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Subscribe to RSSPresident Obama said he's willing to compromise, but it remains to be seen whether or not he will reject House Speaker John Boehner's back-up plan which would prevent tax hikes on those making less than $1 million. NBC's Chuck Todd reports.
An overwhelming majority of Americans want Congress and the Obama White House to reach a deal featuring both tax increases and spending cuts to avert the so-called fiscal cliff, according to the latest national NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll.
Click here for full results from the NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll (pdf)
In fact, majorities of Democrats, Republicans and political independents each support such a deal.
Yet respondents are split over whether any kind of agreement can be reached, and nearly seven in 10 believe that the coming year will feature Democrats and Republicans in Congress showing little willingness to come to an agreement on important matters.
Democratic pollster Peter D. Hart, who conducted the survey with Republican pollster Bill McInturff, says the public is sending this one-word message to Washington: compromise.
“Doing something trumps doing nothing,” Hart said.
Related: Boehner: 'Serious differences' separate GOP from Obama
The survey – conducted a month after November’s election – also shows a positive uptick in opinion toward President Barack Obama, and more negative views about defeated GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney and the Republican Party. The poll also finds that a majority of Americans now support gay marriage.
Fiscal cliff talks have stalled as 'serious differences' remain between both parties – and according to the latest NBC/WSJ poll the public wants an agreement, soon. Although both sides are still discussing ways to avoid the fiscal cliff, neither side is optimistic that they'll come to a resolution before Christmas. NBC's Chuck Todd reports.
‘Hints of a thaw’
According to the poll, a combined 68 percent of Americans say that the fiscal cliff – the looming combination of tax increases and spending cuts set to take place at the beginning of next year if nothing is done – is either a “very serious” or “fairly serious” problem.
A similar two-thirds of respondents are willing to accept an increase in taxes or cuts in federal government programs they care about to reach an agreement to avoid the problem.
Asked another way, 65 percent say leaders in Congress should find a compromise to reduce the budget deficit, even if that means Democrats would need to accept targeted spending cuts to Social Security and Medicare, and that Republicans would need to accept targeted increases in tax rates.
NBC's Mark Murray and Domenico Montanaro discuss the latest developments in the fiscal negotiations between President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner.
By comparison, just 28 percent believe that leaders should stick to their traditional positions on the deficit – even if that means Congress goes over the fiscal cliff, triggering those automatic spending cuts and tax increases.
“There are hints of a thaw here, compared to previous data we’ve seen,” McInturff says.
Indeed, for the first time in the poll, a majority of Republicans (59 percent) want GOP leaders in the House and Senate to make compromises in order to gain consensus in the current budget debate.
Previously, in 2011, majorities of Republicans said they preferred GOP leaders to stick to their positions rather than make compromises.
And the percentage of Democrats who favor compromise on this question (70 percent) is now at an all-time high in the survey.
With Christmas less than two weeks away, the White House is faced with the same key question – Can House Speaker John Boehner deliver enough Republican votes for whatever debt deal he and President Barack Obama agree on. The Daily Rundown's Chuck Todd reports.
Who’s to blame if there isn’t a deal? Everyone
Yet the public is split – 48 percent of respondents are optimistic, and 48 percent are pessimistic – over whether Congress will be able to reach consensus to avoid the fiscal cliff. And another 69 percent believe that the next year on Capitol Hill will be marked by division and little willingness to compromise.
If there is no compromise on the fiscal cliff and the automatic tax increases and spending cuts go into effect at the beginning of next year, 24 percent say they will blame congressional Republicans more, while 19 percent will point the finger at Obama and congressional Democrats.
But a majority of respondents (56 percent) say they’ll blame both sides equally.
Still, twice as many Americans say they trust the president more in handling this fiscal situation (38 percent) than House Speaker John Boehner and the congressional Republicans (19 percent).
