E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSUpdated 2:21 p.m. -- Saying that Republican opponents should "take me out of it," President Barack Obama appealed Wednesday for compromise on the "fiscal cliff," urging GOP House members to put aside personal and political concerns after a week marked by the Newtown shooting tragedy and continued bickering over the nation's deficit woes.
Acknowledging that his most vehement foes live in conservative districts with little political "incentive" to back the Democratic president, Obama blamed Republican rank-and-file for personalizing the politics of possible deficit reduction plans.
Speaking at a White House news event, President Obama says that in order to reach a compromise on the fiscal cliff he "is prepared to do some very tough things." Watch his comments.
"I don’t know how much of that just has to do with [the idea that] it is very hard for them to say yes to me," Obama said at a press conference to announce a new task force to prevent gun violence. "But, you know, at some point, you know, they’ve got to take me out of it and think about their voters and think about what’s best for the country."
"If there’s one thing we should have after this week, it should be a sense of perspective about what’s important," he added, alluding to the Newtown shootings that left 26 dead, including 20 children.
Senior White House officials say that negotiations have stalled since yesterday, when House Speaker John Boehner introduced a "Plan B" stopgap measure that would raise tax rates for those making over $1 million annually but would not immediately tackle larger issues like spending cuts and defense "sequestration."
House Speaker John Boehner says that President Obama's offer in revenue and spending reductions fails the test of a balance approach.
The administration argues that the "Plan B" would mean that scores of wealthy earners would keep getting substantial tax breaks while 2 million Americans would lose unemployment insurance.
"That violates the core principles that were debated during the course of this election and that the American people determined was the wrong way to go," Obama said.
That premise, however, has been vigorously disputed by Republican leaders, who say that the “Plan B” legislation would immediately prevent tax hikes on the middle class, which the White House has always called its top priority in the negotiations.
In a brief statement to reporters Wednesday afternoon, Boehner said that his proposal will pass the House tomorrow, challenging Obama to instruct Senate Democrats to greenlight the backup measure as well.
"The president will have a decision to make," he said. "He can call on the Senate Democrats to pass that bill, or he can be responsible for the largest tax increase in American history."
NBC's Luke Russert joins Alex Wagner and the NOW panel to make sense of fiscal cliff dealings.
"The White House's opposition to a back-up plan to ensure taxes don't rise on American families is growing more bizarre and irrational by the day," Boehner spokesman Brendan Buck said earlier Wednesday. "Republicans have always said a broader, 'balanced' plan is the ideal solution, and we have put one forward. In the absence of a 'balanced' solution from the President, however, we must act to stop taxes from rising across the board in 12 days."
While Obama said he understands lead negotiator Boehner faces "challenges" within his caucus from rank-and-file members fearful of a primary challenge from the right, he accused GOP heavies of keeping on their "partisan war paint" long after Election Day.
"I think an environment needs to be created within not just the House Republican caucus but also among Senate Republicans that say the campaign is over, and let’s see if we can do what’s right for the country. At least for the next month. And then, you know, we can reengage in all the other battles that they’ll want to fight."
NBC's Kristen Welker contributed to this report.
Leave a Comment:
come on you republican dumbasses-you spent four years shouting from the roof tops you would make obama a one term president-how did that work out for you?get your sh@@ together and pass sensible tax increases on the top 2 or 3%-you're not going to win this debate-cut defense spending-keep the current tax for 98% of working americans and work out the rest when we have a new congress and get some of these old clowns out of there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
bo will not pass any deal...you see his plan is to let the bus ( baracks U.S.) go off the cliff. That has been his plan all along cause he is not a traitor, he has NEVER been loyal to this nation...no he is the devils advocate.
Reinstate the payroll tax on the 100%, it is meant to pay for our retirement and our healthcare for seniors. It is atax that we benefit from, we the supposed 98% get so much more back than we pay in.
I think that the only thing that will come out of all this schoolyard bullying, is that we will see alot less republican hardline rightwing officials in government. Unfortunately, that won't change anything.
Mr. Speaker: Stop trying to play the blame game. Your statements that a failure to get a deal will be the President's fault is so juvenile as to be laughable. Do your job and stop the foolish games.
Three fourths of america wants the rich to pay a bigger share of the tax burden- How do you say that the Republican Congress speaks for America? You guys lost so you need to play ball!!
So when your messiah....the devil advocate says the same thing about the Republicans...thats OK???????....BIGOT!
