Hours after Congress passed a deal to avert the fiscal cliff, the White House is continued its “outside game” of encouraging public support of President Obama’s policies

The best retail politician in Pres. Obama.

Obama and his team are forever in a campaign mode - mobilizing support. President Obama doesn't have to win offices, but his active campaign will benefit other Democrats starting November 2014.

It sure is nice to see that Barry is still on the campaign trail. This is something he does very well.

Where is the "balanced approach" that Obama campaigned upon ? Where are the spending cuts he PROMISED to "balance the deal" ?? Did Obama LIE once again while playing power politics at its worst ???

Even more important, will Obama actually HAVE a BUDGET at sometime in his second term ???? Our National Debt is now over $16.3 trillion and Obama refuses to give up the "Charge Card" !

Dear Mr. President & Congress,

Yes, cuts are in order. However before you touch your so called entitlement programs lets address some additional costs.....

1. Runaway spending by Home Land Security

2. Runaway cost of Public Sector Workers

3. Runaway costs of Foreign Aid

4. Runaway cost of Military Hardware

5. Runaway cost of CONGRESS

6. Runaway cost of EPA

7. Runaway cost of TSA

When this is done then we can talk about Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, Welfare, and Unemployment…..

President Obama has to remain in campaing mode to counter the lies and inaction of the other side.

I am glad that he uses the bully pulpit (finally) to keep us informed of the truth about the bills being discussed in Washington. Without him we would only get the lies and pure BS of Rush and other talking heads and dittoheads.

Addled one,

Obama's "campaign mode" is to further the LIES of his administration ... when he campaigns, there is no one to press him on the accountability of his promises made before the election !

Where are the spending cuts he promised ? Where is the "balanced approach" he sold to the gullible ?? Can you detail those proposed spending cuts for us ... maybe provide a clear and convincing link ???

JUST GREAT.

I'm already paying $500/mo. for family health insurance, now due to my pay scale, I have to pay $1,200 more a year in taxes, most of which is to cover the costs of Obamacare?

The Washington Post claims this will cost the American Economy 500,000 jobs this year.

Way to go Obama voters. Instead of lower cost insurance, everyone pays 1.5 times what they were paying to cover for low lifes and illegals who don't bother to get insurance, not to mention a half million more people will lose their jobs - perfect - those people will lose insurance too which means they'll be taxed even more because they won't be able to afford to get Obamacare either.

But I'm sure this idiot President will keep sending trillions to Africa for aid. Who cares if you lost your job, right?

It sure is nice to see that Barry is still on the campaign trail.

Let's examine that post.......President Barry isn't running for a 3rd term (can't do that).....He is trying to get the truth out to the American people...as opposed to the lies pushed by TeaPeople!

Now TeaPeople, those are the folk who remain in right-wing campaign mode. Two year terms keep them in campaign mode....Repeating Lies!

Hitler and Joseph Gobbles would be so proud of 0bama. Almost brings a tear to my eye.

Lake Steve,

Your "facts" are all warped by Republican diatribe on the internet. Hence nothing you are worried about is an accurate reflection of reality. Get out of the Fox News bubble. Once out you will see reality and react accordingly and not be like Romney and Rove and millions of Republicans who's reality was so warped, they actually thought they would win this election.

Lake Steve,

Your "facts" are all warped by Republican diatribe on the internet. Hence nothing you are worried about is an accurate reflection of reality. Get out of the Fox News bubble. Once out you will see reality and react accordingly and not be like Romney and Rove and millions of Republicans who's reality was so warped, they actually thought they would win this election.

According to MSNBC, given my pay scale, my taxes go up $1,200 this year. I didn't know MSNBC was a republican site.

And the Washington Post is as left as it gets. 500,000 jobs gone. That's a kind estimate too, given the huge increase in taxes small businesses will be paying this year.

elliot - since none of us have had our "asses handed to you in an argument" your post is not even remotely relevant! However you do appear old and pathetic!

I did not get that Email, Obama gave me a quick personal call, you know we are union buddies, we are good like that.

Someone should tell this "Angry Black Man" that he won and it's time to quite the campaign trail. Stay in DC and lead, and not from behind.

Now what will he do about the spending cuts? Does he have a plan, or is it delegating this also?

Can't wait until we get into the next phase of the drama - the remaining cliffs.

As for the query about buying the bonds - we buy our notes, printed with money we don't have or borrow to repay the debt we borrowed! We are the largest corporation in America and the most mismanaged.

Imagine how a private sector CEO handles budgets, spending and employment. Nothing like how the US Big Government is run. And yes, it is a corporation. It provides goods and services, takes in revenue and pays bills with the revenue received.

But unlike the private sector, if the CEO doesn't do the job for the stockholders, he/she is removed from the seat. In the US Goverment Corporation, the shareholders (we taxpayers) have little say in what our corporation does or doesn't do.

Sure, we can vote out our elected boardmember, but we can't vote out all of the dysfunctional boardmembers.

Maybe these foreign countries can issue a vote of no confidence and start a new organization. If we tried that form in the US, we'd have a new government each week!

ifunnygirl. You are really funny. You are talking about how CEOs would handle spending and employment. But when they run their companies into the ground, before they get removed from their seat, they get huge bonuses. Is that how the world is supposed to work? You are very naive if you think so. Oh and yeah, we as tax payers are paying those bonuses...one way or another.

In addition to extending current tax rates for households making $450,000 or less, the latest plan would raise the estate tax from 35 to 40 percent for estates larger than $5 million; and prevent the alternative minimum tax from hammering millions of middle-class workers

Here's good news for all of us on the blog......the first 5 million in your estate will be a 'freebie' to the kids, not taxed!...5% bump up after that!

That's a relief!

According to MSNBC, given my pay scale, my taxes go up $1,200 this year. I didn't know MSNBC was a republican site.

That is primarily due to the payroll tax cut expiring. Have a beef with that? Go whine to your Republican Congressman because extending that was a non starter for the GOP. I swear, I think some people were put on this planet for the sole purpose of pissing and moaning!

He delegates, he cheer-leads his agenda, he has no choice, you know how our government works? The president does not have the power to pass a budget, he cannot raise taxes nor lower them, he cannot change the laws, all those things are the sole responsibility of Congress, all he can do is express his recommendations, he is not a CEO he cannot just bark orders and have his wishes put into effect. Many of your complaints are misdirected at the president who has neither the power or authority to create laws or appropriate spending or taxes.

