Chambliss: Government shutdown is up to Obama
If you think the 112th Congress was a weak, unproductive bunch, you’re not alone. Saxby Chambliss agrees with you.
“Unfortunately that’s the way it feels inside, not just outside,” Georgia’s senior senator told me over coffee at his Cobb County office Tuesday. “Harry Reid’s leadership [in the Senate] leaves a lot to be desired, and the in-your-face stuff that the president’s thrown at us has gotten a lot of backs up on our side, in both the House and the Senate. You throw the presidential election in there and it just kind of all came together, and nothing got done.”
Readers who are not GOP partisans would probably add House Republicans to Chambliss’ list of Washington’s bad actors. But after spending the past few years working with a handful of his fellow senators to fashion a big, bipartisan deal to reform the federal tax code and reduce spending, to no avail, Chambliss conveyed disdain for the way the Jan. 1 agreement to avoid the so-called fiscal cliff came about. And he blamed President Barack Obama.
“He was pretty open about the fact that, ‘Look, if we go off the cliff, if you guys don’t give me what I want, if we go off the cliff, I’m going to get what I want. And then I will spend the first three weeks of January beating the heck out of Republicans, and then I’ll present my plan of [tax cuts for those earning] $250,000 or less and dare you guys to vote against it.’ That’s just not the way that you get major things accomplished.”
What Obama did accomplish — higher taxes on some high earners — bought little time before the next showdown. By March, Congress and the president will face a trio of expirations: the debt ceiling, the delay in automatic budget cuts known as sequestration, and the temporary funding Congress has enacted in lieu of a budget for almost three years now.
“Some people might argue that the debt ceiling is the least pressure point [of the three] because you’ve got to pay your bills,” Chambliss said, “and that’s what [Obama] keeps saying, that ‘I … dare you to not allow us to pay the bills that you’ve incurred.’
“Well the fact is, the Democratic Congress incurred the bills. This administration incurred the bills. The Republicans have been in charge of the House for two years; this money was basically spent in the two years before that when you look at the stimulus package and the other spending that he put in place to create the massive deficits. So for him to come out and say, ‘You guys are obligated to pay your bills’ — I didn’t vote for any of that stuff.”
Because the debt ceiling isn’t really about whether to default on the national debt — the Treasury takes in far more revenue than it needs to make debt payments — the more likely short-term alternative to raising the debt ceiling is a federal government shutdown. (Which is not to suggest there would be no consequences, or only mild ones, for taking that route.)
Chambliss said he hopes it doesn’t come to that, but once again he put the onus on the president. In the past, he noted, Obama has embraced both the need to reform entitlements and a ratio of $3 of spending cuts for every $1 of tax increases.
“If [Obama's] serious about that, then … the likelihood of a shutdown would certainly be minimized. If he gets his back up and says, ‘We’ll only do this if we get more revenue,’ then I’d say the chances of a shutdown are pretty good. … If he wants to get serious, show the world marketplace that we are going to lead in this area, he’ll have that opportunity. If he doesn’t, then something dramatic has got to happen, and a shutdown could be it.”
Chambliss is up for re-election next year, and it’s no secret tea partyers and Democrats alike are eyeing his seat for a possible challenge. “I’ve never backed off from a fight,” he said. Fine, but does the bitterness in Washington ever make him think twice about running again?
“This is an eight-year decision for me. It’s two years [campaigning] plus six years” in office, he said. “And if I thought the next eight years were going to be filled with contentious debates and the wrong way to govern that we have just gone through in the last two months, it would have a significant impact on my decision. But yeah, right now my plans are to run.”
– By Kyle Wingfield
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236 comments Add your comment
JamVet
January 10th, 2013
2:39 pm
Lincoln?????????????????
You ARE seriously messed up in the head.
