[earl237]

Spending cuts and taxes hikes are exactly what is needed to start fixint the economy and getting out of debt, so why is the fiscal cliff such a terrible thing? It's so sad to see the U.S. being so stupid and reckless, even Greece is getting their act together and had their credit rating increased recently. How come no one is talking about cuts to welfare? There are too many deadbeats not contributing to society and getting free money and it would save billions if they cut them off. Go to YouTube and type in Obama voters and you'll see the kind of scum that are sponging off hard working taxpayers, even liberals would be aghast.

[tomder55]

Word is that Bonehead met with the President and offered $800 billion in new revenues.

Here is how the conversation is being reported :
•Boehner to Obama: "I put $800 billion [in tax revenue] on the table. What do I get for that?'
•Obama to Boehner: "You get nothing. I get that for free."
Obama's “small deal” could lead to bigger tax increases

The problem with going over the cliff is that it will push us into a recession again.The President has no problem with that because he has it set up that he can blame the Repubics for the economic fall out. .

[paraclete]

Around and around and around we go, pity they just can't cut to the chase

[excon]

Hello again,

Looks like Bohener, and the Tea Party are going to RUIN our economy. I wonder how badly they'll be punished..

excon

[tomder55]

Bonehead is going to be punished when he is voted out of leadership in January by his caucus. The President plays him like a fiddle and he weepingly goes along with it and tries to punish the members of his caucus that stands by their principles .

[talaniman]

Standing on principle or fear of being primaried? The house should have voted on a plan and cutting out half the house for a plan of the other half isn't governance. Strict adherence to principle takes all the felixibility out of what we need as a nation to adapt to changing conditions and locks us into policy that nolonger works or applies.

The Hassert rule doesn't work in divided government.

[tomder55]

Fear of being primaried will be the fear of any Republic who votes for tax increases without a guarantee of budget cuts. You saw the so called negotiations by the President. Don't talk to me about a lack of leadership when he told Bonehead that the he was unwilling to compromise .

But the most important insight into the White House's strategic thinking comes when Boehner says to the president, ”I put $800 billion [in tax revenue] on the table. What do I get for that?” Obama's response is cold and telling. ”You get nothing,” the president said. “I get that for free.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...tax-increases/

[talaniman]

We all know that repubs will be better at agreeing to tax cuts after the cliff than increases on taxes before the cliff. But how the rest of the deal goes..?

[paraclete]

The deal is everyone gets a little less, it's the path to recovery

[tomder55]

If we confiscated ALL the money from everyone making $100,000 or more ,we still could not fund 1 year worth of Obama deficits .

[talaniman]

Republicans want the spending to end yet want to keep spending on weapons and tanks and airplanes with two engines, while letting job creators manipulate the system for profit without people.

Capitalism for the few while creating no value for the many. Supply side economics with NO demand creates a lot of low wage jobs with no futures. Perfect for a climate of cheap labor, and bustling return for investments in an evergrowing climate of privatation, and wealth extraction, by shrinking opportunity.

Supply side economics makes no sense in a consumer driven economy. NONE whatsoever.

[excon]

Hello again,

I wondered WHY Obama would say, "I get that for free". If it really WAS like Republicans portray it, then SHAME on Obama...

But, of course, it WASN'T like that at all. Right wingers just flat out LIED. I don't know WHY they think lying is a good tactic.. It really isn't. In fact, it COULD be said that Romney LOST because of his lies. People DON'T like to be lied to.

Oh, yeah.. The Republicans weren't entitled to ANYTHING from the trillion in tax hikes, because they already WON their concessions WHEN that particular trillion was negotiated LAST summer.

You DON'T get two bites at the apple. It doesn't help your cause when you think you should.

excon

[tomder55]

Tal ,the military is the only part of the budget that has seen any significant trimming in the last 4 years. Using Ex's logic... you already took a bite from that apple .

[earl237]

The politicians have already damaged the holiday sales with their stupid shenanigans, holiday sales were expected to rise 4%, instead they rose 0.7%. If they had reached a deal long before Christmas which they should have done, people would have bought much more and it would have helped the economy, who knows how much damage this will do to the already fragile economy. Even if they make a last minute deal, I don't think it will be enough to satisfy the markets and bond ratings agencies. You can't underestimate the stupidity of American politicians.

[earl237]

Has anyone noticed how ridiculous John Boehner looks with that stupid Jersey Shore tan? Who does he think he is, the Situation? It must be frustrating for Obama to try and reason with someone who doensn't even have enough common sense to not look like an idiot.

[paraclete]

if we confiscated ALL the money from everyone making $100,000 or more ,we still could not fund 1 year worth of Obama deficits .

I'm not sure what that says Tom, something about living beyond your means, it wasn't just BO who has been deficit funding

[tomder55]

No shiite captain obvious ! Guess I have to say it again. I did not defend Bush's expansions of the Federal Government It has to end and end now . We cannot fund a government at this size AND have a healthy economy . The libs are always saying 'it's for the children'. But what kind of future are they leaving ? Every kid is broke before they are born.

[excon]

Hello tom:

You make it sound like Obama isn't willing to make cuts. He's TRYING to make a deal, but we have a divided government. Boehner can't make a deal because the Tea Party WON'T let him. He HIMSELF said, plan B didn't have the votes, and he wasn't talking about DEMOCRATS..

The Republicans/Tea Party ARE responsible for throwing us over the cliff, and they'll be punished for it... I've said many times on these pages, your party LOVES to shoot itself in the foot... THIS time, they're dropping a BOMB on their foot.

excon

[paraclete]

no shiite captain obvious ! Guess I have to say it again. I did not defend Bush's expansions of the Federal Government It has to end and end now . We cannot fund a government at this size AND have a healthy economy . The libs are always saying 'it's for the children'. but what kind of future are they leaving ? Every kid is broke before they are born.

Tom you are right, your whole economy needs serious adjustment particularly the debt level but as you point out your wealthy don't even have enough wealth to deal with it. It seems the whole county has leveraged itself into the poor house, so much for letting bankers have a free hand. The base for your healthy economy left and went to China chasing cheap labour, I expect you priced yourselves out of the labour market and created the environment for a growing national debt. There is nothing else for it but to bring your industries back and devalue your currency so you can sell your product

[tomder55]

Hello tom:

You make it sound like Obama isn't willing to make cuts. He's TRYING to make a deal,

I'll believe that when I here some of those cut proposals. But I quoted from the Washington Compost ,and they are saying that the President offered nothing..