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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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At the end of the day the Republicans are going to be blamed for all of this as usual. To accept blame requiers caricature on someones part however that's lacing in the current administration.
i say let the democrats have everything they want. hurry up and bury us so we can finally start making our way back. i hate long protracted deaths. hurry up and kill us socialist liberals............. maybe my kid will see light at the end of the tunnel one day. we are screwed...
What's unseen by the Obama dead heads is that all this $ sitting off shore would love for the crash to occur. Think of all the bargain basement discounts reinvesting on the once great USA. It wold be interesting to see how the Lord and Savior would sell this to his minions. Actually, they are so mentally trained to accept at this point they would receive it all with big smiles and hands-out. These Neo-Socilaists are a truly sickening bunch.
Does anybody know how much we give to foreign aid and why we just can't keep OUR money here at home. I would like some figures on how much that would lower the deficit if we just stopped GIVING and GIVING OUR money to other countries. As far as taxing the rich I personally applaud those who are smart enough to make more money than me and they should be able to keep their money . We should all (and I mean all races and classes of people) be striving to better ourselves through education and hard work. Please don't tell me not everbody in America doesn't have that opportunity. One last thing; what part of ILLEGAL immigrants do the politicians not understand.
Seems like all Obama does is play golf, basketball, or take lavish vacations. No wonder nothing gets done in D.C.
1.6 trillion added to the already 16 trillion national debt. Even your great grandchildren won't put a dent in this debt if they can find a job..lol
Record 49 million americans on food stamps, food prices rising, taxes going up, and we give other countries billions of dollars while Obama is thinking about cuting social security. We older people on SS worked all our lives and paid into SS while Congress robbed it They should be hung by the nuts in a very high tree.
Don't forget teats.
To the fantastic four, the writers of this article,
Isn't nbc owned by ge?
Isn't ge's boss on obama's team, to help people find jobs?
What is ge's record of bringing jobs back to the us of greece?
The President does have the upper hand. All he has to do is nothing to achieve a massive tax increase. And he's well qualified to do that. So he doesn't have to negotiate to achieve his goal. He already has it in hand and has already won. And it won't impact (from a tax perspective) the largest publicly traded corporations (who seem to be run for the benefit of their officers anyway) or the investors who have invested through their qualified plans or IRA's. The effects of massive increases in dividend taxation (over 60% effective corporate and dividend combined tax rate especially after the new 3.8% Obamacare tax) will be borne by people who actually have significant wealth to invest (not through their 401k) and by small businesses that are C corporations (there are still quite a few). So, he might as well take his victory lap, although a lot of Americans may not like the long term results.
I was looking for a story on the defense budget and what democrats have added to it. Guess MSNBC does not find it important that in the defense bill, any veteran that has had any signs of mental illness will be denied owning a gun. Does anyone see where this is going?
kevin i agree. all of our freedoms are about to be revisited in the name of "safety" and the "leveling of the playing field" bend over folks....
I wished and hope that Cantor and Ryan lost their districts this past election.. and boehner wasn't the speaker of the house.
These are the same CONS who INTENTIONAL fought the president and HOPED he wouldn't be re-elected a 2nd term as result of these CONS in support for the tea party's non-patriots americans- the Tea partiers fought AGAINST "WE THE PEOPLE" and the constitution. These Re pub-lee-Cons.. fought hand and foot to stop this president, but better yet, this president will have a LEGACY as the 2nd President noted as the "steward of the people" next to president Theodore Roosevelt".
I say let the fiscals cliff happen and let the NEW congress deal with this as an added muster to fight against Boehner and Cantor. These CONS are inept and playing a GAME with the president & people's hard earned money and have no intention of working with the president as they didn't 2 years earlier..
i wish democrats wouldve gained the house as well. then when our economy crashes and we go through anouther great depression the blame wil be laid where it belongs. liberal agenda...socialist agenda.....when the president doesnt ever have to worry about a debt ceiling let the spending really begin
The Mainstream media would never alow it. The Dems have been the Majority for 6 years....and all the problems lay at the feet of the Minority. Obamas worst two years in office is when he had the "Super Majority" and still they somehow came up with a reason to blame the "Right".
Gate Keeper... I am with you let this mess happen. The President has an awful Legacy as it stands...can you imagine what it would be if he lets this happen?
the blame will be placed at the republicans door. the media is so tilted left and lets face it,most americans dont even know who joe biden is so we will continue down the path of more taxes and more spending.