Tis' a shame, after four years of sand bagging, foot dragging and holding middle-class Americans hostage to protect their rich puppet masters, the Taliban right has not yet figured out they hold a losing hand.
The Republicans are traitors who put their ideology ahead of what's necessary for the good of the nation.
Sorry BO...but you are in it ..idiot!....You are in the drivers seat...may be a little stoned though cause you don't even know your in the drivers seat.....and you are driving the bus right off the cliff with Millions of American babies who are going to be strapped with your debt!!!!......But I sense that you don't care and that you are laughing all the way to the ravene and saying....those stupid people who voted for me...hahahahah...now I am going to really give them what they deserve another down grade,raise their taxes, remove their freedoms one at a time...first relgious then remove their ability to defend themselves....then BAM........I will be Dictator Obama. Person of the year.....yea right what a joke......the devils advocate is worshiped on the left and they don't even realize he is destroying this country. Well in four years when they wake up and say....why didn't someone tell us he was lying to us....ahhh, by then dumb dumbs, it will be to late.
You've been asleep for the last year? Obama wants to extend the tax cuts for 98%, the GOP wants to end the tax cuts for all unless the (now) 0.19% get to keep their money. If the GOP does not budge, YOUR taxes WILL go up.
The president wants no spending cap, and anticipates increasing the national debt by $4 trillion by the end of this term, he is not compromising.
All this posturing by the Boner and the GOP. This last proposal to pass all the Bush tax cuts is too cute. The Boner still tries to save the 0.19% of those earning over a million by letting them GET the tax cut on their first million, still without reinstating the UI cuts or the payroll tax break. The middle class gets screwed, all to protect the wealthy.
The GOP is DOA. Like the restaurant at the end of the universe, servicing only the few that remain. Their concern is not for an entire country but for a smaller and smaller patch of land which reside their constituents. In 20 years, all those old white guys will have died off and then no amount of gerrymandering will encase enough votes any longer...By then perhaps the libertarians will have enough folks to be a real force in this country.
The dialectic between libertarians and Liberals is the only way to a strong future America.
If we could "take him out of it" we might come to an agreement. His damn ego is too big. I guess things are going to have to get a whole lot worse before people wake up and see how bad 0bama has made them,
The GOP lost the election. Get over it.
Hey Willie, watch the Repubs get voted out in 2013 -- so much for their mandate. it was all based on 2010 and trust it is all gone now.
weemee -
There is no national election in 2013. Nice try though.
Considering that you are probably an average intelligence liberal, I feel sorry for you. Your liberal education has done wonders for your intellect and knowledge of American government.
I totally agree with "jerseydevil". I see NO reason why an ordinary citizen needs an assault rifle - they should be for Military, only! I do believe in "The right to bear arms", but let's be reasonable. If you need one for hunting, etc, you shouldn't need 30 shots to complete the task! Hopefully, the mentally ill will get the help they need, but first, they have to admit they have a problem!
An assault rifle is a select-fire (either fully automatic or burst capable) rifle that uses an intermediate cartridge and a detachable magazine. It is not to be confused with assault weapons.[1] Assault rifles are the standard service rifles in most modern armies. Assault rifles are categorized in between light machine guns, which are intended more for sustained automatic fire in a light support role, and submachine guns, which fire a pistol cartridge rather than a rifle cartridge.
Examples of assault rifles include the StG 44, AK-47,[2] M16 rifle, QBZ-95, INSAS, Heckler & Koch G36, and Enfield SA80.
The assault rifle became the standard military rifle in the post-World War II era. The Soviet Union led the way with the AK-47, and other nations followed later. Combat experience during the World Wars had shown that most infantry combat took place at 200–300 meters (218–328 yards) distance and that the winner of any given firefight would most likely be the one with the highest rate of fire. The rifle cartridges of the day were therefore unnecessarily powerful, producing recoil and report in exchange for marginal benefit. The lower power of the intermediate cartridge meant that each soldier could fire more bullets faster and/or with less recoil and its lighter weight allowed more ammunition to be carried.
maybe there is no such thing as a williesmith.
This is all heading for a future civil war. Rich vs everyone else. Is there going to be any other solution? Question of slavery began one. This is as so or worse. Terrible it be that the republicans push us into this one. This Democrat snub by the GOP is awful and if we cannot fire them; well, what alternative? This government failure and obstructionism already have an over duresss'd population jumping bridges and mass shootings and widespread depression problems. Really? Ask Chris Matthews or anyone else what can we do to end this crap? NO ONE KNOWS. "MAYBE HISTORY DOES"!
