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Happy New Year Republicans, Obama Just Cleaned Your Clock on the Fiscal Cliff
Some on the left are already griping that the White House gave up too much by raising the income limit on the Bush tax cuts to $400,000-450,000, but here is what the president got in return for his minor concession:
– A permanent rise in tax rates to the Clinton era levels for all individuals making over $400,000 a year.
– A return to the Clinton era rates on capital gains.
– The Estate Tax will be set at 40% for those at $400,000 threshold with a $5 million exemption.
– A 5 year extension of the Earned Income Tax Credit, the Child Tax Credit, and the American Opportunity Tax Credit for low income Americans.
– All Obama small business tax breaks extended for another year.
– A full year extension of unemployment benefits.
– A nine month Farm Bill.
– A permanent patch for the Alternative Minimum tax.
For what was supposed to be a short term deal, the president got a lot of long term changes. Those on the left who feel “betrayed” because Obama moved off the $250,000 number, and believe that the president should have done nothing need to consider what the fiscal cliff cuts would have meant to some important social programs.
If the country would have gone off the cliff, Medicare would have faced an $11 billion cut. Falling off the cliff could have killed the entire Meals on Wheels program in many parts of the country. Programs ranging from Head Start to AIDS drug assistance programs, and Veterans aid and training would have all been slashed if some on the left would have gotten their way.
The move from $250,000 to $400,000/$450,000 was more of face saving gesture for Republicans. In reality, the GOP got their clock cleaned on this one. President Obama got several concessions out of Republicans that they swore they would never do. (Permanently raise taxes on the wealthy, and extend unemployment benefits for a year to name just two things.)
Obama campaigned on raising taxes on the wealthy, and that is exactly what he has done. Anyone who feels like the president caved is not looking at the full picture. The president gave up a little, and got a whole lot in return.
It has been almost 20 years since this country raised taxes on the wealthy. President Obama took another step towards making history. Who knows what the Republicans in House will do, and we learned before Christmas to never trust Boehner and Cantor when they say they have the votes. Things might fall apart in the House later today, but the president and vice president got a very good deal for the country through the Senate.
Even if some on the left refuse to admit it, Republicans know they got owned on this one.
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102 Responses to Happy New Year Republicans, Obama Just Cleaned Your Clock on the Fiscal Cliff
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Terri
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 2:42 am
PWNED!
buckeyewill
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 2:56 am
Will critics boycott 2014???
Half a loaf is better than no loaf.
Buckeyzz
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 2:05 pm
Sounds like we got the whole loaf, and the GOP got the heel……
mjh
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 2:56 am
And, the good thing is . . . when the next budget discussions come around, the President can simply push for the income threshold to be lowered back to the original $250,000.
If the Repubs start crowing, he’ll just remind them that they already agreed to one tax hike; it won’t kill them to agree to another.
.
Nancy Reese
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 2:59 am
Okay, I’m one of those Dems not happy with the $400,000 figure. I had listened to Sen Harkin on the floor of the Senate earlier, and agreed with his assessment. $400,000 is hardly middle class.
But after reading this, I suppose this is the ‘give’ we had to make, to wind up with the deal as it is. It really is too bad that the Repubs are hog-tied by their pledge to Norquist which prevents them from actually working for the majority of the American people and to the benefit of the country. Too bad that pledge keeps them from performing their Constitutional duties.
Hey, wait a minute! Shouldn’t that be considered treason, subversion or something?
Rickus
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 2:19 pm
Nancy, I have been calling Norquist a Seditionist for having GOP pledge to him before their pledge to uphold the Constitution. This is well beyond Freedom of Speech and Right to Assemble.
George Greene
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 2:31 pm
We did NOT have to “give” ANYthing to THIS bunch of ignorant obstructionists! They are GOING HOME TOMORROW anyway! We had NOTHING to lose BY WAITING for THE NEW Congress to be sworn in on Thursday! Obviously there will be a lot of the same members but a little change can go a long way when you are negotiating fine points! We will have 12 more Democrats in the House, 2 more in the Senate, and 12 of the WORST teabaggers GONE HOME! Furthermore, we would’ve been negotiating from a stronger position since OUR preferred rates would have already been IN law and since there is no way they were going to vote against a bill that cut taxes for everybody making under $250K *and* undid one of two RAISES (one from Obama’s executive order unfreezing federal pay generally, and another from Congress’s automatic cost-of-living increase) that the new Congress was going to get compared to the old one.
That would indisputably have been a STRONGER place to start from, AND it would’ve had the advantage that EVERYBODY COULD HAVE HAD THEIR MUCH-NEEDED HOLIDAY.
I have never before in my life seen anyone work so hard to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
And the saddest part is, they will have us completely OVER A BARREL ALL OVER AGAIN around the debt-ceiling negotiations in only 6 more weeks!
THE RIGHT thing to do would’ve been to take the income-tax-cut-for-everybody to them WITH something fixing the debt-ceiling issue.
George
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 3:42 pm
The one thing they could not kick down the road is the unemployment benefits. They had to make the deal prior to Jan. 1. If that would have happened 2million would have lost their benefits immmediately, and every month thereafter would have been even more. Unemployment benefits get spent immediately due to people having to use it for essentials. Also, for every dollar out for unemployment, $1.10 returns immediately into the system. And of cause that would immediately effect the growth of the economy.
