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Subscribe to RSSNBC's Domenico Montanaro reports that although some Republicans have changed their tone on a new-no-taxes pledge, they aren't putting tax rate increases on the table.
Some Republicans appear to be softening what was once a hard stance on their no-taxes pledge as the end-of-the-year deadline on the so-called “fiscal cliff” approaches.
But it’s not clear how far they would go – if they would raise rates on the wealthiest, as President Obama wants, or if they are simply willing to go along with eliminating some loopholes and deductions to raise revenue. And those who have been outspoken on the topic thus far are not seen as the key players in the ongoing negotiations.
Alex Wong / Getty Images
Select Committee on Intelligence ranking member Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) gets on the Senate subway as he leaves after a hearing on the Benghazi attack November 16, 2012 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.
“I care more about my country than I do about a 20-year-old pledge,” Sen. Saxby Chambliss of Georgia told a local TV station from his home state. “If we do it his way then we’ll continue in debt, and I just have a disagreement with him about that.”
Chambliss is one of several congressional Republicans who have indicated they might break with an anti-tax pledge pushed by activist Grover Norquist.
NBC's Chuck Todd tells Savannah Guthrie that House Republicans are stalling a compromise in the "fiscal cliff" debate, unlike the Senate, where members are more keen to strike a compromise.
On the Sunday shows and Monday morning TV, Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Bob Corker (R-TN), as well as Reps. Eric Cantor (R-VA) -- the House minority leader -- and Peter King (R-NY), joined Chambliss in downplaying the “Taxpayer Protection Pledge.” Norquist’s 58-word pledge has been a mainstay in Republican politics since 1986. In 2011, every GOP presidential hopeful, including Mitt Romney (and excluding Jon Huntsman) signed it.
NBC's Domenico Montanaro reports on the increased number of pledges that Republican presidential candidates are being asked to sign in this campaign. One pledge stands apart, a no-new-taxes pledge, whose creator has influenced day-to-day legislation and is vowing to fight any effort to get find revenue in the new congressional supercommittee charged with closing the national debt.
“I agree with Grover — we shouldn’t raise rates,” Graham said on ABC, “but I think Grover is wrong when it comes to we can’t cap deductions and buy down debt.” Graham added, “I will violate the pledge, long story short, for the good of the country, only if Democrats will do entitlement reform.”
Corker told CBS on Monday: “I’m not obligated on the pledge. I made Tennesseans aware, I was just elected, the only thing I’m honoring is the oath I take when I serve, when I’m sworn in this January.”
King, of New York, said on Meet the Press Sunday: “I agree entirely with Saxby Chambliss -- a pledge you signed 20 years ago, 18 years ago, is for that Congress... I think everything should be on the table.”
Norquist, in fact, says the fact that no House Republican has voted for a tax increase in 22 years is directly a product of his pledge. Norquist does not just mandate that lawmakers not vote for tax increases, but also that any bill they sign onto has to be “revenue neutral.”
In other words, cutting deductions and loopholes, for example, would also be out if not offset by further tax cuts. But Republicans and Democrats face an end-of-the-year deadline to try and figure out a way to avert the steep military and domestic spending cuts and taxes going up for everyone when the Bush tax cuts expire at the end of the year.
USA Today's Susan Page, American Bridge 21st Century President Rodell Mollineau, and YG Action Fund Senior Adviser Brad Dayspring join Chuck Todd to talk about the impending fiscal cliff.
That some senators appear ready to talk revenue is not as significant as what House members say. It is widely believed that a deal would be struck between the White House and the House GOP, not with the Senate.
House Speaker John Boehner has said that “revenue” is on the table, but the president wants to raise rates for the wealthiest. Obama campaigned on the idea, but it’s not at all clear whether the House Republican rank-and-file would sign on to any rate increase.
Cantor, who wields some influence with the GOP conference’s more conservative members, is seen as more of a keystone, and he, too, seemed willing to go along with at least some revenue increases.
