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Subscribe to RSSRepublicans should not be surprised at the fiscal proposal they received from the White House last night, White House Deputy Press Secretary Josh Earnest said, as President Barack Obama has been highlighting the same position on the campaign trail for the past year.
NBC's Mark Murray and Domenico Montanaro discuss a week that was largely a repeat of past weeks where the conversation continued to swirl around Susan Rice, the Fiscal Cliff and the post-mortem of the 2012 election.
“I was surprised that they were surprised,” Earnest told reporters traveling on Air Force One for the president’s trip to Hatfield, Pa., where he’ll talk about his tax and budget priorities.
Recommended: Obama proposal sends a message to Republicans
Thursday night, Republicans called the White House’s proposal, submitted by Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, “a complete break from reality,” citing the White House’s starting line of $1.6 trillion in additional revenue, which they say is twice as much as what was on the table in 2011.
Earnest said figure reflects the goals of higher taxes on the wealthy that the president articulated on the campaign trail.
“The marker that was presented in the context of the balanced approach deficit reduction the president advocated in the campaign was $1.6 trillion in tax revenue,” he said.
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I'm not surprised. Used to be a program on called "Short Attention Span Theater". Guess that was reintroduced as the GOP House.
The President tried a moderate fair approach last year. The Repubs would not accept it and kept pushing it farther until it fell off the table.
Joe Scarbourough was howling about how far out the President's proposal was. Last year he pounded the President about not knowing how to ask for more than you will settle for in a negotiation.
Make up your mind Joe. Last year you did not like the moderate approach, this year you're complaining about being too far out. Don't be a buffoon. Watch some of your old Morning Joe episodes. Try to stay consistent.
Do you really think a bunch of insults is making your point?
Go back and read up on the last negotiations from 2011 that got us to this point. You will find both sides were stubborn, but the Repubs sent the deal down the drain between the actual deal and the mess they were doing in the house.
Obama is upset that his credit card application got rejected. His idea of compromise is to spend ONLY an extra $50 billion next year....Obama has knocked it down to only that much.
The deficit is dropping now faster than any time in the last 15 years or so. If you tried reading up on these things instead of spreading falsehoods, you'd know that.
It would have been instructive for Mr. Weinberg to include the President's entire proposal. Fortunately, Reuters has performed just such an act of journalism:
The POTUS wants a $1.6 trillion tax increase, a $50 billion stimulus bill, unilateral authority to raise the debt ceiling without Congressional approval, and he wants all discussions on spending cuts or tax reform postponed until next year. Does this sound like a serious proposal to you?
Reason #456 why NBC is not a credible news source.
So what is the alternative for the GOP? They have not proposed anything other than what Romney did...keep the tax cuts (without paying for them) and then think about cutting unspecified loopholes and deductions sometimes next year. Another "Trust me" moment? I think not.
Last week the President wanted "only" the $1.6 trillion tax increase. Republicans responded by saying that they were open to revenue increases (preferably through tax reforms rather than rate increases) and it appeared the two sides were getting close. Now the President comes back with these additional demands. How is the GOP supposed to negotiate with a guy who keeps moving the goal posts?
QUOTE: Republicans called the White House’s proposal, submitted by Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, “a complete break from reality,”
Complete breaks from reality are a Republican specialty these days. Look how "shocked" they were at losing the election, and they lost by a lot.
You don't find it ironic that President Obama is out campaigning for the 1%?
That is if you round up his proposed spending cuts of .85%.
I don't find it surprising because I don't believe it,
When viewed in its entirety the President's proposal is a complete break from reality. See Reuters for more details.
Let me guess.... Reuters connected with the American Heritage Foundation. Your party has lost credibility because history (which we believe more than Faux propaganda) tells us you've lied before. That's why walking your talk would have been a good idea.
Sorry GOP. It's over.
Reuters is a very well respected international news organization that's independently owned and has no connection to the Heritage Foundation (which is what I assume you meant by "American Heritage Foundation"). Their story, which has been verified by other news outlets (including ABC), is based on conversations with several folks who were at the meeting where Treasury Secretary Geithner presented the President's proposal. Sorry if it doesn't fit your world view......
Obama has already passed the LARGEST MIDDLE CLASS TAX INCREASE in US history. It's called OBAMACARE.
I can't wait to hear all the crying when people figure out THEY have to BUY INSURANCE now.
BTW:
The young, healthy, hard working will pay higher rates so those that don't give a crap, take drugs, and refuse a job can get the exact same treatment you do, and they don't have to pay for it.
It's all good, you don't need those things anyway. Government knows what's best for you.