Ronald Hawkins
Jan. 2nd, 2013 at 4:42 am
Just what are you smoking. There is no way that they should have held off any longer. This should have been done a long time ago and not hold off to the last sec. WE THE PEOPLE pay them to do there jobs. When there in Washington DC they are to be neutral. Not for Lobbyist, corporation or the rich. You are ranting about something that should have been do for the people a long time ago. I am happy to see that it was raised to 400,000. I personalty thought 250,000 was to low with the cost of things today. It time to get this country back on it feet and to stop play politics and do the work of the people for the people.
Shiva (Moderator)
Jan. 2nd, 2013 at 8:15 am
I thought 250,000 was too low too
Bonnie Crawford
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 5:00 pm
Yes, it is despicable, and these Republicans qualify for impeachment. In their oath when they take office they pledged to uphold the constitution. But they went back on that promise when they pledged to support Grover Norquist instead.
Barb
Jan. 7th, 2013 at 5:07 pm
So its ok for a small business owner to be taxed 10% on income earned before tax and payroll expenses. Income of $250,000 doesn’t mean the business owner gets to keep it! He has to pay his employees salaries and payroll taxes. Individual circumstances are never “simple” only individuals who wish them to be. Case in point: the alternative minimum tax was created to tax the rich..every year it affects middle and lower class incomes.
Paul
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 2:59 am
The commenters on daily kos are going nuts on how lousy this deal is. Wonder how they’ll feel when reality sets in. Thanks for the real good summary here.
buckeyewill
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 3:08 am
Look folks, it is a compromise.
Happy New Year.
Jean Caruthers
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 3:23 am
Great job Mr. President !!!! You showed them “why” we re-elected you !
By the way, thank you from a Senior Citizen !
Cynthia Ellis
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 3:36 am
I am very pleased negotiations. I read a few days ago, that he reason for the change in 250,000 to 400,000 was a glitch that just as the wealthy would lose the Bush tax cuts at the end of 2012, there was a law that would cause the income brackets between 250,000 and 400,000 to increase exponentially due to some old law that only included this group. But lets face it, even if not, what a small price to pay for what we received in exchange! Great job, President Obama and Vice President Biden! and McConnell and all the senators for voting for this! Thanks for doing your job! And….for burning the midnight oil to get this done! And on News Years Eve!! Though it should have been done weeks ago, they did work laboriously to get it done today!
Brian Pollard
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 3:45 am
Obama FTW!
Neon Vincent
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 4:06 am
Love your Spider Jerusalem icon!
Cookie
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 4:05 am
But the article leaves out that the payroll tax goes back UP for all wage earners. We’ve had a 2 percent tax break for a couple of years, and we still need it. Not only the wealthy will be paying more under this deal, ALL wage earners will. The tax relief for the wealthy lasted longer, that’s all.
Grovegal
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 12:58 pm
Cookie – that was a temporary measure to spur the economy. The rate was never intended to stay. We’ve paid 6.2 in FICA for many, many years. That had to end.
George Greene
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 2:26 pm
The payroll tax cut WAS STUPID. If we needed a 2% wage stimulus then there were certainly plenty of ways to get it WITHOUT further jeopardizing the solvency of Social Security. The Republicans still want to cut Social Security and Obama was on the verge of using the chained CPI to do it — something that arguably became needed BECAUSE OF HIS STUPID payroll tax cut. GOOD RIDDANCE!
hangemhi
Jan. 3rd, 2013 at 1:28 am
I disagree Goerge – the payroll tax cut should have stayed. Social Security is not and never will be insolvent – the only reason we assume it can become insolvent is because it has a direct and specific tax to fund it… but what of military spending? Ever hear anyone say the military will be “insolvent”? But it is, by your definition, insolvent today, and has always been insolvent, since it does not have a direct and specific tax to fund it. I don’t mean to pick on you… this is a country wide dupe. We’ve been tricked into believing something that has a specific tax can go broke, and something without a specific tax can be funded at any level for all time. Clever Pols have fooled us. In reality when they asked FDR why he created a tax to fund it, he said “because I know future politicians are going to try to take it away, but with a tax the public won’t let them”. But we sure are letting them scare us into accepting less and less. The bottom line, we should have kept the lower amount and tied it to the UE number. When/if UE hits 5%, then it automatically gets increased to its old level.
AlarmTripper
Jan. 4th, 2013 at 2:15 am
“Social Security Trust Fund”. It’s a trust which has a balance that changes according to the formula “NewBalance = PreviousBalance + SsiTaxIncome – SsiPaymentsExpense”. When the SSI tax income drops below the SSI payout expenses, the NewBalance value shrinks every month. The SSI Trust Fund balance grew while life expectancies were short and the baby boom generation was paying into the system. But since life expectancy has been increasing at the same time baby boomers have begun to retire, the expenses are outstripping the income every month – and that is true whether the SSI tax is 6.2% or 4.2%. By around 2030, the “PreviousBalance” number in that equation will be $0.00. At that time, payouts will be distributed based only on “SsiTaxIncome” from the prior month. This will reduce payments to around 35% of their previously promised amounts.
So you’re right, they payments won’t end, but you’ll be faced with the choice of buying food, prescriptions, or turning the heat up to 65°.
SSI was and always will be a ponzi scheme. The problem is that there is no easy way to back out of it since many Americans did their retirement planning for most of their lives based on the “guarantees” that Uncle Sam made to them. The best approach would be a phase out approach where each succeeding generation pays a little less in and should expect a little less out of it.