And significant majorities believe Obama holds a clear mandate from the election on issues related to this subject:
- 68 percent say he has a mandate on cutting taxes for families earning less than $250,000 per year
- 65 percent say he has a mandate on reducing the deficit by both increasing taxes on the wealthy and reducing federal spending
- And 59 percent say he has a mandate on eliminating the Bush-era tax cuts for household income over $250,000 a year.
Obama’s lift vs. the GOP’s decline
Speaking of Obama, the poll shows an uptick in his numbers after his victory in last month’s presidential election.
Fifty-three percent of adults approve of his overall job performance, and 49 percent approve of his handling of the economy – higher marks on these questions than at any time during the 2012 campaign.
Another 53 percent say they feel either “optimistic and confident” or “satisfied and hopeful” Obama will do a good job as president, which is up three points from Oct. 2012.
“Any president has a little bit of a lift heading into the first few months of any new term in office,” McInturff, the GOP pollster, says.
Thursday's "Gaggle" which includes Jackie Kucinich, Margie Omero, Perry Bacon and Bob Costa talk about the fiscal cliff negotiations.
But if Obama is getting a lift after the election, the Republican Party is seeing a further decline.
The GOP’s favorable/unfavorable rating in the poll now stands at 30 percent/45 percent (minus-15 points), which is down from 36 percent/43 percent (minus-7) right before the election.
That’s compared with the Democratic Party’s 44 percent/35 percent rating (plus-9 points).
What’s more, asked to give a word or short phrase to describe the Republican Party, 65 percent offered a negative comment, including more than half of Republicans.
Some of the responses: “Bad,” “weak,” “negative,” “uncompromising,” “need to work together,” “broken,” “disorganized” and “lost.”
By contrast, 37 percent gave negative descriptions of the Democratic Party, while 35 percent were positive.
“Republicans have gone off the image cliff,” says Hart, the Democratic pollster.
“Elections have consequences,” McInturff adds about the GOP. “And among those consequences is the cost of losing.”
The consequences of losing also exist for Romney, whom Obama defeated in November.
Romney’s favorable/unfavorable rating in the poll is 35 percent/44 percent (minus-9 points), down from his 43 percent/44 percent score (minus-1) before the election. Much of that drop comes from Republicans and conservatives.
Majority supports same-sex marriage
Finally, for the first time ever in the NBC/WSJ poll, a majority of respondents – 51 percent – support same-sex marriage.
That percentage in support is up from 30 percent in 2004, 41 percent in 2009 and 49 percent in March 2012, demonstrating how quickly public opinion on this issue has changed in just eight years.
The NBC/WSJ poll was conducted Dec. 6-9 of 1,000 adults (including 300 cell phone-only respondents), and it has an overall margin of error of plus-minus 3.1 percentage points.
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Why do they bother polling the idiots in the American public? It seems that the vast majority have no clue as to what is going on, much less the implications. It is like polling the family pets asking if they want more treats.
That would be the liberals you are referring to...
It seems that the shoe fits doesn't it?
Roy, Needless to say!!!
Hey, at least there are 24 states whose Governors don't want parts of obamacare. Things are looking up when the Governors say, "He!! no"!!!
No, there are 24 states where the GOP Clown Gov's gave the feds the right to run exchanges for them. Seems the states had no clue!
No, the Gov's refused the exchanges because obamacare offers 100% paid free care and then it drops to 90% and then it will continue to drop until the states pick up the tab. This is the plan of your government - screw and then screw more.
Roy, health exchanges are designed to assist people buy health insurance. Any increases will be from insurance premiums, which must be approved by the Feds.
http://healthreform.kff.org/faq/what-is-a-health-insurance-exchange.aspx
Medicaid is what you are referring to.
There is not enough money in Obama-Care for the Federal Government to set up and run the insurance exchanges. Many of the States in this country, don't have that luxury, they have to balance their budgets at the end of the year. Obama on the other hand has spent $1 Trillion Dollars over what the Federal Government has taken on any of those years he has been in office.
Then you have that all important line that Clinton had a surplus. Now that surplus was the amount of money above what the Federal Government had taken in for that particular year. That doesn't count the $5.9 Trillion Dollars national debt that was unpaid in that same year. So Clinton did well and Obama went the other way. Even with this said they both had a national debt that wasn't balanced.
