Inside the Epic Political Battle Over the Debt Ceiling in 2012 (documentary) | FRONTLINE 

I fear the loss of this level of journalism.

Best program in the US. So glad we have this.

Politicians treating humans like pawns… shocking

1:13: 📉 The 2010 midterm elections resulted in a significant loss for the Democratic party, leading to a change in power in Congress and a new class of Republican freshmen with a mission to change Washington. 5:07: 📜 House Republicans in the 112th Congress strategized to oppose President Obama's agenda, with Eric Cantor leading the charge. 11:42: 😱 The president's speech on fiscal policy becomes a direct assault on Paul Ryan's budget proposal, causing outrage among Republicans. 16:23: 😮 President Obama and Speaker Boehner secretly meet to discuss a grand bargain to address the debt ceiling and government size, with Boehner willing to offer an increase in tax revenue. 22:47: 💥 Negotiations for a grand bargain on the debt crisis hit a roadblock when Eric Cantor disagreed with the president and walked out of a meeting. 27:16: 😡 Speaker Boehner walks away from a potential deal with President Obama, causing anger and frustration. 32:19: 😔 The Republican party fails to reach a deal on the debt ceiling, leading to a fiscal cliff and their defeat in the 2012 election. 39:25: 📉 Boehner offers new tax revenue in a deal, but Obama demands more concessions. 43:07: 😔 Negotiations between House Speaker John Boehner and President Obama to avert the fiscal cliff quickly soured, leading Boehner to conclude that the negotiations were going nowhere and to pursue a different strategy. 49:14: 😔 Despite attempts at negotiation and compromise, the fiscal problems in Washington remain unsolved and the government is facing imminent deadlines on mandatory cutbacks, keeping the government running, and another debt ceiling vote. Recap by Tammy AI

This documentary was one of the most balanced and truthful and honest i have ever seen, nice job Frontline 👌🌹

I don’t know what makes me revisit these old political episodes from Frontline. They are so fascinating for reasons I can’t explain.

Great documentary. Thank you, Frontline. Can't believe this video was 10 years ago.

The documentary shows a very sad aspect about elected politicians that are riving each other in a personal and party level , and not making decisions for the good of the people and country.

I remember living through this and thinking it was madness. We have lived through much greater madness since.

Haha "Eric Cantor is playing for the future, he wants to be speaker of the house". Eric Cantor, one year later: *Becomes first house majority leader to lose his primary*

PBS documentary are always fair , balanced , objective and honest .

Who knew it would get so much worse? Boehner had a pretty good idea about what was coming; Cantor did not.

Looks like history going to repeat itself in 2023.

These documentary are gonna be record keepers

Very well done Frontline. This is the content I crave.

We have to go over this again 😢

I have to say that was pretty good. Awesome work.

I do not get the idea behind it. Once you buy something you need to pay the credit card. The same people who refused raising the ceiling were the ones who also voted for the spending that led to the need to raise the same ceiling.

Honest and well prepared journalism as always, another great one from frontline. I appreciate the background of all the drama we have witnessed over the past ten years.

Another Frontline masterpiece. *Will Lyman* is a national treasure!

Of the “young guns” only one remains. Unbelievably fast breakdown of a group.

Frontline delivering again. I put this on in the background while doing chores. Good stuff.

The reason this deal was on table because we must understand the midterms 2010.

Paul Ryan is offended when poor people are considered.

This is awesome. Please re-release all your political documentaries

Its kind of funny looking back at the political fights when 400 billion is a drop in the bucket to what they're spending now.

Holy shit - I’m watching this going “omfg I remember this - most of these guys are gone! We got fkn robbed - they farted and ran off”

Great documentary! 10/10.

The pov of Boehner here is just amazing. I was in college when this was going on. It really is mind-blowing the treachery of both parties.

Entitlement cuts are absurd. The social security act was to provide a living for people who can not earn a living. The minimum wage act was enforced correctly locally to have every job paid as living local. If you cut entitlement you are depriving disabled people food and shelter and elderly people food and shelter. This cut could be prosecuted as a crime against the people of the USA. A harmful reduction in spending that deliberately harmful is a crime.

Excellent, balanced documentary.

9:33. Pretty ironic that paul ryan quit public service to work in the private sector. Real altruistic.

We just gonna ignore Biden and McConnell saving the day twice at the last minute? While temporary and imperfect, I gotta admit that was so clutch.

Frontline at it again. This guys are the best📈

Watching this in April 2023 to prep for another round XD

This was captivating!

I thought Supreme Revenge Supreme Court is one of the best politica documentaries I'd ever seen. It should be shown to every High School student in History/Government class. It explains exactly why Merrick Garland is so shady and why Confirmation Hearings are so full of question avoidance. This one is pretty good, as well. These political documentaries from PBS are top notch.

This episode really gives the 2010s feelings from the namecard soundbite to editing.

Watching this after McCarthy gets ousted from House Speaker is the funniest thing 😂

Remember when this was the biggest problem the county faced??