20 percent of gdp is about 2.6 trillion in spending. The us spends 3,6 trillion. A normal economy collectes about 18-20 percent in taxes. That is, exactly what the us collects now. Yes, it is a spending problem starting with a bloated military and farm bill and ending with a social security system that pays out a few hundred k per person more than a person pays in their entire lives on a per member basis. One big giant slush fund but on the flip side, the us is the base currency of the world and we can print until someone tells us no. !
Hmm...after it was the GOP that put us in this position first and the escape of manufacturing in our country. But, that does not give the party powers not to heed the people that elect and whom they elected. Self interest and self power is not going to keep us going. Anti-obamaism is making americans mad and energetic and very sick of it too. Sorry; history will tell you that it is a costly game played by those that want to own it all and not get dirty and time will too. In the realm of a GOP congress; nothing gets fixed! They are determined to do nothing but keep the wealth and obstruction going. Ask; not just Chris, read the documented books by some republican alumni that have decided to spill the truth about their time spent in the GOP; like "The Party is Over" by Mike Lofgren. It is a shame but; history finds a way and i feel sorry for our upcoming generations.
TruePatriot-445959
Lordy, Lordy. How I detest the polarization and rightwing Haters -- Thanks to Republican gerrymandering to create safe seats in solid red districts. As usual, these simpletons neglected to consider the unintended consequences.
True that attacks on President Obama has surpassed any other POTUS in our history, and we all know it is due in large part to racism -- Yes it is, since exit polls in states like Arizona show that a large percent of Republicans believe the president is not a legal citizen, and why they voted for Birther idiots like Sheriff Joe Arpaio. They can deny their racism all they want, but the only basis for believing the Birther chicken crap is racism.
Still, the fact is the rightwing (now 47% of voters) will detest any Democrat at anytime, but most specifically a Democrat in the White House. Even a turncoat like Joe Lieberman, or other Blue Dogs would be completely unacceptable for conservatives, who now live in an alternative universe of far-Right radicalism.
Yes, take your rightwing Hate out of the equation. Start putting country first before Party. Heck, move to another country. Thanks, The Management.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's bloviating A$$wipes like you that perpetuate the "racist" BS. The only thing "unacceptable" to conservatives is idiots like you and your MARXIST president ruining this country.
steve, you have no clue what a marxist is. thank you for the example of codified language, though.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marxism
instead, you use marxist as an insult and a slur, that our president is a thief and attempting to steal from hard working ppl. i'd suggest its conservative like you that wish to destroy the country if you can't run it. isn't that what the secession crap is about.
It's time for country first,GOP,,not partie.And that doesent mean the back country redneck failures saying no
Looooooosers
Four more years tards
williesmith-read the presidents proposals and turn off fox news-please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He plans to increase the National Debt to $20 trillion by the end of this term. What cuts? He means he will not spend as much as he originally planned, which probably would have brought pour National Debt to $22 trillion.
Get the sheet done,you unamerican right wing fawking retards.All you ass holes will be voted out every two years until we purged the system of you scum sucks,,,loooosers
You lost now do the people's work,other wise we will recall you before we throw your asses out
The spot light is on a damaged brand. Called republicons
The GOP needs to leave the political scene. They are failures and certainly not leaders.
Conservatives aren't going anywhere!
Sometime, when you grow up, you'll join our ranks.
Didn't Obama himself say in 2008 that if he didn't cut the deficit in half he should not be elected to a second term? The fiscal cliff is debt.
Don't worry. He'll never be re-elected again. :)
I still say if Obama ultimately wants tax hikes for those making $200-250K....why in the world would he itemize "his" return? HHMMM...........fill out the short form, stroke a check and save thousands that you spend on CPA's and tax attorneys...................the man talks out both sides of his mouth and you guys fall for it hook, line and sinker.........absolutely amazing if not pathetic................
"He" got us into it? You must have been asleep from 2001 through 2008. By the time Obama got in office, a 'problem' had become a full-blown crisis and he took necessary steps to reverse the free fall. It worked, else we would have slipped into a depression some three years ago.
Going from $10 trillion debt to a $16 trillion national debt in 4 years and now he wants to make it a $20 trillion national debt. If you think this is OK you just flunked your sanity test to own a firearm.
Did your mother ever tell you "just cause Jimmy jumped off the bridge does not mean you have to", same thing just cause we ended up in a fiscal crisis because of Clinton wanting everyone to own their own home, and Bush financed 2 wars, does not mean Obama gets a blank check. We have to stop the spending.