Problem is that it will be insolvent too soon for a phase out to work. By insolvent, I don’t mean that payments won’t be made, but they will drastically reduced from their expected amounts.
AlarmTripper
Jan. 4th, 2013 at 3:27 am
Sorry, I meant to say that payments would be reduced by 35% of their promised amount. And that is not the actual number projected by the CBO – rather they predict payouts to be 25% less than their promised payout amount in 2033. Nevertheless, this will be dramatic for the majority of people who are counting on the SSI payments for the bulk of their retirement. Even those who have planned better, may be surprised because of the reduction in benefits. For seniors who do not own their homes, this will be especially hard since they may be hard pressed to keep up with rent on the scaled back payouts.
Sarah King
Jan. 3rd, 2013 at 8:47 pm
The payroll tax cut was NOT stupid, it’s obvious that you are not an employer, this continuing will cost a lot of jobs in this economy because employers can barely pay the taxes as they are!!
Sthen
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 4:58 am
So, unemployment got extended for a full year in 2013?
Older_Wiser
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 5:26 am
The ‘baggers are going down in infamy. I hope they all can’t get jobs and have to go on food stamps, just for the irony of it (although I really don’t wish ill on anyone, it would be karmic). : ) I just hope we can pull ourselves out of this Age of Ignorance.
2014 is next year, so we’d better get some Dems lined up to re-take the House. Time to get rid of the malcontents that don’t give a rat’s ass about the American people.
I can live with the $400K limit–with enough Dems, it can be fixed later. Anything can be fixed when you get rid of the monkey-wrenches.
mmac
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 6:05 am
Main problem …..Does this mean the Monsanto rider on the farm bill is still attached and will be in place for 9 months to allow the biotechs to go around court orders and ignore the law? Other than that the deal sounds not so bad for know. The farm bill giving Monsanto and others a free pass to ignore courts rulings and other consumer, environmental and human rights concerns makes the farm bill super unacceptable if that rider is still attached. Giving biotechs the controlling share of what goes on with the life on the planet that sustains all of us and all other species as well is totally unacceptable and could prove in the long term the worst plan in history.
These companies are altering our living organism for profit and they aren’t making toasters you can recall if they get it wrong or hurt others, but living, breeding changes that can spread and spread these very artificial changes as they breed. The results of effects will not be known for may decades or centuries perhaps long after the ones that create the monster have taken their money and moved on. Not having labels and front page notices announcing all lab created alterations makes it equivalent to slipping all of us a global Mickey or some ecstasy so someone else can have a good time without our informed consent!
Mary
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 2:15 pm
I was wondering the same thing… the upside to this, even if the Monsanto rider is still included, is that it’s only for 9 months, and let’s face it, a giant hike in milk prices would be especially bad for low-income families with young children.
Books Moore
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 6:07 am
This article is hogwash. Obama had at least until April 2013 before anything got set in to actual motion…and to send a dozen bills back to the House, embarrassing them every step of the way.
djchefron
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 8:18 am
[Even if some on the left refuse to admit it, Republicans know they got owned on this one.]
This is why I think the house wont approve the deal.REDSTATE is going bonkers and I don’t know if orange julius can get even 25 of his fellow inmates to sign on.
The American Taliban don’t care about what happens to the country or the citizens in their district.They only care about a primary fight from the lunatic fringe,which will happen to anyone voting for this bill.Now if I was in the leadership I would insist at a minimum 50 votes from the republicans just to watch boner get embarrassed again.But this is to important to just score points against a bush league wanna be.
When the ‘concerned” left start blabbering about cuts just ask them what cuts? In my Johnny Mathis voice I’m singing “Chances Are” they have no idea what they are talking about.
Catzmaw
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 8:30 am
Grammar nazi here: Instead of saying “If he would have gone …” you should say “If he had gone …” It’s not only cleaner and shorter but more grammatically accurate. Grammar nazi out.
As for the story itself, I agree. You hit the nail on tje head.
Jason Easley
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 1:32 pm
Grammar Nazi Karma strikes again. You misspelled “the” while offering a correction. (I’m pointing this out in fun, and also to show that anyone can make a mistake at 2:30 AM on New Year’s Eve.)
Your correction, and the fact that you cared enough to offer it, are both appreciated by the author.
YellowDogYankee
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 8:32 am
Books More: By April the stock market would have erased billions more in middle-class wealth and uncertainty paralyzed potential economic expansion and the rapidly recovering housing market. Not to mention that we still have to face whatever nonsense the Republicans decide to dispense over the debt ceiling between now and April.
Liberals have to keep pushing the President and Dems in Congress but we also have to be realistic about what the President can accomplish given all the crap he has faced and is facing.
That said, I have little hope that Boehner is going to be able to get this through the House.
charlie
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 9:06 am
Happy New Year to one and all!
Obama campaigned on increasing taxes and that’s what the people voted for. I read this deal will give him and his supporters $41 in new taxes for every $1 in spending cuts. Dems should be doing cartwheels.
Shiva (Moderator)
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 9:28 am
Charlie, if you are capable of typing you should be capable of seeing whats going on. This bill was passed to avert the cliff. This is not the full spending cuts bill. Now beat it
charlie
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 11:23 am
Shiva…you are not my enemy…and I’m sorry my comment seemed to upset you. I was not intending to imply that this was a done deal…all I meant was Obama got most of what he was looking for on the tax end of this. I thought it was a good win for him.