Thanks Frontline .....CHANGE IS AT HAND ....business as usual in DC for both parties is going to get a BIG SURPRISE 😮

Paul Ryan is a forgotten worm now but the disastrous tax bill he helped create is never going away

At a buffet, I personally sneak corn into the buffet so others can enjoy them. I hide 6 boiled corn ears in my jacket pockets. It is a joy for me to see other patrons of the establishment eat my corn thinking they were part of the buffet.

Thanks Frontline PBS

Boehner was the old school Republican. Tea party was a cancer.

Imagine if John had just stuck with the people who caucused with him.

The existence of the debt ceiling to begin with is a fucking joke.

Make an updated retirement gamble episode!

I am hooked now I love this show all the things I learned now so educational to me

We never fully recovered and Larry Fink is already set to cut the US loose too... This is going to get messy and deadly... Especially to people like me and I'm already practically on death's door as it is... Well at least I won't have to suffer much longer...

Frontline Narrator: “…And even now, in 2023. It could ALL be solved overnight if Republicans would just TAX THE WEALTHY THEIR FAIR SHARE!!!” Imagine if we lived in that world (again), America. Can you imagine?

Once upon a time, the US was a decent country.

Mike Wiser is a great narrator.

Come here because Kevin McCarthy winner speaker to night 🤣

Man, I'm so glad Congress learned their lesson and stopped all that brinksmanship. If they'd continued like that they'd surely have doomed our country. We were starting to look like a failed state... glad we grew up at last.

Glad this is a balanced doc, Frontline puts blame on both sides and rightfully so. Both sides failed at critical moments and were playing politics. No matter who is sent to DC they’ll always become a politician

Ahhh the good old days.

And here we are again

Another Frontline doc to look forward to

Every election is the new "Most important election of our lifetime!"

I have searched for past The Choice (2004, 2000, amd prior) on your app, Prime, and youtube... PLEASE make available!

Will there be a follow up on this episode?

The path of prosperity?

You don't default. You pay the interest and spend what is left. This is the constitution of the USA.

This just show they wasn’t for the people it’s more personal to them they are playing with people livelihood. I Remember this & just thought they thought it was a game

"The Calvary has arrived" at the very beginning is a cute Freudianh slip.

Let's not be so quick to beatify these guys with the courage to stop the poison pill they put in place ...

I feel like I’m living through Groundhog Day.

Frontline does investigative journalism and documentaries like the Brits do pageantry. Always unparalleled. Simply no equal.

This extraordinary management and political ideology clash with superior negotiate technique This is hard for brain Hard for great quality statesmanship

41:10 That's the golden quote. What side are you on? Fairness or paid politics?

History is repeating itself

"Someone" told the former speaker to sit down.

Isn't the "debt ceiling" debate back in the News in November? Sometimes I think Humans are too self-destructive.

Now we just print money like Crack heads

FRONTLINE! 👍🏻🇺🇲 ONE OF THE BEST SHOWS ON. IF YOUR TURNED ON?

Raising the debt ceiling is a direct violation of the constitution of the USA. The purpose of the balanced budget amendment was to force the paying the interest payment first and limit the spending to the revenue incoming. Congress is refusing to manage the country 's finances normal.

Back when PBS made documentaries. Excellent

Frontline has changed.

Intelligence, humbleness, humanity, well-spoken. How we miss you, mr. President.

The debt ceiling is an absurd notion. We decided on an amendment to the constitution to require the temps we elected to only spend as much the taxes are collected. There is not supposed to be a dollar of debt without impeachment.

32:05 you broke the agreement first isn’t it and then you want more money😂

And what is the current fight over, the debt limit?

Best journalism on tv. You can not get better and most honest and intelligent programing. Maybe that's why Republicans hate it. It's the truth.

The Young Guns 😂😂😂😂😂

Finally middle of the road.

Excellent videos from Frontline . Thank ýou. Both sides are completely corrupt. Greed.❤️

Young Guns is some peak cringe

Hey I’ve seen this one before!

“Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely!” Somebody said it. It’s true!

9:40 haha...just before Trump came in and shook their whole party to the core

And a dignified president called it a "shellacking" and kept moving forward. A man who really lives "Country First."

Who's here after the recent month long Kabuki theater of the 2023 'debt ceiling'? LMAO. The 14th amendment nullifies the concept of a 'debt ceiling' - this shit is insanely stupid.

This is not an endorsement of or agreement with the tactics of the President, but you can't deny the fact that he and the Democrats bent the Republicans over a barrel on this one. I remember watching this as it happened, and it was the general consensus at the time that the fault was largely that of the Republicans. I will say this, though: considering that this was the time of the Congress that featured the likes of Michele Bachmann and Eric Cantor, was there ever any hope for Boehner to succeed?

Is part 2?

Resulted in the US credit rating being downsized , these GOPers have to be voted out

oh how I miss Chris Matthews’ voice. Nobody like him today.

Was this made in 2010 or just looking back and tell the story of 2010?

Epic market theater

'The Calvary has arrived' ? That word gets screwed up often . It is Cavalry.