"It sure is nice to see that Barry is still on the campaign trail. This is something he does very well."

Why, yes, he does. VERY well, thank you.

Not at all like that 'I like your trees' guy.

Allowing the payroll tax cut to expire is a good thing.

"It sure is nice to see that Barry is still on the campaign trail. This is something he does very well."

If there was a Hall of Fame for getting drunk and crying like a baby, John Boehner would be the initial inductee!

AnaBanana-1782128

Speaker Boehner only cares about getting away from the House in time for Happy Hour. He is the worst representative of the GOP. I hope they do keep him as Speaker. He makes a great pin cushion. A horrible Speaker but a great pin cushion.

AnaBanana,

It sounds like voodoo but it seems to be working.

Breitbart News late Tuesday that enough House Republicans have banded together in an effort to unseat House Speaker John Boehner from his position--they just need a leader to take up the mantle.

Meyer said the conservatives have considered House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) to take the helm after Boehner is knocked out.

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/01/01/Sources-Enough-Republicans-willing-to-band-together-to-unseat-Speaker-John-Boehner-on-Thursday

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Eric Canker sore is really sticking it to the Boner.

This one is for the Boner to ease his pain.

http://www.picgifs.com/food-and-drinks/food-and-drinks/wine/food-and-drinks-wine-633349.gif

It means nothing if Democrats don't show up to vote in 2014

I

stocks across the world have moved higher in their first day of trading of the new year because there is no more cliff-mess.

Happy New Year!

"...having your asses handed to you..."

I think you should talk more about 'asses getting handed to you' some more.

Neat. More, please!

The public collapse of the GOP, particularly among the Republican members of the House of Representatives, would be much more entertaining if the lives and livelihoods of so many Americans didn't hang in the balance. The antics of the GOP is better suited to Nickelodeon than to the legislative branch of what is ostensibly the most powerful nation on Earth. These clowns are an embarrassment to us all.

Verno

Long time no hear. BTW very few companies get run into the ground by the CEO's. It's usually a team effort of weak management, strong government regulations, higher government taxes, and strong unions that kills companies. The ones that survive go to Texas, Mexico, and China where regulation is weak, pay is lows, unions are non-existant and taxes are lower than here.

If we can get past the spending negotiation intact, I'm quite hopeful the economy will finally break out of uncertainty mode.

There has been 4 years of pent-up demand. Enough to get things really going for a change.

I'm looking forward to a Clinton-esque boom that will solve half of our debt problem.

Suck on that, motherscratchers.

DB Akron - yes, pay is less than $20 per month. That's what all Americans should strive to acheive in your mind, correct?

SmBusOwner - I'm with you. Housing market is already up and doing well. It still has a long way to go but is making progress. That's a good sign for the country!

Now what will he do about the spending cuts? Does he have a plan, or is it delegating this also?

Last I checked, I sent my Congressperson and Senator to Washington with my plans . . . .

AnaBanana,

It means nothing if Democrats don't show up to vote in 2014

I seriously doubt it Ana; even though they gerrymanded. Day in and out the GOP/T Potty put another nail in their coffins.

Layton-3733410

Now what will he do about the spending cuts? Does he have a plan, or is it delegating this also?

Last I checked, I sent my Congressperson and Senator to Washington with my plans.

Layton-,

Isn't it funny how the loons in the Republican House don't understand they lost the election?

Beverly - Isn't it funny how the loons in the Republican House don't understand they lost the election? Isn't it the truth? It does appear however that many who voted for those clowns are now screaming at them. Maybe by 2014 they'll understand the clowns care nothing about their constituents.

And the Washington Post is as left as it gets. 500,000 jobs gone. That's a kind estimate too, given the huge increase in taxes small businesses will be paying this year.

You're just too dumb to understand sacrafices need to be made in the name of progress. Collateral damage is a b*tch but we must move Forward!

Grab your pitchforks, Grab your torches and charge!!!!

four legs good, two legs bad!

• $430 million for Hollywood through “special expensing rules” to encourage TV and film production in the United States. Producers can expense up to $15 million of costs for their projects.

• $331 million for railroads by allowing short-line and regional operators to claim a tax credit up to 50 percent of the cost to maintain tracks that they own or lease.

• $222 million for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands through returned excise taxes collected by the federal government on rum produced in the islands and imported to the mainland.

• $70 million for NASCAR by extending a “7-year cost recovery period for certain motorsports racing track facilities.”

• $59 million for algae growers through tax credits to encourage production of “cellulosic biofuel” at up to $1.01 per gallon.

• $4 million for electric motorcycle makers by expanding an existing green-energy tax credit for buyers of plug-in vehicles to include electric motorbikes.

I like pork in my bills...

CA do you have a link for the WaPo artcle on article?

what with the McDonalds ad on tomp of my typing I can't get rid of!!!! WTF!!

Michigander?

What's wrong with any of those things? Don't you want jobs in America?

CA do you have a link for the WaPo artcle on article?

first off what do you mean? article on article and second why would i have or need a link?

need link CA

FN Mcdonalds add keeps popping up and I can't see what I'm typing! Even follows when I scroll. @#$%^&*(

really you can collect for 73 weeks now ? I found this shocking. If you can't find a job you just are lazy, isn't that what you liberals say ?

From the supplement to the article above:

President Obama will sign the legislation soon. Last night, he described the agreement as, "one step in the broader effort to strengthen our economy and broaden opportunity for everybody."

"Under this law, more than 98 percent of Americans and 97 percent of small businesses will not see their income taxes go up," he said. "Millions of families will continue to receive tax credits to help raise their kids and send them to college.

Companies will continue to receive tax credits for the research that they do, the investments they make, and the clean energy jobs that they create. And 2 million Americans who are out of work but out there looking, pounding the pavement every day, are going to continue to receive unemployment benefits as long as they're actively looking for a job."

There you have it, in a nut shell.

600 billion in savings thanks to President Obama.

Next on the list is Congressman Boehner's "Plan B", where he outlined quite nicely for the President the loopholes where the other 600 Billion in savings will come.

Grand total, 1.2 Trillion dollars.

Once again, this President has outsmarted and outclassed the HORs (House of Representatives).

America is coming back stronger than ever thanks to the Democrats and President Obama.