If I was to do what The President and Bohener are doing I wuold be fired by now, why Do We let them ?
Can they be fired and replaced for failure to Do their Job
Obama has a mandate all right, to fundamentally transform the U.S. as we know it. With the help of the idiots that put him back in office, his legacy will be realized. Do you really think he cares whether we go over the 'fiscal cliff'. Hardly, since he then gets what he has been wanting along, a way to blame the Republican Party for the tax increases (47% of idiots that voted for him don't pay taxes anyway) and cuts to social security and medicare.
LOL!!!
Soon to be nothing more than a historical footnote...
""The GOP’s favorable/unfavorable rating in the poll now stands at 30 percent/45 percent (minus-15 points), which is down from 36 percent/43 percent (minus-7) right before the election.""
Come back after a year and we can take another look at those numbers. When the American People see their taxes and expenses going up there will so much change that you might be able to feel it your pocket. So keep an eye open for the new changes and your shrinking payroll check. You someone has to pay for that $6 Trillion Dollars in spending in the last term and will do about the same for the new term. That would put the country at being close to $20 Trillion Dollars in the hole. Please remember that we have 10,000 Baby Boomers retiring everyday for the next 18 years and it is your turn to pay the way. They paid their way already.
Smokie, your icon speaks volumes.
G-damn obstructive, childish, petty, thick, pigheaded, effen eejits GOP.
I feel the same way about the Democrats. One big pain in the neck, with all of that crying stuff. Just think they have to go home for Christmas and tell all of their rich friends that their taxes will be going up in January twice once for Obama-Care and once just for Obama. That will be hard to sell around that Christmas Tree, mistletoe and all the trimmings.
Here's the thing: the wealthy don't pay high taxes, because they don't want to. We don't tariff Chinese imports, because the wealthy don't want us to. China doesn't float its currency, because the wealthy don't want them to. The banks get everything they want, because they are the wealthy. Michigan is yet another state that passes "right to work" legislation, which is a wealthy man's wet dream. The problem is, when everyone on the planet makes 15 cents an hour to work 24 hours a day in a sweatshop, no one will have the time or money to buy anything, and the wealthy will stop becoming more wealthy, especially when the stock market sh*ts the bed because of the sales numbers. This is the problem with the wealthy- especially the Republican wealthy. Like every other Republican, they only think things 90% of the way through. The chess match never gets to the very end, in their world. This is why they like guns so much- how else would they shoot themselves in the foot?
DB17, other than the fact that your delusional, a move to some socialist country might better fit your desires. If your a loser, don't blame the rich. Look in the mirror, it's that simple.
DB17
What grade of cannabis are you smoking?
DB17===You know it's real easy to tell that you voted for Obama.
There are more registered Democrats in this country than registered Republicans. I believe, using the law of averages, that there are a lot more rich Democrats than Republicans. I do think your barking up the wrong tree with your way of thinking.
Ya know, I'm not even going to respond to any of the comments here. But just to put my two cents worth into the mix:
I vote Democrat. I am disabled. I live in subsidized housing, have a graduate degree, have worked and paid my taxes since I was 14, no job, no family who can take me in. So, if I did not have the "entitlements" that I've paid my taxes for all my life, I would be living on the streets. I would urge everyone to think beyond themselves, to have an open mind and heart to everyone who lives in this country, pays taxes, and still finds themselves depending on "charity." We are your friends, your family, your neighbors.
Republicans always pretend they aren't heartless and just want to cut waste and remove those unworthy. Yet the Romney plan to cut all social programs 20% not self funded which excludes social security and medicare didn't address any waste it simply provided the same money minus 20% to the states in block grants. Romney's contention that we simply couldn't afford it sounded hollow when his 20% cut would save 30 billion or so but we could still afford an additional 200 billion a year for increased militray funding that military leaders hadn't even asked for.
catmandu, This is exactly why these types of programs were created. They were supposed to be safety nets for those who REALLY need them. Welfare, foood stamps. assisted living, unemployment have been ABUSED by generations of families who have made these programs a way of living. We need to rid the system of these types so the programs can survive for those who REALLY need them.
