Pres.Obama: GOP's insistence on halting tax hikes for the wealthy is stopping fiscal cliff deal

[cal04]

Source: NBC News

President Barack Obama on Sunday said congressional Republicans and their insistence on preventing tax increases for the very wealthy are standing in the way of a deal to avoid the so-called fiscal cliff.

In an exclusive interview on NBC's "Meet the Press," the president chided House Republicans as the clock continued to run out on a potential agreement.

"They say that their biggest priority is making sure that we deal with the deficit in a serious way, but the way they're behaving is that their only priority is making sure that tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans are protected," Obama said. "That seems to be their only overriding, unifying theme."

(snip)
"What I'm arguing for are maintaining tax cuts for 98 percent of Americans. I don't think anybody would consider that some liberal left-wing agenda. That used to be considered a pretty mainstream Republican agenda," he said. "And it's something that we can accomplish today if we simply allow for a vote in the Senate and in the House to get it done. The fact that it's not happening is an indication of how far certain factions inside the Republican Party have gone where they can't even accept what used to be considered centrist, mainstream positions on these issues."

Read more: http://nbcpolitics.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/30/16240309-obama-gops-insistence-on-halting-tax-hikes-for-the-wealthy-is-stopping-fiscal-cliff-deal?lite

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President Obama: Fiscal Cliff Failure Will Be Because GOP Can't Get To Yes
In his first Sunday show interview since his re-election, President Barack Obama admonished congressional Republicans for their unwillingness to compromise over debt-reduction and implored the media to cast aside its pox-on-both-your-houses coverage.

With the deadline to negotiations over the so-called fiscal cliff looming in the backdrop, the president took to Meet the Press to defend his efforts to try and find common ground. He noted that he had moved off his initial demands for revenue (once $1.6 trillion, now $1.2 trillion), agreed to entitlement reforms (reduced Social Security benefits) and already passed hefty spending cuts ($1 trillion as part of the Budget Control Act in 2011). And for that, he added, he was still waiting for Republicans to get closer to half-way.

“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,” said the President, according to an advance transcript of the interview. He would add, later: “So 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.”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/30/president-obama-fiscal-cliff_n_2384230.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003

[madokie]

1. I'm making an exception

and plan on watching dances with rove today. Only because the President is on though.

[no_hypocrisy]

2. Query

What are the chances of the new Congress getting sworn in and on its first day, members are presented with essentially the same bill that the present Congress won't pass and these new members pass that bill within hours?

Retroactively applying all the tax cuts but to those making $240,000 (?) and more, milk subsidies restored, extended unemployment, etc.

Could this happen? Or will the new Congress have enough recalcitrant leftover Tea Party members to hold up this legislation too?

[freshwest]

6. Yes, they could do something humane. Yes, the Tea Party will hold up the legislation, too..

There was a roll call on a thread posted here at DU of the Sandy relief vote and those who voted against it will still be there. All those will vote against this and much more. And the debt ceiling vote is still coming up.

For all we know, these scoundrels have stock in gold and survivalist companies, because they love the idea of a Mad Max world with their guns and people going crazy. They are in love with the idea of so much chaos being created that martial law would be declared. They aren't gonna give that fantasy up, as they see a chance to enrich themselves in the midst of a shutdown.

As in the Great Depression, great fortunes were made by those situated to take advantage of others' calamity. They have been drooling over the chance to make more.

Republicans don't have ideas, they have interests that they support to pay themselves well. They don't react to principles, but profits. The Teahadist miscreants in Congress don't work for us, so they are unafraid of the public wrath. They throw outrageous stuff in our faces to keep us busy from acting on the fact they are employed by others who don't respect a democratically elected form of government except as a shield for their bosses.

FDR called them what they were because the populace hadn't had decades of brainwashing to teach them to reject the plain truth that these guys are working for Potter to create Pottersville every chance they get.

