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Subscribe to RSSFarewell to the 112th Congress, regardless of what happens today… But are Biden and McConnell close to a deal?... Why we are still possibly headed off the cliff… Why that would be a missed opportunity for both sides… The blame game… Obama lays out second-term agenda on “Meet the Press”… Hillary Clinton in the hospital… And Happy New Year.
*** Farewell to the 112th Congress: With just hours to go before reaching the midnight deadline of the so-called fiscal cliff, are we on the cusp of a last-minute deal? Or will things, once again, fall apart? Regardless of what happens today, the 112th Congress is going to wind up as the least popular and least productive Congress (in terms of legislation becoming law) in the modern era. For starters, Congress’ approval rating the last time the NBC/WSJ poll measured it (in August 2012) was just 12%, and a whopping 82% disapproved of Congress -- the highest percentage in the history of our NBC/WSJ poll. In addition, just 219 bills have been passed into law -- the lowest number since Congress began tracking this number in the 1940s. (And many of these bills were naming courthouses or post offices.) The previous low was 333 in the 104th Congress (1995-1996). Throughout its history, of course, Congress has always been a dysfunctional place; in fact, the Founding Fathers ensured it that way (with the federal government’s checks and balances). But this particular Congress, which comes to an end on Jan. 3, has been uniquely dysfunctional. Just consider: the current fiscal-cliff debate, the debt-ceiling standoff of 2011 that resulted in an S&P credit downgrade, the Super Committee’s failure, the near government shutdown in the spring of 2011, the defeat of the U.N. Disabilities treaty, etc. With the debt ceiling, the fiscal cliff, and the near government shutdown, it’s hard not to conclude that Congress has been an active player in the sluggishness of the U.S. economy.
*** But are we close to a deal? All that said, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Vice President Biden are very close to a deal. According to a source with knowledge of the negotiations, Biden is offering McConnell raising tax rates on income above $400,000-plus and an up-or-down vote on the estate tax in return for unemployment insurance and having the sequester offset by some of the increased revenues. (Folks, this is VERY similar to deal that President Obama offered House Speaker John Boehner, but from which Boehner walked away.) From what we understand, McConnell wants a deal -- he wants to get this tax issue off the table. So they are close. The question is whether Boehner would bring such a deal to the floor and whether it could pass in time. But if a Biden-McConnell deal gets 70 or more votes in the Senate, Boehner might not have no choice but to bring the legislation to the House floor.
Kevin Lamarque / Reuters
Vice President Joe Biden looks on during a White House event in which President Barack Obama announced the nomination of Senator John Kerry as Secretary of State, Dec. 21, 2012.
Related: Deficit reduction becomes key sticking point on fiscal cliff
*** Why we are possibly headed off the cliff: So it’s possible Congress could still come to some kind of agreement, but it's always been a likely outcome that we're headed to go off the so-called fiscal cliff. The reason: It's become the easiest -- and safest -- path for both sides; NBC's Mike Viqueira has called it the "inertia scenario." For Democrats, going over the cliff ensures the elimination of the Bush tax cuts, and it gets them the tax revenue they've been demanding without having to give up a thing. What's more, Democrats probably hold the upper hand if we go off the cliff, given all the polling suggesting that the American public would blame Republicans more than Democrats. For Republicans, having the Bush tax cuts expire means they don't have to vote to raise taxes and thus break any tax pledge. Instead, beginning in the New Year, they get to vote to lower them for the middle class (the income threshold TBD).
*** Why that would be missed opportunities for both sides: But if we go over the cliff -- the combination of tax increases and spending cuts set to commence after today -- it will be a missed opportunity for both sides, too. For President Obama, it will be evidence that the GOP "fever" that he said would break after his re-election hasn't come close to ending yet. In addition, it would signal that the second-term agenda he's pursuing (immigration, energy) probably isn't going anywhere. For Republicans, going over the cliff means that they're giving up revenue without getting anything in return like spending cuts and entitlement reform, both of which Obama was willing to offer. Republicans believe that they'll be able to extract those things in a future showdown of the debt ceiling, but we're unsure that the White House or, more importantly, the business community is willing to play that game in 2013.
