Tag: fiscal cliff

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Politics republican fail

Sequestration – The New Republican Manufactured Crisis – Coming Soon

With dramatic, across-the-board “sequestration” cuts slated to take effect Friday, most Americans believe the consequences of those reductions will have a “major effect” on the state of the U.S. economy, according to a new poll by Pew Research Center/Washington Post. But even as Americans overwhelming express negativity over how those cuts would impact the nation’s economy, the same survey indicates a sense of public fatigue over this latest in a series of dramatic fiscal debates coming out of Washington: Only 1 in 4 Americans say they’re following the story closely.

According to the poll, which surveyed 1,000 people between Feb. 21-24, 62 percent of the public believes the sequester’s effect on the economy would be mostly negative, while 18 percent thought it would be mostly positive. Twenty-one percent said it would have no impact or that they didn’t know. Six in 10 Americans, meanwhile, think the impact of the cuts on the economy would be “major”; 55 percent say the same of sequestration’s impact on the military, and 45 percent say so of the budget deficit.

Fewer – 30 percent – say the impact on their personal finances would be “major,” while 40 percent say the looming cuts would impact their finances in a minor way.

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Politics republican fail

The Tide is Turning For Obama

Whatever happened to the Republican opposition? President Obama hasn’t even taken the oath of office for the second time and already the GOP has caved on the fiscal cliff, the prospect of immigration reform, and Sandy relief. Oh, and their opposition to any and all forms of gun control is going to cost them at the ballot box. Maybe not in their gerrymandered districts, but on a national level. Newtown was a tipping point. Mark my words.

The negotiations over the debt ceiling and spending cuts will likely go the president’s way too. Why? Because more of the public wants a compromise that includes modest adjustments to entitlements rather than the slash and burn Greek/Spain approach that the “take your medicine” caucus led by Eric Cantor is proposing. Do not ever forget that the true purpose of the Republicans Party’s spending program is to overturn the New Deal and Great Society. They’ve hated those programs for almost 80 years now and for a long time they could taste the victory they believed was rightfully theirs.

But then came November 2012 and the revenge of the real math league that correctly forecast an Obama victory. That didn’t just anger the right; it led to conspiracy theories and a final take-no-prisoners approach to governing that the GOP thinks is a winning strategy. It isn’t.

So now they’re talking about forcing the president to accept drastic cuts in exchange for a debt ceiling rise. The only problem is that most Americans are on Obama’s pragmatic side because they understand that the Recession caused the deficit, not the other way around. Once we get ourselves out of the downturn, and we’re slowly doing just that, the deficit will narrow. People will be productively back at work. Tax revenues will rise. Consumers will begin spending again, if only cautiously. So the GOP’s strategy is doomed to fail. They’ve tried it before and our credit rating was cut. Now there’s evidence that it could be cut more. We’ve seen this movie. It doesn’t end well.

President Obama seems like a new man these days, issuing ultimatums and using the power of his office to effect change on gun control and, I’m assuming, on immigration. He’s said that he’s no longer going to negotiate on the debt ceiling and he’s exactly right. If push comes to shove, he should invoke the 14th Amendment and let the Congress and the Courts figure out if he’s right. He’s said he won’t do that. Too bad. The other option is to call Congress’s bluff and let them take the heat when the government shuts down. Ask Newt Gingrich how that worked out the last time.

Oh, wait. I don’t care what Newt says.

The boss has a new attitude. And things are about to change.

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Immigration Immigration Reform Politics

After Big Fiscal Cliff Win, Obama’s Next Battle – Immigration Reform

Despite a bruising fiscal cliff battle that managed to set the stage for an even more heated showdown that will likely take place in a matter of months, President Barack Obama is planning to move full steam ahead with the rest of his domestic policy agenda.

An Obama administration official said the president plans to push for immigration reform this January. The official, who spoke about legislative plans only on condition of anonymity, said that coming standoffs over deficit reduction are unlikely to drain momentum from other priorities. The White House plans to push forward quickly, not just on immigration reform but gun control laws as well.

The timeframe is likely to be cheered by Democrats and immigration reform advocates alike, who have privately expressed fears that Obama’s second term will be drowned out in seemingly unending showdowns between parties. The just-completed fiscal cliff deal is giving way to a two-month deadline to resolve delayed sequestration cuts, an expiring continuing resolution to fund the government and a debt ceiling that will soon be hit.

h/t Huffington Post

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Politics

President Obama Chastised Republicans For Failure To Work For The Middle Class

President Obama met with reporters today after his much anticipated Fiscal Cliff meeting with Congressional leaders. And based on the President’s tone, a deal is still far from complete. “I still want to get this done,” the President said, signaling that talks were still ongoing between the party leaders. “The hour for immediate action is here. It is now.”

The president showed a tone of frustration rarely seen, and pointed out to those in Congress that the American people are watching. “This is deja vu all over again,” he said. ” America wonders why it is that in this town for some reason, you can’t get stuff done in an organized timetable.”

Watched the video below.

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House republicans Politics Senate

Harry Reid – Thanks To Republicans, It May Be Too Late To Avoid The Fiscal Cliff

Sounds like we’re going over!

Republican House Leader John Boehner played around with this all year. He knew we were quickly approaching a deadline, but instead of working with the President to come to a deal of the Fiscal Cliff, Boehner continued the games and now expects the Senate to solve his problems.

But Senate Leader Harry Reid has something to say about that:

Speaking on the Senate floor, Reid castigated Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) for sending members of the House back to their districts last week after he was forced to scrap his “Plan B” tax plan for lack of support.

The Democratic leader said that even if Boehner agreed to hold a vote extending the Bush tax rates for incomes up to $250,000 — as Democrats have demanded to avoid one part of the fiscal cliff — it might not make it through Congress in time to prevent tax increases from beginning next year.

“I have to be honest — I don’t know, time-wise, how it can happen now,” Reid said.

Boehner said last week that he would give members of the House 48 hours notice if they needed to return for a vote on fiscal matters, but GOP leaders have yet to give the order for them to return.

“[Boehner] should call them back today — he shouldn’t have let them go, in fact,” Reid said.

Senators returned to work on Thursday with time running out to reach an agreement on a slew of tax increases and automatic spending cuts that are set to begin in January.

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fails House of Representatives Politics

John Boehner – A Useless Leader Without Followers

Well that was quick. It was over before it even started. Just a few short moments ago, House Republicans defeated their leader, John Boehner, with a resounding NO to his alleged “Plan B.” The vote was supposed to happen tonight didn’t even make the floor for a vote. Boehner’s office released a statement saying;

“The House did not take up the tax measure today because it did not have sufficient support from our members to pass. Now it is up to the President to work with Senator Reid on legislation to avert the fiscal cliff. The House has already passed legislation to stop all of the January 1st tax increases, and replace the sequester with responsible spending cuts that will begin to address our nation’s crippling debt. The Senate must now act.”

In other words, Boehner could not convince members of his own party to support his own bill.

Moments after that statement was released, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor’s was seen leaving the chambers and surrounded by the media. And for once in his life, Cantor did his best to stay out of camera view.

Media: “Is there going to be a vote tonight?”

Cantor: “Nope.”

Media: “Is there going to be a vote tomorrow?”

Cantor: “Nope.”

Media: “Are you ditching Plan B?”

Cantor: no answer.

Cantor’s office then released this statement:

The House has concluded legislative business for the week. Members are advised that the House will return for legislative business after the Christmas holiday, when needed.

Boehner’s Plan B was his feeble attempt to show the nation that Republicans were trying to do something to avoid going over the so-called “fiscal cliff” come January 1st. Plan B asked those making more than $1 million to pay a little more in taxes. It differed from the President’s proposal which asked earners making more than $400,000 to pay more in taxes.

“Certainly a fiasco for the Speaker,” said Steve Benen, in an appearance on MSNBC’s The Ed Show. “We’re reminded right now that he is a leader without followers and a leader without followers is pretty much useless.” Steve went on to point out that Boehner has about two weeks left until his reelection as House Speaker, and he concluded that Boehner’s “future as Speaker is very much in doubt.”

Eric Cantor can’t wait!

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Politics taxes

White House: The President Would Veto Boehner’s Plan B

In a statement released by the White House, Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer says President Obama would veto John Boehner’s “Plan B” proposal to extend Bush tax cuts for everyone making up to $1 million:

This approach does not meet the test of balance, and the President would veto the legislation in the unlikely event of its passage.

The president’s position has been that middle-class tax cuts on income up to $250,000 should be extended, although on Monday he offered a concession to Republicans, saying he would accept extending tax cuts on the first $400,000 of income. Republicans rejected that offer, however, responding with Boehner’s “Plan B” to set the threshold at $1 million.

Boehner first offered the $1 million proposal on Friday, so in countering with $400,000, the White House appeared to be saying that $1 million was too high a threshold, but that it was willing to negotiate on a threshold in order to get a deal on the fiscal cliff. But with Republicans rejecting that offer (which also included Social Security cuts), and the White House now rejecting “Plan B” the publicly-stated positions are far apart.

h/t Daily Kos

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democrats Politics

Democrats Declare Checkmate In The Fiscal Cliff Chess Game

In the ongoing fiscal cliff chess match playing out on Capitol Hill, Democrats have a message for Republicans: checkmate.

Democrats look at the political landscape and see a win whether a deal gets cut now or after the country goes over the cliff. Worst-case scenario, they say, the House will approve legislation the Senate passed in July extending Bush-era tax cuts for everyone but the rich, an idea that Republican House Speaker John Boehner has flatly rejected.

