DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Palus Politicus Trump strikes ‘deal’ with Dems on Harvey aid and debt limit, over Ryan’s objections

President Trump struck a deal Wednesday with Democratic leaders to raise the federal debt ceiling and fund the government for the next three months while also providing Hurricane Harvey relief money -- hours after House Speaker Paul Ryan blasted such a plan as “unworkable” and “disgraceful.”

The president, meeting with congressional leaders from both parties, effectively brushed off calls from GOP leaders for a longer-term plan.

Those lawmakers had pushed first for an 18-month debt-limit hike and then floated a six-month plan, Fox News is told – but Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., held firm on calls for a three-month deal.

Trump agreed.

“We had a very good meeting with Nancy Pelois and Chuck Schumer,” he told reporters aboard Air Force One. “We agreed to a three-month extension on the debt ceiling, which they consider to be sacred, very important.”

The announcement was striking considering just hours earlier, Ryan warned such an arrangement could put Harvey relief funds at risk.

“To play politics with the debt ceiling like Schumer and Pelosi apparently are doing, I don’t think is a good idea,” said Ryan.

The House on Wednesday overwhelmingly approved an initial $8 billion in funding for Harvey relief, on a 419-3 vote.

The plan all along was for the Senate to attach a debt-ceiling hike to the bill and then send it back. But Ryan and other top Republicans objected to Democrats’ push to only raise the debt ceiling for a three-month period.

Yet following the Trump meeting, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell acknowledged they had all agreed to a three-month deal – saying he would be adding that to the Harvey bill.

“I’ll be supporting it,” McConnell said.

Schumer called the arrangement “a really good moment of bipartisanship."

Not everyone thinks so.

Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., issued a brief statement saying only: "The Pelosi-Schumer-Trump deal is bad."

It’s unclear whether the “deal” has the votes to pass. But under the terms, government funding and the debt limit would be extended through Dec. 15, in turn avoiding a government shutdown Sept. 30.

Trump said they also agreed on emergency hurricane funding, which will likely increase with Hurricane Irma heading toward Florida.

“We had a very good meeting,” Trump continued. “I think the deal will be very good.”

The bipartisan support Wednesday for the initial House vote on Harvey aid was no surprise considering how Harvey essentially put Houston and the rest of southeast Texas underwater before striking Louisiana, causing a projected $160 billion in damage.

The Harvey package now goes to the GOP-controlled Senate. If the combo version passes, it will then return to the House for final approval.

While GOP leaders had hoped for a longer-term deal on the debt ceiling, some conservatives were also agitated over the move to have the Senate attach the hike after the House votes.

A senior House member, who asked to not be identified, called the tactic a “charade” and asked, “Why not attach the debt ceiling in the first place?”

Any votes to increase federal borrowing also are problematic for fiscal conservatives principally opposed to increasing debt and spending.

The Trump administration originally had asked Congress to raise the debt limit by Sept. 29 to keep the federal government from defaulting on its bills.

Then Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin made a plea on “Fox News Sunday” this past weekend for Congress to increase the borrowing authority along with a Harvey aid package, amid fears the government won’t have enough cash to help Harvey victims in immediate need of assistance.

“The red flags that the White House waved are real,” House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, said Tuesday.

The House’s two big, fiscally conservative groups -- the House Freedom Caucus and the Republican Study Committee -- have already expressed reservations about a combo vote.

However, members also don’t want to be vilified for stiffing Harvey flood victims -- particularly with Hurricane Irma now taking aim at Florida and after Congress took months after 2012’s Superstorm Sandy to approve emergency funding.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/09/...es-to-vote.html

This "debt ceiling" thing - isn't it just about every year?

Now, this one is for 3 months, so that means it'll have to be raised again in 3 months, right?


Just spend spend spend spend spend spend spend spend spend..........it's been going on forever it seems.

It's politics as usual.

I have been telling you all along that Trump will work with anybody for the good of the American People.