*** What happens if we go over the cliff: But here’s an important reminder if we go over the fiscal cliff: The financial/economic world won’t come to an end, at least in the short run. While some things will take place immediately, others (including rising tax rates and government cuts) will be spread out over the year, and Congress has the ability to fix them retroactively. As the New York Times wrote last week, “Some hits — like a two percentage point increase in payroll taxes and the end of unemployment benefits for more than two million jobless Americans — would be felt right away. But other effects, like tens of billions in automatic spending cuts, to include both military and other programs, would be spread out between now and the end of the 2013 fiscal year in September. These could quickly be reversed if a compromise is found. Similarly, the expiration of Bush-era tax cuts on Jan. 1 would not have a major impact on consumers if Congress quickly agreed to extend them for all but the wealthiest Americans in early 2013, as is widely expected. Other probable changes, like a jump in taxes on capital gains and dividends, would most likely be felt over a broader period rather than as an immediate blow to the economy.” Yet one thing is for certain if we go over the cliff: The financial markets won’t like it.
*** The blame game: In his interview on “Meet the Press,” President Obama said congressional Republicans would get the blame if the country goes over the fiscal cliff. “Congress has not been able to get this stuff done. Not because Democrats in Congress don't want to go ahead and cooperate, but because I think it's been very hard for Speaker Boehner and Republican Leader McConnell to accept the fact that taxes on the wealthiest Americans should go up a little bit, as part of an overall deficit reduction package.” When NBC’s David Gregory asked Obama if he would deserve any blame, the president replied, “I negotiated with Speaker Boehner in good faith and moved more than halfway in order to achieve a grand bargain. I offered over a trillion dollars in additional spending cuts so that we would have $2 of spending cuts for every $1 of increased revenue. I think anybody objectively who's looked at this would say that we have put forward not only a sensible deal but one that has the support of the majority of the American people, including close to half of Republicans.”
*** Obama’s second-term agenda -- immigration, stabilizing the economy, energy: Also on “Meet,” Obama laid out his second-term agenda. “I've said that fixing our broken immigration system is a top priority. I will introduce legislation in the first year to get that done… The second thing that we've got to do is to stabilize the economy and make sure it's growing. Part of that is deficit reduction. Part of it is also making sure that we're investing, for example, in rebuilding our infrastructure, which is broken… Number three. We've got a huge opportunity around energy. We are producing more energy and America can become an energy exporter. How do we do that in a way that also deals with some of the environmental challenges that we have at the same time? So that's going to be a third thing.” But what Obama DID NOT bring up on his own -- guns. Indeed, he didn’t sound like a guy ready to go after guns, unless the public is clearly behind it. “Ultimately, the way this is going to happen is because the American people say, ‘That's right. We are willing to make different choices for the country and we support those in Congress who are willing to take those actions.’”
*** Hillary Clinton checks into hospital: Beyond the fiscal cliff, the other big news is the health of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. As NBC’s Andrea Mitchell reported on “TODAY” this morning, Clinton is now in a hospital in New York. Her spokesman released this statement last night: “In the course of a follow-up exam today, Secretary Clinton's doctors discovered a blood clot had formed, stemming from the concussion she sustained several weeks ago. She is being treated with anti-coagulants and is at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital so that they can monitor the medication over the next 48 hours. Her doctors will continue to assess her condition, including other issues associated with her concussion. They will determine if any further action is required.” Bottom line: This clearly is more serious than we originally thought.
*** Happy New Year! Finally, to all of our readers – have a safe and happy New Year. And thanks for reading us throughout 2012. Your morning First Read note will return on Thursday, Jan. 3.
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Leave a Comment:
What a joke! Farewell to the do-little Congress?
Profound: MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE
Let 's look at what we have learned from this election:
Twenty-one of 22 incumbent senators were re-elected, and 353 of 373 incumbent members of the House were re-elected.
The American people have re-elected 94 percent of the incumbents who were running for re-election to an institution that has an approval rating of about 9 percent.
This indicates, as an electorate, we are a nation of idiots. We're now stuck with the useless, dysfunctional government that we deserve....
