Washington political reporters on Thursday tweeted defenses of the White House’s opening proposal in the fiscal cliff negotiations with House Republicans.
The proposal, described by The New York Times as “loaded with Democratic priorities and short on detailed spending cuts,” included $1.6 trillion in tax increases over the next decade in exchange for $400 billion in savings from entitlement programs, including Medicare.
The potential cuts would not be guaranteed and would have to be worked out during the next Congress in 2013, according to the Times story published Thursday evening. (RELATED: Obama aides dismiss compromise with GOP on tax hikes)
As conservative observers followed Republican lawmakers in dismissing the proposal, which was delivered to Capitol Hill by Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner earlier in the day, political reporters and editors sprang to the White House’s defense.
Among those journalists were Talking Points Memo’s Brian Beutler, Politico’s Marty Kady, Slate’s Dave Weigel, The Washington Post’s Zachary Goldfarb and the Daily’s Dan Hirschhorn.
Everyone on Twitter is flabbergasted, but there’s nothing really new in Geithner’s proposal.
— Talking Points Memo’s Brian Beutler (@brianbeutler) November 29, 2012
President Obama, having won re-election, is asking for passage of the policies he campaigned on.
— The Washington Post’s Zachary A. Goldfarb (@Goldfarb) November 29, 2012
The fiscal cliff proposal we should take seriously is whatever we see on 12/17. That gives week of debate both chambers, passage before Xmas
— Politico’s Marty Kady (@mkady) November 29, 2012
Obama being undemocratic by not capitulating immediately, resigning.
— The Huffington Post’s Peter Finocchiaro (@PLFino) November 29, 2012
My negotiating tactic is usually to hold firm for about one minute and then apologize, because I am the worst.
— The Huffington Post’s Elise Foley (@elisefoley) November 29, 2012
You know who else made tough opening bids in heated negotiations?
— Slate’s daveweigel (@daveweigel) November 29, 2012
methink Obama may have learned a thing or two about the art of negotiation
— The Daily’s Dan Hirschhorn (@DanTheDaily) November 29, 2012
“So It took White House 3 weeks to submit a completely ludicrous opening offer? Why? Be nice to see reporters question rather than explain,” tweeted GOP spokesman Brad Dayspring.