Boehner voices skepticism on budget prospects

February 13, 2013 @ 1:28 pm


President Barack Obama speaks to workers and guests at the Linamar Corporation plant in Arden, N.C., Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2013, as he travels after delivering his State of the Union address Tuesday. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton) | Zoom

WASHINGTON (AP) - House Speaker John Boehner expressed doubts Wednesday that the Republican-led House and Democratic-controlled Senate could reach agreement on a budget and avoid automatic spending cuts that could jeopardize economic growth.

In a post-State of the Union interview with The Associated Press, Boehner was also skeptical about President Barack Obama's new proposal for federally supported universal pre-school. And he showed little support for Obama's core proposals on immigration reform and gun control, including universal background checks.

But it's the economy and deficit at the top of the congressional priority list as Obama and lawmakers face looming fiscal crises confronting the nation: the deep automatic spending cuts, called a "sequester," to take effect March 1, followed by the government running out of money to fund federal agencies March 27.

Boehner, seeking to keep the government from lurching from one crisis to another, has also pressed for Washington to get back to passing regular budgets. But he expressed pessimism about whether that was possible given the deep divisions on Capitol Hill.

"It's hard to imagine that you could reconcile what the House and Senate pass, but at some point, in some manner, it almost has to happen if we're going to deal with our long-term spending problem," Boehner said.

The Ohio Republican also reiterated his opposition to letting the sequester take effect, and served up a reality check to members of his caucus who say publicly that they would be willing to let the $85 billion in across-the-board cuts take effect on March 1.

"None of them have ever lived under a sequester. For that matter, neither have I," Boehner said. "This is going to be a little bleak around here when this actually happens and people actually have to make decisions."

The president wants to put off the sequester through a combination of targets spending cuts and increased tax revenue. Republicans want to offset the sequester with spending cuts alone.

Obama also used the prime-time speech Tuesday to call for action on a broad agenda that included the economy, guns, immigration, taxes and climate change. He offered new initiatives on voting, manufacturing, and research and development. He said he wanted to raise the minimum wage, lower energy use, and expand pre-school programs for all 4-year-olds.

While Obama left out key details of the pre-school program, including the cost to the federal government, administration officials said ahead of Tuesday's speech that the proposal would include the government providing financial incentives to assist states. The president is expected to campaign on the proposal Thursday in Georgia.

Boehner questioned the need for the federal government to get involved in early childhood education, saying it was "a good way to screw it up."

During a visit Wednesday to Asheville, N.C., Obama promoted his ideas on creating jobs and closing the income gap between the wealthiest and middle-income Americans. The president used a retrofitted former Volvo plant to make a case for proposals designed to encourage companies that have operated overseas to bring back jobs to the U.S.

"We're seeing this trend of what we call insourcing, not just outsourcing," Obama said. "And the reason is because America has got outstanding workers. We're starting to produce more homegrown energy, which is driving down our energy costs. And, obviously, we've still got the biggest market in the world. And if we try to improve our infrastructure a little bit more, then we're going to be even that much more competitive."

The president also used his State of the Union address to call on Congress to pass comprehensive immigration legislation with a pathway to citizenship for 11 million illegal immigrants and hold votes on a series of gun-control measures introduced following the shootings of 20 school children in Newtown, Conn.

Boehner has been noncommittal on his position on key components of both proposals.

On immigration, Boehner told the AP that he was "encouraged" by bipartisan congressional efforts to address immigration reform. But he refused to take a position on providing a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants, including for young people who were brought to the country illegally.

"I'm not getting myself locked into a corner on what I'm for or what I'm against," he said.

On gun control, Boehner wouldn't commit to holding votes on universal background checks or bans on assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines. Instead, he focused on exploring the link between mass shootings and mental health.

"What I don't want to be is parceled into some political stunt that has no impact on the problem," Boehner said.

___

Associated Press writers Erica Werner and Stephen Ohlemacher contributed to this report.