...as an electorate, we are a nation of idiots."
If there is one thing the American people have proved, this is it!
Damn leroy, another thumbs up from your bestest buddy...
If I were you I would not get your hopes up to high about the next congress. With Cantor and the tea party hanging around this next congress could be just as bad as the last one.
what a troll.......
sheeple.......
the Bell will toll
SORRY David..your a$$ kissing of Obama and his DO NOTHING democrats will NOT get your more moocher vouchers.
We all know why Republicans and Tea Party types have been obstructing and sabotaging our economic recovery, plus obstructing and sabotaging everything else: To keep themselves from being investigated, indicted and prosecuted. It's all been a smokescreen to keep the Democrats busy so they didn't have time to prosecute Republicans. The right wing sabotage of our economic recovery just made it easier to mess with the Democrats while they were working to keep civilization from dropping into the Stone Age - further proof of Republican treason...
As Jeb Bush said a year ago, if Regan was running today he would not have a chance of getting elected as far right as the republican party has fallen.
LMAO @ economic recovery. You all live in a moocher voucher glass bubble...you keep believing the tripe OBAMA spews....you'll be left behind.....hoping to get crumbs when Obama is finished.
DEMOCRATS ARE THE REASON OUR ECONOMY HAS DIED. DEMOCRATS HAVE CREATED A VERY SICK AND DEPRAVED MOOCHER SOCIETY.
Stick to decaf, Julie.
Kiss my A$$ idiot.
The greatest threat to our country today is the far right of the republican party.
The greatest threat to our nation....are the delusional democrats who think they can keep endlessly spending...and endlessly printing money....
DEPRAVED DEMOCRATS....ARE THE PROBLEM!!
Republicans spend more dear, have for decades now. Try to know what you are talking about a little more.
Julie, take your meds and go to bed, you'll feel better in the morning when it's a new year.
No - a lot was accomplished, really.
we got to see firsthand what TWITS and Children Congress is made up of.
it used to be that there was a qualification of "diplomat" or "public servant".
These days we are witnessing the result of a lack of quality control.
drink in the big lie.
Here is what the Right Wing strives for: The United States run by an Aristocracy: "control of affairs by the hands of a minority who have risen to a higher plain of fortune and instruction" and removal of voting and other democratic rights from the majority. This "American Aristocracy" complains that there has been a "degradation of suffrage (the right to vote) to lower and lower strata of intelligence". If you can understand this, you can understand why Republicans hate democracy and majority rule. That is why they are digging their heels in and insisting that they (the minority) should rule our country. However, Republicans omit that wealthy high-rollers playing "Casino Economics" ruined our economy - some of whom received bailout money.
The Republican Right Wing continues to spend a great deal of time convincing their own voting block and supporters - who they could not care less about except for their vote - to continue their support. These "supporters" are continually being duped and purposely confused and purposely riled by the Right Wing toward hate for those whom the "American Aristocracy" despises – which is pretty much 98% of this countries citizenry. In other words, "conservatives" end up voting against their own financial security and other interests.
This too, is why the Republican-Tea Party Right Wing is willing to put our very prosperity, domestic security and national security at risk for political gain. They are destroying America, economically, socially and democratically so they can "control the affairs" of the United States via creating a Third-World workforce with no money, hence, no political power. Your standard-of-living is being purposely destroyed by the Republican elite and others – so they can hold sway over all power, property and wealth in America. Put another way, under the Republican "plan", you will NEVER be able to prosper; you will always be under their control and manipulation - I am sure you can figure out the rest of this Republican "plan" for yourself…
I was just wondering if anyone has heard about congress getting a pay raise today. Why do they deserve a pay increase? A congress that hasn't been able to avert the "fiscal cliff" as of yet, but yet Obama signed it. Also, why isn't this mentioned on any of the mainstream media outlets?
About this "fiscal cliff," why can't they keep things the way they are for one more year? Then they could make it a number one priority next year to avert the cliff. This would keep taxes from skyrocketing for now and give the new congress a shot at fixing things. Just a thought.