* * *

"You can lead a man to Congress, but you can't make him think."

Milton Berle

Salud.

Senator Rand Paul delivered this speech after the US Senate “stuck it to the rich people” last night:

“Mark my word, you’ll raise tax rates and you feel good because you went out there and you got those rich people. You said you were. You campaigned against rich people. And you got enough envy whipped up in the country. And you’re going to stick it to those rich people. But guess what? You may not get any more revenue. You may not get anymore economic growth. But you can say, “I stuck it to the rich people.”"

Meanwhile.....

Let them eat cake!

In a move that is rich in irony, President Obama agreed Tuesday night to sign an emergency deficit reduction bill that does almost nothing to rein in spending and then jetted out to Hawaii to resume his vacation at an extra cost of more than $3 million to taxpayers.

Some people are soooooooooooooo gullible!!

SeekingSanity

Beverly - Isn't it funny how the loons in the Republican House don't understand they lost the election? Isn't it the truth? It does appear however that many who voted for those clowns are now screaming at them. Maybe by 2014 they'll understand the clowns care nothing about their constituents

I sure hope so before it's too late.

From the previous thread:

Beverly and Dennis - thanks for the updates! And, hope both of you had wonderful New Year

Thank you, I replied to your text last night while at Lincoln Zoolights . My fingers were so cold I stopped texting. Will send you pictures of Tony and me in front in of Zoo lights later.

Still we had fun.

need link CA

FN Mcdonalds add keeps popping up and I can't see what I'm typing! Even follows when I scroll. @#$%^&*(

sounds like a personal problem, go find one.. I just copied it from somebody else. I never said i agree or disagree with the statement...

Got your pitchfork SmBiz?

I'm getting pissed at McDonalds, that's for sure I looked on WAPO and couldn't find that 500K jobs thingy. My bet it has to do with the Payroll tax holiday expiring. Nobody tried to get that extended again, Republicans or Democrats.

Fedup: what makes you think Obama's Hawaii trip costs $3 Million Dollars?

DB how do you explain how corporations were successful when taxes were much higher and unions were much stronger, and wages were comparatively much higher. Good managers can turn a decent profit, fulfill regulations and pay employees well, I have been working for companies like that for years.

Here is what happened DB, in the early 80's CEO's pay and huge bonuses were tied to stock prices, the idea and theory was that instead of having martini lunches they would keep their focus on the pulse of the business and this would make them good managers, good theory right. The problem is it not always make them good managers, many og them figured out all they had to do was make the stock price rise for 3 quarters in a row and they would get a huge golden parachute and would be set for life, so they started doing anything to cause the stock to rise, they cut RD, they reneged on pensions, they shipped American jobs offshore for slave labor and to skirt sensible regulations, they cut benefits, they sold off assets, in short they did anything and everything to get a short term rise in the stock price and grab the cash, hell when all else failed some simply cooked the books, the results of the new style of determining CEO pay and bonus did not make them better managers, or responsible stewards of the company, and the American economy, in many cases it simply made them robber barons willing to destroy the long term health and viability of companies just to get a quick bump in stock price and then grab the outrageous amounts of bonus cash and run, they did not give a damn what happened after they got their hundreds of millions. The average pay of a CEO in America is now better than 14 million a year, just in salary, we are not even talking about bonus, so don't tell me how some environmental regulations and taxes which are at their lowest in any of our lifetimes, and unions have caused their demise, it's greed, simple greed, maximum profit at all costs, with absolutely no consideration of any other responsibilities toward the employees, the public, the environment, or the nation. Greed is good right, we praise greed now, we now reward greed, the greedier the better. We now praise companies like Apple that pay people 35 cants an hour to make I-Pads and demean an employer (and his workforce) who makes a reasonable profit for himself and pays his union workforce a decent wage and benefit package, he is just not greedy enough, and yet his employees are somehow too greedy. Remember when Bush said about communist China "they hate us for our freedom" they don't hate us for our freedom, they hate us because we use their children as slaves, they hate us because they watch their child walk out of a Nike plant barefoot. Greed is good, that's our problem right there, too many people have made greed is good their mantra, and a good thing for them, and screw everything else. We just have not completely figured this greed thing out yet because a 200 million dollar bonus for a CEO that's a good thing, 50 bucks an hour for a union worker why that's just outrageous.

SmBusOwnerinNY ....

That stupid McDonalds' ad drives me nuts as well! I think I need to update ie and it will go away ...

Here's the link for you ...

http://washpost.bloomberg.com/Story?docId=1376-MEHABL0D9L3401-1335DE8I74511AEF48UIQF95FV

Air Force One is known to cost about $180,000 an hour to fly. Based on an estimated 18 hours roundtrip flying time for the jet between Washington and Honolulu, the travel cost alone of Obama’s decision to return to Hawaii amounts to around $3.24 million.

And that doesn’t include the price tag for the massive security operation required to move the president or the cost of the cargo plane that follows Air Force One around.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2012/05/air-force-one-air-fare-179750-per-hour/1#.UOTcJOTAeSo

Get out of the Fox News bubble.

That's what the clueless sycophants pull out when they have no clue as to what is happening beyond their govt stipend.

Get on your knees, worship your savior and thank him for the coming joblessness. It's what you voted for.

SmBusOwnerinNY

I'm getting pissed at McDonalds...

Mickey D's Sucks.

They use "Pink Slime".

Go give your business to your local butcher.

Cook it on the grill at home.

Enjoy with a cold beer.

Salud

So Fedup,

The trip he made to come back to Washington in the middle of his vacation cost us $3 Million too, and was completely avoidable if Boehner had just negotiated in time. He basically got the same deal--some would argue it was worse because Chained CPI was out of the final deal.

Thanks Layton, I'll check it.

FedupwithFed

...and then jetted out to Hawaii to resume his vacation at an extra cost of more than $3 million to taxpayers.

Link please.

Salud

PS. Stop watching Faux sNewzzzzz.

These petty rants are old and boring.

just seen this made me laugh.

The food stamp program, administered by the U.S. dept of agriculture is distributing the greatest amount of free meals and food stamps ever, over 46 million people as of july 2012.

meanwhile the national park service, administered by the U.S. dept of the interior asks us "please do not feed the animals " there reason for the policy is the animals will grow dependent on handouts and will not learn to take care of themselves.

