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Subscribe to RSSPer the Sunday-show rhetoric, both sides remain far apart in budget negotiations… But remember: The real negotiations haven’t even started yet… Democrats and Republicans now find themselves in completely opposite places from 2011… Pelosi threatens to introduce already passed Senate-bill that extends Bush tax cuts for only household income below $250,000… Obama holds bilateral with Bulgaria PM at 2:55 pm ET… Wasserman Schultz to remain DNC chair… Checking in on Mitt Romney… And the latest VA GOV developments.
As the White House and Republican leaders enter the final months of negotiations over the fiscal cliff, both sides remain very far apart. The Daily Rundown's Chuck Todd reports.
*** Far apart: Less than a month before the Bush-era tax cuts are set to expire and significant spending reductions are supposed to go into effect, the Obama White House and congressional Republicans remain far apart in their negotiations. “We're nowhere, period. We're nowhere,” House Speaker John Boehner said on FOX yesterday. He also blasted the budget offer that the White House gave to Republicans on Thursday, which included $1.6 trillion in increased taxes and revenues, $400 to $600 billion in spending cuts, and the essential end of Congress’ control over the debt limit. “I was flabbergasted… I've just never seen anything like it. You know, we've got seven weeks between Election Day and the end of the year. And three of those weeks have been wasted with this nonsense.”
Larry Downing / Reuters
President Barack Obama hosts a bipartisan meeting with Congressional leaders in the Roosevelt Room of White House to discuss the economy, in this file photo from Nov. 16, 2012.
*** Boehner vs. Geithner on the Sunday shows: Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner was adamant that the Bush tax cuts for income above $250,000 would have to expire. “The only thing standing in the way of [a deal] would be a refusal by Republicans to accept that rates have to go up on the wealthiest Americans,” he said on “Meet the Press.” And he added that if Republicans want entitlement changes, they’ll have to propose them. “What we can't do is try to figure out what they need. They have to tell us. And then, we have to take a look at it, and see if we think it makes sense for the American people.” But as bad as things sounded on the shows yesterday, let’s not panic yet. This isn’t all-hands-on-deck time. After all, President Obama was out golfing with Bill Clinton and speaking at the Kennedy Center yesterday. As we’ve told you before, the real negotiations probably won’t start until mid-December.
*** 2011 vs. 2012: Role reversal: What is striking, however, is that Democrats and Republicans now find themselves in COMPLETELY OPPOSITE places than they were in 2011. A year ago, Republicans were the ones – after their victory in the midterms – who had the political winds at their back and felt like they had the mandate. Now it’s the Democrats. In 2011, Republicans were the ones with more detailed plans about spending cuts (think the Ryan plan). Now it’s the White House with a more detailed plan. And back then, Republicans had the leverage with the debt ceiling. But now Democrats are the ones with the leverage, because of the expiration of the Bush tax cuts. As the Washington Post’s Greg Sargent writes, “[I]f we do nothing, Democrats will get their way. All the tax cuts will expire, and Dems can come back and push a new tax cut just for the middle class -- a circumstance that will only increase the Dems' leverage further.”
*** Pelosi threatens to introduce already-passed Senate bill: And given that leverage, don’t overlook this gambit: House Minority Leader says that Democrats might try to schedule a vote, via a discharge petition, on the already-passed Senate legislation that would extend the Bush-era tax cuts only for household income below $250,000, CNN writes. “‘If Speaker Boehner refuses to schedule this widely-supported bill for a vote, Democrats will introduce a discharge petition to automatically bring to the floor the Senate-passed middle class tax cuts,’ Pelosi said in a statement. Under a ‘discharge petition,’ a bill can be brought to the floor without going through a committee or without approval of House leadership. The bill would need an absolute majority - 218 votes - to pass.”
*** Obama’s day: At 2:55 pm ET, President Obama hosts a bilateral with Bulgaria PM Boyko Borissov. And then about an hour later, at 4:00 pm, he delivers remarks at the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction symposium at the National Defense University.