The only thing that would be better than saying good bye to old rubbish is if you were taking ALL of the house and senate members with you. NONE of you are worth 1 cent as a collective whole. We need to get rid of the gerrymandering and just pick house and senate members per state at large. That way republicans and democrats could not shape districts to their advantage. We need all new young fresh ideas and faces. These old people need to go home and retire. Their ideas are old just like they are and don't relate to the issues we face today. So as good as it is seeing these people leave it would be better if we saw ALL of them retire and go home.
AS Ronald Reagan would say to Chuck Todd " there you go again" and we sit here again and have to read from the Self appointed Propaganda Minister of the Obama White house how it is always those pesky Republican that are the problem. Wel,l no wonder the public polls by the Propaganda Ministry say what they say. Mr. Todd and most of the media keep on rolling out the Obama approved malarkey. Headlines like Congress "this" and Congress "that" and then go on to talk about only the House of Representatives. My bet is if you ask 9 out of 10 of the liberal media zombies what the "Congress" means, they would say the House of Representatives only and Republicans only. Tell Me what has the Democratic Senate done for legislation in the last 3 years? What legislation has the President offered to either Congress to avert this made up "term fiscal cliff". None!. There are Democrats all over Washington and they have no responsibility in the problem?. Give me a break Chuck Todd.
The Term "Cliff" would really only apply to the inevitable cliff that the US will eventually go off when the dollar has little value because "The cliff" will come when the US taxpayer cannot pay anymore because of outlandish and perpetual spending by this same Government. The cliff will come when the US tax payer cannot give anymore to a selfish greedy other half of the Nation that receives and does not contribute or receives so much that they dont mind contributing (ie. Government Politicians and President) because when their taxes go up they just boost their pay and pensions up. This President has contributed to the division in your country like no other in History by playing the old "Nazi" class and racial warfare cards like he worked for " the Bicycle playing card Company" Chuck Todd demonizes the only people that are trying to avert the real "fiscal cliff"that is coming to every city in your country. He will be one of the reasons of the ultimate humility of the US Country that has stood as a Bastian of freedom, work ethic, charity and justice for the whole world for 200 years. The King Country is dead long live the new king "Canada"
The less they do, the better. Remember, these are a bunch of salesmen who on the average are less honest and have lower morals than the rest of the population. Their goal is not to solve questions or make policy but to satisfy their own greed and lust for power and money. Any "good" they do is completely by accident. And the worst part is we keep re-electing them.
Lets pray that this Congress gets even less "done" than the last one! It is the only thing keeping King Obozo from completely screwing this country up.
How long will it be that the Liberals are screaming for dismantling of Congress and the Judicial Branch so their savior King Obozo can make the changes that they crave?
Really?! We want to dismantle the balance of power enumerated in the Constitution so that "savior King Obozo" can make whatever changes you think progressives want? Where DO you get this crap? What I want is a Congress that will do the job it is constitutionally empowered to do, like pass a BUDGET EVERY YEAR (rather than temporary fixes), a White House that implements the legislation passed by Congress and a Supreme Court that somehow realizes that corporations are NOT individuals - they are legal entities created for tax and liability reasons.
None of my liberal friends are interested in a dictatorship. However, the imperial presidency was a hallmark of Nixon, a Republican.
No good, lazy, incompetent bums. The whole lot of them ought to be recalled and their ridiculously high salaries returned to the people.
The GOP has basically done the equivilent of letting the ship sink because they didn't like the way the deck chair were arranged. Our economy is just barely recovering from a crippling recession and all you hear from the Republicans and Tea Party imbiciles is that we have to cut spending above all else. Yeah, let's go ask our friends in Spain and Greece how austerity policies are helping their economies along. The GOP has shown yet again that they are more concerned about idiology than actually doing their jobs.
Good riddence to this bunch of idiots. To those who got voted out, don't let the door hit you on the way out.
If they were serious about this issue they would at least put something up for a vote before midnight.
It would be hilarious if they put a bill up just to make it look like something was happening and it passed.