Ther reason why the President will not show Leadership on Entitlement cuts is fof one reason only... He wants to frame the Gop as the one to take something away from his base ...and ram it through the Mainstream Friendly to the Left Media....92 percent of the American people ask for Tax increases and cut to spending on Entitlements.
Obama is the Leader of the Country....Mr President ..Please start Leading and quit pointing fingers!!!!
Poor Repubs, our hearts bleed for you. Someday you will get W back or someone just as sharp. Americans have short memories, like Herpes you will surface again!
Pablum.
The two major parties ARE the problem. They love to spend because that gives them power.
Record 49 million americans on food stamps, food prices rising, taxes going up, and we give other countries billions of dollars while Obama is thinking about cuting social security. We older people on SS worked all our lives and paid into SS while Congress robbed it They should be hung by the nuts in a very high tree. lol
One satisfaction anyway, the "takers" have been doped into thinking they'll get "Free" everything as well as "revenge" on the rich for their own miserable failures in life---. They are gonna get hit the worst -- Obama's not gonna "give" them anything. Back to your parent's spare bedroom Democrats, and your parent's social security
Hey Republicans do your job before the people vote out Republicans all together. It is becoming a dieing congregation do to the stubborn fools that occupy it. That can be changed.
I have news for you. My state which has been Democratic for almost its entire existence, is now Republican controlled in the House.
You liberal's are all Chicken Little's
You do realize that Obama won again, don't you? At what point are Dems gonna stop blaming republicans?
Screw the political wind. How about doing what's best for America? All I hear and read is partisanship and that the ball less wonder, our president, is jetting off to Hawaii. America you voted for this Marxist because you have decided to become an entitlement society. Well, like the old saying goes you better baneful for what you wish for because you may rue the day when it's here.
Heil Obama!
You can blame the Republicans or Democrats from the House or Senate all you want, but the True Blame falls on Obama. He is the President and needs to lead and take control of this debacle.
Just because he led with an olive branch instead of a kind word and a gun doesn't make him a poor leader.
he led with a money clip
Obama has not been a True Leader since day one. A true leader brings parties and the nation together to resolve issues. A true leader doesn't spend his entire 1st term blaming the last guy or making excuses. Ronald Reagan didn't spend his entire 1st term in office blaming Carter. Bill Clinton didn't spend his first term blaming Bush Sr.
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.
Instead of expanding socialism and totalitarianism in this country, let's try the Constitution and expanding liberty. We need representation in Congress and the White House that is committed to following the Constitution.
It should be the priority of good govt to repeal the 16th amendment and end corporate and individual income taxes, and the Estate Tax. They violate the principles of liberty our nation was founded upon
We need to abolish the Depts of Education, Energy, Health & Human Services, Labor, OSHA, EPA, Transportation, phase out SS & Medicare, abolish the Federal Minimum Wage, abolish the FCC, FDA, FTC, NLRB, return student loan programs back to private lenders, end all Food Stamp programs, Federal welfare, Federal unemployment insurance payments, Obamacare, and a host of other unconstitutional programs. These are all unconstitutional programs that promote a socialist totalitarian state. We need to get rid of the Federal Reserve and take back control of our monetary system.
Taking some of the steps above would reduce our deficit to near zero and reduce the debt by trillions
We need to institute a national sales tax like the Fair Tax proposal, and renegotiate all of our Trade Agreements and associations allowing for a renewed system of tariffs.
We need to remove ourselves from the UN and ask them to relocate to another country
We need to sell off some of the 245 million acres of Federal Lands. There are 10's of millions of acres of Federal lands that lie dormant and are not used for anything (I'm not referring to National Parks or Forests). In some states like Nevada, the US Govt is the largest landowner. Use that money to pay down our debt. Selling off this land would provide cash to the govt for debt reduction and would result in massive economic growth.
The Federal Govt needs to stop meddling into issues of drugs, alcohol, or tobacco. Those are issues to be determined by the States
We can reduce defense spending by approx 10-15% through technological advancements and greater use of drones and special forces. This should also include removing the stupid ban on assassinations. While we have closed a number of bases in Europe, we could probably close the remaining bases in Germany without affecting national security.