*** Wasserman Schultz to remain as DNC chair: NBC has confirmed from two Democratic officials that President Obama will ask the Democratic National Committee to ratify Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) to remain as DNC chair when the party next meets in January. Politico first reported the news this morning.
*** Checking in on Romney: Over the weekend, the Washington Post ran a piece checking in on Mitt Romney a little less than a month after his presidential loss. “Four weeks after losing a presidential election he was convinced he would win, Romney’s rapid retreat into seclusion has been marked by repressed emotions, second-guessing and, perhaps for the first time in the overachiever’s adult life, sustained boredom, according to interviews with more than a dozen of Romney’s closest friends and advisers.” More: “Unlike the last two unsuccessful nominees, Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and John F. Kerry (D-Mass.), Romney had no job waiting for him. His public platform fell out from under him on election night.”
*** The latest VA GOV developments: On Sunday, President Obama golfed with Bill Clinton -- but also with Virginia gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe (D) and U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk. But could McAuliffe get a primary challenge from former Rep. Tom Perriello. As the Washington Post reported on Friday, “Former congressman Tom Perriello, currently at the liberal think tank Center for American Progress, has quietly approached prominent Democrats in recent weeks to let them know that he is at least considering a run, according to party operatives in Virginia. Perriello himself has not responded to several requests from The Washington Post for comment.” With Cuccinelli as the all but assured GOP nominee, the penalty for a primary on the Democratic side would SEEM to be less.
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The Morally Bankrupt Hussein also "thinks" it's alright for Babies who have Survived an Abortion to DIE without care. Two votes in Illinnois Proves he "thinks" so. The Stale Wind from Hussein also thinks it's alright for men to "marry" men and women to "marry" women. The Lying Hussein also "thinks" it's alright to ignore pleas for help from Marines and an Ambassador and watch them get SLAUGHTERED. Who cares what the Despicable Hussein "thinks?" What does YAHWEH Think about what Hussein "thinks? HE calls it an ABOMINATION. That's All that Matters.
What do you mean Romney had no job to return to? Thought he was the job creator extraordinaire.
right at the last minute they will come up with a @!$%#ty half ass plan & acted like they worked so hard on it & then go on Christmas break! We are all screwed! MERRY CHRISTMAS Charlie Brown!
What's the big deal? The so-called fiscal cliff is the Bush tax cut expiring, resulting in a 4% increase in the top marginal rate. BFD!
You are too naive to imagine. Read some news articles in more detail. For instance, A person with taxable income up to $17,000 has been paying 10% tax. They will be subject to 15% tax. That is a 50% increase for the poorest taxpayers.
Wake up Sleepy.
Hell if the Republicans just rolled over for you Demosocialists, what would you have to complain about except your own ineptitude?
yeah, it seems the only and best option is going over the cliff for good, and the best deal is no deal, which still is better than Obama's.
the fiscal cliff isn't that scary in fact as they say, and we all lived with that high tax over 10 years ago anyway. what we need is letting Bush tax cut expire as it should for everyone, but work out a tax reform plan immediately after Jan 1.
Here's my small contribution, sent to Speaker Boehner's email this morning.
Quit screwing around and get the GD thing done!
Anne Romney wears a $5,000.00 dress to a Romney campaign event and the media calls it out of touch.
Michelle Obama wears a $5,000.00 dress to an Obama campaign event and the media goes on and on about how elegant and graceful she looks.
Now tell me if their is a double standard in the media out their concerning the depiction of the GOP and the Democrats.
I know it seems a bit off point, but the bottom line is that the media will portray the GOP as the perpetrators of this gridlock, when it is the duty of both the House, Senate and the POTUS to compromise for a deal.
Let the media do it. Obama cannot blame anyone but himself for the failures of his administration. The people will get what they voted for.
Michelle looks a lot better than Anne. Get a fuc&&in life or crawl in a hole where you belong with the rest of living dead
Topcat,
I wish your mother would have exercised her "choice".
