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Subscribe to RSSNBC's Congressional Correspondent Luke Russert talks to voters about the fiscal cliff and the thing they would like to see most… compromise
President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, met Monday morning at the White House in their continued efforts to reach a deal on the impending fiscal cliff.
"The president and the speaker are meeting at the White House to continue their discussions about the fiscal cliff and balanced deficit reduction," a spokesman for Boehner said, declining to release any further information about the talks.
The fiscal cliff talks between the president and House Speaker John Boehner have seen some movement, with the Republican leader showing some willingness to budge on the president's demand for tax increases on the wealthiest Americans. NBC's Kelly O'Donnell reports.
The Republican's trip to the White House came after reports this weekend suggesting Boehner had offered increased tax rates on millionaires and a one-year extension in the nation's debt limit. Those proposals, if accurate, would represent some concessions to Obama on the question of how to best resolve the combination of tax hikes and spending cuts set to take place at the end of this year.
Talks between Republicans and Obama appeared stalemated for much of last week, as Boehner and Obama each made and rejected new offers from the other.
Leave a Comment:
time to end Bush tax cut for the rich.
GOP and Boehner should stop holding the nation hostage. President Obama has been patient enough to GOP and gracious enough to be willing to consider service cuts. But GOP's notion of services cuts is horrible.
First GOP succeeded in cutting budget for embassy security - we got Benghazi tragedy;
Then GOP-controlled states have cut social services, including mental health programs...and the result won't be good either, if Newtown is any guide. R.I.P. to those victims.
P.S.:
In November 2012, the Democrats ....not the GOP .... won the White House and increased seats in both Houses of Congress. It that clear???? Did you get it...GOPTP...??
"...Boehner had offered increased tax rates on millionaires..."
=========
What exactly does this mean? Is this short-hand talking point stuff? You don't have to make over $250K a year to be a millionaire. Someone's total net worth is not what is in question. We are talking about taxable income over 'X' amount annually.
Could we take a few more minutes to provide some accurate details vs taking only a few seconds to say we got something posted on our blog 'first'?
Pig, you're probably a Republican.
I do like Miss Piggy.
The GOP... The GOP... The GOP.... That is ALL I keep hearing when it is BOTH parties and EVERYONE in Washington that can't pull their heads out of their asses. So they are now talking about taxing those that make $1 million and up... NOW WHAT!?
What about reforming those receiving Entitlements (ie, those on welfare) that do NOT contribute in anyway except for bankrolling the system?! There needs to be guidelines in place for them too. Make them work 40 hours a week for the Community!
Speaker Boner, touch yourself...But...Don't touch social security and medicare.
GreatlyEntitled
What about reforming those receiving entitlements while they are MAKING RECORD Profits? Do we really need to give 54 BILLION in subsidies to the fossil fuel industry? How about millionaires (1000 alone last year) that did not pay a dime in taxes? What about stopping the GOP tax credit for corporations that move jobs to other countries? I support social welfare reform, but ... corporate/military welfare reform MUST be on the agenda too.
Nope, we sure don't. Crazy as to hell to do it. Contrary to what most believe, most welfare goes to those you named.
Greatly Entitled,
You hit the nail on the head. MSNBC does an article, doesn't really matter what its about but somehow it's the GOP's fault for everything. I don't care if they write about icecream, something is the GOP's fault according to about 10 posters that sit at their computer all day waiting to write something about an article. It's getting old and it's pretty lame.
Also to you libtards who say millionares don't pay any taxes, keep drinking that Kool Aid. We need to cut spending in ALL corners of the budget, if we could get spending under control we wouldn't have to raise taxes on anyone.
President Obama repeated time and time again "millionaires and billionaires". So now he is offered what he always said he wanted. Do you think he'll take it? I don't because I have always siad he is a liar. Close GITMO, end the Patriot Act, bring our troops home immediately,(yes he did say that at the beginning). Nothing seems to go the way he originally says things.
Boehner will only stay until the liquor runs out.
ItsAboutTime... would that be in the talks they are presently having about taxing the $1 million and over? If not, hopefully they are talking about it. My point is that it is BOTH SIDES.
Hey, Ji (G) who writes (#1.10):
Hahhahahahahahha...that's probably why Boner is orange...CCUI- changing color under the influence
GreatlyEntitled
I am in agreement with you. It truly must be done with both sides compromising and working together. However, I still believe the DEMS are more willing to compromise then the GOP.
makessense-7131188
PROOF that some millionares DID NOT PAY taxes: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/04/irs-incomes_n_918458.html. No thanks on the koolaid. I really do not need anything from the Faux Department of Ministry.
I do agree, (to a point), that if we cut spending, we should not have to raise or lower taxes on anyone. However, this means that the GOP and DEMS have to actually.. work together. We are also NOT CUTTING Social Security or Medicare. If someone didn't pay into the system, then they should not get it, but we do not CUT off those who paid into either one. They are NOT entitlements.
"makessense" - calling names does not support your perspective nor your argument.
Now regarding "millionaires that don't pay taxes" feel free to identify the FACTS about those that do not pay federal income tax.
http://money.cnn.com/2011/05/09/pf/taxes/millionaires_income_tax/index.htm
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2011/08/irs-1470-millionaires-paid-no-income-tax-in-09/1
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-soi/09inalcr.pdf
Now if you are attempting to blithely refer to sales tax, payroll tax, gasoline tax, etc. you need to remember that those in the lower income brackets pay a much higher percentage of their overall income in those taxes than those in the top income brackets.
With respect to those in the lower tax brackets that do not pay federal income taxes, one of the main reasons is the "Earned Income Credit" which, as I'm sure you know, was a Republican initiative later expanded by other Republicans.
I like that deal too. I liked the offer Boehner made to limit tax deductions for millionaires, and I like this offer too on increased taxes on incomes over $1 million a year.
The only question is, is Boehner making offers that he can back up with Teagagger votes, and can Boehner get the deal he's offering passed in the House?
Piggy... your sense of humor is going to climb you to the top.
How about the getting more people paying taxes. How about making it tougher to get on welfare and not easier. Why would anyone want to work when they get a check in the mail every month?
Boehner has been doing this crap since the Bush administration. Why is this jack ass still in office?
Matthew, I read the article and it says that .6% of Millionaires didn't pay taxes in 2009. Thats really isn't compelling evidence. If 99.4% of millionaires paid taxes then I would pretty much stand by my previous statement. Where right now 47% of people don't pay any taxes now.
Stop talking about the elected TeaPeople!
TO: LiberalsAreTheWorst who wrote:
You planning to pay down the debt with Food Stamps?
TO: JH-479998 who wrote:
If you're calling President Obama a "liar", I sure would like to know what you called George "Curveball" Bush?
No, I think entiltlements are destroying the country. I think that the rise of people who do not pay taxes and that are so dependent on the government is only going to grow and there is nothing stopping it.
Nobody should get to go home for any holiday until they get this finalized. None of the 3 S's and comfy big bed, this is a revolving dual fillibuster and the American taxpayers are tired of this BS.
If Republicans were as passionate in protecting the 99%ers as they are protecting the 1%ers, can you imagine where this Nation would be?
I tip my hat to Fiesty today. She is out looking for a job.
It's the 15th round coming up and Boehner is battered to a pulp and they have the towell ready as he will not be able to withstand any further punishment. Obama seems to be getting his second wind and is feeling more confident than ever and appears ready to end it all. So far, he is unmarked and has barely broken a sweat. Stay tuned, we'll be right back for the final round.