Larry, while I can agree with the lower half of your proposal, a number of the departments you mentioned are somewhat vital to future success. Education? I don't think the states nor private enterprise are vested in competition at the international level, and nor would they be. Private enterprise is always vested in money and nothing else. We need a competitive system run with scrutiny in mind, not dollar signs, when it comes to education. As per the department of energy. Without it your electricity bill would be 10x what it is now, because only 2 electricity companies really exist in the U.S.. They require regulation in order to not screw the consumer with monopolism. Also, we do need alternative energy, we needed it years ago. We will always need oil to lubricate machinery, so let's get ahead of the game so we can conserve it in the future. With the use of graphene conductors, solar panels can be made 38% more efficient, effectively now bridging the gap between cost and benefit. We should fund the current fusion research teams, and while I agree with opening more of our oil fields and getting off the international oil market, the energy need growth curve is expanding way too fast for oil to keep up with. I agree the Federal Reserve needs to go. The EPA needs to be reined in, but getting rid of it entirely is idiotic. Corporations aren't responsible as it is. Otherwise, you've made some decent points.
And no capitalist healthcare system of our size can survive. It's debt-driven. Any financier can tell you this. And stop equating socialism with dictatorship. I said socialism is generally a bad idea economically, but it turns out healthcare is the one place it shines. Just ask China, Japan, Germany, and India, the other economic powerhouses who are going to crush us soon, though china's about to start hurting because its manufacturing expansion has slowed to a crawl.
I find it insulting that Obama thinks he should have the power to raise the debt limit without Congressional approval.
Blank-check Barry would be disasterous
He doesn't think he has that power. Only the house does, sheesh.
Your reading comprehension is horrible Patty.
but he does want that power....
No, he doesn't. I will admit Obama has his flaws, but both parties and all branches of government right now (including the judicial activism of the S.C.) are at fault. He's not after absolute power, but he might want just enough to actually get something done while McConnell + Boehner have a pissing match with Pelosi and Reid.
The takers are the inherited wealth class. Have you ever known a trust fund kid? I rest my case.
How are they "taking" anything moron. I am not a trust fund person, but I know when the morons that are lazy and have not worked even 5 years, think they deserve to TAKE what others have worked for 30 and 40 years to obtain, and have PAID TAXES on it, then the lazy are the TAKERS. You know the jealous, envious, covetous, and moochers like you.
Paliban your quote from a post a couple weeks ago: "What does a southern evangelical do when he gets his daughter pregnant? Why, it's a gift from God!" ...Now you're a man of the cloth and you write this kind of garbage. Shame on you. You should leave your church. Paliban, you're a bigot that shouldn't be given the time of day!
Like the Kennedys, and Rockefellers?
taliban
Ya, those evil rich. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME A POOR PERSON GAVE YOU A JOB? moron
i dont care where they got the money. who are we ...or more importantly...who is the federal government to tell them what to do with it? especially when that money will be used to clothe ,house and feed another illegal
Paliban -
In the SF/Bay Area, we called those trust fund people - DotSnots! They lived off the funds inherited from successful parents with no responsibilty for making their own way. The time will come when they don't have all that wealth and then they too, will need to get a job.
thanks suz for demonstrating the jealousy and hatred that so typifies the occupy movement. id hoped all you guys had smoked yourselves into a dark hole but it appears some of you survived
I couldn't be further from Occupy if I tried! I'm not jealous of people with money. I simply stated a fact as it is in one part of the country.
Sounds like you're the one full of hatred dude!
Get a grip!
Those like Paliban and Suzq are jealous that they don't get to sit around and do nothing like the trust fund people. They don't want to work, just sit and around and do nothing, and seeing anyone else achieve that because they have worked or even inherited it just makes the more hate filled, jealous, covetous and angry.
Conservatives liberals, in betweens all should be hung over a cliff theirselves until they get it done. Screwed up bull@!$%# partisan crap just doesn't cut it. Suspend all their benefits until they get it together.
These politicians once they are elected forget about the rest of us. They do not deserve a holiday break until this very important matter is taken care of. It should be against the law to recieve even the smallest thing or money from lobbyists while in session. I hope none of them get a good night's sleep until this is handled. Nightmares to them all til they do their jobs.