Let the plagues and sickness take this criminal government to their knees. Let their own Blasphemy be a witness against their wickedness being acted on in this once great country, now under some dark blanket of deceptions and greed. Let this king-dictator reserve his own damnation with the O-Abomination that comes from his own lying lips. Woe to such blasphemers that openly take the name of the lord our God as the fox has gotten crafty in his own hunt for blood trophies. They have blasphemed the lord and they have said it is not HIM, but it is their god who rules. They have said evil will not come upon them and they will cause the famine and destruction upon their own rotting souls. God said, because you speak these words of blasphemy. he will make these words like fire in your mouth, the Fox that finds death in his own hole. This wretched darkness shall be devoured by their own words of falsehood, this nation coming upon them like tigers against a fox and the fox has no place to hide. They are no longer mighty men in the eyes of Gods people as they take the glory of his presence for themselves. Declare their blasphemy in the houses of the Lord and do not stand silent against this Fox who steals the name of our Lord for glory of the darkest days in America. GOD DAM this criminal governing system and all their wicked folly. Obama taking the name of the lord for himself, God dam the blasphemer with his sickness and plagues we know are promised to wicked men like him.. Thank you Jesus Christ, you seen his blasphemy, his ultimate sin that is NOT forgiven and the Promise was it would not be forgiven. I thank God for that promise, NOW live in your Hell Obama with the Fox you have created in your own destruction..
I normally try not to respond directly to those who post off-the-wall comments, but yours is an exception, Chuck. It's off the charts. You are a seriously disturbed individual.
Upchuck, pull your head out of Boeners rectum, and breathe. You are talking non-sense here! Then, get out of mommies basement for a while. Stop listening to your lord and master Rushie. Rushie is not your savior, not really, anyway!
For the last two years or so, its The President fault, he dumb, he stupid, he racist, he muslim, he doe not care, he's not doing his job, he does not know what he doing. Ask yourself, what has the GOP done lately. Go Senator McCain, Graham and take the speaker of the house with you. Time for some fresh blood. What do you think?
I suppose Liberals need someone else to blame now that Bush has been out of office 4 years.
Can't blame him for this last $5.9 Trillion in debt
The rightwing crazies just don't get it, even after the election. Neither does the Republican Party. Here's the bottom line for me. If my taxes go up $2,000 next year, I know EXACTLY who's to blame. The obstructionist GOP who could give a rat's a$$ about the middle class. One thing....2014 will be here before you know it. That's when the middle class will vote these morons out.
I can't believe there are people that think like Dee. Dee the Republican's have taken over the House of Representative in my state for the first time since Reconstruction. Get your head out of the minority president's Hope and Change ecstacy high and get in touch with what is really going on.
It was republicans that gave you reprieve from high taxes. Now, the rates will simply go back to wehere they were...they aren't being raised by republicans. Use your own mind and try to wade through all of the BS on this and other so called news sites.
I will Blame Obama because he is the President that has failed to bring these two parties together and get a solid policy in place. He has only divided them.
Dee.....
If your taxes go up $2000.00 I'm sure your children will thank you for standing up and taking responsibility for what you have allowed the politicians to do to this country.
Or would you rather leave the bills for them to pay?
dee
Here is the real problem.
Ignorant Americans like YOU who listen to the main stream media pukes for all your information and then repeat what they said.
By your comment, you do not have a clue about what you are talking about.
Do some learning and then come back on here and apologize for your stupidity.
Last I checked Obama was the POTUS.
His job is to lead and direct the House to what he wants in legislation. The House will then counter and reconcile with the Senate and the POTUS to a compromise.
The GOP has made it clear that revenue is not on the table until Democrats tackle the cash cow of entitlements. The 400 billion in alleged cuts come from Medicare, but those are funds that are to be appropriated to fund Obama care. On top of that the budget includes more stimulus.
The White House also promised more cuts in the future. Whatever that means!!! We know how well Obama keeps his promises.