I will give credit where credit is due. I cant really say I understand the whole deal all that well, but I will give him credit for crossing the aisle.

He respected the Republicans because he felt he owed them that, being he ran as a Republican. Now once again they are talking and talking and positioning themselves while the Democrats showed up at the door with a plan.

The plan ain't great but at least it is a plan to help America. Trump doesn't care who gets it done, just so it gets done.

nice to see POTUS do the right thing.

I agree. President Trump was never a favorite of the Republican Party.

This is what the country needs, someone unwilling to simply stick to the party line.

I like it.

Agree. That was the drew people from both parties Republicans and Democrats to Trump. Not that he was a conservative because he is not. He is more of a Populist which traditionally has been more Democratic than Republican.

When he said he wanted to drain the swamp he did not want to get rid of Democrats. He wanted to get rid of politicians from both sides that have been safe and secure and have done nothing for the American public but got rich from lobbyists.

That is why he won states like Michigan and Pennsylvania that traditionally went Democrat but went for Trump last year. His Populist message resonates with hard working factory working union members. Many of them have felt like the Democratic party has left them. Trump embraced them.

He fights back hard when challenged like he has the media because the media is part of the Democratic movement that left the working class. That is why he faces so much resistance.

Republican voters liked Trump because they have felt their party over the years have coward down to far out left wing ideas thru media pressure over the years and see Trump as someone who will stand up for common man and not coward down to the far left wing. That is why you hear people say America use to stand for something and now have to hear debate where their children have to use the bathroom. They see Trump as someone who will stand up to that.

It was this Trump that people voted for. The Trump that stands up to the media, stands up to his own party, and the Trump that will negotiate deals to better Americans like he has done.

I hope this is the bebbing.....maybe we are on the curp of the promise.



He isn't afraid to lean on whichever side of the aisle he needs.


It's called moderation. It's called being able to strike a deal.

The country works best when both sides get something, but neither gets everything. Everybody wins something, but has to give up something.


Determine the RED lines, don't push on that, then work on all the other stuff. If you do that, then RED lines start turning gray. Give up this one, I'll give up that one.


We need a deal maker in Washington.


The best place is almost always in the middle.

This also serves notice to the Republicans over Tax Cuts, Tax Reform, Repatriation of overseas funds and Health Care.

If you guys don't get it done and decide to fall on your swords for 2018, I can always work with the Democrats.

Republican President and his daughter cut a deal with Dem leadership behind the backs of GOP controlled congress... Upside down world.

I'm happy this happened and give Ivanka props.

He met with leaders from both parties and decided which one to go with... how was this behind anybody's back? They were right there in the room, they had every chance to make their case for a long term on the debt ceiling and failed to convince Trump that their's was the better option... there was nothing done behind anybody's back.

Good job by trump to reach out and get this done. Lives are more important than politics.

You are right. The initial report I heard made it sound like he met them alone and 'blind-sided' the GOP leadership. But as you pointed out it was a meeting of leaders from both sides. Kudos to Trump.

Republican leaders in the room 'shell-shocked' following Trump deal with Democrats

By Jeff Zeleny, Dana Bash, Deirdre Walsh and Jeremy Diamond, CNN
Updated 5:52 AM ET, Thu September 7, 2017

(CNN)President Donald Trump surprised the leaders of his own party in Congress on Wednesday when he backed a deal pushed by Democrats to attach hurricane relief money to a shorter-term bump in the debt ceiling as well as keeping the government open, cutting off his own Treasury secretary to strike a deal.

The decision was one of the most fascinating and mysterious moves he's made with Congress during eight months in office.

The remarkable turn of events left Republican congressional leaders, in control of both chambers of the legislative branch, "shell-shocked" and "visibly annoyed," and showcased how a President who also authored "The Art of the Deal" actually cuts one.

Trump's stunning agreement to endorse a plan proposed by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi came during a Wednesday morning meeting with leaders from both parties in the Oval Office, the first such meeting of Trump's presidency.