Hey, LiberalsAreTheBest of #1.25
Typo alert - I think you really meant -
Kudos to Feisty !!!
Pigotry - (re: #1) Just read the link and stop posting lies...
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/10/12/are-budget-cuts-to-blame-for-benghazi-attack-as-biden-suggested.html
Then you would be in favor of the mandatory sequesters taking hold, right? That is the only way we will see anything remotely close to the reduction they will impose on spending. Couple those with a return to the previous tax rates for all categories and we might make some progress on eliminating deficits and reducing the debt. I don't see the "cliff" as something to be avoided. I see it as necessary to bring us closer to some form of fiscal responsibility. We sure as Hell can't rely on congress to accomplish that task for their prime objections are centered on protecting their own sacred cows ~ like defense, and corporate subsidies and various social programs.
Pigotry
Hey, LiberalsAreTheBest of #1.25
Typo alert - I think you really meant -
--------------------------------------------------------------------
TRUE! I doubt seriously that she would EVER look for a JOB!
Jim in Texas-- I agree , for me, it would hurt like h-ll but I would survive.
TO: LiberalsAreTheWorst who wrote:
That's just jealousy.
We were forced to buy into both Social Security and Medicare. We didn't have any choice. So now we are "entitled" to receive the benefit of the bargain.
But those who are not part of those plans can't stand to see the rest of us get what we paid for.
That would be like anyone else who purchased something, and then were not allowed to have what they bought with their own money, but the seller gets to keep all of our money even though he refuses to deliver the product.
In the United States of America, we call that "stealing".
LiberalsAreTheWorst is a textbook example of a victim of the GOP propaganda machine.
They are otherwise well-meaning individuals who have been hopelessly indoctrinated into thinking that if you're poor, it's because you WANT to be poor. Oh, the joy of not being able to provide for your family. The joy of knowing you're failing your children.
On the contrary, polls show that an immense majority of Americans (upward of 95%) value hard work and personal achievement and would rather provide for their own families themselves than depend on someone else's charity. Sure, 5% does like to exploit the system, but they're FIVE PERCENT, not FORTY-SEVEN PERCENT as the GOP has indoctrinated a huge chunk of the country into believing.
This really has to be the only country in the world in which a major party and its people victimize the rich (whose income has skyrocketed over the past three decades) and vilify the poor (whose share of the country's wealth has been steadily shrinking).
To "GreatlyEntitled", the greatest amount of "welfare" in this country goes to the rich, in the form of:
The rich should pay more taxes. They take far more handouts.
JH,
That is because Republicans in the House are to blame for blocking any action on a lot of those things you listed.
Republicans will not allow Gitmo detainees into American Prisons and will not allow them to be released to their home countries. So what is Obama to do? Execute them? That is probably what the GOP wants. As for the Patriot act, Obama cannot do anything about it. Almost all of Congress has voted for it in the past and will continue to. Vetoing it will have no effect.
Republicans have been crying for years that drawing down troops too fast compromises the mission in Afghanistan. Both on the talk shows and in the capital.
Obama cannot railroad any of these issues because then the Right would say, "Oh look, Obama really is a dictator". He is damned it he does and damned if he does not so he takes the appropriate way to deal with it, if the House ain't moving on it drop it until a later date and get on to more important things.
I bet a dollar nothing gets done, as usual.
Time to end the Bush tax cuts on the wealthy so liberals can pretend that Obama is actually doing something to reign in the trillion plus annual deficits. Nothing being discussed in Washington will see Obama leave office after his second term with anything less then 20 trillion in national debt. Obama isn't even giving a passing thought to the amount of debt this country owes, or if we can ever dig out of the hole. Nothing could be more irresponsible then to be saddling future generations, our children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and so on with massive debt that will greet them upon birth. The best part is that there will be absolutely nothing to show for all the opulent spending.
makessense - you challenged the concept of 1000 millionaires not paying taxes. You were provided proof that they don't. Those millionaires are part of the 47% that you refer to.
btw - the makeup of the 47% can be found here: http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/UploadedPDF/1001547-Why-No-Income-Tax.pdf
To the GOP and TPers. The election is over, the Dems won the majority of America's votes both Electoral and popular.
Time to compromise. They will hug your elephant and now you can kiss their ...... You know... Donkey.
Get off the GOP pot and pass the bill allowing tax cuts to be continued for the middle class and let them return to the normal pre Bush level for the wealthy. In your hearts you know it's right.
Rick-3416939
Does this mean the 11 TRILLION that was passed along from Bush to Obama was also 'opulent' spending? Or does this simply apply to Obama and Obama alone?
Geowil
You are entitled to your opinion but I sure get sick of the left in this country blaming EVERYTHING on the right. Don't any politicians on the left have a spine or brain? The dems owned Congress and refused to fund the transfer of GITMO prisoners. It was not just the GOP. And you all whine about the Bush administration destroying America? Where were the dems when he was doing that? Those lefty loons had a far greater minority than the repubs have now. Why didn't they stop things that were so bad???? If the GOP was able to stop so much from getting done, why didn't the dems stop things that they said were so bad?????
Navy Patriot - The country left the House in the control of the GOP. They are doing their job. Screw the left and their money hungry ways. Look at polls and you will see that Americans want spending reduced just as much as more taxes.
John-numbers
Yes and what...? I am pointing out that it takes two to tango just like in the case of the government, Congress and everyone in Washington that has no clue if they have their underwear the right way or not. They are talking about taxing those making $1million and up. Good. Is that something they are talking about too? We The People do not know.
Pigotry -
Do you call winning with 51% of the vote a moratorium? That margin was a fart in the wind, but it was not a country standing arm-in-arm against the right... You should be slightly more humble!
The idiots who foolishly spoke inaccurately about rape deserved to loose. Republicans like me crossed over to vote for the other guy to be sure those morons did not win.
You see, "America" did not give you all the street-cred you seek from the November elections. We are a nation divided - almost evenly.
It's also important to look at the reasons those .6% of millionaires didn't pay taxes. I did see a detailed article about it around 6 months ago, and the main reasons those millionaires didn't pay was; (1) they offset most of the income with stock loss carryforwards from when the market crashed, and (2) a large portion of their income was from tax free government bonds.
Sure, we could make government bonds taxable, but all that would do is drive up the price governments pay when they issue new bonds (i.e.; it would cost all of the local taxpayers more money). I also don't see any reason why someone should not be able to deduct a loss on stock they've sold. So, once the facts were out, I didn't see any problem with those millionaires not paying any taxes that year.
concernedone,
President Obama won reelection with a larger margin (percentage & raw vote) than Bush did in 2004 and Bush famously claimed he had a voter mandate.
Precisely, GreatlyEntitled. It takes two to tango, but only one not to tango. The GOP don't tango, so we can't tango.
You and your spouse agree to get a new bed, but your spouse also wants a brand new TV. You say, "Honey, we both want the bed, so let's just get that one and then we'll talk about whether we can afford the TV." But your spouse says, "Over my dead body; we either get both the bed and the TV or we don't get anything." Would you not consider that you're being the reasonable one, seeing as both you and your wife want the bed?