“There has been a lot said about this pledge,” Cantor said on MSNBC’s Morning Joe Monday. “When I go to the constituents, it’s not about that pledge. It’s about trying to solve problems. House Speaker John Boehner went to the White House and said, ‘Hey, Republicans in the House are willing to put revenues on the table.’ That’s a big move.”
House Majority Leader Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va., sits down with Joe Scarborough, Mika Brzezinski, John Heilemann, and Mike Barnicle to talk about Israel, Egypt, the Grover Norquist tax pledge, the future of fiscal cliff negotiations, and why not everything is on the table in tax talks.
“We were elected to fix problems,” Cantor said, before adding, “Even if you raise all those taxes, it doesn’t fix your problem.”
In a follow-up interview, Cantor’s office stressed that he remains against raising tax rates.
“Republicans aren't against tax rate hikes because of any one man or pledge,” spokeswoman Megan Whittemore said. “We are against hiking rates, because they're bad for the economy and hurt jobs. We've put ideas on the table that bring more money in while keeping tax rates where they are to produce job growth. It's now time for President Obama to put his ideas on the table for spending cuts and entitlement reform if he truly embraces a balanced approach.”
For his part, Norquist isn’t backing down. In a statement to NBC News, he took shots at the GOP senators and expressed confidence that no one would violate the pledge.
"Chambliss has been pushing this line since he joined the Gang of Six,” Norquist said. “Lindsey Graham has for two years said he would raise taxes if he got a 10:1 ratio of spending cuts through entitlement reform that could not be undone. There is no news in these two 'changing.'”
And he added, “They have not voted for a tax hike. They have had impure thoughts on present. Their impure thoughts did not change a single GOP vote in the 2011 fight over the debt ceiling which had a real deadline looming. One might have argued that the pledge died in 1990 when a sitting president and many in House leadership broke the pledge. However, the opposite happened, the pledge became more powerful when breaking it was seen to have very real consequence in 1992. After the 1994 election a majority of the House and Senate had signed the pledge."
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I think it's crazy to think that keeping the tax breaks for the wealthy will some how stimulate the economy. These are the same people that have lay-ed off thousands of people before taking a pay cut for themselves. The people that make 16 million a year that decide to fire 500 people before they will make 15 million a year. Let the tax cuts expire and then reinstate the breaks for the middle class and let the GOP try to explain why they won't.
According to Obama millions of jobs have been created since he took office. That shows that the wealthy have been doing some hiring.
They should be talking about a national wealth tax. 5% on everything above $1Million, 10% if the money is in an overseas account. And remove the cap on Social Security and Medicare taxes.
"And remove the cap on Social Security and Medicare taxes."
This is something I have been advocating for several years. Reduce the overall rate, thereby giving most workers a tax cut, but get rid of the cap, so those making $500,000. $1,000,000., etc are paying towards the funds that help those that need it. This makes more sense than just saying raise their taxes.
Raise the taxes where they will do benefit. (although the government would probably squander this additional revenue stream as well).
the republicans are just lying. they are saying what the fools want to hear. watch what they do, not what they say. most of them have gone to the dark side (we have been having star wars reruns this last week, sorry). they still think americans are dummmm and will say anything. watch them carefully during these negotiations om the infamous cliff. they do not care about the majority of americans. we need a new second party that does not invlove the current repubs.
Not "lying", laying in wait.
And it won't take much longer.
Obama has no restraints anymore.
He cannot be re-elected.
WATCH the purse strings open.
But this time, it will be from the stitching on the bottom.
Conservatives have to give in a little to keep things afloat for four more years until we are back in power.
Otherwise, there will be nothing left for us to re-build after all of the liberal spending going on today.
The Republicans party spine has been replaced by a yellow streak! Why don't they all just give in and declare themselves democrats!
Does the taxes going up on 2% of the rich even apply to you? It sure seems that there are allot of millionaires on here.
