his face,but he probably wasn't smirking when he left the room.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

My fury at Paul Ryan is because I had such hopes for him, believing the image he had carefully cultivated.

My disillusion began at the vice-presidential debate, where he had flopped like a carp out of water, making Joe Biden (JOE BIDEN!!) look like a wise elder stateman.

When he became speaker, I thought, "Well, he might not be a great debater being obviously too polite, but he is a fiscal conservative."

We see how well THAT worked out.

And now, his incessant moral posturing coupled with "conservative" ideas that sound dated and memorized, I am ready to say "He's not who we are."

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Here's an interesting Tweet. I can only assume subscriptions are way down:

Bill Kristol‏Verified account @BillKristol

As a friend & admirer, a sincere suggestion: For the sake of his dignity & self-respect, Paul Ryan should consider stepping down as Speaker.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

The President starts his day with intelligence briefings and then a conference call with Irma-threatened state governors.

Then he has a meeting and working lunch with the Emir of Kuwait and a joint press conference at 1:30.

I will have to miss this as I will be gone but will try to catch a replay later. My interest in Kuwait is because of things I have seen on Wictor's twitter feed.

[joan]

Oh, my goodness, Conrad Black calls Nancy Pelosi a 'spavined war horse' in this article. Made me lol. :)

http://www.nationalreview.com/article/451110/trump-mockery-decreases-liberals-resort-critiquing-melanias-shoes

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Donald J. Trump‏Verified account @realDonaldTrump 1m1 minute ago

Hurricane Irma is raging but we have great teams of talented and brave people already in place and ready to help. Be careful, be safe! #FEMA

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Paul Ryan‏Verified account @SpeakerRyan 30s31 seconds ago

Live soon→I'm participating in the @NYTimes @TimesTalks series talking tax reform & answering your questions.

=====================================

Let's ask how many Republicans watch a New York Times forum. Second, do you think he will get any questions other than, "How big a monster is Donald Trump?"

Bonus: What will he answer?

[henry]

Miss M, when you've lost Bill Kristol...

actually that would be a good thing. Not that Ryan will see it that way.

[Captain Hate]

Funny that Private Eddie goes on that dickweed Jake Tapper's staged Clown Halls and the NYT's quisling forums but won't appear on Ol' Yeller's show any more. Just what you'd expect a rock ribbed Republican to do, no?

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

henry,

I have pondereed and pondered that Kristol teet, and here is what I think:

1. Kristol is losing readers and influence
2. Even he realizes that Ryan has been exposed as a phony
3. He has someone he wants to back for speaker so that he can play kingmaker and block Trump's agenda.

I have no interest in a Kristol-approved speaker. He backed Colin Powell to run against Gore, and when Powell wouldn't run, backed McCain. He is definitely not a good judge of character.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Captain Hate,

I forgot about him going on Tapper's show!

Good points!

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

This is an interesting development:

http://theduran.com/two-koreas-one-road-future-cooperation-seoul-pyongyang-moscow/

[kave]

new thread

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Iowahawk is mocking Peter Dhou this morning, and it's hilarious!

https://twitter.com/iowahawkblog

Scroll down to about half an hour ago.

[jimmyk]

Daou is self-mocking, no parody needed. Someone should Tweet him a strobe as with that Newsweek nut Eichenwald.

[Tom Maguire]

As to Trump's strategy: I dispute York's "clear the decks" strategy. Instead of "decks" I would use a hostage metaphor - now EVERYTHING can get pushed into reconciliation or debt ceiling, or at tied to it. Maybe Trump trades wall funding for a different tax rate.

That strategy can work - some brilliant negotiator (I am getting a dim glow saying it was James Baker) used to say that if a problem is intractable, make it bigger. More moving parts means more chances to find a winning combination. So maybe tax reform by itself is undoable but coupled with DACA or the wall, something can give.

But no, this isn't clearing the decks - this is increasing the complexity, hopefully to create more bargaining chips.

Other thought: Other than a few issues, like immigration, Trump is nowhere near a hard-line rightist. He may have assessed that he can find votes among the 60% of Congressional Dems and Reps who are not in line with their parties more extreme flank. OK, that mix does not include Pelosi, but the moderate leaders certainly include Schumer, Ryan and McConnell. Time to find the deals he promised!

[sbw]

You, you, you mean . . . Congress might work?

[Clarice Feldman]

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/09/06/conservatives-sign-letter-warning-media-against-southern-poverty-law-center.html