Obama, White House Eye ‘Cliff Dive’

After Private WH Meeting, Liberal Leaders ‘Came Away Convinced That The White House Would Ultimately Prove Willing To Go Over The Fiscal Cliff’

Liberal Leaders ‘Pleased With What They Heard’ At White House

“I’m told that representatives of major unions and progressive groups met privately this morning with senior Obama administration officials at the White House — and were pleased with what they heard.” (“Reasons To Be Encouraged About Fiscal Cliff’s Endgame,” The Washington Post’s ‘The Plum Line’ Blog, 11/27/12)

• “Indeed, one person at the meeting — which included people from the AFLCIO, AFSCME, SEIU, MoveOn and others — came away convinced that the White House would ultimately prove willing to go over the fiscal cliff if necessary, rather than give ground on core demands...” (“Reasons To Be Encouraged About Fiscal Cliff’s Endgame,” The Washington Post’s ‘The Plum Line’ Blog, 11/27/12)
• “The attendee tells me the White House … ‘They feel confident that they don’t have to compromise.’” (“Reasons To Be Encouraged About Fiscal Cliff’s Endgame,” The Washington Post’s ‘The Plum Line’ Blog, 11/27/12)
• AFL-CIO PRESIDENT RICHARD TRUMKA: “There is no fiscal cliff! What we’re facing is an obstacle course within a manufactured crisis…” (Remarks, National Mediation Board Conference, 11/15/12)

“A Democratic source close to the negotiations said that the White House ‘definitely’ sees running out the clock as to its advantage…” (“Obama Tries To Corner GOP Over Tax Rates.” The Hill, 11/27/12)

‘Rallying Cry For Liberal Democrats In Congress: Going Off The Fiscal Cliff’

“It’s the rallying cry for liberal Democrats in Congress: going off the fiscal cliff is a better option than reluctantly accepting a deal that goes too lightly on revenues or too hard on entitlements.” (“Cliff Dive Doesn't Appeal To White House,” Politico, 11/26/12)

“Democrats are pushing an unorthodox idea for coping with the ‘fiscal cliff’: Let the government go over… to give their party more bargaining leverage for changes later on.” (“Lawmakers Suggest a ‘Cliff’ Dive,” AP, 11/14/12)

“A growing bloc of emboldened liberals say they’re not afraid to watch defense spending get gouged and taxes go up on every American if a budget deal doesn’t satisfy their priorities." (“Fiscal Cliff: Will They Jump?” Politico, 11/25/12)

Q: “You believe that's a viable option, going over the cliff?” … SEN. PATTY MURRAY (D-WA): “Yes.” (MSNBC, 11/14/12)

• “Still, Murray isn’t backing down from her contention that going off the cliff is better than taking a deal that is seen as lacking.” (“Cliff Dive Doesn't Appeal To White House,” Politico, 11/26/12)
• SEN. PATTY MURRAY (D-WA): “…our country is going to have to face the consequences…” (Sen. Murray, Remarks At The Brookings Institute, 7/16/12)

HOWARD DEAN: “Maybe 700,000 people would lose their jobs. That is a tough price to pay. But what you'd get out of it is the deficit problem is significantly altered. … I think let's just go over the fiscal cliff. Let's -- everybody's going to bite the bullet.” (CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” 7/23/12)

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