Because they are smarter than democrats.
And because they are waiting for America to wake up.
We thought it would only take four years for the dumbing down to go away.
On that, we were wrong.
And that says a lot about where our nation is headed.
Down the slacker path.
LexGuy:
The Republican's are useless.
I, and almost half the country looked to them to protect our nation from the liberal parasitic TAKERS", and bring sanity, and responsibility back to our government. They failed --- TWICE. The second time after four years of liberal fiscal mismanagement. The highest unemployment in thirty years. A foreign policy that weakened our country, and got people killed. An immigration policy that is nothing short of bribery. An unrivalled growth in government taxation, and regulations that have been chasing people, and their businesses out of the country for the last four years. Not to mention an "environmental policy" that virtually declared war on businesses.
If the Republicans couldn't get rid of an administration that displayed this level of ineptitude, or downright hostility toward our nation THEY ARE USELESS.
Like it or not the inmates are running the assylum because the doctors are drunk, high, asleep, or comatose.
Seems that the rich who feel entitled to pay less then the rest of Americans are the slackers. You want to talk about dumb. How about the voters who voted for Romney who followed blindly a man who, from all reputable sources would have done away with their deductions while further cutting what the 2% pay in taxes. That sounds pretty dumb to me.
The January first cliff is not a cliff at all. It is more like a slope. Just because you cut the amount of money for the year does not mean that department heads need to cut expenditures immediately. They can continue right at the same pace until the money runs out. Then and only then do we have a cliff.
LL
Only thing wrong with your comment is that automatic spending cuts go into effect for defense contractors, who are (by law) supposed to notify their employees 60 (or 90....cant remember) days in advance in writing of any potential layoffs.
CBO said going off fiscal cliff would cost over 700,000 jobs from initial impact, with the spiral continuing downward.
I agree, but there are consequences, even to going down a slope. Our economy, as well as the world economy, clearly doesn't need the negative consequences of either a cliff or slope.
Git 'er done.
My point was it will not be a disaster on January second. We will not have fallen off a cliff. Get it??
Who the hell is Norquist anyway???? Talking about repubs moving away from their pledge to him makes them sound like a cult.....the only pledges they should make are to their constituents and to their country.
ahhhh the party of NO? maybe? and who the hell is grover norquist that so many of the party of NO have revered for 20 years? absolutly a bunch of traitors
Instead of pledging allegiance to some individual with an agenda, the House Republicans should fulfill their Oath of Office:
"...and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter..."
Grover Norquist has no right to circumvent our democratic process. He should be tared and feathered and run out of town. He represents the corrupt minority...
Is Norquest an elected official? No! To heck with his fake, payed off opinions. This Congress needs to work for America and its best interest. Period.
I'm in that 2% ( somehow I'm the bad guy). Graduated high school, joined the Marines - went to night school while working and taking care of a wife and two children, obtained my undergrad, and master degree currently finishing my Ph.d all while working full time ( no student loans the companies I worked for help pay for my education) and I'm the bad guy? how did I become the bad guy? if my taxes get raised then only thing that happens is that I spend less in the private economy i.e. dining out, transportation etc.. which means that when my fellow 2% and I provide less demand there will be less need for jobs that support those goods and services. Yet I'm still struggling how I became the bad guy - I thought I was doing what every American should be doing working and striving for the American dream. My kids are watching and they are saying it's not worth the effort and sweat to do all that and to get on so sort of government support program and enjoy - the American dream is becoming a myth - what a shame.
Thank you for your service, and you should not be made to be the bad guy for seeking, and achieving the American dream. I agree that the American dream is becoming exactly that...an unachievable dream which is sad.
Lambo - If you're in the two percent and "struggling" you've done something wrong. Struggling is putting food on the table and keeping the roof over your head from being foreclosed on. Is that really you? Nobody said you were a bad guy BTW, just that you might be able to afford to help the "struggling" a little more.