Tomas,

The usa today article FedUp cites in 1.48 has the $ amount for Air Force One + military entourage. Congressional Research Service is the source. Don't know if that's good source or not. Sounds unrealistically pricey to me, but whatevs (as Finn from Adventure Time would say!....I have kids!)

CA and others,

The 500K jobs WaPo cites are for defense cuts. Nobody thinks those cuts will stand. the were postponed 2 months with the recent F.C. tax cut law. So....Congress and Obama are alleviating that risk....right?

Michigan,

Don't be a d!ck.

1st, People aren't animals

2nd, 46Million includes all the children and other dependents in the households of a recipient. there are like 10million recipients.

What do you suggest, throw 'em out in the street?

Sadly, somehow I think you might say "yes"

I think we have some real insight into the minds and empty heads of the republicans when the Speaker of the House tells the leader of the Senate where to go and what to do with himself! Actually, I would lower myself to that level if I had a chance with Bonehead Boehner. Gov. Christy came close to it today as well!

SmBusOwnerinNY

Tomas,

The usa today article FedUp cites in 1.48 has the $ amount for Air Force One + military entourage.

Thanks, NY., for the follow up.

I guess the President of the United States of America, the most powerful person in the world, in the most stressful job in the world, in the world's richest country, should just spend his vacation time on the couch, in front of the television, watching NASCAR, just like the fat, ignorant idiots who complain about him going on vacation.

Salud

Fed Up!

Go back and check the hours and vacation days that prick Cheney and bushwhacker bush used while president. The numbers and amounts you gave pales by comparison!

jim-1455434, et al -- Hahaha! These measly tax increases on the rich are barely a balance to the $38.5 billion in spending cuts in the 2011 agreement, in which there was ZERO tax revenue. Heck, this isn't even at the cut-off for the richest 2% back to the rates during Clinton.

As for the payroll tax cuts, which the Teapublicans were against, this is what the middle class will feel the most -- though I personally never supported these cuts as it undermines trust fund programs. Also, the GOP is not interested in reducing deficits -- When will you rightwingers get this through your heads? Once again, I hate to say I agree with them to the extent that the debt is not our biggest worry -- Jobs are. But even so, the FACT is the Obama administration has actually reduced deficit spending, and the so-called credit card bill we face was generated mostly during Dubya.

Laker Steve -- Please explain how Obamacare is going to make middle class income taxes go up. The way ACA was funded, I don't see where this is coming from. You seem to be jumbling a bunch of things together, such as your premiums that have nothing to do with taxes. BTW The Washington Post is a capitalist rag, so take what you read with a grain of salt.

The rightwing fear-monger never ends, does it? All the time it's a bunch of Chicken Littles running around saying "The sky is falling!" Hey, Dec. 21st came and went without a hitch, just like Y2K, the world isn't coming to an end. Enough already.

SmBusOwnerinNY

If we can get past the spending negotiation intact, I'm quite hopeful the economy will finally break out of uncertainty mode.

There has been 4 years of pent-up demand. Enough to get things really going for a change.

I'm looking forward to a Clinton-esque boom that will solve half of our debt problem.

Suck on that, motherscratchers.

Agreed. Just look at the stock market today. Once the uncertainty is removed completely, recovery will continue at a faster pace. Also, once people see the full benefits of Obamacare, the GOP propaganda machine will have smoke coming out of the gears. This is why the Teapublicans have been soiling themselves ever since Romney lost.

As for me, you betcha President Obama is sending out Emails to fire up his base. I for one want to vote out all the GOP/TP in the coming elections, and then hopefully we can get tax revenues where it should be along with cuts in spending. And most of all, no raising the eligibility age for Medicare or other hits to trust fund programs like Social Security. In fact, I hope we can get to single-payer ASAP.

Ironically things will improve and rightwingers will be unhappy about it -- Tells ya something.

SmBusOwnerinNY ...

The 500K jobs WaPo cites are for defense cuts. Nobody thinks those cuts will stand.

You read it and got it. The stupid McDonald's ad is still cutting me off! However, I do like the $1 tea! :)

True Pat ...

Agreed. Just look at the stock market today

Listening to NPR on the drive home tonight, the business owners are not all that happy with the "kick of the can" to the end of February. I do hope that Congress can actually do their jobs this year rather than sitting on their collective asses and campaigning! How wonderful would that be for a 2013 present ... a Congress that actually wants to impress the country rather than collect and whine?

TruePatriot-

Ironically things will improve and rightwingers will be unhappy about it -- Tells ya something.

Ain't that the truth.

And yet, I don't feel guilty at all on how much fun its getting day by day.

Salud, Amigo

Layton-3733410 -- Definitely, the uncertainty is preventing a faster recovery.

As I said in an earlier thread, I don't know if Teapublicans are obstructing on "principle" (i.e., ignorance) or just a continuation of trying to damage the economy and Obama administration (i.e., unpatriotic). Either way, they are douchebags. If Teapublicans try to pull another debt ceiling debacle, we will know they have gone completely off the deep end!

TomasGrande -- Thanks for keeping it light and making me laugh, along with your intelligence and insight.

Layton-

How wonderful would that be for a 2013 present ... a Congress that actually wants to impress the country rather than collect and whine?

It's happening already, my friend.

We got 85 Moderate Republicans in the House who have finally "seen the light" to join us on this vote.

It's going to be a glorious year for the Middle Class.

Salud

Tomas ....

Agreed ... and cheers to you ... I can hear the clinking of my wine glass to yours of Bourbon.

Salud and good day.

Hope to be in NM for the next ballon fest! :)

Layton, I agree with you about the next ballot fest !!!!!!!

.

Now let's go grassroots, and kick out more RepubliCONs in November 2014..you know...those 151 House RepubliCONs who voted against the deal last night.

Only 85 RepubliCANs voted for it - they also CAN.

.

This deal is truly a consolation prize for the 99% ... and Occupy Movement can claim something concrete.

con. from #1.66

This deal is truly a consolation prize for the BOTTOM 99% ... because tax cuts for them are now permanent.

From what I've heard, this is a pretty good deal. While it is far from ideal, it is worth the price just to watch the republicons self destruct.

It is also worth noting that nothing happened until January 1st when the rules changed and Emperor Norquist's anti American pledge was nullified.

miklkit (#1.68)

this is the first time in 20 years Congressional Republicans vote for tax hikes. Most voted for tax hike out of fear of public opinion polls repeatedly blaming GOP for the whole impasse.