Larry-367607===Larry you forgot about that President Clinton cut funding for a lot of these programs and made people go to work or get on jobs training programs to get off these programs. Obama has done the complete opposite he removed those conditions and stuck our signs all over the place saying sign up here.
Now we have the largest number of people on all of these programs than any time history and they are still growing in numbers. At the end of another 4 years of Obama, I just hope the people on these program do not out number the people that are working. Jobs would help but that didn't happen in the last term and I doubt we will see in the second term. Be on the safe side get a job way out in the country and stay away from large cities.
Sally bob,.. you forgot to factor in, an additional 20 years of corporate job offshoring...
Or are you pretending, that reality, simply doesn't exist ???
Bain Capital is currently in Freeport IL,.. in the process of of offshoring a few hundred good paying American jobs to China...
Please get a clue...
Smokie: The explosion had more to do with the millions losing their jobs when the economy collapsed during Bush's last 6 months including nearly 800,000 in December and nearly as many in January. Something like 6 million people were unemployed with millions facing foreclosure before Obama even took office. Anyone blaming Obama for informing millions of desperate people of the benefits available instead of the president who made them that way simply sees what they want to see.
Mr. Boehner; The reason that this great nation has two major political parties is so that neither will dominate in Congress. The extrapolation of this statement is that both parties are expected to negotiate and compromise to come up with agreeable solutions to matters at hand. What this means to me is that BOTH PARTIES NEED TO GROW UP, SIT DOWN, NEGOTIATE FAITHFULLY AND SINCERELY, AND COME UP WITH A COMPROMISE! Come on! Get it done, already! NEITHER party can expect (successfully) that a 'My Way or No Way' mentality will do anything for this country. Grow up. Get it DONE!
Boehner put $800B on the table. Obama put NOTHING on the table.
Open your eyes and see where the arrogance of KING OBAMA is leading our country.
REVOLT AGAINST THE OBAMANATION!
Chiapetto===I think the Speaker did his part. If I was the Speaker I would just go home and enjoy the Christmas Holidays. Let Obama sit of that for a while. Maybe Nancy can sit at the White House and cheer for Obama every time he shows his face.
I would wait until after January 1, 2013 it will be a lot easier after that, plus neither party is good under pressure. If that wasn't the case we wouldn't be in this situation. That last time they got into discussions like this they agreed up with this ridiculous deadline. Both parties agreed to have this battle at this time and space. Let Obama make the next move the Speaker made the move right after the election, Obama was drowning in his own arrogance at that time.
I say that doing nothing is a compromise. The Repubs want spending cuts and the Dems want tax hikes. The "cliff" gives them both what they want.
What no one seems to remember is that this "cliff" was voted into place by a previous Senate/Congress. It's there for a reason and this is just that reason.
The Government got us into this mess and the Government can get us out by not raising taxes.Its not my fault that the Dems and the Rep can't control their spending habits...
Oh yeah....you too, Mr. Obama!
Democrats only need to capture 17 seats in the House in 2014 to take control. I say, let's go over the Clff....get rid of the Bush Tax cut once and for all, cut defense, preserve Social Security and Medicare and then push to take the House in 2014 with a Democrat President and majority in the Senate. It's time to rid ourselves of this version of the Republican party once and for all!
Obama can alway go back and get the tax cut for the Middle Class next month. If he can't, then at least the budget deficit gets fixed farily quickly and takes away a major talking point for the Republicans. It's a perfect "Lose" for the Republicans!
More like a perfect loser post.
wrong , dunce - its a "perfect" lose for the United States
If I am not mistaken the Democrats had that scenario in Obamas first 2 years and the only thing they did was crame OBAMACARE down our throats. That was even done dishonest, typical of our congress and leaders.
Republicans need a major catharsis. They spent the past four years leveraging the country to get rid of Obama. They bet big. They lost. They need to pay up.