Obama reduced taxes 18 times on small businesses and individuals. Most of the cost of the stimulus was in tax cuts and tax breaks. The big argument now is the marginal tax rate for those making above $250K. The first $250K is taxed at a lower rate, anything above at the new rate. Unless you make over $250K, you ain't got a dog in this fight.
Is "Voice of Reason" the name of an individual person, or is it the name of a computer at a Republican propaganda center which is manned by several people over the course of the day?
LOL, I'm flattered.
Sorry, just someone that believes in logical thought.
Not only does the President believe his election gives him a mandate for his tax proposals, but each and every member of Congress feels that their election gives them a mandate for their position, too. Unless there is some willingness to compromise, what can be accomplished? Well, for one thing, the Bush tax cuts will expire, if nothing else is done, there will be reductions both in the deficit and in economic growth. And no one knows what else may occur due to the sequester Congress created this year when it "punted" rather than compromise.
That is hardly satisfactory, considering all the problems we face. Unless Congress mends it's ways, we face another debt ceiling crisis. A Congressional stonewall here will, in all likelihood, have serious, if not devastating, consequences.
And, more and more, we are paying the price for our failure to update or even adequately maintain our infrastructure. In the 30s and 40s, in the throes of the great depression, we put millions of the unemployed to work on government projects that we've enjoyed ever since: improvements to our national parks, court houses, post offices and countless other government facilities. We built the TVA system and Hoover and other major dams and hydroelectric power generating plants and the REA. The Golden Gate Bridge, among others, was built during these times. The Dept. of Agriculture introduced terracing and other soil conservation techniques and, combined with putting marginal farmland back into grasslands, helped end the terrible erosion of the Dust Bowl. In the 50s and 60s we built the Interstate Highway System. But since then we've neglected our infrastructure and thousands of bridges are becoming obsolete and unsafe.
But we need to do more than just catch up on paving and bridge replacement: We need desperately to upgrade our electric grid. Until we do, we not only risk massive outages, but we make it difficult if not impossible to maximize the investments we need to make in solar and wind power generation.
Another example of our neglectfulness is in the internet: we invented it, but now we rank only 37th in the world in both speed and availability.
Our policy of contempt for government, carefully cultivated by those whose motivation is their own aversion to taxation, is crippling our country and, if we are to compete successfully in this century, we need to return to the understanding that government has a necessary and positive role to play in our lives: and we need to accept that we must pay for it.
Tried the Republican way for 30 years. It didn't work. The rich didn't share their money. Now we're trying something else. It's not a matter of subtle political theories.
If Republicans were smart they would give Obama everything he wants and then some. His plan will inevitably take the economy down and he will have to live with that along with all those who voted for him. If they precipite the "fiscal clift" they will be held responsible for the next recession.
Same thing the GOP said about the Clinton tax increases....and the US thrived. That is something the GOP does not want to repeat.
Do you really think it was the tax increases that caused the economy to thrive in the 1990s? Didn't it really have to do with (a) the fact that we were already coming out of the recession by the time Clinton was elected (b) the peace dividend that came with the fall of the USSR (c) welfare reform (d) the many free trade agreements Clinton signed and (e) the tech bubble?
It's probably more accurate to say that the economy boomed in spite of the tax increases rather than because of them. Be that as it may, none of those conditions apply today, which is why the President's proposal (like most of his major proposals) will hurt economic growth.
Maybe they wouldn't be so shocked if they got their news from a more well rounded source than Faux.
President Obama proposed to raise taxes on the wealthy AND continue the Payroll Tax Holiday. That nets $50-60 billion in new revenue. Unfortunately that won't even make the minimum interest payment on our debt.
In that case, M.J., let's just give our money to the rich and then throw ourselves face down in the dirt so that the rich can walk over us some more.
Siara Delyn
I wasn't commenting on the redistribution aspect of the proposal, but rather the inaneness of the proposal.
What do you think of the proposed .85% cut in spending?
Sadly, I'm afraid Siara is an ideologue who prefers non sequiturs and invective to rational dialogue. Consequently, I don't believe you'll get a serious answer from that quarter......
Republicans have offered concessions in the form of revenue increases. What concessions have Democrats offered? Do they know what it means to "compromise"?
thats a knee slapper. LOL
Republicans have use the term "revenue increases". What proposals have they made?
Boy, you guys will just say anything, won't you? No regard for truth or history at all.
The Party of NO!
Should anyone be surprised that they are fighting the President.
Stand Firm, let the economy over the edge and we'll see what the 2014 elections hold!
