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Subscribe to RSSObama on the debt ceiling being used in the fiscal cliff negotiations: "I will not play that game. Because we've got to break that habit before it starts."
President Obama and Speaker Boehner spoke yesterday afternoon. “A Boehner spokesman would not give any further information on the call,” The Hill writes.
CNBC: “Treasury Secretary Timothy Geither told CNBC Wednesday that Republicans are ‘making a little bit of progress’ in ‘fiscal cliff’ talks but said the Obama administration was ‘absolutely’ ready to go over the cliff if the GOP doesn't agree to raise tax rates on the wealthy. ‘I think they're making a little bit of progress,’ Geithner said. ‘They're clearly moving and figuring out how to try to move further.’”
Asked if Republicans didn’t agree to raise rates, would the administration be willing to go over the fiscal cliff, Geithner said, “Oh, absolutely. There’s not prospect to an agreement that doesn’t involve those rates going up on the top 2 percent of the wealthiest Americans.”
President Obama gets a 53% approval rating in the latest Quinnipiac poll, his best score in three years.
Voters don’t trust that Republicans will negotiate good faith: By 56-38%, voters say “Obama and congressional Democrats will make a good faith effort to cooperate with congressional Republicans on important issues. By 51 - 43 percent, voters say congressional Republicans will not act in good faith.”
Crossroads GPS is up with a week-long, national cable ad buy hitting Obama on the fiscal cliff.
“A business group considered friendly to President Obama has been granted high-level access to senior White House officials as “fiscal cliff” negotiations have gripped Washington,” The Hill reports. “Business Forward on Thursday will host the last in a series of seven briefings where high-level Obama administration officials have discussed the budgets cuts and tax increases of the fiscal cliff with business executives.”
“Whomever President Barack Obama taps to replace Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner is likely to face tough questioning from senators in both parties on the $16 trillion debt, Chinese currency issues and bank regulations, to name just a few topics,” Roll Call writes. “But the good news for Obama is that the man rumored to be his top pick — current White House Chief of Staff Jacob J. Lew — is likely to be easily confirmed, regardless.”
NBC’s Atia Abawi: “Afghan President Hamid Karzai sharply criticized the United States in an exclusive interview with NBC News on Thursday, blaming American and NATO forces for some of the growing insecurity in his country. ‘Part of the insecurity is coming to us from the structures that NATO and America created in Afghanistan,’ Karzai said during a one-on-one interview at the presidential palace. However, he also acknowledged that much of the country's violence was caused by insurgent groups.”
MSNBC’s Michael LaRosa: “Last summer President Obama made history by announcing his support for gay marriage. Now the LGBT is looking for the next step: appointing an openly gay person to a cabinet post. There are two LGBT candidates that the gay community touts for high level office”: John Berry (currently the Director of the Office of Personnel Management) and Fred Hochberg (chairman of the Export-Import Bank).
“The top U.S. and Russian diplomats will hold a surprise meeting Thursday with the United Nations' peace envoy for Syria, signaling fresh hopes of an international breakthrough to end the Arab country's 21-month civil war,” USA Today writes.
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A majority of Americans do not believe that Republicans will negotiate in good faith, if republicans are still trying to figure out why they lost to Obama, they don't need to look any further than that. What have they earned for themselves in the last four years? A bad reputation, that they certainly deserve, the nation no longer trusts, them I can't think of a bigger political problem than that.
President Obama needs to take a tough stand and it looks like he is going to do it. The tea bags in congress need to be shunned by both parties as being too radical for the American people. They are not patriots they are at best people who are irresponsible and only want to evade paying for the free country they live in. Those in congress are enjoying all the free perks that come with winning an office and those are mostly funded with tax payer money. Therefore they should be beholden to the tax payers and not scorn those of us who employ them. They need to do the job that they were sent to Washington to do. Country must be ahead of party and that is advice for both sides of the aisle. Democrats seem to get it, republicans not so much.
There is no "game" to a DEBT CEILING Mr. President. This is not like shooting hoops ! Furthermore, no one of sound fiscal reality wants to give you a charge card over our debt ceiling with "NO LIMIT" !!
But then again, as you just proved, you really don't give a damn about the 98% anyway ... you truly have no desire to extend the "Bush Tax Cuts" for ANYONE ! You want to let the tax cuts expire, blame it on Republicans, and continue the foolish spending spree .... with no desire to cut government spending at all !!
How long will it take for the liberals to realize you pushed the "Bush Tax Cuts" extension until just AFTER the elections .... for a reason !
Jim, Jim, Jim, your nose is growing and your hate is showing. Hey, I'm a poet and don't know it. Jim did anyone tell you the president won by apealing more to the 98% then he did the 2%?
John - What you and the other left wing nuts are saying is Obama should get everything he wants regardless. Do you really want any President, now or in the future, to have complete control over the National debt ceiling?
John is like the other libbie posters on this site .... unable to think of a valid reply, so he turns to a personal attack and throws out the word "hater" !