You must be speaking of republicans. The only unfunded entitlement program initiated in the last 30 years was Bush's drug plan. Obamacare is fully funded as is social security. Medicare needs a small bump up in rates to make it solvent but is still funded. Clearly ignorance is bliss.
We were ok before the cuts, let'm go.
The Orange One and the Faux Noise junkies need to get it through their drunk brains that the GOP LOST in Nov!
Is it true that Allen West is now dancing in a gay bar?
If you support either of the parties you are obviously not too intelligent.
Sure seems hard for the Repubs to admit that Obama opened up a can of whoop a$$ on them. Time to stop the pussy-footing and get this settled. But Social Security and Medicare they are NOT "entitlements" they were paid for by workers and their employers, HANDS OFF! There's plenty of other fat that can be eliminated. You know Social Security does NOT contribute one cent to the deficit! Its not our fault that congress took trillions from the SS Trust fund and never paid it back, if they had SS would not be facing a shortfall of funds down the road. Repubs have tried to kill SS and Medicare since its inception. They can't stand for average people to have a little security in their retirement. Thats obvious with their stand on raising taxes on the top 2%. Repubs, for the rich, always. Serfs are all they want.
Thank you, mjv. Social security is worth $2.7 trillion, is privately funded, has never cost the government one penny, and if Obama would stop messing around with it with his 2% payroll tax credits, which are under funding it by $100 billion per year, it would be financially sound for another 22 or 23 years, with no adjustments whatsoever
Medicare is government health insurance, paid for by its policy holders in the form of payroll deductions when they work and monthly payments when they retire of become disabled. The United States government is the insurance company that has an obligation to pay the medical bills of its policy holders and stop complaining about it.
So let's review what the fiscal cliff actually is: spending cuts and increases in taxes. A majority of Americans want these, so...
So.......WWWWWWHHHHHEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!
I could care less what the polls say. If these clowns in Washington continue to operate on a stat-quo basis there is no good work being done. As they bicker and point fingers, the American people suffer as we are left trying to dig out of a recession that may very well get worse before it gets better. If the aim is to go over the cliff, then what is the planned follow-up for going over the cliff? The cliff may not be so bad. It will raise taxes and lower spending. But what is the plan for America if that is the case. I haven't heard one politician with a plan for that scenario and in my opinion that is part of their job description.
You are dealing with Politicians and they gave you all these......
Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
CDL license Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Excise Taxes
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel Permit Tax
Gasoline Tax (currently 44.75 cents per gallon)
Gross Receipts Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory Tax
IRS Interest Charges IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
Liquor Tax
Luxury Taxes
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Personal Property Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Service Charge Tax
Social Security Tax
Road Usage Tax
Recreational Vehicle Tax
Sales Tax
School Tax
State Income Tax
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
Telephone Federal Excise Tax
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
Telephone Recurring and Nonrecurring Charges Tax
Telephone State and Local Tax
Telephone Usage Charge Tax
Utility Taxes
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft Registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Workers Compensation Tax
and don't pay any of that cuss i get entitlements and free obama phone
i like potatoes french fried potatoes
So if MSLSD is not reporting this:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkZfKx74IBg
Who is to say what you are actually hearing is the entire truth and represents both sides of the equation? NBC News, the American Pravda.
How many people elected Boehner?
A few thousand?
Even Ohio as a state voted for Obama.
So a few thousand ass clowns from Ohio can give us this anti American worthless POS house leader?
It's both sides screwing with America - equally
Neither is serious - just talk, smoke and mirrors
Any compromise will be at the 11th hour at about 11:58 or so.
This budget drama is so fake.
If it was real and they were serious - they would put in writing for all to see what each side is proposing
In cuts - specifics - with them taking effect immediately on Jan 1 2013
And where the give would come - specifics on any taxing - with it taking effect immediately on Jan 1 2013
This is all nothing more than political posturing and as ususal, those elected take advantage of the people
Nothing More - Nothing Less
Both Sides