The story excerpt below is from the Weekend WSJ. It is one example, among many hundreds, if not, thousands, that it’s so much better to be part of the business owner class than it is to be a member of the proletariat angry mob marching through town with pitchforks and torches. Buying stock in a publically listed company makes you an owner of a small piece of that company. In return for being an owner you get a share of its profits in the form of the quarterly dividend payment. Not even the most ridiculously lucrative union contract will give you a 12% pay increase, anywhere, anytime. Lefty liberals, It sucks to be you.
Because Barry and the loony left want to punish successful business owners with a nearly 300% increase in the tax rate on dividends and a 33% increase in the cap gains tax rate, I will be taking steps this week to make sure they don’t see even a penny of these increased taxes. I will be donating some GE stock to a couple of charities I support and I will sell the rest of my holdings to lock in the current 15% cap gains tax rate. I will also be purchasing an equivalent amount of GE stock in my IRA so I can still get that 12% dividend increase and avoid sharing any of it with Barry and the loony left for at least 10-20 years, if ever.
Hey, at least Barry and the loony left’s tax punishments will actually create jobs: CPAs and tax lawyers will be in high demand in 2013.
LMFAO!!!!!
GE Boosts Dividend, Buyback
By KATE LINEBAUGH
General Electric Co. increased its dividend and said it would buy back another $10 billion worth of shares, as Chief Executive Jeffrey Immelt seeks to reward investors and mop up stock the industrial conglomerate issued to shore itself up during the financial crisis.
The quarterly dividend was raised by 12% to 19 cents a share, which will be paid in January and should cost the company an additional $211 million a quarter. The annual yield is now about 3.5%. The buyback program, which had about $4.9 billion in remaining authorization at the end of the third quarter, was extended through 2015.
ItsAboutTime-3704531
Bush was a big spender, Obama is bigger. The reason I no longer care what Bush spent is simply because he is no longer president. That might come as a surprise to many liberals, but what Bush did is done. What Obama is doing is ongoing. Obama is the only president we have right now, and he is doing NOTHING to actually address the massive deficits or our national debt. The paltry 10 year 4 trillion in deficit reductions Obama promotes is pathetic. Only liberals can get behind a plan like that and tout it as a solution. Democrats have absolutely no track record on fiscal responsibility. It has been over 40 years since a Democrat controlled Congress put forth a balanced budget. No liberal has yet explained how we ran trillion plus deficits in Obama's first year with TARP, TARP 2, and the Stimulus, but since that spending our deficits have never come down. How is that possible unless Obama increased spending?
President Obama has the Republican Party of Congress backed into a corner. All he needs to do is sit back and let them destroy what is left of their pitiful party and we can send Boner home crying like a baby next year along with the rest of his minions. In reality Boner cannot lead his group of ragtag losers from the Tbag party not to mention his rank and file Republicans. Boner is a loser and has shown no backbone whipping his party into shape to do the right thing by the country. Of course we do have some Republicans who are dissenters and saying let's give the President what he wants. We lost and the public, our constituents, will be pulling the levers next year in the mid-term elections. We are out of a job, no more perks, but we will have our cushy retirement and benefits one way or the other.
The Red States are the leading recipients of welfare with MS leads the pack. The recipients are White people as the majority receiving these freebies the GOP is complaining about. But they want to take SS and medicare from those who have paid into the system since they borrowed against the principle and cannot pay it back. This is out and out theft in office or fraud, waste and abuse of their office.
Corporate Welfare is the largetst drain on our country. Entities like the Military Industrial Complex, Big Oil, American corporations who ship jobs overseas getting tax breaks not to mention others are to blame for this problem we have not to mention two unfunded wars by Dubya. The 2% Club are not paying their fair share in contrast to percentages like is taken from the middle class. They should be taken back to the Clinton era since this top down economics voodoo crap has not worked since Ronbo and Newt introduced it in the 80's. If it did work there would be so many jobs they could not fill them all. Over thirty years of this crap is enough. We must go back to the era when the 2% Club was paying in the Eisenhauer age. Their free ride is over with and President holds all the cards. We, the voters, gave him full authority to make this happen.
BREAKING NEWS!!!! Boehner caved on tax increases for the rich. Obama refused any spending cuts.
Fiscal cliff is now 100% Obama. GOP compromised and Obama refused to cut any spending further proving he is after tax and spend...tax and spend.
Liberals, this is all 100% Obama now. You can not call Republicans obstructionists now. You can not blame the GOP. They've caved. Obama refuses to compromise. Off the fiscal cliff we go and you can only blame Obama. The tied has turned. It's 100% Obama's fault.
Save your spin...don't need to hear it. It's all Obama. Now, what cha gonna whine about? Huh...huh...Beohner caved. So, the only one responsible for not making the deal is Obama.
Rick-3416939
No. CONGRESS Is still the big spender. Or did I somehow miss Article 1 Section 8 of the United States Constitution? Obama can't address the deficit by himself now can he? What can he do that does not require the support of Congress?
The rest of your comment is 100% ignored and actually amusing. The GOP is just as guilty on spending as are the Democrats. THe only way spending is going to come down is if BOTH SIDES work together and actually compromise?
P.S. The biggest problem with righties is they hold the democrats to a higher standard then their own party.
ItsAboutTime-3704531
"P.S. The biggest problem with righties is they hold the democrats to a higher standard then their own party."
Funny how Bush gets blamed for being a big spender when his two biggest deficits came with Democrats in control of both houses, and spending increased under Obama when Democrats controlled both houses and yet liberals still blame Bush. Actually Congress can pass the spending bills, it requires a president willing to sign them. But presidents are supposed to be the leader, set the agenda, and that is something for which Obama has failed. The biggest problem with lefties is they have no standard for anyone in their own party, but endless standards for Republicans.
Too bad your party hasn't gotten the memo.
Hey Pigotry, I bet you $10,000.00 Bonehead said the 1% is not on the table !!!!!!!!!!!
No I don't. I call winning an Electoral vote of 332 to 206 a moratorium. That, my GOP friend, was by a landslide and what wins the Presidency of the United States. Not a majority.
"Mr. Sensitive" (Obama) can fake tears at a press conference to con people into thinking he "cares" but he is working behind the pubic's back to screw them out of their Social Security, Medicare etc.
Obama, Republicans move toward deal to slash social programs
By Barry Grey
18 December 2012
The orchestrated negotiations between the White House and Republican House Speaker John Boehner on a deficit-reduction deal to avert the so-called “fiscal cliff” moved toward their predictable conclusion over the weekend, when Boehner offered to support a token tax increase on the super-rich in return for massive cuts in social entitlement programs...
...Obama has sought throughout the “fiscal cliff” talks to insist on an increase in tax rates for the rich in an attempt to provide a fig leaf of “fairness” to his historic assault on the basic social programs enacted in the 1930s and 1960s. In so doing, he is seeking not only to confuse and deceive the working population, which overwhelmingly supports higher taxes for the wealthy and opposes cuts in entitlement programs, he is also working to ease the way for his liberal and pseudo-left supporters to line up behind his anti-working class program.
…The immediate aim of the current talks, held within the framework of an artificial end-of-the year deadline before some $600 billion in tax increases and automatic spending cuts begin to take effect (the “fiscal cliff”), is to reach an interim bipartisan deal for spending cuts and temporary tax increases on the rich that will serve as a down payment on more far-reaching austerity measures to be worked out in the course of 2013.
