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Subscribe to RSSThe AP’s Pace: “It may be just a bluff or a bargaining ploy, but the White House is signaling that President Barack Obama is willing to let the country go over the ‘fiscal cliff,’ a hard-line negotiating strategy aimed at winning concessions from Republicans on taxes.”
The White House yesterday was trying to put going over the cliff squarely on Republicans. Said Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer: “This is a choice of the Republican Party. If they are willing to do higher rates on the wealthy, there’s a lot we can talk about. And if they are not, then they'll push us over the cliff.’’
“President Barack Obama will renew his case for tax hikes on wealthy Americans to avert a year-end fiscal crunch and call for a smooth increase in the nation's borrowing limit in a speech to a business group on Wednesday, a White House official said,” Reuters reports.
“Native American tribal leaders are concerned that steady progress on their issues might be undermined if President Barack Obama and Congress make deep spending cuts to avoid the ‘fiscal cliff,’” AP writes. “More than 500 tribal leaders were taking those concerns to the fourth White House Tribal Nations summit, which convenes Wednesday.”
“Vogue magazine editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, one of the most influential figures in fashion, is on President Obama’s short list to be the U.S. ambassador to either Britain or France,” the New York Daily News writes. “Wintour, 63, is under consideration not because of her fashion sense, but her fund-raising prowess. She was one of Obama’s top bundlers of donations in the campaign, raising more than $500,000 for his reelection.”
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It's not a bluff. It's a good thing our President has political political. The American people are behind him.
Are you really that stupid? President Obama is proving to Congress and the American citizens that he's more interested in blaming the Republicans for the problem than he's interested in FIXING it. He's not taking an interest in what's best for the United States. This tactic is, for lack of a better word, BLACKMAIL. If the President does ABSOLUTELY nothing (which is what he excells at), then the US economy spirals into a recession. That is NOT leadership.
In his first 4 years, I thought Obama was out of his depth, making foolish mistakes. I now realize that he is, in fact, QUITE intelligent and knows exactly what he is doing. The problem is that what he is doing is pursuing America's decline from power & prosperity. Throughout his first term, that deline averaged around 40% (based on the average decrease in American's wealth over the past 5 years. Now that he's back in office, we can expect a further decline of another 40%.
He's not in that office to better the lives of the American people. He's there to lessen the quality of life of Americans. By doing so, he affords less prosperous nations to thrive. When Obama speaks about the wealthiest having to pay their "fair share", he is speaking about The United States as a whole, in contrast to the rest of the world.
That is who you're behind? Then you've backed a sell-out!
Make the Repugs do a "THELMA AND LOUISE" if they don't back off their no increases in Rich peoples taxes. Hold firm Mr. President, we've got your back
California Tom,
What benefit does Obama receive from taxing the 2%? Will the revenues received actually do anything to help reduce government spending? What is the purpose Tom? Symbolic for what reason?
Jimmynumbers meet Funkygirl... Funkygirl, this is Jimmynumbers... Now that I've made the introduction I think you two will make an absolutely gamey couple.
Every dollar of revenue gained by taxing the wealthiest Americans (that are currently being taxed as if it were 1960) will directly off-set a dollar needing to come from the hands of those that would actually notice it missing.
In the Republican re-puke of what they deem a "plan", It all comes from the hands of those that would notice it missing.
If that's not simple enough to bore it's way through your cognitive dissonance, blame yourselves.
P.S. Use birth control.
Okay chick puke, what you suggest is the rich do not need their money and every dollar will offset revenue submitted by those who will notice it missing. Right? And for how many days will those needy people sit aside before they are back into the game?
You're correct it doesn't make sense.
Go back and pray at the Obama shrine and ask for reason.
Can't use birth control - too expensive, according to the sex czar, Sandra Fluke.
What Obama is proving is that he intends to honor his campaign promise. Every poll shows that the majority of Americans including republicans support the slightly higher taxes for the wealthy he campaigned on. Obama has offered cuts in social programs democrats oppose. The not one penny in tax increase republicans pledged to Norquist doesn't trump their duty to compromise for the good of the nation. Compromise is how our government has functioned since it's inception and republicans need to ditch Norquist and become responsible legislators again.
Actually, Obama's campaign promise was $2.5 of CUTS for every $1 of new TAXES. His proposal is now $4 in new taxes for every $1 in cuts, plus allowing the president to raise the debt ceiling at will. But of course to Obama worshippers, they are the same.
Maybe if his followers would hold him to his promises once in a while, compromises could be forged. Instead, he is allowed to go back on his promises and try to blame the Republicans, or Bush, or a stupid video, or the rich...He takes responsibility for nothing.
The problem for republicans regarding the "fiscal cliff" is that democrats have parachutes and republicans don't.
If President Obama offers wealthy republicans one tenth of a percentage point less federal income tax RATE increase than will be the case should the Bush era tax cuts simply expire, they will be foolish not to take it (all other things being equal).
Does it surprise you the republicans forgot to put their parachutes on? Their too busy pandering to the tea people. Sorry republicans this is one time the Democrats can't bail you out.
Hey Mo, whatever happens to the cliff stuff, Republicans will be blamed. The media will see to that.
So Mo, when the eight days or so of Obama Robinhood money is spent, where will he get the funding for his other programs in his requested bill? Can he borrow it while putting us further into debt, print it to drive up inflation, or create additional taxes on everyone?
Querry your thoughts.
1funnygirl.......
Why do you disparage "eight days"?
Republican evangelicals believe God created the universe in only 7.
