Senator Chuck Schumer told the Observer today that Speaker of the House John Boehner has “frustrated” President Obama by not compromising more in debt talks, but he thinks the situation will help the President’s chances of reelection.
We talked to Senator Schumer outside the annual Legislative Breakfast hosted by Agudath Israel, one of the country’s most influential organizations of ultraorthodox Jews. Senator Schumer has been outspoken with his opinion that the bipartisan Supercommittee tasked with finding a debt reduction strategy is doomed to fail because Republican lawmakers are steadfastly opposed to generating revenue through tax increases.
“I mean, the bottom line is, I think the President is frustrated because he believes he’s met Speaker Boehner more than halfway and Speaker Boehner isn’t meeting him even part of the way on revenues,” Senator Schumer told the Observer.
If the Supercommittee is unable to agree upon a budget by November 23, it will trigger automatic, across-the-board cuts.
Senator Schumer thinks the American people are becoming just as frustrated with the Republican party as the President–and he expects this will have an effect on poll numbers.
“They’re beginning to sniff that Democrats are willing to meet the Republicans part of the way, but Republicans aren’t budging and that’s moving the numbers more in Democratic directions and more in Obama’s direction,” Senator Schumer said.
We asked Senator Schumer for his opinion on the Republican Presidential candidates and he didn’t seem to worried.
“The more the merrier is all I’ll say,” Senator Schumer said.
