Breaking – GOP Leaders Propose Two-Week Plan To Avoid Shutdown

With the prospect of a government shutdown looking increasingly likely, Republican leaders in the House of Representatives on Friday, February 25, proposed a two-week extension plan. (The measure currently keeping the government running is set to expire on March 4.)

$4 Billion In Spending Cuts

However, the new compromise plan includes a draconian $4 billion in spending cuts over that two-week period, something which Democratic leaders are already resisting.

Democrats want to fund the government at current levels until a budget for the next fiscal year is agreed upon, while clearly, Republicans want the cuts to begin now, even in a temporary resolution.

From Reuters via The New York Times:

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor called the Republican plan a good faith offer and put the onus on Democrats for any potential shutdown.

“We don’t want to shut the government down. This is not an acceptable or a responsible option for any of us … but we want to see spending cuts,” Cantor said.

Republicans will detail the spending cuts later on Friday.

Harry Reid Says “No”

Harry Reid, Senate Majority Leader, reacted promptly to the plan, through his spokesperson Jon Summers.

As first reported in the Washington Post, Summers said in a statement, “The Republicans’ so-called compromise is nothing more than the same extreme package the House already handed the Senate, just with a different bow. This isn’t a compromise, it’s a hardening of their original position. This bill would simply be a two-week version of the reckless measure the House passed last weekend. It would impose the same spending levels in the short term as their initial proposal does in the long term, and it isn’t going to fool anyone.”

So, The Battle Is On

As a reminder, the last time there was a government shutdown, in 1995, it was President Clinton’s showdown with the Republican Party. Here’s what Ari Berman has written in The Nation:

During his first major confrontation with the GOP Congress—over the 1995 budget—Clinton refused to cut a deal with Gingrich, pledging to resist cuts to “Medicare, Medicaid, education and the environment.” Paul Begala recounts an oft-told story in which Clinton, during a meeting with Gingrich, pointed at the Oval Office desk (named The Resolute, a present from Queen Victoria in 1880) and told the GOP leader, “If you want to pass your budget, you’re going to have to put somebody else in this chair.”

Gingrich stubbornly plowed ahead with his spending cuts and forced a government shutdown, which backfired spectacularly and jolted Clinton’s sagging poll numbers upward.

Whether that will happen again is uncertain, since the circumstances are different now.

But without a deal, much of the federal government will shut down. And with both chambers in recess this week, Congress has only a few days next week to reach an agreement.

Photo credit: Medill DC via Creative Commons

quick poll

vote now!

Loading poll...

no!
leaning no
leaning yes
yes!

no!
leaning no
leaning yes
yes!

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Helen D.

5:38AM PST on Mar 3, 2011

Every single Republican voted to keep the billions in subsidies for the 5 largest oil companies, which means we pay taxes to support them. (“ Subsidies- financial assistance paid to a business or economic sector paid by the government (i.e. taxpayers) to producers or distributors in an industry to prevent the decline of that industry”- Wikipedia). Please write to republican representatives and senators from your state and john Boehner (johnboehner.com) and to the rnc.org and ask them to give you one GOOD reason for voting for this. And remind them that it is not about the jobs because in the past 6 years they have substantially reduced their jobs. (tell them that in your message). The oil companies made over a trillion dollars in profits. Please tweet, facebook, email everyone you know and ask them to do the same and pass it on to their friends. Somehow, this party of no seems to think we are to stupid to figure out who owns them.

send a green star

6:03AM PST on Mar 1, 2011

I hope you will send boehners email www.johnboehner.com to your friends and urge them to do the same. It seems the GOP has put it's agenda before nation's business and welfare..The Koch Brothers, big banks and other large corporations own him and the other GOP leaders.

Janet K.

12:16AM PST on Feb 28, 2011

Stop the GOP Taliban!

Marvin H.

12:48PM PST on Feb 27, 2011

Even with the unlimited corporate funding that the radical right wing politicians and judges received and the marriage of the religious and political right, how could so many people have been so blind and stupid in the 2010 elections?!

8:50AM PST on Feb 27, 2011

Perhaps citizens need to demand that all state and federally elected politicians making over $50,000 must reduce their wages to this amount and pay for their own health insurance.

Patricia S.

5:18AM PST on Feb 27, 2011

Strange, I know loads of people who never worked for the government and have a decent retirement! What is it with the people who retired from the Federal government and are the only ones with a "decent" retirement and health care benefits???? Get a life!

5:15AM PST on Feb 27, 2011

Suzo O,
You are right. We did the same. There is absolutely no reasoning with thos far-left liberals!! Like 98% of the country is receiving minimum wage?

KS G.

1:10AM PST on Feb 27, 2011

Thanks for the article.

Mercedes L.

1:08AM PST on Feb 27, 2011

Suze O. Obviously you have never in your life attempted to live on minimum wage. Everyone I know on minimum wage struggles to save enough for the next emergency--like a brake job or new tires or the kids getting sick. How NICE for you that you had a high paying job that allowed you to put money away and look down on the poor struggling greeter at WalMart because he didn't have the foresight to save money. I DARE you to try and live for six months on minimum wage. You can't do it and you will be crying for all the things you can't have within a week.

Alexandra R.

10:23PM PST on Feb 26, 2011

If there is a dissolution of the government, lets hope that the democrats pull their finger out and all vote!