Update: GOP Insider Claims No Deal; Says Democrats Are Claiming A Deal In Order To Accuse Republicans of Backing Out and Shutting Down The Government

You know, as a first thing, I think all of this government-shutdown stuff is mostly bark and no bite. 75% of federal employees will keep working and all the essential stuff (entitlement checks, military, pretty much everything except park rangers and other third-order stuff) keeps going. Resulting in savings during such a spell.

But as a second thing, a GOP insider says the "deal" is a lie.

“They are setting us up by saying there is a deal,” the source says, “so when there isn’t one by 4/8, they can claim they had a deal but we backed out.”

And the GOP has actually been saying that for at least a day, probably more than that. In an article published yesterday, Eric Cantor signaled that this talk of a deal was apparently only going on on the Democrat side of the aisle:

“Time is up here,” said the Virginia Republican, telling reporters that a short-term continuing resolution “without a long-term commitment is unacceptable” and that the leadership must push for the full $61 billion in spending cuts approved by the House last month.

“That is the House position. That is what we are driving for,” Cantor said. When asked specifically about a potential compromise framework that would restore about $26 billion of the House cuts, Cantor said he had no knowledge of those discussions from fellow Republicans.

“I have not been told by both sides that,” Cantor said. “So that is what I am saying. There is a difference in my knowledge base.”

Boehner's comments seem consistent with that:

Regarding the ongoing negotiations, the speaker said: “There are a lot of numbers that have been discussed and thrown around. The fact is there is not an agreement on a number and, secondly, nothing’s agreed to until everything’s agreed to.”

Yes, Boehner is talking a lower number (who knows what) but, he says, he hasn't agreed to anything.

Bear in mind that it takes two sources to confirm a story -- even if both of those sources are on the same team and can create a political advantage for themselves by claiming, falsely, a deal has been struck and it's the other side that's walking away from an honorably-negotiated contract.

I'm guessing that the media's sources for this deal are the Democrats they just love talking to. About movies, cute boys, how True Blood totally pwns Twillight... all sorts of things, gabbing and gabbing all night long.

posted by Ace at 11:09 AM

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