And once again the republicans show they want to reduce deficit on the backs of the poor to protect those at the top, not surprising. 600 billion in health savings+ 300 in discretionary spending= cutting social programs.

why do people vote republican anyway? What's the point? They are only trying to steal money, from the poor or middle class preferably to give it to the rich 1% cuz they can barely get by with their billions.

The Ryan budget could not pass the Senate. The Ryan-Romney budget was soundly rejected by the American voter. So what does the GOP do as a proposal? You guessed it, the Ryan budget. What is the definition of insanity?

After 2 years and constant whining like babies...they finally have one plan to present to the American people. These people are a freakin JOKE!!!!

So what are the loopholes they will close on the rich? Any details? Is this just cutting Medicare and SS? These are not entitlement programs in the sense that Americans feel they should get them for nothing, we paid into them! Why do we need to protect the rich so much? They can afford to pay more and they are making more money than ever! My salary has barely gone up in 5 years. I got an education and I am working hard every day. I will never be able to afford the lifestyle my parents had and by the time I retire, there will be no safety net left.

Okay so GOP will agree to raise taxes on the rich if Obama agrees on cutting down spending. The problem is, Obama doenst want to stop spending. He doesnt think spending is the problem here. Obama is a fool.

The GOP needs to stop wasting time. Obama is pushing down on the accelerator to drive the country over the cliff. Republicans should be working, with exception of SS and medicare to de-fund government so we end up with a government that is responsible to the people and a government we can afford.

The GOP spent the last 4 years trying to stop an economic recovery. Now they are on auto-pilot and don't know how to stop screwing Middle Class America!

House Speaker John Boehner is the perfect poster child for birth control/use of condoms. Where did this babooze come from, so full of himself, a legend in his own mind.

Cuts to Medicare and Social Security. Continued low tax rates for the wealthy. Continued capital gains rates for the ubra wealthy. Increases in defense spending and unspecified tax reforms to be negotiated later. And they say that the GOP learned from the election.

I wish americans could start a vote on there own without waiting for yearly elections to do it. Maybe the americans could then vote Boner and mich out of their seats immediately and something could get done. They operate on their priciples instead of working for the american people. Why doesn't anyone see this. They need to have a boot shoved up there a$$ and told you "Work for the people" knock it off with your dam principles. "Do something" GOP is just Useless, this just pisses me off.

Oh well maybe this is a start. However, we the public need to see more details like which loopholes and what specific cuts.

I rather don't believe a deal will get done without an increase in the marginal tax rate for the over $250K crowd.

The Republicans don't really have a strong hand to play.

SS and medicare are not entitlement programs, they are earned retirement programs. Medicaid exists to provide medical care for those whom health insurance companies will not insure at a reasonable price or at all. Exactly how is it that these programs deserve to be cut at all? Do you honestly believe that 100% of the people using these programs are "takers" as the republicans would have you believe? If health insurance companies would insure everyone, instead of insuring only those who can afford to pay their unjustly inflated premiums, there would be no need for medicaid or medicare.

This stupid, artificial construct called the fiscal cliff is not the precipice on which we are perched (remember Congress created it when they could not decide how to divide up the bounty of our tax dollars and the unlimited press of the US Treasury). Rather we are on the edge of determining whether the experiment of American democracy can succeed.

When the common man must wake each morning worrying what the Federal Government will do to change his life forever, we are no longer free but simple wards of the state. When the federal government works to break our ties to family and community we are not free but simple wards of the state. When business places more emphasis on lobbying than on product and service innovation we no longer have capitalism but a corrupt economy driven by the state. In short we have totalitarianism.

That anyone believes elections have provided a mandate for federal government action is a farce. Elections are about electing people, most of which were chosen as the lesser of only bad options. In earlier times when we did silly things and our country deviated off track, there was a common morality—the Bible and God—to which we could appeal and the themes there would eventually resonate. Those days are no longer. And while we need to find a new morale authority on which we can collectively appeal, it must not stop us from making some changes to our predicament. The course of our country still only changes because its citizens say “Enough!”

