Senate GOP Meeting With Obama Ends Without Deal

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Senate GOP Meeting With Obama Ends Without Deal

A meeting between Republican senators, President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden finished around 1 p.m., according to the White House Press office.

No deal was reached with respect to opening the government and raising the debt ceiling, but GOP senators, including Chuck Grassley (R-IA), indicated that the discussion was helpful.

ChuckGrassley ✔ @ChuckGrassley

Meeting at White House over. Very good discussion on shutdown Nothing obvious decided But hope I'm surprised there may be progress
1:13 PM - 11 Oct 2013

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http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/senate-gop-meeting-with-obama-over

Harry Reid: No dice on a six-week debt ceiling hike

by Joan McCarter

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid wants nothing to do with a short-term debt ceiling increase, saying that it would do little to reassure financial markets concerned about the instability of Congress.

“They’re talking about extending the debt ceiling for two months or six weeks — please,” Reid said Friday. “We do not believe a six-week delay of a catastrophic default is enough time to give the economy the confidence it needs.” <...>

Republicans have proposed a short-term debt ceiling extension to allow time to negotiate spending cuts in exchange for a larger debt limit increase. Reid opposes a short-term extension because he said it would cause another crisis at Christmas time. <...>

Reid said that if Congress allows the government to default on its debt the world would go into a deep recession. “This is my opinion, if we allow the United States to default on its debt for the first time in its glorious history it will be a black mark … and will spark a global recession,” Reid said on the Senate floor.

The Senate votes Saturday on a long-term debt ceiling increase, so Reid is putting pressure on Senate Republicans on that vote by rejecting the possible out they're advancing—and pitching to the president—today. Reid's basically telling them that at least as of now, if they want to avoid economic catastrophe, they vote with Democrats tomorrow. That would put even more pressure on House Republican leaders, giving them little choice on the debt limit other than accepting the Senate bill.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/10/11/1246351/-Harry-Reid-No-dice-on-a-six-week-debt-ceiling-hike

[ProSense]

1. Kick! n/t