What is it going to take to get a bipartisan deal done in Washington?

[RedBlackAttack]

Originally Posted by longhornfan1234

Did you read the thread title? " what is it going to take to get a bipartisan deal done?" There's no way the Republicans are going to give in on all of that. I don't think y'all know what a bipartisan deal means.

Do you understand that Democrats now control the White House and the Senate... And actually got a majority of the votes for the house and, if not for gerrymandering by the GOP, they would control that too?

The majority has spoken and, as a result, one side gained leverage and the other side lost leverage. Elections are about more than just who wins and loses. It is about allowing the nation to speak regarding the direction the nation should go.

So, the world of post-2012 Election Day politics -- a day which saw the Democrats get a tip of the hat and the Republicans take a clear loss, almost across the board... No, bipartisanship does not mean the two sides meeting exactly halfway on all issues and it definitely doesn't mean, "We'll give in on something that should be a no-brainer if you make controversial, big cuts to programs people need and care about."

I'm all for deals which are weighed in on by both sides and may the best ideas win... But, the Republicans really have to start getting realistic about legislating in this country, because they were nowhere close from 2008-12.

Their position of opposing anything the president promoted, regardless of whether or not it was originally a Republican idea, should no longer be acceptable. They have very little leverage right now. The message by the electorate should have been loud and clear.

I know a lot of Republicans aren't fans of Darwin, but they need to adapt or become extinct. Time to adapt, I'd say.

[longhornfan1234]

Pelosi, Obama not on same page.

http://www.nj.com/us-politics/index...._not_on_s.html

[Balla_Status]

Originally Posted by longhornfan1234

I'm willing to end subsides for oil companies.

Oil companies don't get subsidies.

[DonDadda59]

Originally Posted by DonDadda59

1) The Republicans in the house need to unleash themselves from the control of Grover Norquist and his special interest group.

This is a good start:

Chambliss fires off on Norquist's anti-tax pledge



(CNN) – A top Republican U.S. senator brushed off the anti-tax pledge pushed by activist Grover Norquist and embraced widely for years by GOP lawmakers.

"I care more about my country than I do about a 20-year-old pledge," Sen. Saxby Chambliss told Georgia television station WMAZ, a CNN affiliate, on Wednesday. "If we do it his way, then we'll continue in debt and I just have a disagreement with him about that."

– Follow the Ticker on Twitter: @PoliticalTicker

Congress faces a year-end deadline to reach agreement on taming the U.S. budget deficit or take other steps to avert the so-called fiscal cliff of mandatory tax increases and spending cuts that experts say would push the country back into recession.

At the heart of budget standoff is disagreement over how to raise new revenues to help reduce red ink.

President Barack Obama and Senate Democrats call for an increase in tax rates for the wealthiest Americans, while House Republicans, who control that chamber's majority, favor other approaches for brining in money, such as closing certain tax loopholes and eliminating deductions.

Norquist, who heads the conservative group Americans for Tax Reform, has been successful over the years in lobbying a strong majority of congressional Republicans to sign his pledge to not raise taxes.

Many GOP candidates who ran for office also signed the promise, but earlier this year, a small number of freshman lawmakers rejected the idea that they were bound to the document.

Chambliss, along with 38 other senators and 219 House members entering the next Congress, have signed the pledge, according to the website for Americans for Tax Reform.

But Chambliss, who has previously criticized Norquist's stronghold on anti-tax sentiments, said this week that the fiscal conservative's ideas stand in the way of finding a solution for ballooning debt.

"Norquist has no plan to pay this debt down," said Chambliss, who is up for re-election in 2014.

The anti-tax crusader has said he predicts congressional Republicans will stand firm and negotiate a deal that excludes tax hikes.

Asked if Chambliss is concerned Norquist may use his resources to combat a re-election bid, the senator said, "In all likelihood, yes."

"But I don't worry about that because I care too much about my country," he said. "I care a lot more about it than I do Grover Norquist."

The two-term senator from Georgia added he's "willing to do the right thing and let the political consequences take care of themselves."

– CNN's Adam Levy contributed to this report.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com...dge/?hpt=hp_t1

Now if only more in his party would come to their senses and tell Norquist off so Congress can work with the President on a sensible and effective solution.