And actually..believe it or not, Norquist again gave his blessing to the House GOP vote for tax hike. I don't know if he deserves any credit ... because this wheel of history will crush Norquist anyway regardless of his position on this vote. The soon-to-be DeMinted Heritage Foundation is absolutely opposed to the tax hike.

Wow, what a Rewrite Lawrence O'Donnell just aired.

He spoke about how the media was reporting these past few days that the Senate was not in session. Yet while this was being reported time and again, Senator Reid, together with Senator McConnell's help, passed bills which received 100 votes.

I watched CSPAN/CNN/MSNBC all day yesterday and not once did I see Senator Reid's appearance on the floor of the Senate, yet there he was - putting forth bills for passage.

What an extraordinary story.

Heads up corporate media - it's not the quantity of media you have up on the Hill, (of which there are far too many).

It is the quality of the reporting from the few that is important. That is vital.

Senator Harry Reid. Bless you. For all you have gone through this last month, for all the kicking & screaming by just about everybody, it is an honor for our nation to have you as our Majority Leader.

No, it never was "both sides are at fault" which is what we were being told.

It was the fault of the GOP House leadership - always.

We all knew it. Everybody knew it, except certain members of the media.

_______________

Next up: Inaugeration Day. Time to celebrate.

Not anymore:

The newspaper's editorial positions on foreign policy and economic issues have seen a definitively conservative bent: it steadfastly supported the 2003 invasion of Iraq, warmed to President George W. Bush's proposal to partially privatize Social Security, opposed a deadline for U.S. withdrawal from the Iraq War, and advocated free trade agreements, including CAFTA.^{[citation needed]}

In "Buying the War" on PBS, Bill Moyers noted 27 editorials supporting George W. Bush's ambitions to invade Iraq. National security correspondent Walter Pincus reported that he had been ordered to cease his reports that were critical of Republican administrations.^[40]

In 1992, the PBS investigative news program Frontline suggested that The Post had moved to the right in response to its smaller, more conservative rival The Washington Times,...

Pigotry -- If Norquist gave his blessings, it was after the fact to CYA. The man is the biggest narcissist who could never admit to being wrong.

Pat Boston MA. -- Great information, thank you for that post!

We got 85 Moderate Republicans in the House who have finally "seen the light" to join us on this vote.

Let's hope they will stay that way as we finish out the debt ceiling, and so forth...

... because tax cuts for them are now permanent.

This was passed with a majority and not through reconciliation like the Bush tax cuts, however nothing is permanent. Thus tax rates have been changed many times through our history. As the economy recovers, I hope the loopholes will be closed, and maybe even revisit the tax rates at the top, etc. We still need more revenue and more spending cuts.

Looks like the President didn't do well enough to tell the Republicans "I won the negotiations this time, so you had better do what I say when we talk about what programs will be reformed in a couple of months". And the Republicans will have an argument to say " Ok Mr. President, lets hear about those meaningful cuts you have been talking about".

If the President can respond with meaningful proposals for real deficit reduction, he will be a winner. If he doesn't, he will be seen as just another income redistributor.

And the real loser in this round was Harry Reid. I don't think anyone would say he has any teeth left anymore after the VP took the Senate out of his hands and showed him how to do his job.

So Obama needs Congratulations for damaging this economy? Okay, he was able to increase taxes on the wealthy - Obama hates capitalism and hates free enterprise and hates those who have been successful so was able to punish the wealthy. Congratulations. But we have a $1 Trillion deficit and this tax increase will at most bring in $50 Billion and at the expense of hurting the economy. But what about the other $950 Billion left in the deficit?

Just remember:

2007:

Tax Revenue: $2.4 Trillion

Federal Government Spending: $2.7 Trillion

2012 (Projected):

Tax Revenue: $2.4 Trillion

Federal Government Spending: $3.5 Trillion

It is so clearly a spending issue that no amount of tax revenue could even cover. It is so obvious that even the uninformed and unintelligent Liberals should be able to figure it out...........

Laker Steve

JUST GREAT.

I'm already paying $500/mo. for family health insurance, now due to my pay scale, I have to pay $1,200 more a year in taxes, most of which is to cover the costs of Obamacare?

hey Laker, do you realize that the reason why you were paying LESS in taxes is Obama and his payroll tax CUT which just expired?

Be grateful that Obama gave you 2 years of paying less in payroll taxes because the fiscally IRresponsible Republican hypocrites will fight for tax cuts for the top 2% but don't give a flyin' f*ck about you. You paid less in taxes thanks to a Democrat.

and about your health insurance premium: from 1999 to 2008 (way before ObamaCare), ins. premiums doubled and went from about $6k for a family plan in 1999 to $12K in 2008.

Insurance premiums had been skyrocketing for over a decade BEFORE Obama was sworn in so stop spreading your silly propaganda and start reading a little...you might learn things.

1funnygirl

Someone should tell this "Angry Black Man" that he won and it's time to quite the campaign trail

Someone should tell this funny-looking twit that she's a racist. Apparently she thinks she's not.

Such a blatantly prejudiced comment is not appreciated in 2013 like it might have been back in 1813.

Here's what your president really did with this deal. Tell me how much revenue was lost by catering to the corporations? So he's going after the rich people, but lets corporations that are in bed with him slide by with the loss of billions in taxes to our country. Way to go libs, you @!$%#ing losers!

General Electric and Citigroup, for instance, hired Breaux and Lott to extend a tax provision that allows multinational corporations to defer U.S. taxes by moving profits into offshore financial subsidiaries. This provision -- known as the "active financing exception" -- is the main tool GE uses to avoid nearly all U.S. corporate income tax.

Liquor giant Diageo also retained Breaux and Lott to win extensions on two provisions benefitting rum-making in Puerto Rico.

Besides financial clients like Citi, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, CTP represented green energy companies like GE and the American Wind Energy Association. These companies won extension and expansion of the production tax credit for wind energy.

Hollywood hired CTP, too: The Motion Picture Association of America won an extension on tax credits for film production.

A Republican Senate aide familiar with the cliff negotiations tells me the White House wanted permanent extensions of a whole slew of corporate tax credits. When Senate Republicans said no, "the White House insisted that the exact language" of the Baucus bill be included in the fiscal cliff deal. "They were absolutely insistent," another aide tells me. (The White House did not return requests for comment.)