You ringwingers are crazy. Yeah, these are the BUSH tax cuts. Yes, they will go back to where they were. Here's what you don't get. The GOP would rather see my middle class taxes go up instead of voting for them to remain where they are, then to see the rich tax cuts go up. So they're holding the middle class hostage while they protect the rich. It's called compromise. Increase revenue on the rich for entitlement cuts. The Dems have proposed what tax cuts they want....so let the GOP propose the entitlement cuts they want. Why won't they do that? Because they're protecting the rich. Want don't you morons get? There's a Democratic President, a majority in the Senate, and this past election, more dems were voted into the House than Repubicans. Idiots. It's like talking to the wall. Empty heads. The American majority (60%) want the rich to pay more in taxes.
I did really well under Bush..PALIBAN... I don't know where the heck you were living... as far as short memories...after a few years people will start remembering Carter and what a mess he made...Obama is Carter on steroids...and gas was way cheaper under Bush..do you just spew lies and expect everyone to believe it? I was paying an $8.00 co-pay for medicine until good old Obama came into the picture..now for the same medicine I pay $150.00. Real nice....for some reason you liberals don't understand how it works...you raise taxes..you run up inflation...you run up interest rates and everything goes way up in price...the higher taxes for all the gimmees run up the cost of fuel for delivering supplies,ect....and PALIBAN if you can't post the truth...don't post at all...
My health insurance went up 12% about 6 months ago, and 19% more next month. I have yet to use it! Thanks, Barry.
I got things to do around here--so I'll just hope a deal can be worked out and that a "backlash" from the rich is a figment of my imagination.
Increasing taxes will not solve our problem and trying to put a dollar number on it carrying it forward 10 freaking years based on assumptions from economists is nothing but tripe.
We spend too much, plain and simple. Without meaningful entitlement reform we are getting our shoes pissed on by the lefties in the press and leftie leaders in D.C. Entitlement reform by lefties? LMAO! It's the only way they can win elections: pander with promises of programs and goodies and the voters will love 'em back. How so very brilliant and caring. No matter their policies hurt job growth and many more Americans then they help throwing billions at them.
And don't bring up the false BJ Clinton model. The Republican House and Senate sent him the budgets that were balanced. The pres. doesn't write those. Hey, Harry Reid, you got one coming to the pres. after 4 years? No, not yet? Now that's leadership! Back on point: BJ created 23M jobs in the 90s because of an unprecedented tech boom. His econ. policies had nothing to do with it. Reagan, he of concrete, and evil, trickle-down policies created 16M jobs (same claim 20M) - without an unprecedented tech boom.
We already have the second highest tax rates of all the industrialized economies although France seems to have outpaced us in stupidity of late with their new leftie leader.
A reminder for all the boneheads who cite private sector "economists" in support of Obama: John Kenneth Galbraith, JFK's chief economic adviser, said "Economics is very useful as a form of employment for economists".
Translation: economists are mostly FOS and guessing.
I bet the automatic pay raises, guaranteed retirement packeages and excellent medical benefits will still be in place for the polititians and they ponder the USA citizen increaase in taxes, reduction of social security beneftis and Medicare..... the as#hol#s!!!
The Rethugs are at it again... Holding the tax cuts for the middle class hostage! Why? Just so their wealthy handlers get theirs? Bah Humbug, i say!!! Those Scrouges better get their act together befor Christmas!
The Rethugs want to stop cola's on s.s.i.??? Why? So they can give themselves higher pay raises? They did that just last year. Congress voted themselves a 5.4% wage increase, while s.s.i. got a 1.3% increase. How dare they do that? They haven't even worked in the last four years!!! Dirty rotten bastards!!! Those @!$%#in crooks stole all the money out of s.s.i., and then refuse to make it right? @!$%#em all come 2014!! I have to live on $698 a month, while them crooked bastards live on $154.000, plus benefits??? Wrong!!!
