the white house you get close. they say it lacks detail. doon pfeiffer says it does not say which loopholes they would close or savings they would achieve. if the president is rejecting this middle ground offer it is his obligation to present a plan that can pass both chambers of congress. are we at a stalemate who offers something next? house republicans said theirs mirrors one proposed by erskine bowles, the democratic chair of the fiscal position. bowles shot down that suggestion. while i m flattered the speaker would call something the bowles plan, the approach outlined in the letter speaker boehner sent to the president does not represent the simpson bowles plan nor is it the bowles plan.