I assume you are living quite comfortably. No, you are not the bad guy by any means, but exactly how much wealth do you actually need? Instead of dining out every night, maybe you could cut down to 4 nights a week. That would surely be doing your part as a "job creator".
Lambo- Thats bolonga. Your not dining out is nothing to any of us. And, you will still spend. So, don't run that stuff. And, you might want a spelling lesson or two, Mr. PhD.
No one has said you are the bad guy. All any Democrat has said is they want you to begin paying your fair share to support our government. Your spending less will be made up by the capital gains rate that you pay on your investments versus the middle class' income rate. So moan and groan to other 2 percenters. Your spending (buying more stocks in the stock market) does less to support the economy that your fellow conservatives shout and scream. It is all a myth. You already have more discretionary income than some poorer people have total income. Before you declare all those who are poor as underacheivers remember even you can be put in this category if you or a member of your family is struck by a catastrophic ilnees
Apparently everyone wants nothing but a bunch of Walmart's for all of our needs - say goodbye to those that try to provide reals jobs and say hello to all of the big corporations who only use part time employees. You can now work 3 jobs to support your family with no benefits.
WTF. why is it the responsibility for those that work hard to better themselves and their families to take care of those that dont or cant.
If this was truly for those that were not able to, that is one thing, but there are those that abuse the system and milk it for everything they can. These are the people that give the overal system the bad reputation and make people like myself reluctant to keep pouring money into it.
When I was in college, I did an internship with the department of social services in my state (I have a minor in Sociology), and was appauled at a lot of what I saw. There were families that could not get the support they truly needed because there were other families / people that were soaking off the system, having more children with different mothers / fathers so they would get more assistance, then spending the assistance on jewelry / drugs / alcohol, and clothes instead of putting more or better food on the table for their children. You know what we could do about it? Absolutely nothing which was disheartening to say the least.
As a result, their children grew up learning it was okay and correct to live off and milk the system, which sets a dangerous pattern for children, who then start the vicious cycle over and over again. Once in the cycle it is extremely difficult to break the pattern.
You're the bad guy because you worked hard for what you have and in this day and age it isn't fair to those with less drive than you and the ones that don't want to work to not have what you do. BTW... I too work hard for what I have and sorry to those out there that think I should give half my income to them.....
politicoguy,
Your declaration that people who abuse the system is why you do not want to support those who cannot help themselves is pathetic.
politicoguy - As I've mentioned in previous posts I am around the 1% all the time in my line of work. They and their offspring are the biggest abusers of the system imaginable. I don't begrudge them their money per se. I just can't abide all the hypocrisy when they whine about poor people taking advantage of the system. All the abuse that goes on at the low end of the system, and I agree there is some, is nothing compared to the scamming that goes on at the other end. The game is rigged, much as it always has been. Just stop trying to make out like you're suffering. Shut up and go enjoy your millions and billions. Leave our democracy alone.
Lambo,
You're not "the bad guy" or even a bad guy, in fact, you sound like one hell of a guy! Having said that, the no-tax program pushed by Republicans and the Tea Party over the years has never worked for this country. And consider this: My wife and I spent 15 years building a company from scratch. The banks would not give us a loan when we could have really used it; on the other hand, those same banks were more than willing to give loans to those who did not need them. After 15 years of blood, sweat and tears, we finally started making a decent profit - and for the first time were able to pay ourselves a decent wage - just in time to see it all destroyed. Let me repeat that: A well-run, profitable company was destroyed - along with my job, my wife's job and the jobs of thirty employees. So, when I hear people bitching about having to pay taxes, just remember, people like me paid a hell of a lot more with the loss of our company and income than most people will ever pay in taxes in their lifetime (and don't forget the taxes we paid while still employed and in business - business taxes, personal taxes and unemployment taxes and the personal taxes our employees paid).