George Greene
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 2:40 pm
The issue on this day was NOT about spending cuts PERIOD, beyond kicking the can. *I* would not have needed ANY spending cuts because the rates were going back to where *I* wanted them WITHOUT ANYBODY DOING ANYthing. As for avoiding the huge middle-class tax increase, do you REALLY think that if we had insisted on a bill that did that cleanly with NO spending concessions, they would have DARED vote against it?? I would’ve given them a bill with not only no spending cuts, but a requirement to have no debt-ceiling battles for the rest of their terms EITHER. Might’ve thrown in something rescinding BOTH of their raises. And, I repeat, DARED them to vote no.
But we’ll have another chance to see what this President is made of — what is he going to do THIS time when they threaten not to raise the debt ceiling? Give them lower top rates up to a million? Give them lower estate and capital gains rates? Cut Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid? THE HITS JUST KEEP ON COMING with THIS crew!
Shiva (Moderator)
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 9:30 am
The house ratings are now at 12%. Remember this in 2014
George Greene
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 2:45 pm
2014 is A VERY long time. MUCH will happen between now and then. NOTHING that is happening today will be discussed or relevant THEN. That is one reason why lame-duck sessions have lately gotten so productive — there is no accountability — “The House is Home Alone”.
Donald McRonald
Jan. 2nd, 2013 at 2:13 am
Nothing else will happen until December 31st 2013.
Progressive One
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 9:50 am
Robert Reich, Bernie Sanders, and I think this deal sucks. We could have had much more. It isn’t final either. Just wait until the tea party nuts in the house get hold of it. I regret my vote for Obama. I should have voted for Jill Stein.
Terri
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 11:56 am
Robert Reich doesn’t have to vote so he can say whatever he wants to. Bernie Sanders has to govern, and he voted yes.
George Greene
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 2:22 pm
Bernie Sanders screwed up. I told him so.
Jesse
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 9:51 am
Just a thought but if continued entitlement spending coupled with some new revenue increases is some sort of ‘slam dunk’, when does Washington plan on addressing the +$1 Trillion deficits? Sounds like more of a PR win for the short term with no substantive impact to the deficit and no dividends that can be reaped come 2 years from now in the mid terms. If approval ratings is what some plan on goin on, both chambers already had record lows and the make up stayed the same after this election.
Shiva (Moderator)
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 10:19 am
Maybe we are overlooking the obvious. Military spending is far too high. Plenty of programs can be cut that are not needed, foreign bribery in the form of aid can be cut. There are tons of places to cut before we destroy peoples lives
Jesse
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 10:31 am
Being that we still run a deficit even by cutting all defense spending and all other forms of discretionary spending, that sounds a little easier said than done. Most agree defense spending should and must be cut especially as we draw down from war. As for other forms of foreign aid, it’s still pennies on the dollar if we cut it.
Not saying we shouldn’t cut down on all forms of discretionary spending but we can’t ignore the 300lb gorilla in the room being entitlement spending.
Shiva (Moderator)
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 10:57 am
You are right, however I think there is a tremendous amount that we can do first. This fix will be made up of a ton of small things as well as big things. Or at least should be
djchefron
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 12:49 pm
What is entitlement spending?
An “entitlement program” is generally one for which an individual qualifies simply by virtue of his or her circumstances. For example, the Social Security law has several components, some of which are “entitlements” and some are not. The largest program, SS Retirement is NOT an entitlement as an individual qualifies for it only by virtue of having paid into the program at least forty quarters; Supplemental Security Income and Social Security Disabilities ARE entitlements because an individual is entitled to SSI simply by having a very low income and to SSD after being disabled for at least six months. Similarly, the largest portion of Medicare–health insurance of seniors–is NOT an “entitlement” as one qualifies by paying into the system and paying premiums. Medicaid and Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, on the other hand, ARE entitlements as qualification depends on a set of circumstances in which an individual may find himself. Unemployment Compensation is an insurance program paid by employers (and employees, who can elect to supplement UC) and is NOT an entitlement.
Ok now thats out the way,what would you cut?Medicaid?If you cant pay for to see a doctor you just die?I guess thats one way of fixing the problem.
I know lets cut food assistence.Who needs to eat anyway plus the church will feed the very hungry.
Entitlements is only 4.5% of the GDP but hey its the 300lb gorilla in the room.LETS DO THIS.WOLVERINES HELL YEAH!!!!!
UPUrS
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 2:33 pm
That is a great analysis of the people side of entitlement, or should I say what is and what isn’t an entitlement. Now I am waiting for your analysis of entitlements on the corporate side, which by the way, make the entitlements you’ve analyzed pale in comparison. Let’s start with the $53 billion oil subsidy we taxpayers will dole out to the oil industry that doesn’t need it over the next decade and assess the corporate aspect of entitlements from their.
Wisdom
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 8:54 pm
I’d like to insert something in place of part of your comment…
You were saying (paraphrased) “if people can’t pay for healthcare, they just die?”, which is definitely true thinking from many conservaderps.
I’m one in need of no-cost, full, quality, physical AND mental health care PRIOR to being able to work- I’ve been out 10 years now, due to lack of care. My resources have long been gone. I get no cash aid, and only 3 weeks worth of food stamps per month.
If this society removes all possibility of aid for me, and I know I will have NO chance at getting my life back on track… do people really think I’ll just go die in a corner? I WILL take it out on this society before ending things. And I’m not alone- there are millions of others who won’t roll over and die due to the FICTIONAL CONSTRUCT that is money. Life is real. Money is manmade.
