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Republicans, Obama far apart on 'fiscal cliff'

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"Obama drew a line under his position Tuesday, saying there could be no deal until Republicans drop their opposition to raising tax rates on the wealthiest Americans."

Yet Obama has the audacity to say he's willing to compromise, on what? The color of the new drapes for the Oval Office? Please just step off the fiscal curb.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

Obama tried negotiation for four years with the republicans, all they said was no to everything. Hence the fiscal cliff, another republican gift to the US economy.

Many republicans do not care about their country anyway. The are at heart unpatriotic whiny losers after the November election beating.

A quarter of registered Republicans in the country say they want to secede from the United States , Public Policy Polling (PPP) reports. The polling company posted a Twitter message yesterday that read: “25% of Republicans want their state to secede on account of Obama's reelection.”

5 ( +7 / -2 )

"Yet Obama has the audacity to say he's willing to compromise, on what?"

Be a little imaginative, he will compromise on the tax rate increase for the wealthy. And if the Republicans have any sense(which I can't say for sure they do) this will be the breakthrough for a deal.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Obama think himself he is a Santa Claus who will shower election promises for 47%. He has no money to pay for it. He will rob the 2% with 39.6 % income tax. He is not a RobbinHood. He is a big spender and he is not a solution of US sky rocketing debt. He will never be like Cliton who has made US good old days.

-7 ( +2 / -9 )

They're all stubborn, useless, foolish, pandering, political grandstanding talking heads.

Obama tried negotiation for four years with the republicans, all they said was no to everything. Hence the fiscal cliff, another republican gift to the US economy.

Well, technically the first two years he didn't negotiate at all as the Democrats had a filibuster proof majority and control of both houses of congress. Republicans only gained ground because of public resentment of the congress at the time.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

The Obamunists will burn the house down in order to "save it". They could care less about the economy. It's all about the messiah's neo-socialist ideology of envy and greed. Make the successful pay no matter how much it hurts the rest of the country. The problem with this approach is that Obama cannot force those that do not believe in his ideology to support it with their hard work and effort. In fact, they will not because history has proven that state enforced re-distribution of wealth is immoral and destroys the society it is foisted upon.

Obama get's his fellow millionaires and billionaires like Warren Buffet to toe the communal party line but when given the chance to donate some of their vast wealth to those in need, they are suddenly miserly and for more uncaring than those they attack for being greedy and heartless.

It's time for American's to get serious. The problem is the huge entitlement state that is suffocating America's economy and future. You can take all of the money from the richest 1% but that will accomplish next to nothing. It's a shame that Americans have been told that raising taxes to the Clinton rates will solve the fiscal cliff problems and the trillion dollar per year debt. That's a lie of course but that's what politics is all about these days - unfortunately.

-7 ( +1 / -8 )

" Obama tried negotiation for four years with the republicans"

Gotta wave the BS flag. As TheQuestion mentioned above, this patently false. Even during the first two years of Obama's first term there was no budget. Failure spelled any other way would reek as pungently.

Indeed, there will likely be an eleventh hour deal, and the middle wiil get fleeced, again, as usual. By the carpetbaggers of the District of Criminals, as usual.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

" Obama tried negotiation for four years with the republicans" Gotta wave the BS flag.

Funny how Boehner is struggling mightily to get the same terms Obama had offered him but a year ago. If what Obama had offered him then is good enough now, does that not signify that those were, in face, good faith negotiations?

The Obamunists

Nice one! - will try to use that more often. Does that make the GOP supporters, for lack of an alternative leader, "Boehners"?

1 ( +2 / -1 )

But more seriously Laguna, have you read about the coming eleventh hour grand compromise? It'll surely rain down on the New Year parade.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Haven't heard about any "grand compromise," but the GOP's options come to these three:

Cut a deal now a to set tax rates at a mutually agreeable level- which would mean raising taxes on the upper 2%, though perhaps not to 39.5%;. Vote to lock in the Bush tax cuts on income under $250,000, then strike a deal with Obama next year; or Do nothing, wait for all the tax cuts to expire, then wind up voting to extend them on income under $250,000 after the party takes a hit from public opinion.