I should be a multi-millionaire a you read this post. All I have to show for 15 years of toil is a car and a mortgage - and I'm damn lucky to have that considering that the very bank I depended on was part of the corruption that brought down our economy. In fact, I conveyed this fact to our banker and I pointed out that his bank received bailout money. Was I bailed out - hell no! My wife and I had to fight our way into business and when things went to hell, we had to fight our way out just to save the clothing on our backs. So, don't take it personally when I have no sympathy for those who still have a decent income and have to pay some taxes. Again, you're not a bad guy but you are a guy who still has a decent income. And I'm proud of you for that and all that you have achieved, however, I have no sympathy for your stance on taxes...
Get rid of the Fed and you get rid of the debt.
It's not that simple.
LL
You do realise the Fed is the military, right? That by getting rid of it instead of fixing it our country would fall and the elderly would be put on the street to starve? Never mind you probably don't care.
Re-Elect Obama - Who says the rich do not create jobs - everbody forgets about all of the non-profits that benefit from the wealthy. The $25 you may or may not send to your favorite charity doesn't do a whole lot. Non-profits need the big bucks to keep going and I'm telling you it's the wealthy that make sure we are around year after year. I for one do not want to be in that unemployment line.
The wealthy give for PR reasons.
But it's kept me with a job for 14 years so I really don't care what the reason is.
Grover Norquist is a LOBBYIST !!!! Nuf said....
take every penny of income from the people who earn 250 thou or more. You will find out it doesn't do diddly to our defeceit. You may as well go to the people making 50 thou or more and take all their money. I'm for it. really. who gives a rats rear end. The non working blood suckers in this country are like cockroaches. They'll be the only ones left. But you know what? It will be too late for them by that time too. Welcome to obamaeconomics
I agree. and ask a Dem to explain the math and all you'll get is you're a racist
lebster:
That's right. Let the Democrats do what they want. They won the election right? All the Young, unmarried, female Dallas CowBama Chearleaders, LatinObama's, and AfrObama Americans put him, and the Democrats back in power. They're running the country now so give them what they want. All you Conservatives just step aside, and let them have at it.
Obama claims he has a mandate to raise taxes; so let him. Let him take as much as he wants. Let them increase the top tax rate from 35% to 95%. It won't matter. Even if he takes it all he still won't get enough to pay down the debt, and continue running the government as it stands today.
As for spending; let them spend. In addition to Food Stamps, Government housing, Heat, energy subsidies, and Obamaphones his supporters should also each get an Obamacar with free lifetime maintenance, and gasoline to run it. The poor dears deserve it don't they? BMW's for everyone! And there are lots, and lots of poorly managed companies all over the world that would just LOVE to have Obama give them more Billions of our money to "INVEST" in them prior to their failure.
Also let them increase the debt ceiling from it's current 14.3 Trillion to 20 -- No 50 Trillion. Oh Heck make it 500 Trillion. That should keep Obama, and the Democrats from running out of money for about six months. Don't worry; the Chinese will pick up the slack. All we have to do is sign over what little the Chinese don't already own. And pay no attention to all those price increases at the supermarket, and elsewhere. That's not "Inflation"; because your income is not rising to keep pace.
www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm
And let the Democrats regulate all they want. After all we aren't running businesses out of the country fast enough. Are we? No, I'm sure we can do it faster. We just need to get out of the Democrats way. And by the way ignore all the unemployed, and those people, and businesses that are expatriating taking their wealth, and tax revenue to other countries. Don't worry. We can borrow that money from the Chinese. Untill they lose confidence in us (Which shouldn't take long).
www.msnbc.msn.com/id/48118502/ns/business-personal_finance/t/socialite-dumps-us-passport-most-taxes-too
That's what they wanted. Thats what they worked for. Thats what they campaigned for. Thats what they voted for. And that's what they deserve. What they WON'T get is sympathy. I save that for those of us who knew better, but will be forced to suffer through this anyway.
One bright spot is that they won't be able to blame the resulting destruction of our nation, and it's economy on George Bush. Or maybe they will. They're pretty clever that way.