Sure enough, Title II of the fiscal cliff legislation is nearly a word-for-word replication of the Family and Business Tax Cut Certainty Act of 2012.

Great...we increased taxes and increased spending...and didn't take any steps to try and get our deficits under control.

At this point I've given up hope for at least the next 4 years. The Dem leadership wants to tax and spend, and the GOP is a borrow and spend party. Neither party seems to really give a $!#@ about getting the deficits under control or seriously trying to make government more efficient.

I wish it were different, but I suspect the US will go the way of Greece in another 10 or so years (but it will be much worse for everyone when that happens due to the size of our economy and the hole we're digging).

Why would they care? They keep getting elected. Dumb article! Well trained sheep are easier to slaughter...

Ron... You are exactly right. They got their Tax increase ..Spending increases ... And there is talk now Standard Poors already said due to the lack of spending cuts they will most likley down grade Americas Credit again....Who will the Left point their finger at this time? They blamed the first Down grade on Brinkmanship and this one on lack of spending cuts.... I BET YOU ARE ALL REAL HAPPY ... You have your class warfare....and where is it going to get you?

Why does NASCAR get millions before Sandy victims starving and freezing?

Why do Katrina victims continue to wait for money authorized by Congress 7 years ago?

Why does Obama feel comfortable borrowing a 6% pay raise for his 500 White House staff members from China?

The $70 Billion to assist Sandy victims should come out of this years' foreign aid budget. Cut foreign aid to all foreign aid recipients 20%. Apologize to the foreign aid recipients and assure them things will be back to normal next year unless there is another superstorm.

For example, give Morsi 4 F-16s instead of 5, etc., etc. "Sorry". "Unexpected expenses at home". "I know you'll understand".

Why does the Left fill a Bill full of Pork to cause a delay in help to the Sandy Victims ?

Why does the Left do this ???????

I don't call raising my taxes this year by $1,200 - most of which is to cover the costs of Obamacare - as taking care of me.

I'm already paying over $500/mo for my family for insurance, now the dipsh!t raises it another $100/mo.

But I'm sure this stupid a-- so-called President will still continue to send trillions of our money to Africa for aid.

Wait for your first paycheck Pig, increases are already included. Have a happy Obama tax year, Oink, oink!

Pig.. I speak for myself and fellow businessmen - this is going to be a tough 4 years just trying to stay in business. The increased costs and paper work has just started. In 2014, we will be killed with health care regs.

So.. No Thanks Mr. President.

Laker Steve,

$500/month is a great deal. My bet is the cost of that policy is a LOT more than that if you count what your employer pays.

FICA tax goes backup to it's pre-Obama-Tax-Cut rate, which is probably where most or all of that $1200 comes from, not Obamacare. Obama Care has no tax on middle income taxpayers as far as I'm aware.

PS, hardly any money goes to foreign aid. It's a myth. The total is in the $10's of billions.

Occam,

Quit being a baby.

Don't you have employees to do that?

If not, hire one and kill two birds with one stone: 1) get the work done, and 2) create a nice tax deduction with his/her salary.

SM Business

The FICA Tax hits all levels, so yes, it is a tax increase on the middle class.

Let's get something straight here. The FICA tax increase is not an increase at all, it is the end of a temporary holiday that lowered the rate, temporarily. Obama wanted to extend it, but the Republicans wouldn't go for it. If you're pissed off about losing the temporary lower rate, at least be pissed off at the right party. Think with your head, not your hate.

OMG People!

They addressed like 5% of what needs to be addressed! The 112th Congress couldn't find high ground if there were neon signs pointing the way!

Let's have a little bit of hope for the 113th .... there's some fresh thoughts and ideas coming in and it's high time they all did their damn jobs!

most were re-elected and you expect fresh thoughts? wonder if Lameton thought that when Tea Party members came on board two years ago? Nah, im thinking since a few more dems were brought into the house Lameton thinks that means 'fresh' ideas

Weaser,

Unlike you I'm not stuck in some bygone era. I will always have hope.

Just wait Pig the middle class is going to pay big, then you can thank Obama. Wait until they get to tax reform, Spending cuts, the one I love the most is if your working you'll pay more for SSI, when the EPA rules kick in you be paying more for light, gas, food medical insurance the hits just keep coming.

Unlike you I'm not stuck in some bygone era. I will always have hope.

yeah because Forward and Progress arent from a bygone (USSR propaganda) era. Sure youre not stuck on a bygone era.

enjoy your status quo errr fresh ideas

Weaser ...

Enjoy your heart of stone.

Laker Steve ....

I don't call raising my taxes this year by $1,200 - most of which is to cover the costs of Obamacare - as taking care of me.

Chalk it up to lots and lots of baby boomers retiring and wanting their Social Security benefits ... and to past administrations who've played around with it ...

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2013/01/02/expiring-payroll-tax-cut-means-your-taxes-will-go-up-in-2013/

Enjoy your heart of stone.

LMAO....

Bonum vesperum

Weaser ...

Buen Notte.

yeah Pigotry - We now have the permanent Obama Tax Cuts - I know you don't believe deficits matter, but can you explain how we are going to balance our budget and pay off our debt?

I'm sure if we check, Greek lawmakers also didn't feel deficits mattered...

Greece is a small country with an ancient civilization - harder to move around to modernity - no comparison to the mighty America.

Funny how you libs are still all over Romney and his money, but you have absolutely no problem with obama forcing this through on the fiscal deal :

General Electric and Citigroup, for instance, hired Breaux and Lott to extend a tax provision that allows multinational corporations to defer U.S. taxes by moving profits into offshore financial subsidiaries. This provision -- known as the "active financing exception" -- is the main tool GE uses to avoid nearly all U.S. corporate income tax.

@!$%#ing hypocrites.

Peace, all politics aside, there is a way we the people can control and constantly remind our elected representatives who they are beholden to. As it is now, once we elect our representatives and send them off to Washington they become the property of corporate lobbyist or special interest groups, and all they care about is raising the campaign funds to ensure they stay on the avenue to wealth and power that Congress offers.......HOWEVER

If voters of a state band together and follow Grover Norquist's lead and petition their respective government to enact a law which requires all public elected officials to sign a good faith pledge not to accept campaign donations or gifts of a monetary value in excess of fifty dollars from any source not a legal constituent of the particular state, or part of, an elected representative is charged with representing.