Kyle Wingfield
January 10th, 2013
2:39 pm
JDW @ 2:27: I’ve explained why I think your metric is superficial. You’ve only railed against the metrics I prefer. As for your BULL HOCKEY rant, once again you start mixing metrics — now you’re on GDP growth, when we were talking about spending, and now taxes — in an effort to make it appear you have an argument. My point is clear: The tax rates that prevailed from 2001 to 2012 do not explain the very low revenues of 2009-12, because the results were quite different from 2001-08. You have never reconciled this inconsistency in your argument.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
January 10th, 2013
2:40 pm
“The sky has not fallen in the last 4 years…in fact things have gotten a lot better.”
A LOT better?
Try marginally. Barely. Anemically.
And in doing so, the long-term health of this Republic has been placed in bigger jeopardy than it ever has before.
By BOTH sides of the aisle.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
January 10th, 2013
2:42 pm
Yes, AmVet, Lincoln.
The absolute worst Federalist of the bunch. Was responsible for the greatest increase of Federal power in the history of this nation.
And that ain’t a good thing.
MarkV
January 10th, 2013
2:46 pm
Chambliss (with reference to the debt limit and Obama’s statement that the country must pay her bills): “Well the fact is, the Democratic Congress incurred the bills. This administration incurred the bills. The Republicans have been in charge of the House for two years; this money was basically spent in the two years before that when you look at the stimulus package and the other spending that he put in place to create the massive deficits. So for him to come out and say, ‘You guys are obligated to pay your bills’ — I didn’t vote for any of that stuff.”
That is as if a family had a joint credit card, and when the balance was reaching the maximum, one of those using it refused to contribute, arguing that his/her charges were not the latest ones. Never mind all the charges he/she made before that and which represented a substantial part of the balance.
Centrist
January 10th, 2013
2:48 pm
To take Kyle’s 2:39 explanation a step further, pointing out Bush’s gross increased spending while ignoring Obama’s much grosser increased spending is partisan garbage.
We have a spending problem, not a revenue problem. Liberal NYT David Brooks spells it out here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/08/opinion/brooks-why-hagel-was-picked.html?ref=davidbrooks&_r=0
Politico
January 10th, 2013
2:56 pm
Kyle
My point is that you know you didn’t include a major variable within the years you picked. Your choice, but it is what it is.
Any years anyone picks should be include the “major variables” that had positive or negative impact on the economy and tax revenues.
Clinton years shouldn’t be talked about without the tech bubble. He was the recipient of the good side, however Bush was hit with the ensuing recession you mentioned.
In my opinion, the POTUS gets too much credit and blame for the economy and the majority of them have accepted the credit and deflect the blame, as have their followers.
Thursday Afternoon Speculation – Saxby Chambliss Edition — Peach Pundit
January 10th, 2013
2:59 pm
[...] Mike Hassinger · 0 comments TweetSo Kyle Wingfield wrote a column about his interview with Sen. Saxby Chambliss, mostly about the possibility of shutting down the [...]
JDW
January 10th, 2013
2:59 pm
@Kyle…Mixing metrics? You just aren’t following along…You clearly state…”How much of the decline in 2001 was due to the bursting of the tech bubble and resulting recession — prolonged by 9/11 — rather than the change in tax rates?”
I say BULL HOCKEY…that downturn was not a primary cause evidenced by the fact that GDP grew at 2.2%…some effect maybe…prime reason no.
Now for this…”My point is clear: The tax rates that prevailed from 2001 to 2012 do not explain the very low revenues of 2009-12, because the results were quite different from 2001-08. You have never reconciled this inconsistency in your argument.”"
The change in tax rates is a prime reason and the other is the downturn. Results are going to be different in every year but a constant is that if you lower rates you will collect less revenue per dollar. Combine that with fewer dollars and you have the mess we are in now.
Now to preempt the argument that tax cuts increase revenue…no they do not. Like everything else they are subject to diminishing returns. If you cut the top rates from 70% to 40% yeah you can get a bump…but it is less with each point you decrease and at some point the gain turns to a loss. Based on history it seems that happens in the 40% to 45% top marginal rate range.
Politico
January 10th, 2013
2:59 pm
Kyle @ 2:39
The housing bubble bursting might have a little to do with the revenues from 09 to 12.