So sit back, relax, hand over all your money, rights, and freedoms. Grab a beer, and some popcorn. And watch the show.
With the huge increase in unemployment claims, to include many long terms, Poverty reaching an all-time high, the Dow falling below 13,000 and continuing to drop
Companies closing and letting people go by the thousands
Lebster
If the government took all the money from those making $250,000 or more a year they still would not have enough money to run the Federal government at current spending levels for more than 9 months.
And your point is? The drastic cuts that would be needed to bring back a balanced budget would sink the economy. So neither option by itself is viable. That is why PRESIDENT Obama has pledged a balanced approach. Now do you get it???
LL
Election is over!!!! Come January, 11 fewer tea party backed House Republicans gone More women and many new faces.. half of the incoming 12 senate freshmen of both parties are moderates. Leaving the parties more polarized. Let's hope our Congress can work together passing the bills Americans need.
The Geriatric Old Party better get off their high horses and do the peoples business. Not what you 'feel'; not what your 'conscience tells you''; NOT what your 'faith' tells you;
You should do what the PEOPLE tell you, since the money is coming our of OUR pockets.
Geriatric Obstructionist Party with a TP chaser. I just hope they come to their senses ( assuming they have any) before it's too late.
lets see the other side compromise now...... I wont hold my breath
PRAVDA and newspapers in Italy, Spain, France, Hong Kong, Australia report:
"President Obama has been re-elected by a mostly illiterate voting block (democratic party). They lack modern education and job skills, therefore voting to keep entitlements alive, even to the detriment of their own educations. For example: President Obama's children attend private school, while he simultaneously attempts to shoot down the educational voucher system in Washington, D.C." They go on to say we are the new left communist party- not them.
.
Raise tax rates as high as you want...the Government is still going to spend every dime of it plus a trillion dollars more every flippin year!
Any member of Congress who signs a pledge with a lobbyist to do anything is not fit to serve. Signing a pledge with a lobbyist is the antithesis of representative democracy, especially if the lobbyist is not a constituent. Members of Congress are free to vote however they choose, and the voters in their state or district have the power to vote them out of office if they so decide. Signing a pledge that you will vote one way or another on any issue that we face, is an absolute cop out and the members of either party who sign such a pledge should resign as they are obviously unfit to govern.
Hey folks - you are missing the point I came from lower middle class family - while in the service and initial jobs we survived on cheese and macaroni and eggs, (no food stamps) and barly kept the lights on - but we didn't look for a hand out from government - If I had to work two or three jobs that's what I did. I didn't blame those that were successful, I wanted to be like them and it came from hard work and perseverance. What really scares me is that my kids now see that government hands outs are the answer not hard work and diligence. Well who then pays for the hands outs if every ones hand is out?
Maybe you should taught your kids better.
Lambo - maybe people making even less than you did at that time in your life, can't even afford a box of mac & cheese. Do you really think everyone getting some type of assistance wants to be in that situation? Do you think that kids really believe that the government is going to "hand out" so they can survive?
Ok Congress you want the tax payers to give and give, let's see you reduce your pay, do away with all your freebies, stop taken aautomatic annual payraise and do away wtih full retirement after one term. We have to work until age 65 to get our retirement, you should have to do the same. O yea, do away with your health care so you can go under obama care like the rest of AMERICA. If congress gives up their benefits, think of the dollars we can save. It going to be a long 4 years.
Unfortunately the internet, TV news and social media is taking it toll on parenting. Hopfully they see hard work and dillegence by their parents example as they way to go but when you have a bulls eye on you as the ones who have created the problem in this country - its a losing battle.
The leftards think the conservatives have lost, when in fact they have just re-arranged priorities. Their investments have been relocated to pay less taxes, fired most/many of their employees (affecting demotards), not going to be building a house or buying a car, stay pat for the next four years. The demotards always forget who carries the water, and it ain't them. When their is no water....