(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
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Comments (75)


  • Add A Comment

  • HLC wrote...
    I can't understand how anyone could watch his speech tonight.
    February 12, 2013 9:46 am
    It's to stressfull to watch his head snap back and forth like a bobble head doll as he tries to keep up with his teleprompter. Thats the reason he couldn't be a trial lawyer, no teleprompters. He was able to con enough of his welfare drones like WSu to get elected again though. Stay on the sauce wsu. You'll bury the american people yet.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • cigarfan wrote...
    @HLC
    February 12, 2013 6:09 pm
    IF you turn the sound up...you can hear a speaker who has mastered the English language ...unlike the former Texas Speaker -who could barely make it thru a sentence.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • HPD 5-0 wrote...
    "IF you turn the sound up...you can hear a speaker who has mastered..."
    February 13, 2013 5:19 am
    reading off a telepromptor.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • cigarfan wrote...
    @HPD 5-0
    February 13, 2013 2:32 pm
    What did Dubya read off ?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • wsualumn wrote...
    HLC
    February 12, 2013 8:49 pm
    Contraire! It's your party that has been buried by The American people. Have a party that has significant wins in 2010 that says their priority is JOBS, JOBS, JOBS, while spending the next 2 years working on legislation pertaining to bills making abortion and sharia Law illegal, E Pluribus Unum the national motto, Christianity the official religion, and English the official language. Keep coming up with folks like John McCain and Mitt Romney as candidates. Sure, blame The dems and the majority of the folks that vote for him. After all, you guys can't get your act together. You don't understand how anybody could watch his speech tonight and it sounds like you did exactly that. And again, we have snobs like you that call people who vote for him as welfare drones. Never been on any form of public assistance before. I have had a job since I was 12 years old. Guys like(and Maple) would probably have the same "snotty" attitude towards my 88 year old father. WWII vet that worked for 32 years and collects a modest pension of $12,000 a year plus $8,000 a year in social security. His combined income puts him in a bracket where he pays minimal taxes. I am sure you and your fellow RWNJ friends would call him a welfare drone as well. Typical RW snobs that look down on those that aren't in their financial bracket and those that don't vote the same way they do.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Hayduke wrote...
    It's me, boo hoo, you need to give it up. Obama will never be impeached.
    February 12, 2013 12:08 pm
    After all, if Bush got away with all the crap HE pulled, what makes you think Obama won't? And I agree; we need to get more blue patriots in the Senate. Blue, as in DEMOCRATS.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • rational wrote...
    Hayduke
    February 12, 2013 6:58 pm
    Actually, Obama has done more to justify impeachment than Bush ever did. But the fact remains, Obama isn't going to be impeached. He could be caught torturing little children while eating their parents and the dems would do all in their power to block his impeachment. Plus the republican part is the party of cowardly and stupid politicians. The democrat party is the party of liars and evil politicians. Combined, those 2 factors will preclude any impeachment.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    This is all you need to know about how stupid Obama is
    February 12, 2013 7:36 pm
    www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyLmru6no4U
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Fuego wrote...
    Wow...
    February 12, 2013 2:12 pm
    another math lesson from someone that hasn't had a budget in 4 yrs. I hope the cool aid doesn't run out.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • hnuh wrote...
    02-12-2013 0bama vows job...
    February 12, 2013 2:55 pm
    Get off it already! You've had five years to do something. Please! With friends like you the middle class doesn't need any enemies. Lying piece of mess. Lying piece of mess.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • cigarfan wrote...
    @Hnuh
    February 12, 2013 7:48 pm
    Jan 2009 - Jan 2013....is only 4 years.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    America will start moving again when
    February 12, 2013 7:23 pm
    We Americans kick the republican't to the curb in 2014. Leave Boo Hoo alone! She is in her delusional world and We Americans are safer that way.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Rangerhawk wrote...
    Jobs, guns, and immigration oh my!
    February 12, 2013 7:27 pm
    He'll be sending more guns south for more immigrants to come up for jobs. It's the reward for voting early and often for him in 08' and 12.' Crazy times.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • adiru wrote...