Part of the agenda for the new year is “comprehensive tax reform,” which will supplant any minor tax increase on the rich with major cuts in corporate as well as income tax rates.
Obama has thus far publicly proposed spending cuts totaling $600 billion as part of such a deal, but has signaled his readiness to raise that figure as part of an agreement. Any new cuts will come on top of $1 trillion in cuts agreed to last year as part of the deal to raise the debt limit and $700 billion in reductions in Medicare spending incorporated into Obama’s 2012 health care overhaul….
...Boehner’s proposed increase in the marginal tax rate for households with incomes above $1 million, assuming that the multi-millionaires actually paid the increased taxes, would affect a mere 443,000 households, or about 0.3 percent of American households. These families take in an average of $3.3 million a year, and their tax bills would rise by an average of $134,000 in 2013. That comes to only 0.4 percent, on average, of their income.
On the other side of the ledger are 48 million Americans who rely on Medicare, more than 50 million on Medicaid, and 54 million who receive Social Security benefits. The living standards of these millions of people will be severely affected by the structural changes and cuts that are being prepared by both big business parties…
…Right-wing Republican Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma was quoted last week as saying, “We’ve had conversations where [Obama] told me he’ll go much further than anyone believes he’ll go to solve the entitlement problem if we can get the compromise.”
Last week in an interview with Barbara Walters of ABC News, Obama himself predicted that the Republicans would drop their categorical opposition to raising tax rates on the rich and added, “If the Republicans can move on that, then we are prepared to do some tough things on the spending side.” Asked about raising the eligibility age for Medicare, Obama replied, “[W]hat I’ve said is let’s look at every avenue.”
http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2012/12/18/fisc-d18.html
LiberalsAreTheWorst
Piggy... your sense of humor is going to climb you to the top.
How about the getting more people paying taxes. How about making it tougher to get on welfare and not easier. Why would anyone want to work when they get a check in the mail every month?
How about getting Republicans off Welfare:
Republicans are a Burden
http://scatter.wordpress.com/2009/02/16/red-state-blue-state-welfare-state-subsidizing-state/
"The report shows that of the 32 states (and the District of Columbia) that are "winners" -- receiving more in federal spending than they pay in federal taxes -- 76% are Red States that voted for George Bush in 2000. Indeed, 17 of the 20 (85%) states receiving the most federal spending per dollar of federal taxes paid are Red States. Here are the Top 10 states that feed at the federal trough (with Red States highlighted in bold):
States Receiving Most in Federal Spending Per Dollar of Federal Taxes Paid:
1. D.C. ($6.17)
2. North Dakota ($2.03)
3. New Mexico ($1.89) (flipped Red in 2004)
4. Mississippi ($1.84)
5. Alaska ($1.82)
6. West Virginia ($1.74)
7. Montana ($1.64)
8. Alabama ($1.61)
9. South Dakota ($1.59)
10. Arkansas ($1.53)
In contrast, of the 16 states that are "losers" -- receiving less in federal spending than they pay in federal taxes -- 69% are Blue States that voted for Al Gore in 2000. Indeed, 11 of the 14 (79%) of the states receiving the least federal spending per dollar of federal taxes paid are Blue States. Here are the Top 10 states that supply feed for the federal trough (with Blue States highlighted in bold):
States Receiving Least in Federal Spending Per Dollar of Federal Taxes Paid:
1. New Jersey ($0.62)
2. Connecticut ($0.64)
3. New Hampshire ($0.68) (flipped Blue in 2004)
4. Nevada ($0.73)
5. Illinois ($0.77)
6. Minnesota ($0.77)
7. Colorado ($0.79)
8. Massachusetts ($0.79)
9. California ($0.81)
10. New York ($0.81)
Really now. Does anyone in their right mind think any deal will slow down Obama's maniacal spending spree? He's already begun paying back his supporters by increasing his deficit spending to 6 billion each and every day. For those that are math challenged, that works out to increasing the national debt by over 2 trillion for this fiscal year. Buying elections is indeed expensive.
Wet Willy, you are correct and trying to buy one is expensive too. Just ask the Koch brothers, Karl Rove, Grover the Rover and others. It cost Mittwit too. Of course we know he did not did deep into his pockets.
I can say with certainty the Obama campaign received a major part of its funding from grassroots donations by regular middle class people sending in $10, $20 or whatever they could afford. We were bound and determined not to see another Bush II era supporting the uber wealthy 2% Club and the Military Industrial Complex including Halliburton.
The GOP leadership wants to pamper the rich and screw up the middle class. These GOP leaders only serve their rich donors and don't answer to We The People.
What is a good tax rate for the wealthiest? 50%, 75%, or 150%?
I think all tax rates should go back to the levels of the Clinton Administration. 12 years of supply side economics under Reagan and Bush Sr. led to ever increasing record deficits and war. 8 years of a balanced approach under Bill Clinton gave us relative peace and prosperity as well as a record surplus. GW Bush turned the largest surplus into the largest deficit in his first year in office. And started 2 wars that were not even on the books. The biggest failings of the Obama administration have been the extension of the GW tax cuts and the health care bill. I am not against health care but you don't buy things you can't afford.
150% probably sounds a little low to these people who thinks its a great idea to STEAL from those who make good money due to their hard work and then basically flush it down the toilet with wasteful spending. Greece here we come!
hi, #2.3:
yeah...
sometimes hard work (for sure);
sometimes, corporate welfare (for sure, too)...such as millions of bonuses for CEOs using taxpayers' bailout money - people have short memories.
JH-479998
President Obama repeated time and time again "millionaires and billionaires". So now he is offered what he always said he wanted. Do you think he'll take it? I don't because I have always siad he is a liar. Close GITMO, end the Patriot Act, bring our troops home immediately,(yes he did say that at the beginning). Nothing seems to go the way he originally says things.
====================
I think you are making an assumption on what he was offered. Technically, if the top marginal tax rate is 35%, Boehner could have offered 35.1% and that would be an increase.
And for the record, every item you have listed above is not exclusively within the purview of the Executive Branch. All need some type of Congressional action as well. So if your 'concern' is about things getting done, let's make sure you're holding ALL applicable bodies accountable. Shall we?
Certain folk seem real good and weaving in and out of "Oh my God, he's a Dictator" mode. Minute one, he's supposed to do all of the things you listed, minute two, he's shredding the Constitution and not respecting democracy and the other Branches of Government.
A 'little' consistency once in a while would be nice.
@alan_static#2.1: I like 150%. Can't get that I'd settle for 100%. Get it all, have someone dig holes around the country, and hide it. Then pay people to hunt it. Once they find it, back charge what was paid 'em to hunt it, and give 'em whats left. Perilous times "alan". Perilous!
TO: alan_static who wrote:
What I would like to know is why are the wackos so mad, but the people whose taxes are about to go up have not even batted an eye.
Why should you be more angry than the folks who will actually be affected?
I have not heard ANY millionaires complain about their taxes going up 4 more cents on the dollar.
I'm not part of the 1%, I'm part of the 63%.
It is a bait and switch to say millionaires and billionaires and then go after someone making 250k. Disingenuous. I'm not crying about my taxes going up, but mentioning a guy making 250 in the same sentence with a billionaire is like saying we share 98% of our DNA with a turnip. Perhaps true, but the vast differences make the similarities functionally irrelevant.