Go ahead GOP, put your stupid assed entitelment cuts out there, and then OWN THEM!!! I am so sick of having s.s.i. called an entitelment, it is NOT!!!!! I paid into that system for so many years, its MINE, NOT YOURS!!!! Go @!$%# yourselves, and stop @!$%#ing us!!!
dumb from spencer
Everyone I have met who is on SSI are lazy, fat, "oh I have a ingrown toe nail" for the most part worthless.
There are actually Americans who are justified for having it, I doubt you are. @!$%# you.
Get an education in regards to what is happening in DC, until then go back to your Jerry Springer.
D I agree that you, I, and all Americans who've paid into SS and Medicare deserve the benfits of those programs...we did pay into them after all. But let's be honest. Once you draw $0.01 more than you put in, it becomes an entitlement. Anyone who lives long enough to actually use these benefits (particularly Medicare) WILL use more money than they contributed.
DumbfromSpencer - we can leave it be for those 55 up and address reform in logical ways that won't hurt those coming up behind us.
To do nothing, as lefties want to, is to assure it won't be there for those behind us. Unless we all start paying 50% of our payroll on SSI taxes. That is the lefties only solution - tax more. Which will crush jobs and the many for the benefit of the few.
DEE-752177 or is it DUH752177? Lets' see...Obama is giving away all these "FREE" things and you don't think he is responsible for higher taxes? Obama even stated in his first term that he didn't really mind if gas went up in price..he was just hoping it wouldn't go up so fast...he's really out to help us isn't he? DUH!!!.
Gas prices went up as the economy improved. They are now, right about where they were prior to the 2008 crash caused by the Bush recession.
The GOP lost. Get used to it.
Gas prices are determined by the global demand market and by speculators. Until we are energy independent, gas prices are absolutely outside congressional/presidential control.
I love seeing how mean and spiteful the democrats are. It really renews my thoughts on how ill-bread they are. Spend spend spend I can't believe that you really do not see how this is going to hurt America Wow. Is wining so important that going the opposite of the republicans is more important than not having your children pay 80% in taxes. Amazing.
You sound like one of the Republicans who thinks war is free.
Bingo. Post of the morning.
They don't see it - they won't see it, so it's best to let them go. It's about hating the other guy, rather than seeing things for what they are, and taking ownership. Oh, it'll be Bush this, Romney that, but in the end we all lose.
I particularly enjoy the "We won, you lost" posts. Classic! Witty! Oh, and another fave of mine - "Boner" hahaha
All we can do is wish them well...
I would have to say that the lefties on here might be a little less spiteful if the righties weren't so friggin ignorant.
++++++++++++++++
Amazing that she wants to extend the BUSH tax cuts
She is another tool. Most, if not all the people want congress to try to work together to fix the problems. All this step will do is drive a farther wedge between them, and nothing will ever get done.
Thank God the GOP have the house and can at least control Barry's crazy spending a little bit. Barry ran on 800 billion tax and now he wants 1.6 Trillion. Hahahahhaha
Obama knows that Bohener's house is a "do-nothing" house. They can't get a vote together unless its about abortion.
Obama can allow them to "do-nothing", let all the Bush tax cuts expire, and then dare the GOP to not reinstate those for the middle class.
Joe, you're a dweeb, the house is the only part of congress offering up legislation in the last 2 years which all ends up on Harry's desk colecting dust.
Ozzie, the house controls the budget, not the senate, at all. This is a 100% boehner issue. And Reid only stopped proposing bils after 2 solid years of the party of "no" and filibustering.
Can we please not get into a partisan pissing match? Why don't you people actually come up with ideas? I'm a left-leaning independent, but here are my ideas to solving the fiscal cliff, pushing the economy forward, reducing poverty, and forcing politicians to be responsible.
1)Limit congressional terms to 2 or 3 maximum per person.
2)Allow voters across the united states the ability to vote on whether or not individual congressmen receive their pensions and health benefits based on whether or not the people sees them as productive. On a side note, limit those benefits and pensions to 5 years after their congressional careers end.