I get one life- if society is going to screw me out of it… society is going to pay a hefty price before I’m gone. Multiply that by millions of others in my situation.
We really want that for our future? Bombs in hospitals and insurance offices? Doctor’s families being kidnapped to force them to care for people? Or perhaps random acts of “terror”- poisoned foods in stores… simultaneous acts of arson… in order to get revenge for the lack of health care that is a HUMAN RIGHT?
There’s no excuses on the health care front. All should have access to every last, great breakthrough equally, w/out cost a factor. Period.
Otherwise, we are savages unworthy of having a civilization.
Shiva (Moderator)
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 9:13 pm
I am starting to agree with you
mjh
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 3:32 pm
” . . . we can’t ignore the 300lb gorilla in the room being entitlement spending.”
I agree.
We need to end all forms of gov’t entitlement spending — like subsidies given to Big Oil and Big Pharma, and massive defense contracts to Lockheed Martin, Boeing, etc. . .
.
mjh
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 3:35 pm
Just a thought but if continued entitlement spending coupled with some new revenue increases is some sort of ‘slam dunk’, when does Washington plan on addressing the +$1 Trillion deficits?
Didnja hear? lil dick Chaney said, “deficits don’t matter.”
‘Course that seemed to change the moment the black guy got in the White House . . .
.
EL
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 10:19 am
For the disabled like myself, the veterans, senior citizens and all thank you Mr President.
That is what this country need, a president who will stand up for ALL not just a few
Moe
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 10:41 am
I too am happy Obama AND the country won this one. But am disappointed that Jason Easley chose to GLOAT over it. “Cleaned Your Clock” is tantamount to flipping them the bird. Such actions make it that much more difficult for the defeated left to cooperate next time. I doubt Obama is gloating (at least in public).
Shiva (Moderator)
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 10:55 am
Given everything the GOP has done to America, I am a bit surprised you choose to pick on Jason
mjh
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 11:47 am
Given everything the GOP has done to America — the non-one percent of America — they deserve to have the bird flipped at them (with BOTH hands) . . .
.
djchefron
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 12:03 pm
Maybe I have been living in an alternate universe but how much difficult can it get?Remember “YOU LIE!?At the State of the Union no less.Our goal is to make him a one term President.Wheres the birth certificate?I could go one but the point is we are dealing with nut jobs.They couldn’t pass the boners own bill that gave them just about everything up to your first born.Its time to face facts, the republican party is dead.We are dealing with the American Taliban.
George Greene
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 2:36 pm
You can’t be “dead” if you have a majority in the US House, a filibuster in the US Senate, and the ability to shut down all spending completely just by refusing to raise the debt ceiling. The fact that they were going to have to vote to cut taxes for everybody under $250K WAS OUR CHANCE to get them to also vote for some things they might otherwise not have wanted — VERY MUCH INCLUDING AN END to these debt-ceiling shenanigans. The unemployment extension was a little more problematic but I think we would’ve beaten them there too, and we would certainly have stood a better chance of beating them on that in the NEW Congress than with these lame-duck obstructionists.
djchefron
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 3:33 pm
I will take your last point first.We have a new congress.While we will have a new congress it is still controlled my the loons.Nothing can be done unless boner gets rid of the Hastert rule which is they wont bring up anything unless a majority of republicans support it.The orange knows this he also will be pressured by the money grubbers to not to default on the debt.On going out on a limb here but I think once his speaker ship is secure he will change the rule.
The filibuster will play itself out in the new Senate.I know there is a couple of dummycrats that’s trying to reach a gentleman’s agreement but I think Reid has had enough of McConnell’s shenanigans.I mean how can you filibuster your own bill.
I addressed the 250.000 threshold before so I wont bore you.But think about this for a minute.Who went against their principles.The Democrats who held firm that taxes were going up for the top 2% or the republicans who vowed never to raise taxes ever.To me this was a win and little grover can sugar coat his excrement all he wants but in the end taxes went up and no spending cuts.To me this is a win.
It makes feel like dancing
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George Greene
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 2:53 pm
“The defeated left” is not who was being talked about when the phrase “cleaned your clock” was used — that was about the defeated RIGHT. And they SHOULD’VE been abused a lot worse than they were — they SHOULD have been SENT home IN DISGRACE after Plan B was pulled. Reid and Biden should’ve just sent the Democratic Senate HOME for the holiday and Obama should’ve said HE was taking a holiday with his family was well, and that we would deal with THE NEW Congress starting Thursday. It would’ve been a more reasonable group of people and we would’ve been starting from a stronger position, a position where WE had a bill TO LOWER income-taxes on everybody making under $250K/yr. Even conservative Republicans like Dan Burton of Indiana UNDERSTOOD that. The President has been working very hard to prove he doesn’t.
The “defeated left” will NEVER be “hard to work with”, because we have nowhere else to go. It DOESN’T MATTER how bad Obama sells us out — the Republicans would ALWAYS be WORSE.
Mary
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 11:45 am
Really sick and tired of it being democrat or republican – the party split is destroying the chance that any of them are doing good for the American people.
At least there was some compromise on the taxes – did they do anything to stop the exorbitant spewing of our tax dollars though?
And when are they going to put a stop to the destruction of our constitutional rights?
Okay, I have a headache now… and I didn’t even drink last night. These so call “representatives of the people” are representing no one but themselves.
