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| Obama brings in grassroots team to cut deal on fiscal cliff | Obama brings in grassroots team to cut deal on fiscal cliff |
| (5 months later) | |
| Barack Obama has enlisted the help of his formidable grassroots army of volunteers in the battle with Republican members of Congress over the fiscal cliff, the January 1 deadline for a deal on tax and spending. | Barack Obama has enlisted the help of his formidable grassroots army of volunteers in the battle with Republican members of Congress over the fiscal cliff, the January 1 deadline for a deal on tax and spending. |
| The Obama for America campaign team, which has remained intact post-election, sent out a message to supporters saying that though there is a lot of stake, with their help a deal is possible. | The Obama for America campaign team, which has remained intact post-election, sent out a message to supporters saying that though there is a lot of stake, with their help a deal is possible. |
| It comes after reports of no progress by the Republican and Democratic teams left behind in Congress over the Thanksgiving holiday period to start work on a compromise package. | It comes after reports of no progress by the Republican and Democratic teams left behind in Congress over the Thanksgiving holiday period to start work on a compromise package. |
| The White House move suggests it has learned the lesson about the impact of grassroots opinion from the battle over healthcare reform. At that time, Democrats failed to match Republican and Tea Party groups who piled the pressure on Congress through the mail, in town hall meetings and in protests on Capitol Hill. | The White House move suggests it has learned the lesson about the impact of grassroots opinion from the battle over healthcare reform. At that time, Democrats failed to match Republican and Tea Party groups who piled the pressure on Congress through the mail, in town hall meetings and in protests on Capitol Hill. |
| The Obama campaign team, in an email to its extensive network of supporters, said: "Right now, president Obama is working with leaders of both parties in Washington to reduce the deficit in a balanced way so we can lay the foundation for long-term middle-class job growth and prevent your taxes from going up." | The Obama campaign team, in an email to its extensive network of supporters, said: "Right now, president Obama is working with leaders of both parties in Washington to reduce the deficit in a balanced way so we can lay the foundation for long-term middle-class job growth and prevent your taxes from going up." |
| It calls on them to spread the word about Obama's position to friends, families and neighbours. It said he wanted a balanced budget that will extend tax cuts for 98% of the population, eliminate tax cuts for the wealthiest and cut spending by $3tn. | It calls on them to spread the word about Obama's position to friends, families and neighbours. It said he wanted a balanced budget that will extend tax cuts for 98% of the population, eliminate tax cuts for the wealthiest and cut spending by $3tn. |
| "These problems are challenging, but they're solvable. In fact, the Senate has already passed a bill to keep your taxes low. The House needs to pass it, and Congress should get it to the president as soon as possible," the OFA mail said. | "These problems are challenging, but they're solvable. In fact, the Senate has already passed a bill to keep your taxes low. The House needs to pass it, and Congress should get it to the president as soon as possible," the OFA mail said. |
| If there is no deal by 1 January, all taxpayers will faces rises and automatic spending cuts will be imposed across the board, from the military to welfare. | If there is no deal by 1 January, all taxpayers will faces rises and automatic spending cuts will be imposed across the board, from the military to welfare. |
| Hopes for a bipartisan deal rose last Friday when Obama met Democratic and Republican congressional leaders, who expressed comments about needing to work together to secure a deal. | Hopes for a bipartisan deal rose last Friday when Obama met Democratic and Republican congressional leaders, who expressed comments about needing to work together to secure a deal. |
| Since that meeting, Obama has been away in Asia, only returning to Washington on Wednesday, while senior congressional leaders have returned to their home states until after Thanksgiving. | Since that meeting, Obama has been away in Asia, only returning to Washington on Wednesday, while senior congressional leaders have returned to their home states until after Thanksgiving. |
| They have left staff members from their teams to begin work on the framework of a deal, but the initial negotiations have not been fruitful. Republicans and Democrats have accused one another just setting out their standard party policies, with little in the way of compromise being offered. | They have left staff members from their teams to begin work on the framework of a deal, but the initial negotiations have not been fruitful. Republicans and Democrats have accused one another just setting out their standard party policies, with little in the way of compromise being offered. |
| Politico quoted Hill Democrats as saying the Republicans were not being serious about crafting a deal that Obama could accept. | Politico quoted Hill Democrats as saying the Republicans were not being serious about crafting a deal that Obama could accept. |
| The Republicans, according to Politico, want to freeze the Bush-era tax cuts that include the wealthiest and cut back welfare programmes. | The Republicans, according to Politico, want to freeze the Bush-era tax cuts that include the wealthiest and cut back welfare programmes. |
| This may be just a matter of the two sides setting out their initial negotiating positions before moving towards common ground. | This may be just a matter of the two sides setting out their initial negotiating positions before moving towards common ground. |
| But the Republican House speaker, John Boehner, who on Friday had been talking up the prospects of a bipartisan settlement, also added to the sense of gloom when, in an op-ed for the Cincinnati Enquirer, he insisted Obama's healthcare reforms had to be put on the table. | But the Republican House speaker, John Boehner, who on Friday had been talking up the prospects of a bipartisan settlement, also added to the sense of gloom when, in an op-ed for the Cincinnati Enquirer, he insisted Obama's healthcare reforms had to be put on the table. |
| Boehner said that healthcare reform, which is due to be implemented fully by 2014, involved huge increases in spending and had to be part of any discussion about reducing the federal deficit. | Boehner said that healthcare reform, which is due to be implemented fully by 2014, involved huge increases in spending and had to be part of any discussion about reducing the federal deficit. |
| He insisted that what he called Obamacare had to go because it added a massive, expensive and unworkable programme at a time when the national debt was already mammoth. | He insisted that what he called Obamacare had to go because it added a massive, expensive and unworkable programme at a time when the national debt was already mammoth. |
| "We can't afford it, and we can't afford to leave it intact. That's why I've been clear that the law has to stay on the table as both parties discuss ways to solve our nation's massive debt challenge," Boehner said. | "We can't afford it, and we can't afford to leave it intact. That's why I've been clear that the law has to stay on the table as both parties discuss ways to solve our nation's massive debt challenge," Boehner said. |
| The Republicans want to cut back subsidies to help people pay for health insurance. | The Republicans want to cut back subsidies to help people pay for health insurance. |
| But the Obama administration, since the election, has been pushing ahead with the final measures to ensure that the health reforms, which extend care to tens of millions more Americans, will be implemented in full by 2014. | But the Obama administration, since the election, has been pushing ahead with the final measures to ensure that the health reforms, which extend care to tens of millions more Americans, will be implemented in full by 2014. |
| Obama has repeatedly said he views the health reforms as eventually contributing to a reduction in care costs. | Obama has repeatedly said he views the health reforms as eventually contributing to a reduction in care costs. |
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