    Out of touch
    February 12, 2013 7:37 pm
    "15-year-old Hadiya Pendleton, shot and killed recently in a park just a mile from the president's home in Chicago, as well as other victims of gun violence." Chicago is the most violent city in the nation with criminals getting little time in prison, and he insults the public by not recognizing that it's the gangs that did this? The same gangs that are used to their revolving door judicial system? I would have more respect for the prez as a person if he would start targeting gangs in order to reduce ALL violence.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    Adiru
    February 12, 2013 7:52 pm
    Very well put! I couldn't agree more. Obama stands up there and spews this BS and totally ignores the real problem and the sheep in this country follow right along....
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Recife wrote...
    From a Canadian's point of view
    February 12, 2013 10:01 pm
    1) Only in America could the rich people - who pay 86% of all income taxes - be accused of not paying their "fair share" by people who don't pay any income taxes at all. 2) Only in America could people claim that the government still discriminates against black Americans when they have a black President, a black Attorney General, and roughly 18% of the federal workforce is black while only 12% of the population is black 3) Only in America could they have had the two people most responsible for our tax code, Timothy Geithner, the head of the Treasury Department and Charles Rangel who once ran the Ways and Means Committee, BOTH turn out to be tax cheats who are in favor of higher taxes. 4) Only in America can they have terrorists kill people in the name of Allah and have the media primarily react by fretting that Muslims might be harmed by the backlash. 5) Only in America would they make people who want to legally become American citizens wait for years in their home countries and pay tens of thousands of dollars for the privilege while we discuss letting anyone who sneaks into the country illegally just 'magically' become American citizens. 6) Only in America could the people who believe in balancing the budget and sticking by the country's Constitution be thought of as "extremists." 7) Only in America could you need to present a driver's license to cash a check or buy alcohol, but not to vote. 8) Only in America could people demand the government investigate whether oil companies are gouging the public because the price of gas went up when the return on equity invested in a major U.S. oil company (Marathon Oil) is less than half of a company making tennis shoes (Nike). 9) Only in America could the government collect more tax dollars from the people than any nation in recorded history, still spend a Trillion dollars more than it has per year - for total spending of $7-Million PER MINUTE, and complain that it doesn't have nearly enough money. 10) Only in America could politicians talk about the greed of the rich at a $35,000.00 a plate campaign fund-raising event. 11) Only in America can a man with no background, no qualifications and no experience ... and a complete failure at his job ... be reelected.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    Recife
    February 12, 2013 10:21 pm
    You sir, are a GENUIS! Thank you for you brilliant post!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    WSU....Dude
    February 12, 2013 10:45 pm
    Hey smart government employee...Please read recife's post above and tell all of us GROWN UPS why his/her pot is incorrect? We'll all be waiting.....
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • wsualumn wrote...
    Maple
    February 13, 2013 11:23 am
    Rich people pay 86% in taxes? They must have a terrible accountant.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • wsualumn wrote...
    Maple
    February 13, 2013 11:35 am
    86%. Really? If that were the case, how come Mittens wouldn't release his tax statements from the last 5 years? We know why. If he had even paid 40% he would have released them. I think The Canadian has had his fair share of LaBatts.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • hpygolkyone wrote...
    ^^^^^^^^^^
    February 13, 2013 4:10 am
    ........copy and paste. Not genius.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    who pay 86% of all income taxes
    February 12, 2013 11:03 pm
    who butt did you pull that number out of eh? Have you seen mittens tax return eh? How do you like your health care eh? We need a hockey team. You got one for our new So Do Arena eh? Canadian's ladies are hot eh?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • intransit wrote...
    These comments
    February 13, 2013 12:43 am
    When was the last time ANY of you read a book! Put down the remote and read and learn and maybe, just maybe you'll have something to say worth reading about.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }