Oh bull–snort. The Republicans have tried and succeeded in destroying the economy and doing irreparable harm to the middle class. They have declared war on senior citizens and have tried to throw them under the bus so they can take care of the 2%.
During an interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Obama said that Republicans would have to shoulder the blame if a deal is not reached ahead of Tuesday’s deadline.
“We have been talking to the Republicans ever since the election was over. They have had trouble saying yes to a number of repeated offers,” Obama said. “[S]o far, at least, 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.”
Later on the program, New York Times columnist David Brooks backed up the president’s assessment.
“Most of the blame still has to go to the Republicans,” Brooks said. “They’ve had a brain freeze since the election. They have no strategy. They don’t know what they want. They haven’t decided what they want.”
The bottom line is, the Republicans can’t pass their own bill. The Democrats aren’t perfect but they outshine the clown squad by light-years. Here we go, off the cliff.
If Boehner really said “we’ve done the best we can”, the problem may not be with the accuracy of the statement, but rather with its truth. It’s a completely damning self-assessment of both Boehner and the Republican Party if this is admittedly the “best” they are capable of producing. God help us.
As a substitute (and replacement) for Grover Norquist’s pledge I would propose a pledge in which all the members of the House of Representative pledge not to run again for office, devoting the full two years of their term to sorting out these fiscal issues in the best interests of the Nation, without the distraction of constant campaigning. The impasse that they have now is because too many of them are trying to figure out how not to get primaried in 18 months.
I do not know what the answer is – Congress has no urgency to fix anything, they have been kicking the can down the road for years, including this Congress – that is how we got to the fiscal cliff. Sequestration was something to force Congress to do something – they did not. Bush tax cuts were extended by two years, because the R’s thought they would have the White House, well, they do not. Debt ceiling – making it a political issue. CEO’s of major companies are saying, just make a deal, the American People are saying make a deal, yet, there are a few who do not want a deal for political purposes. McConnel said it publicly, he job was to thwart the Presidents efforts – well, he as tried all he could. His hatred of the President has been well established.
If Grover Norquest was really concerned about the US, his pledge would say no new taxes, and no unfunded spending – but that is not what the pledge says. How do all these guys like Cantor and Boehner go to sleep at night, knowing that they cut taxes and increased spending. It will be looked at by the historians who will say, what were they thinking, voting for war one day, and reducing revenue the next. Reducing revenue before paying the loans (debt), etc.
Allowing the tax rates to rise on those making 250K is kinda a misnomer – it is the AGI of earned income – meaning that it is after a few deductions. Let say a married, self employed doctor with 3 kids has a high income, non working spouse. (S)He can make 250K + 65K in profit sharing and defined benefit + 19K for the kids + $11,600 for the standard deduction + $6,250 in HSA + $40K in charitable deductions – for a total of about $390,000 and still not be paying any additional tax. So, the R’s are holding out on raising the tax rates on people for their income above $390K (could be more if spouse worked), when they would be paying Three Cents more per dollar on their income above $390K – and at the same time, wants to reduce the amount a person on SS receives, PBS and other programs. Should the High income earners be fleeced – no, but the higher income people should not get more income on the backs of those less fortunate. We need tax reform so that people are paying more fairly – wealthy business owners can manipulate their income in order to avoid paying taxes – that is not right.
A person with this type of salary probably also has many deductions much higher than the standard deduction – property tax, mortgage, professional fees, etc to deduct – ie, making a higher income before the higher taxes kick in.
The tax thing may be avoided by today, but the spending cuts will take effect, in all likelihood.
And David Brooks is right. The repugs are lost in the wilderness without a map. They have no idea what they want anymore or what they believe in. Polls show that they will get all the blame when the economy tanks.
Don’t you think there are just too many kinds of Republicans at the moment?
I remember when the Democrats were lost in the desert…they were a confused lot. Thats when I went over to the dark side….and why I stay away from both parties a membership.