In essence, if you are not a constituent who resides in my state, you cannot contribute campaign finances to a representative of part of, or whole of my state........You have your own representatives.

To accompany the good faith pledge, voters of a state need to also petition their respective government to enact a law which requires all ads of a political nature to refrain from using images, statements, or partial statements of politicians of individuals who have not given their written consent.

A law such as this would put a leash on negative political advertisements and Super PACs who spend millions to slander an opponent of a candidate they support. Elections should be about what you are going to do for us, not what a bad person the opponent is.

The Supreme Court has ruled several times a mutual agreement (contract) such as this, is binding, as not as it does not facilitate breaking a law ....................So what are we waiting for people ? It is time we hold our elected representatives accountable to us, not DC lobbyist.

He'll have to be. I don't see any end in sight for our reckless spending problem. Not going over the fiscal cliff as planned is snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. We'll never cut anything, ever.

@alan

Bernanke has to wait until Obama starts his binge spending then he'll crank up the printing machines. Hope he can keep up. The rich below 400 K better start making more money Obama will be back for more taxes. All you low information voters your next maybe the 47% will be paying taxes as well. Starting look like Russia people when you going to the streets.

Adler-273784

SO WHY DID OBAMA BLOW 6 TRILLION, HE HAS NO WAY TO PAY FOR IT! ANSWER THAT ON GENIUS.

Adler-273784

Obama as no intentions of a balanced approach proof is the bill that the democrats passed in the house last night. Lets see how the balanced approach work out for the country when depth limit come up Obama is going want it raised to the moon and only cuts we will get are paper cuts. You can keep taxing the rich they only have so much and then they just leave. Is that what you want? The only way you increase revenue is put the 23 million back to work and when they are paying taxes, Obama won't be able to spend it fast enough. But Obama does not want that he wants people like you the do nothing citizen of the US. who live from month waiting for the Obama to refill his 250 minutes on your Obama phone, get you extended unemployment check and buy your food using food stamps you Obama's boy.

Obama's "balanced approach" is smoke and mirrors that only extreme lefties believe truly exist. Where ARE the spending cuts from Obama ? Can you detail those for us all to see ?? Do they exist at all ???

Adler,

Again with this buzzword "balanced approach", but we haven't seen anything to come close to what he calls a "balanced approach". It sounds to me like just more fluff than anything. He won his dog over a bone fight about taxing those evil rich folks, now let's talk about spending cuts. I want to see his version of "balanced". The burden is on him to present to the nation what he thinks is "balanced"...the nation is waiting and watching...

JK, Jim, maybe if your boy Boehner wouldn't walk away from the negotiating table, you just might get some of those cuts you are pining for. If he walks away again and outsources the negotiating to Harry Reid and Joe Biden, he shouldn't whine that the deal he ended up settling for was not as good as the deal he left on the table when he walked away.

Al,

What has that got to do with what Obama is proposing? What is his version of a "balanced approach"?? Where is Obama committed to making cuts? You whine about the Boehners and Cantors all day long, but in the end I found it funny that nothing got done either with Reid and only until Biden came into the picture did anything get moved along in the Senate... But my point is, exactly WHAT is OBAMA'S BALANCED APPROACH??

JK, in the summer of 2011, Boehner walked away from a deal that would have cut the deficit by $4 trillion over 10 years. What he ended up settling for was much less than that. Boehner 3 weeks ago walked away from a deal that included $400B in additional Medicare cuts, a chained CPI for Social Security and other unspecified cuts. The fiscal cliff deal had none of these items. If Boehner would stay at the table, maybe we would have the balanced approach but I see no reason for Obama to unilaterally make painful and unpopular cuts without the other side buying in, especially when it is the other side demanding those cuts.

There is no balanced approach including the one you just talked about Al. Cutting the deficit over ten years is simply NOT allowing proposed increases going forward. You sheep are all alike.

balanced approach and fair share and mandates. The lefties really know how to use some really cool words but dont understand what they mean. but hey, its cool NBC told me so

Thank you Talk,

I didn't want to point out the obvious, but at the end of the day, staving off increases isn't really cutting anything. It's like when Obama first proposed some spending cuts and what you found out was that he was including the money he wouldn't be spending on the wars. That's not cutting...but people like Al want to blame the other side, and yes, Obama should making the painful cuts because it's the right thing to do. That is why he was elected to be a leader. His job is to make the painful decisions (whether it was something he inherited or he created on his own). Either way, it's HIS job. Just standing back and waiting for others to do something HE is supposed to do is not the qualities of a leader. THAT is why he is so popular because he talks a great game, but he doesn't offer anything of real value.

President Obama agreed to the chained CPI solution for Social Security, but the Democrats nixed it. That's why it wasn't included in the bill.

The "balanced approach?" That's the President counting savings from not spending money we weren't going to spend anyway (wars), counting any and all spending cuts from years prior, and hallucinating savings from reigning in fraud from Medicare. It sure seems that the President thinks the spending cut part is already done.

Did Mr. Axelrod also tout the other truth? That the President promised no tax increase on middle class people, yet agreed to the payroll tax hike? How did Mr. Axelrod explain that one?

How did Mr. Axelrod explain that one?

probably the same way the morons explained in front of the S.C. that Obamacare wasn't a tax...oh wait it is...

Candice-

President Obama agreed to the chained CPI solution for Social Security, but the Democrats nixed it. That's why it wasn't included in the bill.

Rightfully so; Candice I've always trusted our President's judgment. Personally, I think it was a trial balloon. SS has nothing to do with the bills the GOP RACKED UP.

Hope you had a nice Holiday season

Hey, Beverly,

The President said he agreed to the CPI adjustment during his Meet the Press interview. He also said the Dems weren't happy about it but he thought he'd get it done. In the end, he couldn't get his own party to follow along on that one. Makes it seem very unlikely he'll be able to move your side to tackle the big issues like SS and Medicare, or spending cuts in general.

The GOP racked up bills under President Bush. The Democrats racked 'em up under President Obama. Both sides always tango on spending.

I hope you had a nice Holiday, Bev. I wish you all things good in the New Year!

Adler-273784 SO WHY DID OBAMA BLOW 6 TRILLION, HE HAS NO WAY TO PAY FOR IT! ANSWER THAT ON GENIUS.