Seems the Republicans keep forgetting that they LOST the election. The President was reelected on certain issues that he made it clear would be done if he was reelected. The only real issue the Republicans genuinely care about is keeping the rich from having to pay thier fair share of taxes. Its the only clear message that we heard from Romney and its obvious that all they care about is keeping thier slimey money grab going at the expense of the rest of the country. They lost the election and with that they need to get out of the way and let the country grow.
Boehner is showing who he considers to be the only people who deserve consideration and fairness. The 1%.
The rest of the population can eat cake, if they can afford it, other wise forget about it.
I love the way when he speaks he's always saying how much he cares about raising taxes on the American people. What he really means is that he considers the American people to be the rich, ultra rich and ultra ultra rich. Who does he think the rest of the population are? Chopped liver.
Its obvious who pulls the strings for the whole Republican Party.
Corporate Greed
Happiness is the day a virus comes along that kills only right wing idiots!
You're truly @!$%#ed up.
It appears that Mr.Obama's definition of compromise is "do it my way." How can he call his approach balanced - $1.6 trillion in tax increases and only $400 billion in spending reductions (mostly in Medicare!)? No matter how you look at it, $1.6 trillion is not the same, or even close, to $400 billion. Obviously, it is Mr. Obama who is playing games here!
Then lets see the counter proposals from the republicans!
They first need to work on not raising taxes on the middle class. Then you find compromise. Take care of the things you agree on first.
The Republicans keep saying the President's and Dems proposals are not good enough or not specific enough on spending. They say they have put "revenue increases" on the table. Just what the hell are "revenue increases"? Some specifics please, not some BS about "cutting loopholes and exemptions" like Romney did. What was that he said? Something like, "Let's cap deductions at, say, $50,000"? Yep, that is certainly specific. The Boner is losing it and he knows it.
Lenin, Stalin, and Hitler had a correct when they said a small party of dedicated fanatics to their individual causes could disrupt the nation and bring it to their cause. The poorly educated, far right wing, extremist, fanatics (some of whom are pathetic racists) in this country with the mindset of similar terrorists are as equally convinced they can do the same. No rational person in the middle and underclasses can defend the policies of these far right wing, extremist, fanatics in Congress in their march to create chaos in the Republic and then hand it to their Party who will bring order out of chaos. That is their goal and with FOX, their Ministry of Right Wing Propaganda, that is exactly what they are doing.
Many of the people writing on this website are paid propagandists to do their part in destroying the Republic. Others are merely poorly educated, far right wing, extremist, fanatics whom their leaders call "necessary idiots" for their final victory. The far right wing, extremist, fanatics had a great setback in the past election because they actually thought they had won an important victory in their quest for a Plutocracy. But, in their terrorist, evil, sinister, totalitarian minds they are convinced it was only a temporary setback. They are now regrouping for the next attempt to bring about chaos among the people believing they, as I said, will be able to step in and bring order out of chaos. Lenin, Stalin, and Hitler did the same and it worked for a time, but not until Russia and Germany were destroyed. All loyal, patriotic, Americans must begin NOW to demand recall petitions of every member of the far right wing, extremist, fanatical terrorists in Congress and replace them with rational, center, representatives who are willing to sit down and work through the nation's problems!
TJefferson-1649275 - Those crazy right wing rich bastards! They should give all their money to people like you who know how to spend it better than they do. You just have NO idea how to make it, correct!
There are plenty of far left wing extremists on here also. Both of whom are wagging the dog in their parties.
Both sides are spending this country into oblivion, both sides are trying to use Government to control the people instead of the job they are supposed to be doing of making sure everyone has the same opportunity. Both sides are jockeying for power instead of working out a compromise.
The left blaming it all an the right are wrong, the president needs to step up and lead, talk TO the opposition instead of AT them. Almost 50% of the people were against this administration and their policies, thats hardly a mandate to get everything they want. . The constant name calling does not help anything either.
The right blaming it all on left are wrong, De-regulation is definitely needed but you have deregulated in the wrong places. It should be in the manufacturing sector, it should encourage competition instead of discourage it. And you are just as willing as the left to meddle in peoples private lives.
The one thing the republicans are doing right is trying to keep spending under control, though they are misguided in where to cut it.
Same old partisan bickering that's gone on for the last 2 yrs.? Apparently those that claim to be leaders of the Republicant party have learned absolutely nothing from the results of the November election. Just going to make a simple prediction here: IF, we as a nation reached and go over the "fiscal cliff" and the country, as a result, enters another recession/depressiom do solely to the Republicans refusal to do anything other than make the rich richer, their hold on the house will end in the 2014 elections..
49% of the US citizens hate Obama and tried to vote him out of office. Obama seems to thing every citizen loves him and his policies. He forgets 1/2 the people wish he was out of office.