Against such totalitarianism we have only one tool, ourselves. In many respects we have forgotten it in this country but we have been able to see its success around the world against corrupt, dictatorial regimes. We must stand up individually and shout “Enough” and march collectively to change the course of American history. In to the streets, in to the fields, in to the interstate highways, we must march. Peaceful but persistent, energized and enduring.

The patriots and martyrs in this battle will be those individuals that forgo the streams of government money to make a stand on principle placing progeny above their own needs and wants. Having found their way to be successful “legally” in this corrupt system they instead will cut the cord with their only safety net being family, friends and community. They may be individuals, they may be companies heretofore bloated on cronyism. Let the statues be erected to them! Let them be our inspiration!

The fight will be hard and it will be long but there are 3 immediate tangible goals:

1. Congress must pass immediately and the President must sign into law a measure that leads to government spending at no more than 18% of GDP by 2018. 18% by 2018! And all future budgets should be stable below this level until clear plans are put in place to shrink the federal government even more. No one will starve at this level. It is at the level of what government spending was in 2000. And it is more than enough for the federal government at this point.
2. Congress must pass immediately and the President must sign into law a measure making Congress—the US Senate and US House—a part-time legislature whose members live in their home districts with limited staff and that convenes 3 times throughout the year for not more than 2 weeks. Let the lobbyists come to mainstreet and bolster the local economies rather than simply the economy of Washington, DC. Most of the work done by this body has been harmful to the country not helpful. With too much money, too much staff and too much lobbying we get incomprehensible legislation like Dodd-Frank that pulls the wool over the eyes of the American people and lets “too big too fail” political patrons continue their thievery.
3. Congress must pass immediately and the President must sign into law a measure that requires every federal agency to list on the home page of their web site the following information: Budget, number of employees, goals of the agency, performance goals and measurement to those goals. Accountability for the spending of our tax dollars must begin now and this is a small starting point.

Of course much more work will need to be done to restore the balance in favor of the individual in this country. Much will be required to dissolve the federal government back to its core functions of national defense and maintaining a level playing field for interstate commerce. Much will be required to bolster our local governments and state governments. Much will be required to teach us personal responsibility and accountability.

But in this winter of our discontent, these 3 goals are achievable and can lead to our American Spring in which the foundations of our American Democracy are restored and the hard work ahead begins. Peaceful but Persistent, Energized and Enduring.

It starts by shouting ENOUGH! Now RISE!

A proposal is there, lets see how the negotiations go. By the way, part of Obama's plan was no congressional approval would be required to raise the debt ceiling, sounds like free spending without accountability. There are three branches of Government for a reason, checks and balances of power. This should also apply to spending.

The Simpson-Bowles commission the GOP are now quoting admitted that even cutting ALL deductions, including those used most by the middle class, e.g., mortgage interest deduction, would not affect the deficit that much. Tax rates need to go back to the Clinton rate for those that benefited most from the Bush cut. The GOP would like to see everyone's tax rate go up and then cut deductions for those that need those deductions the most.

I have no doubt that taxes are going up...the fiscal cliff is the CUTS.

CUT FOREIGN AID before you cut any aid to the American people.

Let it go Bankrupt.

same old story from -grand old people cut social security and medicare and protect the top 1% who we now know the trinkel down idea never worked--40% of the wealth of the middle class has gone to the top 1%

The GOP voted down Dem efforts to end oil company subsidies and now claim they will end "loopholes" and "deductions" while "putting revenue on the table". Yeah.....right......

Is the GOP plan like that of the Dems. 1.6-2.2 trillion saved in a 10 year period. If so, HTF is that going to help with the spend, spend mentality of this liberal White House and Senate.

Republican show daily that have no clue when it comes to governing or negotiating. All they do is flounder, waste time and taxpayer money, and never offer anything new, ever.

let go over the so called cliff

I
am sure the wealthy 2% that live in this country are more than willing to pay
their fair share of taxes. Can you imagine the guilty they must feel every time
it’s time to pay their taxes?

obama doubled what bush spent so stop blaming bush.The dems won't go for this plan because it saves money not spend it in a wild way.The only ones that won't like it are the lazy freelosders that voted for their pres.