I expect them to act that way from thinking a couple of steps ahead of the results of their votes and who they asssociate with, so I'm never surprised or outraged at anything they do. I wish people would stop buying the circus show, see what this is and speak up for the kind of society they want that takes care of people.

Just my humble opinion there, nothing worth repeating.

[Cosmocat]

7. The media has GOT to stop

with all this, they both are equally responsible bullshit.

These jackasses LONG ago jumped the shark, and you are very likely correct that they will stymie ANY deal.

Boehner has to have a sack and risk his Speakership and put it up to a straight up and down vote, and you have to hope that you have 30 or so republican house members who are not total jackasses along with democrats carrying the water to get any deal done.

Also, people are fricken out of their minds if they think this House will pass ANY kind of regulation on firearms.

[JDPriestly]

13. Thanks.

[AlbertCat]

3. I hope Dems have a new "Obama tax cuts" plan ready now....

... to jump in the minute they can in Jan. Let the Bush tax cuts die already.... like they were supposed to.

Bring in the new Dem tax cuts for the middle class.

Watch Repugs vote against tax cuts.....

[Baitball Blogger]

4. Stopping fiscal cliff?

Hell. Don't deal with him to see if he cares. We still win if we go over the cliff.

[democrattotheend]

11. We don't "win" by going over the cliff

There's a credible argument that going over is the least bad option, but please don't call it a win. A lot of people will be hurt if their unemployment lifeline is suddenly cut off, not to mention federal workers and people who depend on programs that will be hit hard by the sequester. And a lot more people will be hurt if the economy slides back into recession.

Going over may be better than any deal that could be made at this point, but calling it a win is really inappropriate. It is not a game for those who will be hurt by it.

[Baitball Blogger]

12. Good points, all around.

[JDPriestly]

14. The unemployment benefits and the federal workers' incomes can be restored

as the economy improve. But if we don't raise taxes on the rich, our country is in for a tough time.

Also the chained CPI would do serious long-term damage to very vulnerable people. That is unacceptable. Leave Social Security and Medicare alone.

Raise tax rates instead.

Some of our largest, multinational corporations pay no or next-to-no taxes on their income. That is scandalous.

[democrattotheend]

15. The economy is less likely to recover if you cut unemployment

Unemployment benefits are important to economic recovery. And most unemployed people are also quite vulnerable, and the cuts to them would be far more immediate and drastic than the chained CPI would be to older people, as those changes are much more gradual.

I am not saying that going over the cliff is not the least bad option. Depending on what the alternative deal looks like, it very well might be.

The main point of my post was that even if it is the least bad option, it should not be described as a "win", given the devastating impact it would have for some people. My objection was to the OP's use of the word "win" for something that is going to really hurt a lot of people.

[Dustlawyer]

5. Proof positive that we need COMPLETE CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM (CCFR)!!!!

These Repugs are answering to their masters, the one that own them! We no longer have representative democracy. We all need to start demanding CCFR in every post, on every site, in conversations with friends, co-workers etc. This is a way that even the 262 people who viewed this w/o responding can now make a difference! All you have to do is what I have done here, just ask for help! Who is with me?

COMPLATE CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM!!!!!!!!

[Maineman]

9. YES! Complete, serious campaign finance reform. Stop corporate & wealth control of government.

[Dustlawyer]

18. This is the only issue! It would give us control over the outcomes of all other issues once achieved

[Cosmocat]

8. the media needs to just call it for the simple truth

the republicans are holding up the ENTIRE country, throwing a hissy fit over the top 2% having their rates go up.

And, make no mistake, if it were reversed, if it was the top 2% being protected and taxes going up for the rest of us, it would not be where it is now.

[freshwest]

10. Obama has said exactly that in the Meet the Press interview. It's the only time we'll hear that.

The other Sunday morning talk shows won't give that fact any airtime and tomorrow it'll all be Obama's fault.