If Boehner refuses to pass the Senate bill before the end of the year, Democrats say their hand only gets stronger in the new year when the Senate will have 55 Democrats and at least five Republicans who have signaled they could vote to extend the middle-class tax cuts.

“We have the political high ground — there is no question about it. The sooner they realize it, the better it will be for them,” Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer said of the Republicans. “In 2010 it was the opposite. They had the political high ground and we had to do just about all cuts and no revenues. Now, the election was fought on revenues; we won it on revenues; the public is with us on revenues.”

Indeed, polls show that a majority of Americans favor raising taxes on the wealthy and will blame the GOP if the country goes over the cliff. And Democrats don’t believe that Republicans have the time, the megaphone or the leverage to force Democrats into making significant entitlement cuts right now. Congress just spent the last year making more than $1 trillion in cuts and Democrats say they are well-insulated from charges that they’re unwilling to slash spending.

h/t National Journal

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Politics

Even Republicans Disagree With Congressional Republicans On Most Issues

Michael Tomasky writes;

“The poll comes from the McClatchy News Service and was conducted by Marist. It asked respondents what they would and would not support as part of a grand fiscal bargain. The top-line results are typical: People first and foremost want to see taxes go up on the high end.

“But here’s the good stuff. Breaking down results to Republican respondents only, their positions are as follows. By 47-37, they oppose letting the current payroll tax cut expire (an Obama position). By 68-26, they’re against cutting Medicare spending. By 61-33, they oppose cutting Medicaid spending (yes, Medicaid spending!). By 66-28, they’re against eliminating the home-mortgage interest deduction. By 72-25, they oppose eliminating the charitable contribution deduction. And by 56-44, less overwhelming but still very much a landslide in political terms, they just say no to raising the Medicare eligibility age.”

More proof that Republicans are not working for the people, but for whatever string their corporate masters pull.

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Politics

Republicans Insist – No Savings For The Middle Class If The Rich Can’t Get More

So the middle class could continue getting a tax cut come January. This tax cut saves the average family over $2,000.00 a year. The only thing standing in the way of this continued middle class tax cut, is Republicans insisting that the rich must get more tax cuts.

John Boehner’s recent counter offer to the White House where he demands extending the Bush tax cuts to America’s richest 2%, explains this perfectly.

“One of the reasons Tuesday night’s conversation between President Barack Obama and John Boehner did not go well was because the GOP House speaker sent the White House a fiscal cliff proposal calling for a permanent extension of Bush-era tax cuts for all Americans, including for incomes in the top 2%, a Democratic source said Wednesday.

“Democrats took the GOP counter offer to mean that tax reform cannot result in any marginal rates higher than current law, according to the source, who said Boehner’s proposal was a “sign” to Democrats that “Boehner and the GOP are unwilling or unable to do any sort of deal that can pass the Senate or be signed by the president.”

“Democrats favor raising tax rates on wealthy Americans as part of a deal to avoid the year-end fiscal cliff, while Republicans want to extend the Bush-era cuts for all income levels.”

In addition to all the tax loopholes that the rich now enjoy, Republicans are trying to guarantee that they also get a permanent tax cut from the government. And if they cannot continue putting more money into the pockets of the richest 2%, Republicans are more than willing to plunge this economy over the fiscal cliff.

Can you see where their priorities are now?

 

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Politics taxes

Poll Finds Americans Blame Boner… um… Boehner, For Fiscal Cliff Fiasco

President Obama is crushing John Boehner in the fiscal cliff battle—at least in the polls.

An ABC/Washington Post survey out this morning finds 49 percent of those questioned approving of Obama’s handling of the budget negotiations, compared with 42 percent who disapprove.

Now look at the House speaker’s numbers: Some 49 percent disapprove of his performance, with only 25 percent giving a thumbs up.

So Obama is winning the public relations battle over the effort to avert automatic tax hikes and spending cuts by a whopping 2-1 margin.

Even among Republicans, according to the poll, Boehner barely breaks even: 39 percent approval, 37 percent disapproval.

Separately, a Bloomberg poll says Americans believe by a 2-to-1 majority that the election results were an endorsement of Obama’s promise to protest Medicare and Social Security benefits–and nearly half the Republicans surveyed say he has a mandate to raise taxes on the wealthy.

h/t The Daily Beast

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Politics taxes

President’s Weekly Address – We Must Pass The Middle Class Tax Cuts Now

President Obama urges Congress to extend the middle class income tax cuts for 98 percent of Americans and 97 percent of small businesses without delay, making it clear that a balanced approach to deficit reduction means that Republicans in Congress must agree to ask the wealthiest Americans to pay higher tax rates.

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