All those members of Congress bewailing a tax hike on incomes over 250K that it will hurt small businesses most, you stupid people have done so anyway by going over the fiscal cliff. Lower and middle class taxpayers will not have the income to support small businesses or as many of the larger. More people will be unemployed. Fewer parents will be able to save as much or save at all for their kids college education. Many more of us will have to cut back to the point where rice and ramen noodles will be a larger part of our diets.
The only ones that will come out well, will be all the millionaires and billionaires and small businesses, like yault builders, architectual firms who design homes for those millionaires(including those in Congress) that will be able to support small businesses selling luxury goods.
What really ticks me off is that is Congress has spent their time renaming post offices and such. Speaking of a post, how many lamp posts are there in DC? Part of the start of the French Revolution was hanging some of the rich, tax collectors, etc from lamp posts, until enough guillotines were manufactured. I'd love to have the job Congress has--saying much and doing very little.
Out with the old boss, in with the new boss = same ol' BS!
Does anybody actually expect anything to change with this worthless, dysfunctional government next year?
Surely not.
The present house and senate may have caused more damage on a daily basis than 911.
It may take decades to recover from this obstructionism.
The obstructionists should be tried for treason as they have violated their oath of office.
Chuck, Mark, Domenico and Brook need to now follow up on the executive order that is getting ready to reward these wonderful folks with a pay raise! Please, don't let this happen!
A do-nothing Congress??? So what does Obama do? He rewards this do-nothing Congress by signing an Executive order giving them a raise!!!!!
Happy New Year everyone. I hope it is a new year and not the same old
Crapolaas last year. Don't we have the same congress for most of the upcoming year though?I also just wanted to say hello to everyone as I am new here. Glad I found this little corner, It sure does get crazy here sometimes! Thanks to those I agree with, and also to those I don't agree with. You keep me thinking! I have learned a thing or two since I've started reading and posting here, I am starting to recognize a lot of names of people I see here almost every day.
Thanks to those who made it possible and giving people like myself a place to express my feelings, thoughts, and outrages!
Once again, Happy New Years Everyone!
Good ridance to the worst Congress in our nations history. The only thing they could agree on was disagreement and ideological hatred.
We need term limits and election reform.
Oh, you're completely mistaken. They totally agreed to give themselves a pay raise. Where have you been?? ;)
GHX
You are the minority. You just don't get it. Go away!!! No one wants you.
Goodbye all of you useless non-compromising liberal Democrats!
Happy new year Bird Brain, hope you had a merry xmas too.
Happy new year to you too Dufus. :D
Thanks to the gerry-rigged house districts. We're going to have to deal with these Tea Party clowns for the next 10 years or so.
Not too sure about your gerry rigging theory. Last time I checked the election results more than half the states were red. Guess that means they are going to elect red representation as well.
Tough cookies! Want some milk?
No, Brian. He is right. The problem is that back in Newt's day, he wanted to construct bullet proof Republican districts. Little known fact, the Democrats went along with his crazy electoral maps, because it got rid of Republicans in their district. What we have now in many Republican districts (including mine) is that the Republican primary is basically the election. The general election has no meaning. The net of that is that the only way for a Republican to lose his/her seat is to vote (even once) for a compromise. Many Republicans, if they vote for a reasonable compromise, will automatically lose their seat. It may soon be true of Democrats, too, if they get a left wing Tea Party equivalent.
Look, just because you guys can't have your cake and eat it too... just because you can't have a Democrat president AND a fully Democrat Congress. Just because almost half of this country disagrees with the Democrats, does not mean you Dems should be so bitter.
You DO realize (hopefully) that the day this country becomes a ONE PARTY political system it will also cease to be free.....
Get over it.
It is NOT just the Republicans fault for this failed financial accord, it takes TWO to tango and in this case BOTH need dancing lessons!
Didn't even read what I wrote, did you Brian?
If I purchased a product and if performed no better than this Congress I would feel myself entitled to a full refund. Since no such refund program exists for this poorly performing product I will be forced to throw it into the trash where it belongs.
Too bad they are all getting pay raises right? Yeah it sucks...
The next elections can't get here fast enough...both national and state. My beloved state is suffering from the refusal of our close-minded, greedy state legislature to enact anything that would benefit the general public. The same goes for our congressmen in Washington, too.