BTW---why do you consider yourself to be 1funnygirl ? Is it because of your "witty" comments like:
...or, perhaps you use "funny" for one of its other definitions (e.g. Strangely or suspiciously odd; curious. OR Tricky or deceitful.) In any case, consult a dictionary occasionally (facist, solialist ??). For that matter, seek education on what a fascist is. Obviously, you haven't a clue.
Obamas situation is a win win. If no compromise is reached the 2% will see the tax increase automatically and democrats will simply introduce a new bill that gives a new tax break for those making up to $250K. Republicans won't dare oppose it. If they refuse and allow us to go over the cliff they'll prove their pledge to Norquist outweighs the best interests of their party. And the 98% will still get the break next year.
1funnygirl: Strange logic that you're so opposed to additonal spending by Obama but had no problem with Romneys plan to increase military spending 200 billion a year and begin a new space program that would cost at least that all while cutting revenue 500 billion a year. Is it because Obama's spending targets the middle class and republican spending helps the worthy like Haliburton?
OK, people, one more time: THE FISCAL CLIFF IS A FREAKIN' FIGURE OF SPEECH! It's a term made up and disseminated far and wide by the extremely small and extremely wealthy gang of Wall Street speculators who are possibly the only ones who actually stand to lose anything of real value here.
I can't help thinking of all the Millenial hype- y'all remember that? Everybody charging around like their lives are about to be drastically and irrevocably changed, and I'm on the sidelines mumbling: It's a date on a calendar! Will the tides take notice? Will the rain stop falling or the wind cease to blow? Come the first day of the Third Millenium (if you care to so name it) you'll still have to get up and feed the cat. CTFO, everybody...
While it may be true that "the fiscal cliff" is a figure of speech, the tax raise by not extending the Bush tax cuts, and the ending of the payroll tax holiday will slow down an already anemic economy. Now add to that the cuts that will be made to government and we do have a potential calamity on our hands. However another way of looking at it would be the fiscal cliff is just a way of returning to the prosperity that American enjoyed under Bill Clinton.
Bottom line the president owns all the marbles. The republicans are going to look really, really bad if they can not come to terms with a tax raise for the top 2% and allow the fiscal cliff to happen. 2014 will be a republican blood bath. While a strong democrat I don't like the idea of a one party government so I hope the republicans can compromise and come up with a solution. On another note I might be moving to Ky. so I can vote for Ashley Judd over Mitch McConnell.
I agree we need a two party system. Right now we have the Democratic party and the obstructionist party. The republican party disappeared after the 2008 election.
The biggest obstructionist McConnell needs to be put out to pasture, then the republican party can start healing.
FoxTrotsky
Wow! That is great. I now see the 'fiscal cliff' more as media hype, it sells ad time, something that '2012 the end of the world' thingy is failing to do.
You mean my new fully stocked underground bunker was a waste of cash Exito?? My 6 months worth of food and water combined with my 27 years worth of ammunition wasn't a wise purchase at all?... B-B-but I used my Christmas money on it!
MO: the REAL Republican party departed this country in 1964, after the democrats passed the Voting rights act. All of the Dixiecrats, KKK, and american Nazi members left the Democratic party and joined the GOP (thats how Nixon won in 1968.)
The party of Hate continued their existence in 1980, after a short stint with Jimmy Carter in control. If not for the kickbacks domestically and bribes internationally, Carter would have won reelection in 1980.
After 12 years of voodoo economics, the country got smart and put the Democrats back in control.
In 2000, GOP dirty tricks happened again and Bush jr was appointed President. 2004 had the theft in Ohio.
In 2008 and 2012, the dirty tricks were not allowed to happen.
THAT is a little history lessen.
We need to make sure that in 2014, the Republicans are removed from Congress.
The One Percent have usurped control, disenfranchised most of us, and moved our nation into plutocracy and continuing wars against our interests. Reducing Israel's huge extorted subsidy to zero would also reduce hostility toward America justifying many more reductions. Resurgence of American democracy, opportunity and vibrancy require replacing Bush's gross tax break for the rich with a steeply progressive rate on all income. That includes dividends, carried interest, capital gains and, for the One Percent, wealth too. However did tax on unearned income get to be lower than on earned income?
the president has no room to negotiate and must stick to the agenda. both sides are trying to create breathing room for further negotiations, but not this time.
I do not believe President Obama is bluffing.
That being said, I know where we could make big( ginormous) cuts that would really make a difference.
Bring ALL the troops home (except Korea, and let them pay for it), and cut the military budget by about 70%. We'd still have the largest military in the world and we'd save oodles and boodles of money.
If republicans refuse to compromise on raising taxes on those at the top the new rates will go into effect regardless on January 1st and then congress can simply create a new tax cut policy that cuts rates for those making less than 250K. Why should Obama compromise when he'll get what he campaigned on regardless?
It doesn't matter whether the President is bluffing or serious. He has the upper hand and the bully pulpit which, so far, he is using very well. The loser in all this may wind up being Speaker Boehner. He'll get some of the extremists to come around and they repay the favor by not reelecting him speaker in favor of someone more to their liking. It will resemble what happened to Newt Gingrich when Bill Clinton beat him in the budget deals back in the 90s.
Republicans use the lame argument that because the 80 billion or so that the tax increase will raise would only fund 8 days of spending it isn't worth doing. If it's so little why are the opposed? Maybe they're right and the rate should be raised to 50% on all income including capital gains and dividends which would probably raise 500 billion. That would cover half the deficit, would that be better?