Republican House leadership remained steadfast Tuesday morning that the debt ceiling plan House Speaker John Boehner, Ohio Republican, is putting forth is deep in cuts and free of taxes. However, conservatives question the mysterious number as to how much Mr. Boehner is willing to cut in discretionary spending in 2012.
The plan is a two step approach involving cutting and capping discretionary spending. According to House Republican leadership it would produce $1.2 trillion savings over 10 years. The plan would also increase the debt limit by around $1 trillion.
I asked Mr. Boehner, what exactly the cuts amounted to in his plan for discretionary spending outlay for next year and if the debt ceiling bill the bi-partisan 12 member joint committee kicks out is not passed by the House, what would happen next.
“The package of discretionary cuts is real,” Mr. Boehner said. When I pressed further for a number, he would only say, “Next year’s spending on the discretionary side will be less than last year.”
The joint committee issue, however, is still vague. Concerns surrounding which Republicans Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell would appoint would be a huge a sticking point. it would only take one liberal Republican appointment on the joint committee to turn things around for the Democrats and Mr. Boehner could very well have a tough time finding support for his plan among more conservative Republicans in Congress.