No, I'm not optimistic. Almost no one has commented on a member's thread who faces disaster, along with millions of other people, because of no deal being made:

I Just Qualified For The 2nd Fed Extended Unemployment Benefits...And I Might Get Cut Off Tomorrow

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022088133

With 300 views, only 8 replies and 12 rec's.

That fact has not left Obama's mind during any of the negotiations this year or last year. He gave up a lot to protect people like him. Because sequestration will cut 3 million people off from their only help in an economy they did not have control over.

Obama knows, as anyone with an imagination knows, that it's not just 3 million. Quadruple that number by the size of an average family, not even counting other dependents, and it's 12 million in a worst case scenario.

Add to that the loss of healthcare, housing, schooling, transportation and loss of cash to businesses in their area. Compound the amount of disruption and grief this is going to cause to children and the loss of opportunity. And the effect of the stress on their health.

True, many will have other resources, so we can hold the number to 3 or 12 million. But the GOP is adamant that these people are moochers and sluggards and will fight the unemployed from getting any of the other programs that would alleviate their pain, and stigmatize them while doing it with the conservative owned media. We know the attitude of the Teahadist Congress.

Also that they are attacking public workers that could administer these programs. And unions and wages that would give people a chance to do that bootstraps myth. Not only that, with privatizing all government services, there will be less service because a profit must be made, and like insurers before the ACA, denial of benefits is a winner for the for-profits. Add into that schools which will be able to deny a FAPE to those kids if they have to move and their community has voted for less taxes, since libertarianism says they should be able to afford it.

Some public roads are being made toll roads with $10 or $20 per trip on bridges to be paid to private corporations, because people won't defend the commons anymore. Add that to the cost of the unemployed trying to find a job...

If he'd blamed Obama instead of the Republicans, the media would have been there with cameras...

[Cosmocat]

16. it is a no win situation

I really do get that a LOT of people are going to be immediately and directly impacted in a negative manner if nothing gets done.

But, any deal to avoid most of that will have longer lasting negative impacts to everyone.

My taxes are going up like more if we "go over the cliff" but I am sick the fuck tired of the republicans putting the screws to everyone for the sake of a never relenting push to get more and more for the super rich.

I get that he is trying to cut a deal to try to save the people being held hostage by the jackasses, but ...

It is simply a lose-lose, and the better loss is everyone losing ...

[freshwest]

17. But that still gets the farmer's breakfast* order, too. Even though this shouldn't be happening...

Still we had 60 MILLION people in this country who essentially voted FOR this scenario, and still want it!

They KNEW Romney and Ryan wanted to cut all the agencies out, privatize SS, end Medicare as we know it, end Medicaid, end the ACA, public education and reserve higher education for those who could pay for it.

They WANTED to end taxes on the rich, push the taxes to the states and impoverish their neighbors to take advantage of them, go to war with Iran, and then some.

Because they weren't going to suffer a damned bit. They wanted basic human dignity and rights for women, gays, the poor and every other person without means to be reduced begging or FOAD. Really.

*The farmer's breakfast story goes like this, in case you haven't heard it. Imagine it in human terms, if possible:

The farmer goes to the barnyard and talks to the animals.

The farmer says, 'I need some things for breakfast today.'

The chicken says, 'Sure, I'll give you some eggs.'

The farmer says, 'Great. I'd like some ham wtth that.'

The pig takes a look at his hind leg and says, 'Wait!'

There's a difference between paying taxes and not having anything to pay for housing and food. But still, none of this is necessary. They've reduced us to fighting with each other, like the Twinkie example:



Now the good news is that the ACA is still protected. For those who would have been affected by CPI. Their savings would still give them more money. And you could have been spared paying more taxes, it was not inevitable with the deals Obama repeatedly offered them, but the Teabaggers wanted this to happen, and the next thing will the debt ceiling. Also the downturn in the economy that will result from the fiscal jump, may effect you along with many others. Take good care of yourself, friend.