George Greene
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 2:55 pm
I’m really sick and tired of people who are too clueless to pick a side, especially women. Mary, WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?? YOU ARE A WOMAN! You are talking about a party that said that women don’t get pregnant when raped because their body can shut that whole thing down, a party that thinks that contraception shouldn’t be covered in your insurance if your male employer doesn’t want to cover it, a party that demonizes women, immigrants, and people of color, and a party that is trying to preserve tax breaks for the rich while claiming that YOU need to give up safety net programs! And you’re CONFUSED about which party is for you and which against? You’re TIRED of the split? CLUE: if PEOPLE LIKE YOU would start voting for the side THEIR BREAD IS BUTTERED ON, we’d be RID of these obstructionists! This is YOUR FAULT!
charlie
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 6:20 pm
Take a chill pill George…You’re speaking to a lady.
____________________________________
And to Shiva: No poetry allowed here?
clarence swinney
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 11:58 am
Bless Hillary
As of today, 18 former admirals, generals, and senior defense officials are supporting Hillary. In a conference call with reporters on March 2, 2008, Brigadier General John Watkins, Jr, stated:
“As I think about the challenges facing the nation and having been in uniform for almost thirty years, worked with a number of presidents to include the last four, I can’t think of a single person – those generals included – who is better qualified to walk into the Oval Office than Hillary Clinton.
“I don’t make that statement very lightly. She is more qualified, in my view, than her husband Bill was when he entered the office.”
General Wesley Clark said, “She has done her homework on national security and I know from my personal discussions with her and with many other friends that go in and brief her in her role in the Senate Armed Services Committee.”
“She knows the facts, she knows the details, plus she has the big picture,” he stated. “She is a strategic thinker but she has the building blocks of the strategy in her personal knowledge.”
“In this world that we face today,” says Admiral William Owens, “experience will be really at a premium, especially at the level of the Commander-in-Chief.” He explained that:
“There’s not time to learn. The phone rings and you have to be ready. You have to ready with intuition, with experience and with skills.”
He pointed out that, “this world will have the complexities that perhaps we’ve never before seen,” and “we need people with great judgment.”
Admiral Owens says he thinks Hillary “brings the best of talent, intuition and experience to handle these unknown threats in the future.”
According to Lieutenant General Frederick Vollrath, “we absolutely have to have a leader with the proven experience.”
“America, in the area of national defense, must be successful and Senator Clinton has that experience to create change, to understand the risk, and to get the job done,” he said…
Game of Life
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 12:04 pm
Thanks for breaking down the deal and making me feel better about the deal.
I don’t think you said enough or used strong enough language about the dems cleaning the obstructionist idiots’ clocks. I would had said something like this, “The insufferable bitches finally did what’s right.”
I agree, there are several programs that can be cut, tighten up or eliminated before the gop should ever think of ruining people lives.
Jesse, I’m so tired of your ilk stating what I paid in all my working life is some how an entitlement/a hand-out. Like most gop they use opposite words to soften their unpopular and mean-spirited causes or in the case of the word “entitlement” used to discredit a right.
The 500 gorilla is the inept gop and their destruction of our political process. This is why they lost the election so badly. they will never learn so we have to more ahead like we did in 2012.
HAPPY NEW YEAR YALL! :)
Blaine Cooper
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 12:14 pm
WOW a nice bias report seriously.
Although thank goodness we are still getting are child tax credit next year.
YellowDogYankee
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 7:14 pm
Bias? Geez another Fox News visitor. As of now it doesn’t look like anybody is getting anything – but if left to the Republicans you couldn’t have made that comment several hours ago because McConnell wouldn’t have left you even a hope of that break.
Moe
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 12:27 pm
You state the obvious, that they are obstructionists, fully deserving of double-bird flips. But you miss the fact that we still have to get their cooperation or the gridlock will continue, and the country will suffer. Obama knows that; Biden clearly practices that. We had to cave on some minor issues to let the fools save face and to get their votes. Please realize that nothing will change until the 2014 elections. The American people cannot wait that long.
Please realize they have well-funded fear that the Tea Party radicals will take away their jobs. Then we will all be worse off.
labman57
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 12:44 pm
House Republican Tom Cole urges his colleagues to support the deal, as it was the result of “bipartisan compromise” in the Senate.
And therein lies the problem – tea party members of the House are so wrapped up in their self-righteous dogmatism that they regard legislative “compromise” to be akin to treason.
For the past few years, delusional tea party pundits have been behaving like a deranged, estranged spouse who – rather than lose the house, investments, and parental control of the kids in a divorce settlement – decides to burn down the house with the spouse and kids inside.
Expect this faction of the Republican majority in the House — the biggest losers in the political world during 2012 — to do everything in their power to sabotage the deal.
Moe
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 12:46 pm
Oops. “well-funded fear” SB “well-founded fear.” Freudian slip/typo?
Larry Dillon
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 2:08 pm
And in 2 months when the debit ceiling crisis occurs the TEA-NUTS will again busy themselves slashing and obliterating every social program that benefits the poor and middle class and the President and Democrats will have much less leverage.I could careless about the 150-200 thousand dollar tax difference.I saw that coming.He extended the sequester 2 months was a stupid move for Dems.Tea-Nuts will not play nice during the debit ceiling.If you think so then you are as deluded as the Nuts.