It's a farce to make you think you are taxing the fat cats when in truth you are not - most of the collections will be from people far more like you than you want to admit. Plus, since everyone knows this is not enough money for the government, you have to also know that 250k will quickly become 150k, to 100k - to whatever you make.
Tackle spending too, or this is just pointless.
TO: alan_static who wrote:
Right, you're part of the minority that's not part of any major group in this country
You don't represent, nor are you a part of, the Top 2%, at all, and clearly you don't consider yourself a part of the 98%.
Nevertheless, you're churping like you've got some kind of a dog in this fight, when actually you're one of the few that won't be affected either way.
Addicted to hate speech, is that what it is?
Well, since you are asking, let's go with 150% and negotiate from there.
The rates for income below 250,000 would remain the same. The right seems to keep burying this fact. If you make over 250,000 in non-adjusted income, the first 250,000 is taxed at the old rate. Only income over that 250,000 would be taxed at a higher rate. The impact would be tiny until you got into any larger margins above 250K a year. In other words, those who are comfortably off and close to 250K would notice very little increase at all, while those making millions would see a larger portion in taxes. It's a fair way of ensuring a sliding scale.
The same proposal was put forth for Dividends, meaning lower income brackets could still get the 15% tax rate as long as their total income was under 250K, while higher income brackets would pay higher dividends for income that exceeds 250K only. That would stop people like Mitt from making millions and paying a lower effective rate than his secretary. Far too many millionaires and billionaires make money on dividends alone and pay a very low effective tax rate.
Even the GOP has admitted that tax rates are at historical lows right now for the 1%. It's about time they tightened their belts with the rest of America. The disparity in wealth between the poor and the rich has never been greater and our weak economy is the result. If you have a weak poor and middle class, your economy will languish and struggle. The rich do not keep an economy going. The lower brackets do. it's a basic rule of economics. Ironic really, since they may gain in the short term but are shooting themselves in the foot by strangling the middle class.
All Obama wants to do is pretend he cares about the massive deficits he is running. Nothing Obama has proposed will do anything to avoid his leaving office after his second term with less then 20 trillion in national debt. Exactly what will the nation have to show for all this massive spending? Absolutely nothing. Future generations will be born to a birth certificate and a tax bill, all thanks to the gimme generation.
alan static - I'm sure you meant your post to be in reference to the "47% who don't pay taxes (which we all know is a lie" which would make you one of the 53% - not 63% unless you're talking 110%. Now why does it NOT suprise me you didn't know that?
Listen to these jealous losers whining about percentages.
Hey liberals....Ask Obama why he gave McDonalds (aka #1 Largest fast food giant in the world) and Unions (flush with gangsta & confiscated dues from members) waivers on Obamacare.
Who's not paying their fair share? Looks like a bunch of liberal donors getting away with it.
You people don't even know who you're mad at.
Republican say they are opposed to government spending. Unfortunately that is not what they do when they are in power. All the things they are complaining about are things that they did:
1978-2005 Democratic Federal Spending Increase 9.9%
1978-2005 Republican Federal Spending Increase 12.1%
1978-2005 Democratic Federal Debt Increase 4.2%
1978-2005 Republican Federal Debt Increase 36.4%
1978-2005 Democratic Gross Domestic Product Increase 12.6%
1978-2005 Republican Gross Domestic Product Increase 10.7%
As you can see republicans spend more, increase the debt more and produce less.
Appreciate you meeting with Speaker Boehner Mr. President, but don't let your guard down. I say just let all tax cuts expire and then force a vote on the middle class tax cuts only. Should make most happy. Then move on to gun control and immigration reform. Get your legal team together and extend our debt limit. Republicans can't have it both ways, voting for certain budgets, even though they are short term, and then not paying the debt. That would be a great DNC commercial against Republicans.
The GOPTP has gone Bananas...when tax increases for the 1% seem inevitable.
What would be some good spending cuts? I will take away one answer and say Defense cuts. Now its your turn.
Spending Cuts:
1. Defense
2.
Everything. 10% cut on every single program. As long as there is politicizing around who gets cut and who does not, Washington will never succeed. If everyone gets cut, no one can claim unfairness. Cut where the spending is. If you exclude where the most spending is, you will fail. Just plain old math.
TO: LiberalsAreTheWorst who wrote:
Well, let's see. What are you willing to give up for your country?
Here is a good idea. Why doesn't Obama stick with what he campaigned, and presumedly got elected, on. 4 to 1 ratio of spending cuts vs revenue. Of course he changed that depending on the audience, to 3 to 1 and even 2.5 to 1. His first proposal wasn't even 1 to 1 and he asked for more spending/stimulus. But of course, it is the GOP's fault for not agreeing and holding up the works. If the two parties can agree on a ratio, and I am certainly not implying that they can, then that would be a huge first step. One party says revenue must increase and the other says spending has to be reined in so getting to a ratio is the first step.
In all reality, we need to go over the cliff. The truth is the government currently doesn't collect enough tax revenue to cover the mandatory spending portion of our national budget and Obama's targeted increases will not fix it. This leaves all discretionary spending unpaid for and unsustainable.
TO: mdub44 who wrote:
Because Republicans turned down that deal.
What deal are you referring to?
Obama has only made one offer, and it was not 4, 3 or even 2.5 to 1.
TO: mdub44 who wrote:
Actually, I believe the President's offer was 10 to 1 ratio, i.e., the President would cut $10 in spending in exchange for every $1 in revenue, but, again, Republicans turned that offer down.
Again, what offer are you referring to...his first one during the current negotiations on/about Nov 30, had a ration of less that 1 to 1. 1.6 trillion in tax increase to 400 Billion in cuts.
TO: mdub44 who wrote:
The President offered $10 in cuts for every $1 in revenue, the whole world knows it, we saw it on TV, and Boehner turned it down. It's common knowledge.
THAT is the deal I'm referring to, and if you haven't heard of it, it's probably because you chose to ignore it then, or you're choosing to ignore it now.
Boehner is a poor poker player but what can you say for a guy that took 10 years to finish a BA in History? I think he tried a poker hand with Xavier but lost and spent 10 doing it. Anyway you look at the situation the Republicans are backed into a corner. The middle class are not going to give up what they paid for, Social Security and Medicare, especially since Congress robbed the SS piggy bank and never paid it back. They are not yelling SS is insolvent and it must be done away with. Does anyone recall Dubya wanting to privatize SS through Wall Street investments? Just imagine where 97% of the population would have been at had not cooler and smarter heads prevailed? Now the Republicans are trying to play the same old song again all the while they will be taken care of with a handsome retirement package including a private health insurance included not to mention the millions of dollars they have made on insider trading.
I guess they expect the masses to eat cake while the princes and princesses have a feast on our dime? I say it is time Congress and Senate both relegate all setting of retirement and perks for them to a vote by the people and not retroactively either. Let them worry about old age and health care like the rest of us. Aren't they to be working for those who voted them into office or am I having flash backs? I am being fooled by an evil genius that the GOP has adopted as their moniker from the extreme right wing Believers.
We all know that this is nothing more then a smoke screen..... The Tea Party is never going to agree with our President..... Mr. President it is time to Sequester Congress, do not allow any House member or Senate member go home until this is resolved..... Congress you want cuts then start with your Pay & Benefits, you sure as hell have not earned any of it.....
"...Boehner had offered increased tax rates on millionaires..."