Wrong again Loozer. STILL can't handle the truth? Maybe you should limit your comments to floral arrangements and leave political commentary to those with a brain.
whoozer or "necessary idiot" as your own leaders call you: No working class, middle class, or underclass, man or woman who understands what the far right wing, extremist, fanatics in Congress are telling us can support their campaign to lead the Republic into chaos so they, in turn, can wave the American flag, proclaim motherhood and apple pie, and lead the nation into their brand of American plutocracy. You know that is exactly what is happening and you've got a choice to make as to whether to support it or not!
hesfailed - stop with the FACTS. Liberals don't care. they know how to spend your money better than you do, they just have no idea how to make their own money so they vote to take others. Go over the cliff and MAKE the losers pay their fair share!
Popular Vote
OBAMA 63,714,092 PERCENT 50.7%
ROMNEY 59,782,295 PERCENT 47.6%
Tell me again about your "mandate".
Looks like a concrete solid mandate to me, if you WIN the popular vote, you have a mandate, period , end of story.
Sadly Historic Times... No real Budget offered by White House or Dem led Senate in nearly 4 yrs. All politics and zero solutions. Tons of You Libs are incestuously delusional.
Blow me
Just more absurd obstructionism from the pack of GOP traitors in the US House.
Wrong again, failed. The President has nothing to do with the GOP traitors in the House - their own actions reveal their treason. Get a clue!
GOP should just get it done, and stop bickering and protecting the rich, were going back to Clinton erra tax code, not Bush erra temporary TAX cuts.
However, keep stalling, keep fighting for a lost cause and come 2014 you will be voted out of office so we can really get this started.
Hey numbskull, do you see a "dot com" boom anywhere around??? Clinton also lowered the cap gains and corporate taxes which translated to vast investments in the Silicon Valley, which oh by the by had the time had no or very little regulations regarding manufacturing.
All help fill the Goverment tax coffers and gave Clinton the bandwidth he needed.
Get a klew, this ain't the 90's you idiot.
Why do you bring up irrelevant stuff to bolster your claim that your message has any relevance?
Clinton taxed 1% @ 35%, Clinton himself wants that tax code back in place, and so DOES Obama, TAX cuts do NOT create jobs, why don't you google it. Never in history has trickle down actually WORKED!
80's,90's, - current, Democrats created 40 million more jobs then republicans, in fact republicans have a very bad history at being fiscally responsible and creating jobs.
So you can get a klew, and we desperately need this 1.6 trillion in revenue, that folks who are doing JUST FINE can afford.
Democrat plans to reform Medicare in the future to shave off $400 billion, would be more than offset by the new spending, which also includes extending unemployment insurance and refinancing underwater mortgages.
So considering the $700+ billion libs have taken out of Medicare, don't you libs think you are being disingenuous? Is the compromise that the repubs must do all you want, or do you even sit down and talk about the implications of how you have destroyed our economy... I am so looking forward to all of Obama's plans to kick in and hear the screams from you libs. Idiots!
The Republicans are scaring me: They are still in some delusional bubble. They did lose the 2012 election, they have no leverage, they are corruptly and purposely steering the American financial ship over the cliff. Listen to investors here and in Europe. America's recovering economy will frame the recovery for the world: China, Brazil, Europe and the Americas. If this gigantic reality is unimportant to Republicans, if this moment is blind to their decision making, if gaining one Senate seat is worth world wide catastrophe then indeed I am very frightened.
you are nuts...half the american population despises obama......
Somebody needs to whack Paddy upside the head with a shovel. It won't fix his STUPID, but it will shut him up.
Loose? Not by much, Obama has no mandate what so ever.
In 2004 Bush Carried 31 STATES, Kerry 19 states +DC: Bush won by a 11 state margin
In 2000 Bush Carried 30 STATES, Gore 20 States +DC: Bush won by a 9 state margin
In 2008 Obama carried 28+DC, McCain 22 States: Obama won by a 7 state margin
In 2012 Obama carried 26+DC, Romney 24 states: Obama won by a 3 state margin!
Obama only won the popular vote by less than five million.
THAT is no mandate and he needs to compromise with half the country.
The Presidential election isn't decided by number of states. Even if it was Romney still lost
Electoral College, the only vote that matters:
Obama 332, Romney 206.
Obama won the popular vote by a higher percentage than GWB did over Kerry or Gore.
Clinton won two elections with less than 50 % of the popular vote, so what, president Obama had over 7 million less votes this year, , the country is divided and our leader has failed the American people, but the ill-informed just follow like sheep, but he can say he has a mandate, but that the same old rhectric from this president, like I'm focused like a laser on creating jobs, which we've heard for four straight years, what a joke and now the mantra continues, what is his plan for jobs?