George Greene
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 2:21 pm
from “the left”: there was no reason to negotiate with this bunch of teabaggers AT ALL. There will be A NEW Congress in town on Thursday and the Clinton-era rates would already have been in place. We would have been negotiating from a stronger position with a more reasonable group of people — 12 more Democrats in the House, 2 more in the Senate, and 20 teabaggers GONE HOME. Everything that was gotten in this deal COULD HAVE BEEN GOTTEN AT THE END of January as well as OR BETTER than at the beginning, and it all could’ve been retroactive. There was nothing to lose by waiting.
Technically it’s retroactive ANYway since we technically DID go over the cliff last night, and didn’t recover until this afternoon.
And people who think we “got something” fixed long term are in for A VERY rude awakening WHEN THE DEBT CEILING NEGOTIATIONS come up again. They can take most of it back then, if they want to, if this President’s past behavior is any indication.
jackie Thomas
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 2:46 pm
Way to go Prez….You’re the Man. Down with McConnell altho I am from KY. What an embarrassment he is to our state.
Sheryle
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 3:00 pm
Hmmmm…….with it all, Congress doesn’t get a raise. Ha, ha…..perhaps that was the plan. Great job, Mr. President!
Betsy
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 4:12 pm
Pit isn’t over until the House passes it, and I am not sure Boehner will put it up for a vote. Sigh.
Betsy
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 4:13 pm
*It not Pit, sorry, wretched IPAD.
Libertarian
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 6:01 pm
A lot of people on here don’t understand economics. All we want to do is protect people’s rights to what they own. For that we get called horrible names for it. We are libertarians, and love the constitution and the rights of man. Modern liberals are anything but.
Anyone who supports the increased power of those in congress, while gloating about destroying the 1% as if they truly held power, are fools. The only people who can control your life are those in congress. No monopoly was ever created without the help of government laws and regulations that built barriers for competitors.
Remove minimum wage, remove drug prohibition, remove all subsidies, privatize social security, simply remove government provide medicare (privatize it and remove the barriers and the price will be looowww), stop funding public schools that don’t succeed (only fund success. Doing other wise promotes failure.)
Doing this will decrease unemployment, decrease gang membership, destroy poverty by making prices cheaper on food and other products (note: Poverty is not being poorer than your neighbor, but rather a measure of your own livability) , make social security filthy rich (as well as boost our economy through massive investment), cheapen medical costs on everyone, and improve our education standards in this country.
If you want to know how this will actually happen and understand the economics of it, look up Milton Friedman and Thomas Sowell. Also look up other things like “Learn Liberty” on youtube and stuff. You may not like the sound of this before you learn it, but after? You’ll appreciate what we fight for.
Shiva (Moderator)
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 6:09 pm
So the US is a business, not made up of people. Got it
mjh
Jan. 2nd, 2013 at 1:25 am
“So the US is a business, not made up of people. Got it”
Of course, Shiva — don’t you know, corporations are people, too? (At least that’s what Mittens said)
.
djchefron
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 6:32 pm
Come on grover,has it come to this?We very very sorry for making you mad.Now shoo fly shoo.
mjh
Jan. 2nd, 2013 at 1:46 am
Remove minimum wage, remove drug prohibition, remove all subsidies, privatize social security, simply remove government provide medicare (privatize it and remove the barriers and the price will be looowww), stop funding public schools that don’t succeed (only fund success. Doing other wise promotes failure.)
All you need to do is read the above (it’s a standard passage in every libertarian rant), and you can understand why the definition of a libertarian is a rightwingnut who likes his drugs . . .
I never understand why libertarians don’t just relocate to Somalia — it’s a libertarian paradise:
- no recognized gov’t
- no income tax
- no national healthcare
- plenty of guns
Plus, you’re allowed to keep 100% percent of your income from “marine asset reallocation” {aka piracy.}
I’ll also never understand why libertarians will crow about “self-reliance” and ignore the fact that one of it’s greatest practitioners {Ayn Rand} herself took advantage of Social Security . . .
.
rstthomas
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 6:57 pm
…maybe we can ge rid of the rest of the house republican bums in 2014 and start governing again.
Tracy
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 9:05 pm
There needs to be a bill in which in which it is illegal for any party to sign a pledge or contract affecting the congressional and or senate vote. I am hoping there is an amendment out there somewhere waiting on FLOTUS’S desk!
Tracy
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 9:07 pm
I mean POTUS!!! Sorry
Giselle
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 9:08 pm
I am not a Republican, but this type of banter is what is ruining the country. We need to bond together accepting differences of opinion not hate on each other.Fighting like children and rubbing noses in crap does nothing productive.
djchefron
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 9:44 pm
Banter is ruining this country?I guess Muslim,communist,Marxist socialist [how you can be both I am still trying to figure that out]Kenyan,show me your birth certificate oh I almost forgot not only was he a Muslim but at the same time a black nationalist christian[that one also has me stumped]I know I am forgetting a few but I’m not a teabagger.That’s OK but calling out republicans is wrong.
Moving on p=destroying the full faith credit of the United States is just business as usual,nothing to see here move along.
Bankrupting the country by starting a war of choice in Iraq never mind it is a war crime to start wars of aggression,that’s OK as long as we don’t bring it up because feelings might get hurt.