Several Republicans briefed on the meeting said that Trump, who has been absent a major legislative achievement for his first seven months in office, was hungry for a deal. It also came after he was warned of a packed legislative calendar that could have pushed off tax reform past this fall.

"The President was in deal-cutting mode," a Republican familiar with the meeting told CNN. "He was sick of this fight."

Went against his own Treasury secretary

In Wednesday's session, Republican leaders -- including House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell -- first pushed lifting the debt ceiling for 18 months. With no agreement at hand, they decreased the timeframe to a year, before finally proposing a six-month extension.

Democratic leaders dismissed all of their proposals, standing firm by their three-month extension plan, which they had publicly endorsed in a joint statement before the meeting.

A source briefed on the meeting said the top Hill Republicans -- McConnell and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy -- and Trump's own Treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin, echoed Ryan's concerns about such a debt limit and warned against problems caused by a shorter-term solution.

According to one source familiar with the events, Mnuchin was in the middle of arguing for a longer-term deal in the meeting when the President abruptly cut him off and sided with the Democrats.

A senior Republican source described Trump as being in "Apprentice" mode, a reference to the reality show that made the President a TV star. Trump just decided to listen and then make a decision on the spot, the source told CNN.

McConnell and Ryan were "blindsided by this," a Republican official told CNN. In fact, hours before Trump agreed to Democrats' proposal, Ryan had publicly called such a plan "ridiculous" during a news conference. The GOP leaders had no heads up or warning that Trump's decision would happen, Republican officials told CNN. Another senior GOP source described the two leaders as "shell-shocked."

A source familiar with the meeting said McConnell decided to throw in a continuing resolution to keep the federal government funded through December 15, so that the deal could all happen at once.

Interrupted by Ivanka Trump

At some point toward the end of the meeting, the President's oldest daughter and senior adviser, Ivanka Trump, stopped by the meeting to specifically sell the child tax credit, according to a senior GOP source. According to one congressional source briefed on the meeting, some Republican leaders were "visibly annoyed" during Ivanka Trump's appearance at the meeting, a description Ryan's spokeswoman AshLee Strong said was untrue.

White House legislative director Marc Short told CNN, "We asked Ivanka to briefly join the meeting for an update on the child care tax credit and how we are working to make tax reform a bi-partisan issue. It was a quick and productive conversation."


Hoping to clear the way for tax reform?

The meeting came a day after Trump met separately with Republican congressional leaders and listened as they sought to deliver a reality check on tax reform.

Tax reform was unlikely to glide through Congress and hit the President's desk before Thanksgiving, as Trump has hoped would be the case, the GOP leaders told him Tuesday. Leadership needed time to build consensus among Republicans and, most importantly, the legislative calendar in September was packed with a need for action that superseded tax reform, according to two sources familiar with Tuesday's meeting.

White House officials had warned the congressional leaders that Trump might be upset by the lengthier timeline. Instead -- to their surprise -- Trump was "understanding" and "pragmatic," two sources briefed on the meeting said.

Less than 24 hours later, Trump agreed to the Democrats' deal -- clearing the September calendar Trump had been warned about.

It wasn't clear if Republican leaders' warnings unwittingly encouraged the President to cut a deal with Democrats, but a senior White House official said Trump went into Wednesday's meeting eager to cut a deal that would clear the way for tax reform.

Following the meeting, Trump and his team left for his speech in North Dakota on tax reform, now an issue that at least one aide said was made more difficult by Trump's move.

"Now nothing will get done between now and Dec. 15," one Republican aide told CNN in an email. "You think people will vote for a budget now?"

Other congressional Republican sources argued this wasn't just the President undermining GOP leaders politically, but ultimately on policy. In mid-December, with winter holidays around the corner, Democrats will have another chance to use must-pass legislation as leverage for other priorities. A senior Democratic source conceded to CNN that Republicans are right, which is why Democratic leaders united before the White House meeting on demanding only a three-month extension for the debt ceiling along with hurricane funding.