Washington needs to stop playing games, and do the job we hired them to do. Now if everything is on the table, lets talk about the Senators/Representatives, retirment paychecks, lets look at those they need to be cut, and they come from the General Fund. Are you listening Mr. Cantor, Mr. Ryan, and Mitch. We need a deal struck and you guys are sitting on your hands. You don't care about AMERICA, you care about your pockets. In 2014, you guys will be gone along with McCain, and Lindsey Graham, if you cannot do what is right for our Country then get out of the Hallowed hall and we will make sure we will take your job and shove you out office, but voting you out.
Why did you not mention Reid, Pelosi, Schumer, Rangle, Wasserman-Schultz, and others.
What you fail to realize is that those you mentioned and those I mentioned are the whores of the very same powerful money interests. I pity you if you think they really care about you.
Oh, you might want to ask Pelosi specifically exactly how much HER wealth has increased the last few years.
If they can't make a compromise before the new year we should vote all of them out in the next election and have a group in that can find some common ground so that we can move forward! I am so sick and tired of both parties attitudes! Ladies and gentlemen of Washington DC, put country first, party second and self last! I fear it is the reverse on both sides! If both sides would give a little and meet in the middle I believe that we can move forward and have this great country that was established on diversity be great again!
I just simply cannot believe that there are any of you sheeple left out there that truly believes that ANY of the losers elected to destroy this nation on EITHER side of the isle really gives a hoot in hell whenever the subject concerns the well being of this nation and it's citizens. The ONLY thing that they give a damn about are themselves, their puppet masters, and what they can do to benefit any other nation in the world other than this one. Wake up you bunch of blind dumb and deaf idiots.
The sequestration appears to be what we will get, and actually as "bad" as it seems it will be, it appears it is the unwanted medicine no one wants, but is the best deal for the people, in my opinion. Obama will not be happy unless he gets his way like a spoiled sefish brat and Republicans will be blamed for everything.
I am for raising taxes on everyone and the rich as well but NOT UNTIL the fraud, waste, corruption, subsidies, entitlements, defense and foreign aid are all scrutinized and reformed, fixed, or gotten rid of. Until they do that part DO NOT ASK ME FOR MORE TAXES.
Democrats have before promised cuts in spending for deals and they NEVER happen, NEVER. So, Republicans are not willing to say "raise taxe" and give specifics when Democrats will not do the same about cuts in spending. People seem to always be for raising taxes thinking it will be the "other guy" or "the evil rich" that will pay for everything. Well the other guy will be you, and the rich know that they will pass any tax increases on to whomever they are selling products or services to. Face it wealthy people did not get wealty being stupid, and they are smart enough to know how to handle increased taxes. They are no more or less evil than the freeloaders and moochers who will not work and think everyone should have "equal" wealth. Sorry it just does not work that way. Some people are born more beautiful and stronger or smarter and some people just work harder than others. For those that are not as fotunate it still makes now sense to give them the wealth others produce, period.
I know more people on disability that are not disabled than that are on disability an are truly disabled. And since the freeloaders are using the disability gimic the ones that truly deserve the care or more of it do not get it. Fraud, abuse, crony capitalism like giving 90 Billion to green energy companies has got to stop first before more taxes are taken in by government.
Time to start being held accountable and responsible for every dollar spent and government under any party has NEVER wanted that or done that, and that is why we are now in such a huge DEBT. We cannot live off or on CREDIT forever. A time to "pay the piper" always comes.
Some increase in taxes, but much spending cuts is the simple solution.
Seems simple does it not. But the freeloaders and takers will not accept less, and demand more, while the taxpayers are fed up with government waste, fraud, and corruption. In my estimation those that deserve help are not truly getting it now because there are too many receiving "help" that do not truly deserve it and it costs more not only in time and money but means the truly needy do not get the most help they deserve.
On the other hand there are those that will not help anyone ever, but most of those kind of people become poor because true prosperity comes from helping others, and the wealthy and rich know that and therefore for the most part treat employees well with respect and pay. And yet there are many rich that are just plain greedy as well. The two extremes have always existed and both extremes are proof that things are bad economically.
I mean when there are too many very poor then there are also too little very wealthy. In other words, when the rich get poorer the poor get even more poor as well.
That is why taxing the "evil rich" does not work or solve the underlying problems. Taxing the rich appeals to peoples jealous and covetous and anger side, but actually makes things worse and DOES NOT SOLVE THE REAL PROBLEMS.