People who think the Democrats are far left now have no idea of how far left thing used to be.
David Brooks does appear to be fight though.
I don’t think there’s been a far left in this country since at least the Seventies. It gives me a chuckle each time I hear someone belly-ache about it.
As these clowns in the House fool around and fail to make a deal, they’ll raise our taxes and kill our investments. My taxes will increase about $7,000-$8,000 a year. I won’t forget or forgive them. I’ll decide to take it out on the local merchants and restaurateurs. I’m sure I won’t be the only one. Let the domino effect begin…
I didnt figure out how much mine will go up. I am scared to calculate it. I figure dividends and capital gains should just finish the deal.
I won’t forget or forgive either. It isn’t like we haven’t been trying to capture lost ground since the crash of 2008.
http://news.investors.com/politics-andrew-malcolm/123112-638814-fiscal-cliff-obama-blames-congress-and-republicans.htm
Hat tip to Instapundit: Obama lists those to blame for the fiscal cliff and he’s not one of them. “The Democrat also didn’t have time, apparently, to mention that the distasteful automatic budget cuts called sequestration were the idea of his White House.”
David Brooks?! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! The man who judged Obama by his pant’s crease. Ok, then.
So, because the Democrats want to stick it uselessly to the “rich,” they are willing to raise everyone’s taxes. Great.
Everyone’s taxes should go up if Congress and the President don’t want to take control of spending. You voted for the guy….this is what happens.
As for a “deal”…… screw deals. Put the entire negotiation on the floor of Congress. Let them hammer it out. Present the result to the President.
@Pat.Herve
Flat tax on all income above 2x poverty level. No deductions. 18%
I’ll start taking those suggestions seriously when they’re given by someone with some skin in the game…
Hurrah for CS. Now we’re talking.
Huzzah for the flat tax. It probably would raise my effective tax rate, but it sure would be preferable to the idiotic complexity of the Code we have now. It also would reverse, in a fair way I think, this terrible compression of tax responsibility onto a smaller and smaller portion of the citizenry.
I would like to see a fair plan. There hasn’t been one in my lifetime.
Deal reached between white house and senate. Tax goes up after $450K.
do you all feel like you are falling?
Scout, what is CS?
Cargosquid. I like his idea for a flat tax. Whatever more I’d pay in taxes would be offset by what I wouldn’t have to pay accountants.
@Moon-howler
What would be a fair plan to you?
I propose that instead giving free money to the unemployed, the poor, the entrepreneurs, the farmers, the otherwise temporarily needy, that we work it as we do with foreign aid. We lend these people our monetary support in their time of need, then we expect a payback either in increased taxes or in public service. That way we continue to provide the public safety net and the taxpayer doesn’t foot the entire bill. It may also provide some incentive for those folks receiving benefits to try much harder in getting on their feet. We could also forgive some of that debt if need be just as we do with foreign aid.
I also propose that we start to think of repaying our national debt in terms of thirty years (same as our mortgage) rather than the current 10 years. It makes repayment a much smaller monster to deal with.
I propose (not my idea) a transaction tax of $1 for every bank transaction. For example, our work cuts us a pay check and they must send $1 each time to the federal government. Each time I withdraw $$ from an ATM….$1 to Uncle Sam. Each time a corporation cuts a check to pay a dividend…. $1 to you know who. Each time someone takes out a mortgage = $1 to pay the debt. We keep that up until the damn debt is paid (in 30 years).
You are a harsh man!!!That suggestion hurt.
I propose a 30 year phaseout of the mortgage interest deduction, a 30 year phase out of the medical expenses deduction, a 30 year phase out of child care deductions, etc. In 30 years we end up with a flatter tax and no debt.
I propose that the government stop sending money to study snail darter dating, moose mating and
bridges to nowhere building in states with a majority Republican House of Representatives delegation. If they want the government to cut spending, let’s start in their states.
Here Here, BS!
or is that hear hear?
It’s there there!
Those are some interesting ideas, BS.