JDW might have a different take. And it could just be a minor coincidence.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
January 10th, 2013
2:59 pm
“In my opinion, the POTUS gets too much credit and blame for the economy and the majority of them have accepted the credit and deflect the blame, as have their followers.”
Likely the first accurate thing you’ve posted on this blog, Politico.
Politico
January 10th, 2013
3:05 pm
And Ms. Tiberius yaps along
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
January 10th, 2013
3:09 pm
Boy, you complement a gal and they go all postal on you.
Typical lib.
1961_Xer
January 10th, 2013
3:13 pm
If this Congress voted ‘yes’ on the budget, how can they vote ‘no’ when it comes time to pay the bills?
No Congress has voted on a budget since 2009. Thank you, Harry Reid and the Democrats.
Centrist
January 10th, 2013
3:16 pm
We are never going to agree on what tax policies will maximize revenue mostly because there are too many other variables that affect it. But many of us should be able to agree that as tax revenues go up and down with small variations, spending only goes up with some wild jumps.
The spending has blown up our deficits and debt – not tax policies. The bills will come due, and we can only ameliorate the consequences by cutting spending sooner rather than later. March is our next best chance, and sequestration and/or a partial government shutdown is probably necessary to force the issue.
yuzeyurbrane
January 10th, 2013
3:25 pm
First, Chambliss misspeaks when he asserts all the debts owed by the US were incurred in the first 2 years of Obama’s Presidency. Just not true. It took a long time and many Presidents of both parties to reach where we are now. But I don’t expect Saxby to shoulder any part of responsibility when he is thinking of a difficult primary challenge from the right. His pride will not allow him to run if he has strong opponent. That is most important nugget of interview. As to Democrats, if they were crafty, facile and lucky enough they could end up in Mourdock type situation where Republicans blew Senate seat in Indiana—but highly unlikely considering their short bench.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
January 10th, 2013
3:30 pm
“First, Chambliss misspeaks when he asserts all the debts owed by the US were incurred in the first 2 years of Obama’s Presidency.”
Of course, yuz, if you actually read the statement, he never said all the debt. he’s complaining about stimulus onward, which WAS the responsibility of the Dems.
JDW
January 10th, 2013
3:32 pm
@Politico…”JDW might have a different take. And it could just be a minor coincidence.”
Strangely enough I have exactly the same take…from 2008 to 2012 average GDP growth was less than .25 of a percent so revenues should be flat unless there was a tax decrease.
FY2008 revenue in constant 2005 dollars $2.288 trillion
FY2012 revenue in constant 2005 dollars $2.089 trillion
Remember the 2% SSI withholding decrease.
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
January 10th, 2013
3:39 pm
If this Congress voted ‘yes’ on the budget, how can they vote ‘no’ when it comes time to pay the bills?
————-
It’s quite simple. The current “budget” (actually a continuing resolution) ends in a month or two. There isn’t any discretionary spending approved beyond that. This is exactly the right time to debate the debt limit.
Centrist
January 10th, 2013
3:40 pm
The liberals here continue to ignore the blog issue of spending. They keep going back to tax revenue, even though the vast majority of the tax side of the equation was settled earlier this month. Sure, there will be more limits to deductions, exemptions, and tax credits – but the game stopper is about cuts to spending which has not been done since Reagan won the cold war.
josef
January 10th, 2013
3:47 pm
TIBERIUS
You ought to know by now that Lincoln was G-d Inc-rnate, did no wrong, had no flaws and ascended into heaven where he now instructs his followers in how to issue fatwahs on unbelievers…
Michael H. Smith
January 10th, 2013
3:48 pm
Please republish Senator obama’s debt ceiling speech and compare what he said then to what he says now about raising the debt, Kyle.