=========
What exactly does this mean? Is this short-hand talking point stuff? You don't have to make over $250K a year to be a millionaire. Someone's total net worth is not what is in question. We are talking about taxable income over 'X' amount annually.
Could we take a few more minutes to provide some accurate details vs taking only a few seconds to say we got something posted on our blog 'first'?
Please don't come to an agreement. Let's go over the cliff and get it over with like the flume ride at Six Flags.
then.. the GOP will more likely be hanged on this ..fiscal cliff-hanger..starting November 2014.
Don't you go to amusement park rides? Remember how fun they were and this Fiscal Cliff is just another one.
Unfortunately, Pigotry, I think you are right. The president is more interested in blaming the Republicans than work out a deal so that the American People won't get hurt.
Roger:
The GOP and the TP has been blaming the president for every thing under the sun for the last four years and stopping every thing he has brought to the table. So if we go over then, i say blame the GOP and the TP and let the chips fall where they may come 2014. And the GOP and TP has all ready put the hurt on the American people. We will survive.
Roger
you mean like the republicans are in blaming a certain class of american...for at the very least - breathing?! while blaming the pres. for everything else?
Political gain is all that matters to Obama or the Democrats in Congress. They are certainly not proposing any solutions to our massive deficits and increasing national debt, and this tax increase is only fooling liberals. Sad to think that political gain matters more then the solvency of the nation.
Rick - you're joking, right? Political gain is all that is important to the right wing nutcases in Congress who have held the country hostage since they gained control!
TO: alan_static who wrote:
Why are Repulicans always hoping that America and the American People suffer some kind of "doom"?
Why is that?
Republicans are either beating the war drums, or calling for the destruction of America and American People.
Seems kind of blatantly un-patriotic, wouldn't you say?
It is Obama that wants to head off the cliff. That way he gets everything he actually wants, and gets to blame Republicans. Only liberals are too stupid to see the truth.
The "Cliff" is a slope and is just GOP and the FOX News Entertainment Complex propaganda. Going down it will not effect us until after February and even then it will be small. We will need to address it in January and rework the IRS tax code afterward.
Frankly, I'm sick and tired of the GOP doing nothing for the last four years hurting the 98% just to protect the 2% and big money corporations. Where do you thing the Nations debt came from? I'll tell you...The two unpaid bush wars and the bush tax credits! How much was that? The debt increased 72% under bush and he didn't even pay for the wars he and cheney started, the tax credits or the massive National Security complex he built after 9-11-2001.
"According to the Treasury Department, when George W. Bush took office in 2001 the national debt was $5.73 trillion and when Bush left office in 2009, the national debt had increased to $10.63 trillion. That’s a 85% increase of $4.9 trillion." Add the two wars and the rest to that and you get close if not all of the $16 Trillion we have now. Only the extreme right are too stupid to see the truth.
Max you are clueless. Both wars annually cost his country 120 billion, just over 1.2 trillion total, Medicare prescription drug benefit is 68 billion per year, and all of it had been added to the total Bush added to our national debt when he left office. But somehow in the warped mind of a liberal there can be no honesty about the spending from Obama, it is all Bush's fault. Well Max, if Obama spent a trillion dollars in stimulus money how are you adding that to Bush's tab? How is it that Obama spent the rest of TARP, TARP 2, the stimulus, and ran a 1.3 trillion dollar deficit in 2009, but in every year since without those expenditures the deficits have never come down? Quit pretending these deficits have been forced upon Obama. Obama is the most coddled president ever, no wonder he feels no obligation to do anything to solve our fiscal crisis.
rick,
You forget that the "cliff" was negotiated last summer over the debt ceiling debate. Boehner got "98% of what I wanted." President Obama offered a 4:1 ratio. Boehner agreed, but could not sell to the TP, so here we are at the cliff. You may want to recall how appropriation bills are initiated (hint: the House).
Also remember during the Republician primary debates, every candidate voted NO to a 10:1 spending cut to tax rate increase. So now we are at the cliff and it is the President that won't compromise? Get real.
Rick, You haven't been paying paying attention have you? The cost for bush's/cheney's wars, RX tax relief for the elderly and the tax cuts for Big business and the rich went on the credit card until Obama had to finally cash it in. Look, I know you are angry and have a bias but, please seek other news information outlets besides the FOX News Entertainment Complex. Your close on the $1.2 trillion total it's more like $1.4 Trillion now and it probably was $1.2 under bush. bush payed for it by NOT by raising taxes like other Presidents in the past, bush sold treasury bonds! When do you think we had to pay those treasury bonds? AFTER bush left office! A treasury bond is a credit card to be paid later. I, by the way do not blame bush for the stimulus that was all Obama's. TARP and TARP2 is all bush's. Plus the two wars, RX, and the tax credits. please add all of that and put it where it belongs....on bush's credit card! And that is the real world.
I don't care if you like Obama or not. That's not the point. Put the money where it was spent, not when it was paid and that was all in bush/cheney's administration. Add the stimulus and you have our Nations debt in 2010.
How can anyone blame the Obama administration for any Government expenditures in 2009? How did it all become HIS baby when the ship was sinking and sinking fast in 2009? Remember 2009? I remember it very well and it was hell.
Posted last Thursday;
The problem isn't making a deal, it has always been selling it to the different constituencies.
Taxes on ME are gonna go up, but maybe a point less than is on the board now.
In lieu of a "grand bargain" (Which is just impossible to sell to the fringes on the left and right)
we will table the so called "entitlement" reform, and actually subject the country to "Debt Ceiling-geddon" again.
http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/13/15888302-boehner-to-ohio-this-weekend#c72589820
We're still negotiating but neither side wants to explain their position lest they be out negotiated or worse understood by the people. All the people
boehner is in a very tuff spot now that his benefactors the NRA and weapon manufactures are under attack!
poor guy has wet his pants and his days are numbered.
the president is a class act and it is time the pubs take notice.
I like Obama and if we go over the cliff I will blame the Republicans. But the truth is that both sides need to give.
The only way out this mess is a balanced approach of increased revenue and sensible spending cuts. The problem that I'm having with the the Republicans is that they don't want sensible spending cuts. They want to gut much needed funding to social programs, some of which need serious reform, and coddle military contractors, big oil and other wealthy donors.
This is about making tough decisions that neither side seems to be willing to do.
Why dont we start by dumping welfare and food stamps and increasing cost to the people on medicaid. $1.00 for a prescription and 5.00 for emergency room visits. Come on, they can afford more. They always can find a way to buy smokes.
This should not be the land of the free. Why work anymore????
Dear mjbo. Your statement is complete nonsense. The facts are wrong and your idea is wrong.
JOHN,
Those are the facts in a nutshell!!!
mjbo - your stupidity is showing - BIG TIME. Welfare and food stamps are at their highest now due to the recession - the worst since the Great Depression. So, in your esteemed opinion, assistance to those hardest hit should just be stopped? We should let thousands live out on the street and starve to death?
Have you seen the lines of people applying for all the jobs offered? NO ONE doesnt' want to work. YOU are the problem - not the poor. Stupidity is clearly your biggest flaw and unfortunately, there is NO cure for ignorance like yours!
And, you've posted NO FACTS - just your demented opinion!
I'm so tired of these people putting the budget problem on the back of the working class and the rich not being asked to pay one penny more in taxes.
Just take it off the curb. Then when the Republicans stall on not wanting to give the 98% restored tax cuts, that act will prove what total POS b@stard$, they the Republicans in office are.
