Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan said Thursday that a deal between House Republicans and congressional Democrats is unlikely.
In an interview with Townhall, Mr. Paul said he does not see a path forward, saying Republicans will not concede on raising taxes.
“I don’t think a grand deal will happen. The reason I don’t think a grand deal will happen is because the president is very ideological, and if you believe what he believes — and we believe what we believe, I don’t see how you get to a grand deal,” Mr. Ryan said.
The Wisconsin Republican also noted that he objects to a proposal put forth by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, noting that the proposal has little support and Republicans would face difficulties in building support for the measure.
I’m not a fan of the idea. I understand the merits — the pros and cons — of the idea. It has a fairly cool reception around here. But I want to get as many spending cuts as I can,” Mr. Paul said.
The comment comes as budget talks between House Republicans and President Obama appeared stalled after a contentious meeting Wednesday.
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor told reporters Wednesday that Mr. Obama had called short a Wednesday meeting, expressing frustration over the current state of talks.
With less than a month before an August 2 deadline, congressional lawmakers continue to face pressure to strike a bipartisan deal. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner warned lawmakers against testing the deadline, saying lawmakers must reach a deal before July 22 in order to provide ample time for crafting a bill.
