How 'Cliff' Talks Hit the Wall

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The Wall Street Jounal:

December 21, 2012, 8:35 p.m. ET

How 'Cliff' Talks Hit the Wall

By PATRICK O'CONNOR and PETER NICHOLAS

Behind Scenes, Boehner Failed to Sell Republicans on Taxes, While Obama's Spending Plans Rankled

WASHINGTON—Congressional leaders and President Barack Obama called Friday for a return to negotiations to avert the so-called fiscal cliff, a day after talks cratered in a very public fashion when Republicans abandoned House Speaker John Boehner's backup plan.

In truth, talks to secure a big deficit-reduction deal had already broken down Monday afternoon in the office of Mr. Boehner (R., Ohio), a Wall Street Journal reconstruction shows. Mr. Boehner had been negotiating a deal with the White House to let tax rates rise for upper-income people.

Mr. Obama repeatedly lost patience with the speaker as negotiations faltered. In an Oval Office meeting last week, he told Mr. Boehner that if the sides didn't reach agreement, he would use his inaugural address and his State of the Union speech to tell the country the Republicans were at fault.

At one point, according to notes taken by a participant, Mr. Boehner told the president, "I put $800 billion [in tax revenue] on the table. What do I get for that?"

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Why Negotiating With President Obama Always Fails

 

 

December 23, 2012 | Filed under Barack Obama,Congress | Posted by Doug Johnson

 

Remember that Bob Woodward’s book on the debt ceiling negotiations last year gave behind the scenes details on how President Obama blew-up a deal? He’s up to his old tricks again…

 

The Wall Street Journal reports behind the scenes details from the current round of negotiations:

 

Mr. Obama repeatedly lost patience with the speaker as

http://wizbangblog.com/2012/12/23/why-negotiating-with-president-obama-always-fails/

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Sen. Barrasso: Obama sees a ‘political victory’ in going over the cliff

By Alicia M. Cohn - 12/23/12 09:32 AM ET

 

Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) said Sunday he thinks President Obama wants to dive over the so-called "fiscal cliff."

"I believe the president is eager to go over the cliff for political purposes," Barrasso told Chris Wallace on "Fox News Sunday." "He senses a political victory at the bottom of the cliff."

The senator also said he believes the nation will go over the cliff, with the deadline just nine days away.

Barrasso said he thinks Obama is eager to blame Republicans if http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/274443-sen-barrasso-obama-eager-to-go-over-fiscal-cliff