Sen. Ben Sasse, a Nebraska Republican and consistent Trump critic, issued a one line statement: "The Pelosi-Schumer-Trump deal is bad."

McConnell said later that he will support the deal agreed to by Trump, but he made very clear following the Republican policy lunch that this was an agreement between Trump and Democratic leaders. He wouldn't say if he was surprised by the deal, but said Trump's "rationale" was the "feeling that we need to come together."

'Chuck and Nancy'

On board Air Force One, Trump sounded optimistic and chummy with Democratic leaders Schumer and Pelosi, both of whom he's repeatedly lambasted on the campaign trail and since taking office.

"We discussed that also today, and Chuck and Nancy would like to see something happen, and so do I," Trump told reporters. "And I said if we can get something to happen, we're going to sign it and we're going to make a lot of happy people."

Schumer has openly talked about driving a wedge between the President and the GOP. The New York Democrat told CNN in January that "the only way we're going to work with him is if he moves completely in our direction and abandons his Republican colleagues."

Short said Wednesday that Trump agreed to the funding and debt ceiling deal with Democrats in order to make way "clear the deck" for his primary legislative priority: tax reform.

"We believe that it's something to clear the deck," Short said, adding it would allow Congress to "focus on tax reform for the American people."

A senior White House official said tax reform was indeed the driving force -- he went into the meeting aiming to "clear the decks" so that Congress could move forward on his legislative priority.

That plan was no one else's but the President's, a GOP leadership aide said.

"It wasn't a good strategy. And it wasn't his administration's strategy," the aide said. "It was his."

This story has been updated.

CNN's Lauren Fox, Betsy Klein, Kevin Liptak and Jim Acosta contributed to this report.

http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/06/politics/trump-meeting-with-democrats-deal/index.html

LOL This kinda cracks me up for several reasons.

The Debt Ceiling thing just kicks the can down the road three months. But by doing this, Trump is sending a message to Republicans that if you won't do the work, I'll get the Dems to do it. And the Dems will if they get what they want,

The second reason is, Ryan and McConnell are just ticked off.. And they both deserve it.

This might actually be the first thing Trump has done that I can get behind...

This is exactly my thought. It could possibly be an indicator that Trump is starting to figure out how to get things done in Washington.

Shunning party lines and shaking things up to get stuff done is one of the ideas people wanted when they voted for Trump. Up until now, we've only seen the negative/circus side of this idea, but maybe this is a taste of things to come. One can hope, I guess...

Our luck, the idiot will figure it out just as the DOJ Arrests him for his actions that Mueller discovers LOL

Each time the debt ceiling gets raised, they attach things to the bill. This time it's hurricane relief which everyone knows you have to do. If you remember correctly, Trump said he would shut down the government if funding for the wall wasn't attached to an increase in spending.

Well with the hurricane, that's simply not an option now. The GOP wanted a bill that increased the spending for a year. So it would be another twelve months before Trump could make such a threat again and hold them up for ransom.

By going with the three month Dem plan, he can play the same game three months from now by threatening to shut down the government if they don't fund the wall.

Now whether someone finds that right or wrong will probably have a lot to do with whether they support a border wall or not. But for the short term hurricane victims get their relief and in a few short months things will continue the status quo.

It is an excellent plan in the eyes of those who want secure borders and a wall to keep illegals from returning.

Which is fine.

I'm just glad he was able to put the pettiness aside for a sec and get this deal done with the Dems.

While I understand why, it sucks that the GOP and some conservative outlets are blasting him for working with the Dems. Like yo these are American lives we're talking about here. The hell is wrong with them?

I dunno if it will happen, but I have to wonder what happens if trump starts working with the Dems more.

Obviously for the sake of the country, that's a good thing. I'm talking more of the political capital and optics aspect. The GOP is already throwing a hissy fit over this, and if you really break things down to how trump campaigned on healthcare, then the clear party he has to work with in order to get 'healthcare for everyone and cheaper' is the Dems, as the GOP went a whole other direction with it.