The first is anathema to the GOP: They will never, ever agree to an increase. The third will expose the GOP to tremendous and justifiable criticism. The second is the most likely, and the best for all involve: The GOP caves now in preparation for battles that they will certainly lose next year, but at least going down carrying the flag.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"raising taxes on the upper 2%, though perhaps not to 39.5%"

But it's possible some people will be taxed 39.5%, eh? If I was told I must pay 39.5% of my income to the government, especially a government that wastes as much money as the U.S. government, I'd move to another country.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The first is anathema to the GOP: They will never, ever agree to an increase.

Not true at all. They have already agreed to an increase of 800 billion. They aren't calling it tax increase using the euphemism "revenue enhancement" through eliminating deductions and flattening the tax code to save face. But its a tax hike non the less. It is also a major concession to Obama, it was a major concession before also when they first put out in the initial bargaining phase. And most importantly this approach will tax the upper 2 percent and also give Obama a victory in getting the "rich" to pony up more cash and he could take full credit for working with the GOP and in sticking it to the rich a "win win approach". Obama has shown zero interest in this approach, shot it down completely and no way is going to back off. The goal here on his part is simple as David Gergen ,not known as some sort of partisan radical at all really laid it out.

DAVID GERGEN: But since this election, there’s been — I think it’s the Democrats are the ones who are really trying to rub it in and almost humiliate the Republicans, and that’s not going to get to a bargain. Again, I think it has to be win-win. … You hear among some Democrats right now, and it’s disturbing, that maybe we ought to just take it over the cliff, that’ll, we’ll score political points against the Republicans, that will force their hands in the new year. That is a very, very, dangerous risk.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2012/12/04/gergen_democrats_trying_to_humiliate_gop_than_get_a_bargain.html

So much for you option 2 Laguna as this is looking more and more likely to happen. Don't worry though any pain the middle class will go through as Obama hikes up their taxes will be dutifully blamed on the Republicans with his lap dog media leading the way. A win win for him and a screwed middle class footing the bill for his "victory".

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

It's apparent that the President is not serious about these negotiations. He has to remember that the latest election changed nothing. He was re-elected, but with 5 million fewer votes than 2008. The House and Senate were returned in the same condition as before the election. The President represents the Executive, but Speaker Boehner represents the Legislative branch. Seems from my angle that the President doesnt respect the Speaker's position very much.

I say go off the cliff The world won't end. The economy won't collapse. And perhaps the two sides might then sit down and talk with purpose.

As for the President's plan, let's assume he gets what he wants. 1.6 trillion over ten years. It's a joke. The President won'T even be in power for half that time period. The idea that he can decide policy to extend past his own term is laughable. But I digress. 1.6 trillion over 10 years is 160 billion per year. The deficit is 1 trillion per year. So, the President's great plan will only pay for 15% of the yearly deficit, never mind the ever growing national debt behind it.

What a farce.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Not true at all. They have already agreed to an increase of 800 billion.

800 billion from eliminating tax deductions on only those making over $250,000. You might have noticed that the "letter" (which is what the "proposal" was, nothing more formal) did not specify at the least what these closed deductions would be. Some have said that this is mathematically possible; many have said that it is politically impossible; others have noted that it is only possible if the pain is spread downward below that income threshold - in other words, making the middle class pay to allow the upper class to retain their tax cuts. It has also been noted that what would be required to achieve this goal -capping the housing allowance, elimination of tax exemption for state and municipal bonds - would throw a serious monkey wrench into the economic workings of America.

It really doesn't matter anyway. Good that they only sent a "letter" to the president rather than a detailed plan;it is not like either would have any chance of seeing daylight.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Ditto for the 800 billion. It's a pittance compared to the actual problem. Works out to 80 billion a year, or less than 10% of the yearly deficit.The GOP is playing small ball, just like the President.

Sorry, there just isn't enough money available to make up the shortfall. Even if both taxes were raised AND loopholes closed, it would still leave 75% of the deficit untouched. The only answer is to cut spending by the government. Go for the big money-entitlement programs. Means test for Social Security and Medicaid. Eliminate caps on contributions. Raise the eligibility age by one year for the next 5 years, until it reaches 70.

Screw these 10 year predictions, they are meaningless. I want to know what will happen NEXT year. What will be eliminated, cut back, or phased out. Godda make the hard choices people.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The House and Senate were returned in the same condition as before the election.

The word for how this happened is "Gerrymandering". Dems. won more votes nationally in the house election, too.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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