There is no balanced approach including the one you just talked about Al. Cutting the deficit over ten years is simply NOT allowing proposed increases going forward.

Obama had a $1.5 trillion deficit inherited from Bush due to the wars and the global economic crash. Now the deficit is $1 trillion, way too high but trending in the correct direction. With a recovering economy and a balanced approach, more progress can be made.

You sheep are all alike.

Exactly! What year was it that your guru Paul Ryan's plan actually balance the budget again? Was it 2040 or 2050? Who was the most recent President to actually balance the budget and what party did he belong to? To you sheep details like that don't matter. As Dick Cheney said, "Ronald Reagan taught us deficits don't matter."

Candice / S.S.andMedicare as all working people know is payed out of our wages. It is not an expense if it is left alone by our employees.Unfortunately they do not do that.They keep looting it to hide their budget give aways. You mean you do not believe that big businesses receive them,well you must live in a dream world,and being the planet's policeman doesn't come cheap,also going to war to protect or own oil isn't cheap either. Buying friends has become much more expensive and yet less successful also. What the he** improving the life and security of this nation doesn't help the economy of the rich or their sycophants

Candice-

Hey, Beverly,

The President said he agreed to the CPI adjustment during his Meet the Press interview. He also said the Dems weren't happy about it but he thought he'd get it done. In the end, he couldn't get his own party to follow along on that one. Makes it seem very unlikely he'll be able to move your side to tackle the big issues like SS and Medicare, or spending cuts in general.It sure seems that the President thinks the spending cut part is already done.

Actually, Candice I heard more like reform NOT cuts.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The president has expressed support for including chained CPI in a broader deficit-reduction deal, but he told NBC's David Gregory this: "One of the proposals we made was something called chain CPI, which sounds real technical but basically makes an adjustment in terms of how inflation is calculated on Social Security." It is unpopular among Democrats and isn't supported by AARP, the nation's largest lobbying organization for seniors.

http://www.examiner.com/article/addition-of-chained-cpi-by-senate-gop-leader-could-blow-up-fiscal-cliff-deal

Also, President Obama said he is not playing that game with SS, Medicare,

Translation: They are off the table.

As usual, the left likes to complain about the right when in fact they can't control their own party. If SS and Medicare are off the table there is no balanced budget in sight...

The White House claims the CBO numbers are wrong.

Funny how their numbers are right when it aligns with the story, and the numbers are wrong when they disagree.

Patti Page died. I remember her "Tennessee Waltz" and "How Much is that Doggie in the Window". Probably, so do lots of others here.

RIP Patti Page

@1 funnygirl. (Actually you're not really funny, pretty silly actually. Last year Obama didn't want the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy extended. He said nothing about the middle class and poor.

I find it extremely funny that not one person complained when the tax cuts were put in place during the Bush presidency. The middle class as a whole just wants its cake and eat it too and the liberal politicians are milking it for all it's worth...

The Democrats and liberals complained plenty about the Bush tax cuts -- from inception all the way through the Presidents re-election. It was the Bush tax cuts that created the financial crisis, recession, wealth inequality, and all that....according to the left.

Suddenly, though, now that the tax policy is President Obama's, it's all good.

candice, the real issue goes back to the Community Reinvestment Act presented to all by Barney Frank and Chris Dodd.

And the Do-nothing Senate has compounded the problem.

funnygirl,

True. And under the radar, lending is softening again and CRA policies and being reborn. History is destined to repeat itself. Leader Reid and the Senate? Harry needs to either lighten up, or simply go. He is definitely the epitomy of the party of No.

@funnygirl... I find it atrocious that money within someone's estate is taxed at a high percentage when it changes hands then will get charged again simply because it was passed on to the designated heirs. What kind of crap is that? That resembles double taxation.

I couldn't agree more Sailcat! How dare they care about reducing the deficit? We should keep spending money like drunken sailors (and I sincerely apologize to all drunken sailors) and who gives a flip that our debt to GDP is 100%?

What's the worse that will happen? We look like Greece?

Keep rocking and rolling Mr. President. I'm eagerly awaiting your next mantra that we can all repeat. I think we're done with "taxing the 2%", so what's the next tag line to help deflect our attention (and the media's) from the reality of our increasing deficit and debt?

@trouble,

"Black Math"?

Seriously?

Got racism?

Bali,

Not to point fingers, but your biggest poster used the phrase "never seen a black man angry..." the other day...when I pointed out that was a clear racist remark, I got riducled from her fans and not one person called her out... So we are to assume that if it's a conservative that uses politically incorrect remarks they are branded a racists, but the same standards don't apply to liberals? I'd love to hear your take on it...

So we are to assume that if it's a conservative that uses politically incorrect remarks they are branded a racists, but the same standards don't apply to liberals?

right, now you're catching on. How does Fisty put it? If it werent for double standards, they'd have nothing at all. Sumpin like that

@JK,

Dunno who you're referring to re: "your biggest poster", but I reckon racism should be called out whenever it rears it's ugly head.

I wrote it that way DELIBERATELY....when "FEISTY" can use the angry black man drivel and Harley and Dagan can use a multitude of 4 letter words with no recourse....all gloves are off troll

Bali,

Your beloved poster "FEISTY" used the phrase "you have never seen a black man angry..." as if that wasn't a blantant case of racism, and yet not one person called her out on it...so that my friend is the hypocrisy from the left.

Where is Feisty by the way?

Gboy.... Please don't say her name three times... you may summons her :)

41 Billion in tax hikes for every 1 billion in spending cuts? Yes Obama, that is a real balanced approach, you should be proud!!

CMCPO -

"Marginal Tax Rate Of 69% -- So At 39.5% Your Getting A 43% Discount"

You sure about that math...

CMCPO - You say:

Income Tax Rate increased from 35 to 39.5% -- For ( 400/450K + ) -- NOT A TAX INCREASE????

Estate Tax increased from 35 to 40% -- NOT A TAX INCREASE????

Cap Gains Tax Rate increased from 15 to 20% -- For ( 400/450K + ) -- NOT A TAX INCREASE????

These are not tax increases, these are the rates created by Clinton, the Bush tax cuts were only TEMPORARY and when the Bush tax cuts expired on Dec 31, 2012, they went back to where they were under Clinton. So it is the Democrats fault that these higher rates are now in effect.