But it wouldn't be surprising. The man lived his life like a liberal up until he decided to make politics a serious thing six or seven years ago. If he starts pushing legislation with the Dems, the GOP and his base are gonna be ticked off, as they were rabid about not having to work with the Dems on anything since they now have the majority.

And I agree with you which is why I pointed that out.

I wasn't trying to imply that it was a bad thing. Just pointing out the motives behind it. I'm certainly happy he didn't play games with hurricane relief.

I know you wasn't bro. I was just kinda going off of what you were saying.

I don't know why we ever got to a point that reaching out to the other isle is a bad thing.

I remember the GOP primary debates and guys essentially bragging that they refuse to work with the Dems. Cruz comes to mind.

I thought compromise was a cornerstone of our political system.

You seem to have a short memory as it was the Democrats calling for obstruction as they swore to make the Country unmanageable for the Trump administration.

It was the Democrats who held up all his Cabinet appointments while crying he was a Russian.

Remember the Democrat cry of "RESIST".

But as you like to do, continue to rewrite history for us.

How am I rewriting history? The Dems said they would love to work with trump to make a better healthcare plan. Did you forget?

There's also people in the GOP who think he's working with the Russians, or did you forget that too?

At the end of the day, that has nothing to do with THIS situation. And in THIS situation, the Dems and trump worked together why the senate you voted for sat on their asses.

You got the majority, and you're worthless. I'm surprised Trump moved on, but glad nonetheless.

If you can't see that both parties have been guilty of this for quite some time now, you can't be helped.

It ain't about me, it is about Swish saying, "I'm just glad he was able to put the pettiness aside for a sec and get this deal done with the Dems."

That is hogwash as the Dems have decided to return to the game with their ball again and Trump has welcomed them back.

Trump has always said he would work with Schumer but Schumer has not been serious yet.

Now Schumer is serious and the whole Swamp is Rockin' and Rollin"

Yup,

they are impoverishing us at a record rate. So many folks in this country do not realize it. They will eventually impoverish us to the point our money will be worthless.

The more our government spends and the more debt it creates, the more poor people it creates in this country.

Pretty soon, every piece of property will be owned either by the government or by corporations/banks and the people will own nothing.

The middle class is being squeezed out completely and if things persist as they are there will be no middle class in 15-20 years....

You put it a lot better than I did. Obstructionism is en vogue right now in our government, and it's disgusting. Dems seem to be slightly more subtle about it, but both sides are guilty.

Give credit where credit is due, Trump (intentionally or not) just smacked the GOP upside the head. About damn time.

Well now the aid and debt limit Bill has just passed the Senate and goes back to the House.

It is amazing how fast things can get done in the Swamp these days!



Senate passes Trump-Democrats deal on Harvey aid, debt, funding
https://www.cnbc.com/2017/09/07/senate-h...bt-funding.html

He doesn't want your help.
Your help involves the use of factual data.
Factual data makes his head hurt!

Who are the 3 idiots who did not vote for this?

Like Health Care? Tax Reform? Building a Wall? lol

Making sure the lights stay on and putting a good face on the Government with disaster relief is hardly "amazing" Swamp activity! Give it a rest already.

Now that Trump has shaken the cage, the Swamp went from handshake to passed Bill in 24 hours on this one!

I agree... I think it was a good move by him and glad the deal got done...

What you said about Ted Cruz is why I firmly believed he would actually be a worse candidate than anyone else. To be a good president and/or nationally renown politician, you have to first understand that there are a whole lot of people who disagree with you, and you need to work with them. Hopefully, Trump understands that now. Cruz never would have...and his lobbyists wouldn't have let him do so either.

Justin Amash (Mich.)
Thomas Massie (Ky.)
Andy Biggs (Ariz.)

http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/house/349451-three-republicans-vote-against-harvey-package

It's thorny... and convoluted. And stupid. And cynical... in that arcane,'lost in the weeds of procedure' kind of way.