That didn't take long. I'm shocked I tell you shocked that Obama blames the Republicans, conservatives, whoever he can.
We never saw that coming.
it was bushes fault no m atter how long that guy stays in office. His obama care will add about 500 billion to the deficits. 1 -1.5 million per state will get refundable credits to buy commercial health care insurance that is likely to cost 25% more. when it collapses, well ...we can just blame the system and george bush.
Yes and give it to all of the under achievers that we have known in our life times, the ones that goofed of in school, and showed up late for work, and did drugs and many of them started collecting social security at 35 because they cannot work a job because alcoholism and drug addiction are diseases. Why shouldn't they have everything that the middle class earned, all they have to do is vote Obama and he will take it from the rich and redistribute it, and when the rich run out of money he will take it from the middle class.
The people that have almost nothing look at the middle class in the suburbs and think that they are the 1% that this president keeps talking about. They do not even know what 1% means.
I prefer "Plan A" ~ the one Obama ran on and the one the people elected him to carry out. Failing that, I'm all in favor of "going over the cliff." That way we are absolutely assured of federal spending cuts and the tax rates for all will be familiar territory, reverting back to the ones in place in 2000. It actually is not a "tax increase" ~ its a tax restoration. Considering that the rates will not have in reality 'increased' in some twelve years, that is not a bad record at all. Increased revenues ~ spending cuts; both sides attain their prime objectives. Where's the beef?
You can think of it anyway you choose ~ but the tax rates that will result on January 1st without some deal in congress will be the very same ones we paid a dozen years ago ~ before we bailed out the banks, mortgage industry, fought two wars on a credit card, and rescued large corporate entities that were "too big to fail." I've lived 75 years and I've never seen tax rates be the same as they were twelve years previously. The reduced rates were temporary ~ that is why they had an expiration date attached. So when that time expires, we are indeed "restoring" the permanent percentile. Now your mileage may vary ~ and obviously it does.
Sorry Willie but Jim has a point. Never thought I would agree with a Texan(being from the Left Coast and all) but I personally am tired of the "Chinese Water Torture" method of getting anything done in Washington. Let's jump because the "Fiscal Cliff" looks like fiscal sanity to me......
The fiscal cliff is, for many, a wave of opportunity to bring back economic fairness, create local enterprise and even it up for the maintenance and preservation of the broad based middle class. Surfs up, time to ride the wave to a better economy for ALL Americans, not just the wealthy few.
maureen-get your head out of your teabagging ass and be nice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
tax rates won't matter if we go into a recession. The congress needs to focus on growth or you will not have tax revenues. Give him his 4 percent increase, chances are the good accountants will bury any tax revenue growth anyway.
Boehner seems to say, "Nobody gets anything unless the rich get more!"
They would not be getting more, everything would stay the same except they would pay 39.6% on income over $1 million, instead of 35% and I think that they are also agreeing to 20% capital gains instead of 15% that it is currently. New York Senator Chuck Schumer originally proposed this because many urban areas and coastal areas in California have higher costs of living.
After the election and Obama's campaigning on raising 1 Trillion in new taxes, he called for compromise with the GOP. Now Obama wants 1.6 Trillion and no plan for decreasing spending. I think he needs to hit the dictionary and find out what the word compromise means. What a dumbass.
And here's a shoutout to our own GOP dumbass, Boehner. What the hell are you doing??? Offering 1 trillion in new taxes to be offset by 1 trillion in cuts! Are you out of your f***ing mind? How is this going to reduce spending or reduce our out of control National Debt??? You ought to step down and hand the Speakership to someone with a set of balls!
Bone head boxed themselves into a corner a year ago and now obama has him by the spending ba lls. He will give in and obama knows it. He needs to take a short term deal, let the system bury the economy and come back to fight another day.
WillieSmith..............
The "line item veto" would be nice, Willie, but unfortunately it's not legal. Many presidents have tried to get that power, but the Congress has never supported it nor has the Constitution.
Actually the line item veto was passed but the supreme court threw it out..
We ought to make all these waste of skin politicians take a $100 cut in their wages for each day they fail to act. Watch how quickly they get this resolved then.
are you on drugs? Nancy pelosi is worth 30 million and came to congress as a pauper. 100 dollars? I would laugh if you didn't actually believe yourself.
Joker you need to check your data. Pelosi is worth 101.1 million according to CBO records. As a matter of fact 9 of the top 12 Congressmen in net worth are Dems and only 3 are GOP.