The President won because he BOUGHT the union vote with his bailout of cadillac health plans for union retirees. He won with the hispanics because he BOUGHT THEIR VOTE by abusing his executive privilege and granting amnesty for certain "classes" of illegals.
Obama did not have to buy much of the 47% who pay no taxes and want the "free stuff". When will Obama send "the bacon" to Detroit ???? LOL !
President Obama looks more and more like the only adult in the room. No wonder his approval rating has gone up - the opposition has revealed itself to be as reckless with our economic recovery as they were with our national credit rating.
It is a lot more than that Amy, it starts with the shameful Waterloo strategy, then the claims that he is a Muslim, the birthers, the claims that he is a communist, a Marxist, a Nazi, a socialist, and on and on and on with all manner of silliness, as we faced two wars and economic turmoil. Long story short republicans have made damn fools out of themselves in front of the American people, Why should the American people trust them? They shouldn't, and they don't, and republicans earned that.
Forrest,
Not only do the Republicans look bad to Americans but to people all around the world. My friends in Europe were wondering if we had gone totally bonkers by nominating Mitt Romney and they saw the others during the primaries too and merely scratched their heads in disbelief.
A friend in Turkey said to me that we Americans think we have it so great, think again. We are no longer the best educated, healthiest nation on the planet. He also pointed out that even his country is making great strides toward alternative energy sources which we have not.
I love this country and wouldn't trade for any other but that doesn't mean we can't get better. We need to move foreward or be left behind looking more like Uganda or Ethiopia than the richest, most powerful nation on Earth with the best of everything, schools, medical treatments, infrastructure etc.
Amy, I hope your seeing-eye dog will help you out after Obama intentionally lets the tax cuts expire for everyone ! Maybe then, that dog will help you see reality !! Obama has no intention of extending tax cuts for anyone. You liberals are simply to blind to see it !
What I see is the republicans in congress are going to disapoint you and give the president his tax cut for 98% while letting the Bush tax cuts expire for the 2% who are not paying near their fair share. Tough luck there jim. Life is a bitch.
John, when I read your replies, the word "simpleton" comes to mind. Obama has demanded he be given supreme authority over raising the debt ceiling ... which "ain't 'gonna happen". He is taking this hardball position because he has no desire to extend the "Bush Tax Cuts" for anyone who pays tax ! Only in January may you see the reality of his real intent. Until then, keep throwing down a few beers .... you will be crying in them come January when reality bites you on the a$$ ... life will truly be a bitch for you then johnny !!!
Even then demmie, the tax increases will be dwarfed EVERY YEAR Obama is in office by the massive ANNUAL DEFICTS.... because he refuses to cut government spending, and the tax increases alone arer woefully insufficient ! Then, of course, the battle cry of "four more years" will demonstrate its true meaning ..... four more years of massive debt, massive spending and massive government failure !!!
Looks to me like the Republican agenda is STILL to make America fail.
Looks to me like the giddiness of power has totally overridden your ability to think about fiscal reality ! Obama will intentionally let the Bush Tax Cuts expire, he will continue to never have a budget and he will continue to spend money we don't have !!!
By the time Obama leaves office, the National Debt will be over twice what it was from ALL his predecessors combined ! It was $10.8 trillion when he took office and will be over $21.6 trillion when he leaves office !!
cant wait until ryan/rubio get crushed!
Please hold your breath for all of us ! The only thing getting "crushed" the next 4 years will be the U.S. economy and the National Debt !!
WHAT TOOK THE COUNTRY SO LONG TO REALIZE the Republicans were WILLING TO LET THE COUNTRY SLIDE off of an ECONOMIC CLIFF to Spite this President with HOSTAGE TAKING AND COMPLETE OBSTRUCTION?
Mitch McConnell's saying it LOUD and clear to the News Media did not REGISTER!
Bankers and Wall Street will not let the Debt Ceiling be held hostage again. Last time, in 2011, it caused quite a market crash when the Moody's rating got lowered. That will probably be the first and last time the GOP pulls that stunt.
As usual, by blaming EVERYTHING on the Republicans who only control the House .... you are admitting that Obama's tenure is one of "FAILED LEADERSHIP" ! Obama kept changing the deal AFTER an agreement was reached, but he was successful in blaming Republicans.
Reagan was capable of reaching across the aisle and working with the opposition party .... Obama lacks the ability to do anything beyond promoting what HE wants !
Very good definition, great new word. however low info. voters won't be able to spell it correctly & they will probably think it is a new Obama phone app.
I suppose we should just,
"Get used too it"
Representative Tim Scott, Would be in my humble opinion the logical and best choice to be Sen. DeMint's successor. I've met him, and he seems to be A fine person and A man of impeccable moral character and resolve. Some one I could count as a friend if I knew him better. also he has a great smile...
@ red dev ps
So then, you agree with Richard but it's hard to admit a win for failure. There is no secret, it was not a democrat win, it was a republican loss... "time shall tell"