Originally Posted by Villages Kahuna

I'll differ with you on which party has put forth the most thoughtful, logical and actionable proposals....neither one of them. The GOP made proposals that included no changes in personal tax rates at all, the Democrats' hottest button. The Democrats only put forth a proposal to increase the taxes on the wealthiest Americans (the Buffett Rule), knowing full well that such an idea would be an anathema to the Republicans. Neither party has made proposals that have a chance of being acted upon.

When the parties, either one of them, put forth proposals that include things they want as well as things they don't like but would be willing to put on the table, then there will be the possibility of progress negotiating the resolution of our fiscal problems. Until that happens, forget it. No amount of trying to say one party has better, or more ideas than the other is at all valid. They both can and should be blamed for negotiating in extremely bad faith.

Frankly, the only politicians who put any sort of balanced proposals "on he table" in recent memory were John Boehner and President Obama, at the outset of trying to negotiate a $5 billion "grand bargain". That whole negotiation fell apart when neither Obama or Boehner coud deliver their own parties to support what they said they'd be willing to discuss. Then when the grand bargain negotiations fell apart so publicly, all the discussions turned to finger-pointing on who was at fault for causing the negotiations to ail.

Nothing is going to happen, Bucco, until both parties put some things in the table that will demonstrate their willingness to compromise. There appears little chance that's going to happen anytime soon.