Pick your battles dept. 101
Pardon my sarong,
But replying to nonsensical obvious trolls is both a waste of time and an indication that "if you aren't part of the solution"...
TO: mjb044 who wrote:
Probably because the United States doesn't want to embarass itself by having other nations like Cuba, China, Argentina, and Mexico have to intervene to feed America's poor, elderly, and innocent children.
Starving the poor would make America the World's No. 1 villan. Would you like to Korea making food drops over Mississippi? Would you like to the German Red Cross ship anchored off shore so that American Citizens could get medical care? This is what America has done for other nations that have either been unable or unwilling to feed their poor, and to provide medical assistance to those in need.
Even Africa would look upon the Top 1% as stingy criminals willing to starve their own poor rather than pay for the debt that only the rich could run up in order to play war games on the Stock Market.
Talk is cheap John. Maybe this is a start, however, do not hold out much hope from the baggers.
Not one word out of the GOP regarding the slaughter in Ct., cowards.
My heart hurts and I weep for the dead and their families. America will never be the same, I will never be the same. Come on GOP, man up and stand up for what is right. Chicken hearted lock step ideologues fearful of the NRA, not an original thought amongst them, spineless mutts.
What does the GOP have to do with the slaughter in Ct? What are they supposed to say that is supposed to make anythig better? Our president spoke on behalf of the country, not on behalf of the left. You libtards seriously can't get over yourselves. Where is you spending cut plan Mr. President!?
Yesterday Obama was in CT, and today is meeting with Boehner. Does the President have the worst job in the entire country, or what?
make, its ever thus, congress legislates its all tied together, cliff and legislation, hand in hand, making known intentions and taking a stance on any type of legislation is tied to the debt in some fashion, obviously money trumps and NRA money controls the house Gopers.
Did you really want to see a parade of national politicians on TV last night? The local politicians are the ones dealing directly with the situation. The President expressed the grief of the nation. As a Republican, I think he had an appropriate speech. Many other politicians of both parties expressed their sadness through press releases. What do you think the other national politicians should have done? The NRA had nothing to do with the Newtown massacre. It was a crazy 20-yr old man/boy pulling the trigger.
Stop haggling and just cut government spending.
Smartest thing I have read so far!
"Just cut spending and come up with a smaller budget"
Yep, it's just that SIMPLE...
cut spending WHERE?
at what COST?
Which SPENDING is actually BENEFICIAL to the economy?
Doesn't some SPENDING create JOBS?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's really easy to make sweeping generalizations, but when it comes down to SPECIFICS, it is a lot more complex.
Congress VOTED for all this SPENDING. Much of the SPENDING they voted for benefits their HOME STATES and CONGRESSIONAL districts. They ran on promises of that SPENDING or the SPENDING itself.
It's like your mom and dad 'vote" to buy you an XBOX, and then tell you at Christmas that "budgetary" considerations won't allow for it...how does that work out?
Cut welfare, medicaid, and defence spending. Cut all those by 75% and our deficit is behind us.
20% spending cut across the board, everything needs to be cut back and be a little more frugal with the funds they are given. Alan, or that works too :) I don't really give two craps where it comes from but this bleeding of monies has got to stop.
Cut welfare, medicaid, and defence spending. Cut all those by 75% and our deficit is behind us.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
This is what I mean by an obvious nonsensical TROLL...
Maekessense you really do make sense
Not the smartest of plans. Especially when the people who need these plans in order to survive. So when these people suffer and die this will make you happy?
We need both, revenue and cuts, slash and burn cuts don't work, even keeled responsible cuts and revenue to offset the debt. trickle down doesn't work has never worked, evidenced by the GOP's report they tried to quash--even the uber-rich are saying tax us and lets get on with the country's business.
Well sure - let's take that approach. Where oh where shall we start - school safety programs? Better yet, let's eliminate all current gun safety/restriction programs.
PS, there many opprotunities to cut spending. Just look at the dept. of labor. We now know they put out economic and employment numbers that make Obama look like he is doing better than he actualy is. Why do we need to spend all this taxpayer money just for political purposes. Cut the waste throughtout government and you can cut a trmendous amount of money.
I'd up it to 30% but you have the right idea.
Haggle my ass lets get i done. aren't they both working for the people. I'm sure they are not smart enough to do all the thinking. so lets get all those smart asses in government to just get it done. i shouldn't be listening to this crap about haggling and going to get it done this long. if you can't get the job done on time fire the idiots and get somebody else. i don't care what they do. after listening to this ill take anything. that's probably what they want. if they screw up my taxes ill really be pissed. but Obama don't care he can't spend anymore money anyway and Boner hes done to.
TO: tony-605003 who wrote:
No, and whatever gave you that idea?
It's no secret that Republicans are ONLY working for the Top 2% wealtiest Americans.
Republicans do NOT work for the 98%ers.
Get this through your heads people: Obama is no liberal. Even before these talks began he mentioned a need to reform and cut back entitlements. That's right; he's not giving in on those because he already supported them. This idea that he's a left wing socialist is nothing but propaganda from the Right to make him look bad. Like Obama Care. I know a lot of people that still think it's government health care. It's not. The so-called liberal actually has passed tax legislation with more tax cuts than Bush did. If people actually looked at facts, they would find that Obama is moderate at best. Those are the facts.
Willie, I happen to agree with John and think that maybe you are the one who should wake up. Or is that hook that the GOP fed you stinging a little?
John, I agree Obama is not a liberal. Probably a communist is a more appropriate description.
I don't know why they are meeting. Republicans will not vote for any tax increase and Obama will not sign off on anything that does not have a tax increase in it. i guess we just go over the cliff and let the chips fall where they may. One thing is certain. Obama will be in office for four more years. The question is who will he be dealing with on the other side after we go over the cliff.
It occurs to me that if we "go over the fiscal cliff", taxes increase and Medicare payments to doctors get cut. So, where is Obama's incentive to work with anyone to try to avoid the cliff? Obama wants higher taxes. Obama wants Medicare payments cut so he can use that money for health care for those on welfare (and by default, for illegals who use the ERs as their doctors). Could this be why he ignores the Republicans' proposals? Do nothing and he gets what he wants and then can blame it all on the Republicans. Sleaziest, I mean - best of both worlds (for him).
New to the forum?
The middle class believed Barry's campaign BS that he cared for their welfare. He wants to go over cliff so he will have more to redistribute to minorities and illegals and his zombies will still blame Republicans.
The Boner was asked about the discussions this morning. "We are willing to compromise", he stated, "but until the President gives us everything we asked for, we are still at a stalemate."
Reminds me of his quote for a year ago over the debt ceiling. You know when he said that he got 90% of everything that he wanted. It's a good thing Obama didn't give him the other 10% or we would really be screwed.
Give Boner a medal!
No, the only thing I'd give Boehner is my size nine boot out the door come 2014 elections.
The mistake that I continue to see here is that Obama is speaking to Boehner. We already know from the debt ceiling debacle last year that Boehner has no control over the Republicans in the House. They pull his strings. Why talk to the puppet? Round up the ring leaders and get serious with them. Though good luck getting people like Eric Cantor to give an inch on anything. That man is a narcisist who thinks that everyone should give him everything he wants.
Because it would cost them votes.
TO: Kent from Iowa who wrote:
Well that's because Boehner is supposed to have control over House Republicans.