3)Scrap the entire current tax code and start over with the basics of a tiered (graduated) rate system with few deductions except for disability, children/dependents, or being a college student. Alternatively, scrap the income tax altogether and create a universal federal sales tax split into 2 categories: necessities and luxuries. According to projections by forbes in 09, a universal sales tax on all products of 16% would have made up more than 50% of Bush's deficit for the previous year. I propose a less stringent 12-13% on necessities such as food and toilet paper, and a 20-21% rate on luxuries like private jets. We have the tech such that almost all work even executives do can be done via video conference. Private jets do not a business expense make, unless you are a distribution company and those jets are your method to transport goods.
4)Slice 10% of military spending, as CBO and others have concluded at least that much of the budget is lost in middlemen and frivolous expenses.
5)Limit welfare to 60 days after unemployment, limit food stamps to food, increase the penalties on using them for other items, and create a private industry system which employs the unemployed after 60 days for an annual salary of $20,000. If people want better, they can go looking for it/get educated for it. Given the current rate of unemployment, this plan will only cost 240 billion each year, and the increased GDP due to (in my head a manufacturing operation) production will partially cover the loss, which is already less than our current welfare system.
6)Scrap 95% of "No Child Left Behind." Teachers and school admin should be held accountable, but it's time to stop catering to the lazy and willfully stupid. If you have a mental disorder such as ADD, you do the work/therapy/medicine to keep it under control. If you have anger management issues, get them fixed. Parents, your role in this is crucial. Bottom line: we must start demanding excellence from our students again. I propose we go the way of China and Europe in this. Actual college professors, not the goons hired by the college board, should be given charge to write tests which gauge students' mastery of basic content at a certain age (various countries differ on exactly when) to separate the stronger learners from the weaker ones and put them on two separate tracks.
6-B) Partially to make warmongering politicians more responsible, reinstate the draft so they are forced to swallow the fact they are now toying with non-volunteers' lives. Now, those students who fall into the lower track and remain there to the end of their schooling, will be the ones forced to serve in the military for, let's say, 2 years minimum, 4 maximum. At any point these students may do independent study and voluntarily test back up into the higher track if they so choose. But the incentive to do well would now be in place.
7)Reform capital gains taxation by penalizing practices which have made people rich by betting on companies to fail (aka Bain Capital and most of wall street today) such as mass short sales and leverage buyouts, as these practices in the end destroy business and layoff thousands of people just because big sharks don't like to play nice. Reward practices which stimulate the economy such as maintaining investments. Most of the normal trades business can remain as is.
8) The healthcare debacle: I point you to Germany, a country ranking above our own in healthcare internationally. That means they beat us on availability while maintaining our quality. This means: single-payer, public-option, socialized healthcare. I know socialism generally is a bad idea economically, but this happens to be the one place it belongs. You pay as you go, buy what you need, everyone pays in, and premiums go down (because you already pay the insurance companies to cover care for those without insurance, so socialized healthcare does not make you pay for other people's healthcare). Drug companies are forced to bid for government contract and be competitive, not just lucrative. This will incentivize cures, not just treatments like we see today with big pharma. I'd bet you the cost of my college education the cure for HIV currently sits somewhere locked up within the CDC, Phizer, J&J, Bristol Meyers Squib, et al.
These ideas submitted by a left-leaning independent with 8 years of college education (3 at Miami University in Oxford Ohio, 5 at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in troy New York).
Please offer constructive feedback and collaboration, not partisan rhetoric. Let's get a plan together and force those hacks in Washington to really compromise.
Patrick93
Some excellent ideas. Oh, I'm a fiscally right leaning Independent, while a socially leaning left.
With the exception of President, I don't necessarily believe in term limits. It's bad when a truly good representative leaves office only because of artificial limits. That's a dis-service to the individuals constituents.
What I DO believe in is having election campaigns funded by VOTERS from within the Representatives DISTRICT, or state in the case of Senators. At least at the federal level. NO money from PACs, Unions, Special Interests or any other entity. VOTERS alone should fund campaigns. (An added benefit is greatly lessened campaign cycles and a need to actually address issues.)