Let’s see your resident socialist liberal obama sock puppets lie, spin and dance verbally all over the place to defend the indefensible hypocrisy of their “dear leader”.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
January 10th, 2013
3:51 pm
Silly me, josef. I had forgotten about Lincoln’s deification all those years ago.
josef
January 10th, 2013
3:59 pm
TIBERIUS
Well, as you know, I don’t consider him even the worst. That title goes easily to Old Hickory, followed by Lincoln and Davis in a tie for number two…No fan of Bush II by a long shot, but he ain’t even in the top ten worst, imeoiauo…
Centrist
January 10th, 2013
4:02 pm
Pardon the interruption by going back to subject blog issue of spending.
Military spending was rapidly reducing between 1985 and 1993 (Reagan 81-88, H.W. bush 89-92) and remained flat between 1993 and 1999 (Clinton years). Economies undergo a recession after the end of a major conflict as the economy is forced to adjust and retool, a “peace dividend” refers to a potential long-term benefit as budgets for defense spending are assumed to be at least partially redirected to social programs and/or a decrease in taxation rates. We did all of that. We got the recession during H.W. Bush, long term dividend under Clinton, Bush tax cuts (partially undone by Obama), but lost the dividend after September 11, 2001 to fund conflicts like the War on Terror, War in Afghanistan and the War in Iraq. We have been “guns and butter” ever since with huge leaps in domestic spending too.
Sequestration might be the answer.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
January 10th, 2013
4:03 pm
I knew who you were going to name, josef, and I didn’t want to increase your blood pressure exponentially by doing so myself.
Of course, MAJOR historians might disagree with us . . .
Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)
January 10th, 2013
4:12 pm
Obama just picked a Muslim cleric to deliver the benediction!
OMG!
psyche
Dusty
January 10th, 2013
4:15 pm
JOSEF,
If you were not here I would say that “our” Democrats had gone totally berserk. Since you are here, I will say “only partially beserk”.. Lincoln, my friend, was not a bad guy. Think about it. Hard life, not handsome, wacky wife, dead chidren bad war,eager enemies and then a shot in the head. But he wrote that great gem of a speech, the Gettysberg Address. HIs credits far outweigh his shortcomings.
But your “buds” here are determined to rot this blog away. No fun. They remind me of a dog in the Herriott book I am reading. The dog would hide and wait for a stranger to come along and then he’d pounce out growling and snarling (just for fun in his case).. Today Dems found Chambliss available so snarl, bite and babble.
Anyway, I’m glad you are here even if you are looking for Hillbilly. I always like to present a warm welcome..
josef
January 10th, 2013
4:16 pm
Tiberius
The MAJOR historians might also issue one of those fatwahs…you know folks like us are heretics and infidels.
josef
January 10th, 2013
4:20 pm
DUSTY
Well, each to his own taste said the man when he saw the monkey eating glue! -)
Not really here looking for Hillbilly, though I am always glad to hear from him. I’m happy to hear from you and several others as well, as always.
Politico
January 10th, 2013
4:21 pm
“But your “buds” here are determined to rot this blog away”
And since you are one of your buds, it is about time you included yourself.
Congratulations
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right
January 10th, 2013
4:25 pm
Dusty, I have no doubt Lincoln’s heart was in the right place when making his decision’s, but like all decisions made where government is concerned, he would have been better served by listening to his head.
Only bad government comes from following your heart.
retiredds
January 10th, 2013
4:28 pm
Typical politician, it’s the other guy’s fault. Blame = failure
josef
January 10th, 2013
4:30 pm
TIBERIUS
My jury is still out on whether or not he even had a heart in the biological sense, much less the metaphorical. But, then, as you know I do have issues with Granny’s Diocletian of the Potomac!
kevin
January 10th, 2013
4:31 pm
We are citizens of these United States of America. We elect those into office to work for us…and if it was anyone of us who were not doing our jobs…we would be “fired.” Those who are serving in office in Washington, year after years, continuing to give us; the American people bull, point fingers here and there, disagree about things that could help us and turn things down, give themself raises; use all of the loop holes in their taxes, stay in office a long time, eat, ride, get perks, etc., now you tell me that they can’t get their act together and help the america tax payers, yet, help themselves over and over again. Nothing is making sense, nothing is adding up and we are witnessing the same of stupid things again and again. We must called for all of them to resign; do not vote again to have them return to office. And, from what we are now seeing and will face, 113th Congress will turn out to be even worse. We all see, that they are not up in Washington on our behalf, but their own. Its is time we put a stop to this election into office again and again, we need those who will work for the people of these United States and leave their personal agenda behind. they ae not and have not done so. Its been kicking down the President at every turn and level. If we don’t do anything as citizens, we stand to pay for things again and again while congress give themselves another raise on our dime while we suffer, kick and try to keep our homes and lives. We have done the math, and Congress just is not adding up!