For to long we have sat back holding our tongues and look where we at.I HATE the teabagging republicans, I loathe the plutocracy which they fight tooth and nail for.But I admire them.The are ruthless when going for their objectives.They understand this is a long game and little by little they have consolidated their power where are republic is at risk.You value your freedom to choose or not to choose your religion then you better choose sides.You value your body, you and your doctor are the only ones to have a say in what treatment you feel is best.Then to hell with baking cookies with the Taliban.Make no mistake this a cultural war for true freedom.The freedom of choice.The American Taliban understands that.For your sake and your children’s sake you better understand it too.
Peace
Deanne
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 9:31 pm
Regarding the $400,000/450,000 figures — we have to give thought to the fact there are many Dems that live in major cities/states i.e. NYC, LA, etc. that their income and living costs are much higher than those in smaller cities/states that see $250,000 as being ‘rich’. These amounts were wanted by Dem Senators of those regions too to protect them.
I was also amazed & PO’d today to hear Michael Steele rant on asking how these ‘tax cuts’ were being paid for as there was nothing in the bill allowing for the ‘cuts’. WTF??? How quickly he had a brain fart purposely forgetting his party habitually ranting that the Bush cuts didn’t require being paid for when Obama last extended them all.
djchefron
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 10:28 pm
Excuse me,but 10 million people who live in NYC do not make 400.000 much less 250.000.Now I can understand if you want a 5 bedroom apt.overlooking Central Park then yeah you’re not rich.Guess what move to Queens,Brooklyn and for those who like sameness Staten Island.
I used to live in Chicago.Had a nice apt. in Bronzeville,a late model SUV otherwise a nice life.I didn’t even sniff 60.000 so don’t tell me a quarter of a million dollars is one step above skid row.
rey
Jan. 1st, 2013 at 9:34 pm
Good job Mr. President. I am very happy I vote you and you showed these Republican that you are a man with words of honor. On what happen, I hope these people on the Senate who keep on opposing on things that are good for the middle class and giving favor for the wealthy should not be re-elected or should be removed from office. A message to all the people in the Senate: You must set aside the Party System especially on issues for the people who voted you in your positions, You owe these positions to the people so worked for the people and the whole USA and not for lobbyist and selected few.
Bettie
Jan. 2nd, 2013 at 9:30 am
Gloating is not going to set the stage for further work ahead. Grow up.
ER
Jan. 3rd, 2013 at 10:31 pm
It’s no surprise your comment got voted down. Most people on this site don’t realize that they’re part of the problem. It’s like watching 12 year olds cheer for their favorite professional wrestler.
Shiva (Moderator)
Jan. 3rd, 2013 at 10:38 pm
What name did you post it under?
Is it possible you dont understand that you are part of the problem?
dale
Jan. 2nd, 2013 at 2:36 pm
“Owned”? “Cleaned your clock”?
Are we Jr. High assholes?
Politics is communication. At its fundamental core, it is about language. It is also about democracy and making it work TOGETHER. As long as we use language (which incidentally, indicates our immature state of mind) like “owned”, conservatives will not only always be our enemy, but will be inflamed to resist even more violently despite the wisdom of our position.
I’m proud of President Obama and the Senate/House achievement, but we will need to lead out of this mess, not behave like Jr. High bullies and shove it in their face to make our sooth our insecure egos.
Dorian Goldstein
Jan. 2nd, 2013 at 10:58 pm
Clocks are now digital, they don’t need cleaning. Can we all just get along in our politically bipolar state of America?
Dick Macgurn
Jan. 3rd, 2013 at 12:51 am
Loving my unemployment extension O, and just when I really needed it!
Dave
Jan. 3rd, 2013 at 4:30 am
Everyone wants to be rich, but everyone wants to vilify the rich. You vilify the very thing you seek. The day you create something of value and actually end up earning $500k, and saving your hard earned money, and hiring people, you’ll understand that it isn’t all sex, drugs, and rock and roll at $500k. Extra taxes at that level means that business owners lay people off to maintain their standard of living. And for all the effort, this tax increase brings $60B in annual revenue. Wow, big chunk out of the $1,000B annual deficit. Worst of all, the uber rich are just laughing at you, as this is affects income, not wealth. This raise only hurts successful business owners who have just begun to achieve the American dream. Kudos.
Shiva (Moderator)
Jan. 3rd, 2013 at 8:11 am
Complete BS. a 4% tax rate on people doesnt get people laid off. The tax rate on small business’s remains low by this law. Get off the propaganda trip
No, not everyone want to be rich either. neither is everyone vilifying the rich. What you support is people making millions paying less taxes by % then you do.
This discourse of people getting laid off is complete and unadulterated bullshit
Lynda
Jan. 3rd, 2013 at 12:36 pm
Now if the politicians would just offer up some legislation regarding our medical records going to India then they could save tens of thousands of jobs. They can make it two-fold. Offer tax breaks along with laws prohibiting the medical information of our citizen from leaving the country. That will work nicely. I am sure if Americans knew their medical histories were leaving the country to be transcribed and edited by people who do not speak English as a first language and that they are only required to be 85% accurate in order for more of the profits to line someones pockets they might have something to say about it.
Ed Nicholson
Jan. 3rd, 2013 at 2:00 pm
@Dale and Dorian
Nicely put! It’s time to grow up. The world is collectively shaking its head in amazement at this third world approach to democracy.
M.E.R
Jan. 3rd, 2013 at 11:07 pm
If you think a person who has a income of 25-30,000 a year is middle class you are sooooo wrong. The cost just to keep your home and utilities and food not counting any other expenses eats up that really quick
. These people are now low class.