Benefits are identified BEFORE an individual takes office. There's no need to vote on them. BUT they should be identified as subject to leaving office CLEAN. In other words, if forced to resign... sorry bout that.
I agree with scrapping the tax code. Why should anyone be responsible for John and Sally wanting 10 kids while Bill and Mary only have 1? And it's a PERSONAL choice to go to school. Why do others have to supplement your choice? Taxes should be based on a progressive scale similar to what we currently have but eliminate ALL deductions and credits. A possible exception might be a 401k type plan, as that income is taxed at a later date when withdrawn.
Corporations should be able to deduct DIRECT expenses only. Salaries, cost of materials, operating expenses etc. Salary deduction for any one individual would be limited to say 1 or 2 million. ANYTHING beyond that can be paid, but needs to come from POST TAX PROFITS. Let the companies explain to the stockholders why the individual is worth that much that it has to cut directly into the companies profits.
And I agree with the company jets. Actually, those "deductions" were provided to help boost the aviation industry.
Actually, if all waste was eliminated in the Federal Government, there is an immediate saving of I would venture 25%. I see it everyday, and fight it every day.
I am a strong proponent of a draft. Whether it is military or public service, I feel EVERY kid coming out of high school not going to college should do at least two years. Every kid going on to college gets deferred until they graduate (community college for example) or 4 years (5 if enrolled in a specific degree program).
Personally, I'm not a proponent of a single payer system. But I do agree that the health care system needs to be drastically overhauled. Part of that overhaul might include tort reform. For example, drug companies put a great deal of litigation (anticipated) into the price of drugs. Unfortunately, those companies cannot guarantee with 100% certainty the safety or efficacy of any particular drug on every person in the world. There are too many variables to do so. BUT that doesn't stop the bottom feeder lawyers (the ones advertising.. call 1-800-scumbag lawyer) if you were harmed. If it's proved the companies falsified or hid test results, hang them out to dry and jail the executives. But if it's just a bad reaction....
Isn't it amazing what some people can come up with.
I'm always left wondering why we must continually endure these staged events by self important political hacks making attempts at justifying their own existence.
Neither party is going to give in and the reason is because both parties want us to go over that fiscal cliff. That way both parties can point at each other and exclaim, "It's all their fault!" Because neither party wants to be the one to have to raise taxes or screw the little guy. This way they can do both with a clear conscience while resfusing to accept responsibilty for doing nothing. I can't imagine a worse plan than what President Obama has come up with. Do you hear that sound? It's the sound of a gigantic toilet flushing and America is going right down the crapper!
Actually, it's a brilliant plan that either forces fiscal medicine on us or forces the parties to create a slightly more pleasant version of the medicine we need. Either way is a victory, though the latter would be a much larger victory.
The finger-pointing will only satisfy the 535 actors in this sardonic play, Rosie. The public knows the real reasons we take the plunge (if we do) and according to recent polling, 67% of them have already made up their minds on who to blame. The biggest issue facing congressional Republicans right now is how to save face after being so totally confident that November would turn out differently. But if they don't step up and work to resolve differences, they will have no face to save. No one, even Obama, expects his inflated proposal to survive intact. But until Republicans make an offer, Democrats are correct in sticking with the POTUS plan.
"THE FISCAL CLIFF" It's really disheartening to hear and see all this dissention!!! We are AMERCANS for GOD sakes!!! Stop doing the "WE SAID/THEY SAID" BULL S***!!!! It's NOT going to make things any different now is it,.... CHILDREN!!!!Mocking everbody will not get this awful reality to go away, we HAVE to come to an agreement.... It has been a FIGHT betwee the Two parties since they began and there will be one when it ends, No one will make it change!? Look at what its cost ....in all aspects, has anyone really WON???????WE are at a impass here because of both parties NOT JUST ONE!!!!!! See ....YOU need to make it EQUAL and APPEALING to BOTH SIDES, not just one!!!! GROW UP!!!!!!!!!!!!