Actually, I think Boehner is supposed to be negotiating with Pelosi, the House Minority Leader, but everytime someone says "Pelosi" Republicans have another puppy.
According to Woodward's book, it was the Senate Democrats that killed the last "Grand Bargain" and give every indication of doing so again.
The House GOP just needs to repass the existing tax rates and go home for the holidays. There's no "compromise" in Harry Reid and his "happy days are here again" Senate Democrats.
Big waste of everyone's time.
TO: tpaine-2187267 who wrote:
So, you would ignore the rest of America and listen only to Bob Woodward, obviously because he is the only one who said the only thing you wanted to hear, it's the Democrats fault.
That must be why the rest of the country sees Republicans as being obstructionists, and refusing to pay the bills that Republicans already made under the Bush Administration.
When do you think Republicans should start paying the bills, after those loans earn another trillion dollars in interest perhaps?
The solution is to cut spending. Let's stop spending so much on those expendentitures only making this country poorer. The top priorities and top things that are hurting this country; medicare, welfare, medicaid, and 50% of defence. Just stop spending money on those at the Federal level. The states will decide if they want those things.
That has got to be the dumbest post I've seen today and I've seen you post some pretty stupid carp today.
Dog and Pony show continues.Hey people neither party could careless what would help this Country or its People.Just sorry to break it to you all!
This is all a bunch of crap. All I hear is cut SS & Medicare. Are you people on Capitol Hill incompetent???? You should be looking at Corporate welfare, the bloated military and redundant programs as well as other forms of welfare for the people. Leave what we pay for (ss & medicare) alone with the exception of some reforms in waste of medicare. Am sick and tired of you constantly raiding our retirement programs...
Social Security & Medicare benefits are not guaranteed.
They are not guaranteed legally because workers have no contractual or property rights to any benefits whatsoever. In two landmark cases, Flemming v. Nestor and Helvering v. Davis, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Social Security taxes are not contributions or savings, but simply taxes, and that Social Security benefits are simply a government spending program, no different than, say, farm price supports. Congress and the president may change, reduce, or even eliminate benefits at any time.
As a result, retirees must depend on the good will of 535 politicians to determine how much they will receive in retirement. And what could be less guaranteed than a politician's promise? In fact, Congress has voted to reduce Social Security benefits in the past. For example, in 1983, Congress raised the retirement age.
http://www.ssa.gov/history/nestor.html
The truth is our country has a lot of self-made financial issues. We and our politicians are afraid to do what needs to be done because it will not be popular. We as a country need to be accountable. We need to develop a financial plan, that invests in our future, sets a viable tax code that brings in revenue and that accounts for inflation, sets up contingencies for emergency spending (wars, national disasters etc.), and provides for our special interests (national baseline Medicare, national baseline retirement program, and temporay welfare). No one should live their entire life on welfare. I believe in America. Now we need to believe in ourselves as one nation of many peoples under god (whether you belive in him/her or not). A nation without a purpose is the reason we are where we are now. Believe in your family, your neighbor, something and accomplish something or be happy to have your life decided by others who definitely care less about your welfare.
Wish I could press the button a few more times gdale6 - I agree with you
Vastly different, Sailor. Farm price subsidies are capital outlaws funded by taxes. Social Security is not supported by taxes other than that paid into the system by current and future beneficiaries. Had it not been ripped off by congress "appropriating" its surplus funds annually, it would be solvent for many years into the future. The US government currently owes SS $2.65-TRILLION, plus interest. Agricultural price subsidies are debit items ~ their recipients do not contribute to a fund from which the subsidy dollars are withdrawn.
TO: Larry Robinson-1323081 who wrote:
Oh yes they are!
If the Government wants "out" then why don't they just give all of us our money back with interest paid thereon at the legal rate?
There is no magic wording or any other kind of "greed" coming from those who have no paid interest in these programs that will make it "ok" for the government to keep our money. There are too many of us who pre-paid for our retirement for the government to simply put a stamp on us that says "S.O.S."
If Republicans were to try that, I am certain there would be lawsuits coming from every corner of this country brought by people who were forced to pay money in, in exchange for monthly checks and health care benefits upon our retirement.
Simple really. Stop the welfare and handouts. Welfare has only increased poverty and rewarded bad behavior. Pay losers to be sterilized before they breed. Take children from poor unwed losers and pay orphanages to raise them properly and stop giving money to and rewarding the stupid behavior of the loser brain dead trash mothers. Let orphanages raise these bastard children in a structured environment where they have a chance of becoming something.
Ammortize the national debt and start paying it off.
Eliminate the income tax and create a federal sales tax of 20% on all goods and services, no exceptions. It is time that EVERYONE paid income tax and contributed, and that includes the 47% trash at the bottom that contribute nothing and gobble every welfare freebie they can swallow.
If people suffer and have a reality check that is a good thing. Overpopulation of poor is destroying the USA and the world. Stopping the poor from breeding should be the first step to success everywhere.
Especailly the trailer trash crowd dropping all of those half and half kids
Soooo ~ you are alleging that 47% of the population are welfare recipients? My current status puts me in that percentile and I'm wondering where all my 'welfare freebies" are and when they will start arriving? I'm unable to state this delicately, SayIt ~but yours is a dumbass statement. I'm not certain if it arises out of ignorance ~ ~ or stupidity. Probably ignorance. Most stupid people would not make such as wild ass claim.
TO: WillieSmith who wrote:
Well, I thought Republicans were so staunchly "pro-life".
Republicans can't have it both ways.
Either are cussing and spitting over people having abortions, or they're ready to go nuts over having to care for all those babies they insist be born.
Thanks for carrying the tax water for the 1% dummies...it cracks me up that the loudest complainers about guvment spending and entitlements are also the biggest takes of that guvment spending...
Teabaggers on medicare and SS...
Military retiree teabaggers who will end up being supported by the rest of us for 40, 50 and 60 years while they complain about teachers pensions...
Teabaggers who receive the child SS supplement...
Teabaggers who are on medicaid...
Teabaggers who spent their entire lives skirting paying taxes now complain if they pay any taxes...
Teabaggers who work for any of the welfared up industries like defense, energy and farming..
You are the problem...not the solution
Sounds like you've been teabagged once too often.
Ok, Obama. Time to put up or shut up.
TO: Mordsith_T who wrote:
It's up to the House to pass the bill.
All the President does is sign it.
American Girl, your talking to a brick wall that has no footing !!!!!!!!!!!!!
This was their solution when the Government was going to shut down on August 2, 2011 and when the government was going to shut down on October 1, 2012.
Now that its being projected that the government is going to shut down on or before March 1, 2013, and they are going to continue doing the same thing they've been doing that doesn't work, oh my are they failing this country big time.
That's not leadership, that's insanity. Reelecting Obama has condemned this country to financial suicide by Obama. Wait until you see the debt he creates in the next four years. His own administration is projecting it at at least $24 trillion.
I hope that Obama supplies every American with some lubricant as he's about to stick it to the seniors and middle class again.
They've been kicking the can since we went off the gold standard in 1971. Artificial growth.
Spending and raising taxes, spending and raising taxes. It's so obvious to see our government has had a wasteful spending problem since at least 1971. People are dumb.
I hope that somehow Sandy Hook has put the real context of life into proper perspective, and that these two monkeys can "work together" to stop all this bullsh!t and solve the problem !!!!!