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
January 10th, 2013
4:35 pm
retiredds: Typical politician, it’s the other guy’s fault. Blame = failure
———–
Yep, Obozo blames Republicans and ATMs for all his failures.
Good catch.
MarkV
January 10th, 2013
4:44 pm
Dusty has arrived with her usual complaints about Democrats destroying this blog with unspecified crimes against her views. Avoiding, naturally, pointing out any specific statement she could dispute by facts, logic and reason.
Dusty
January 10th, 2013
4:45 pm
Don’t be dense,
alitico. I was speaking to JOSEF.
Josef’s ‘buds” are usually Democrats although he can think clearer than the rest of ‘em. So stop your barking and biting.
josef
January 10th, 2013
4:49 pm
DUSTY
“…although he can think clearer than the rest of ‘em…”
Even after a few snorts of the MD?
MarkV
January 10th, 2013
4:56 pm
If Chambliss (or Kyle) thinks that Obama would be blamed for a government shutdown, it should be used as an illustration of wishful thinking.
Politico
January 10th, 2013
5:01 pm
“So stop your barking and biting.”
With all of your feigned outrage and one sided view points about the those who on this blog, you must have been laughing about yourself when you typed that last post.
All you do is bark via your daily feigning about others with different political view than yours.
Get over it.
Dusty
January 10th, 2013
5:01 pm
Dear MarkV
I don’t have time to post the number of “put down” posts by liberals here. Since you are somewhat endowed with reason and thought, please read the first six posts of this blog and tell me those are kindly words for discussion. They are the usual Dem start for “discussions” here.
Have you ever read James Herriott’s books? His “Dog Stories” are entertaining. .
Politico
January 10th, 2013
5:02 pm
*those on this blog
Dusty
January 10th, 2013
5:10 pm
Oh no POLITICO
I came here quite happily after a lovely luncheon meeting. Great conversations like “my casserole was better than your coconut cake” besides some vey deep subjects. We solved half the world’s problems!! Indeed.
Then I came here and there you were!! Uh oh!!
OH well, to each his own. I happen to be conservative.and don’t care for the big spenders of government. They happen to be Democrats.
Politico
January 10th, 2013
5:13 pm
And you have your right to that opinion, but the bs on this blog is not one sided as you consistently assert and are very well aware of
You are not welcome to your own facts, no matter how hard you try.
Politico
January 10th, 2013
5:15 pm
You have a great evening
Look forward to the next segment of “Dusty’s feigned outrage”
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
January 10th, 2013
5:17 pm
Off for the night. Nice chatting with you, josef.
You’re proof positive that there are some liberals who can carry on a civil conversation.
Just not the ones that usually pollute this blog.
Dusty
January 10th, 2013
5:17 pm
JOSEF,
You know that I am a “teetotler” except at Christmas. I am just my usual cheeerful self’
“The day was cold and dark and dreary.
The wind did blow and was never weary.
Tthe vine still clung to the molderling wall.
At each gust of wind, the dead leaves fall.”.
Poe knew how to describe a day without sunshine. It’s two shades of gray outside.
.
Politico
January 10th, 2013
5:19 pm
Dusty
Before I go, was Bush and almost 6 yrs of Republican Congress considered “small spending” in your book?
Sure that was a Democrat conspiracy as well, huh?
Politico
January 10th, 2013
5:20 pm
“Just not the ones that usually pollute this blog”
You are a liberal now? WOW