Fiscal cliff action to come Sunday … maybe
Harry Reid returns to his office Friday after White House meeting (The New York Times/T.J. Kirkpatrick)
The United States Senate has the ball in its hands.
This afternoon’s White House fiscal cliff summit appears to have generated some movement toward a deal, with just more than 72 hours to go. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell both took the floor afterwards in an unusually conciliatory manner, pledging to work with their staffs to come up with a plan that can pass both Houses of Congress. Reid said “we’ll see what we can come up with.” McConnell said he was “hopeful and confident” that both sides will have a deal to take to their conferences shortly after 2 p.m. on Sunday. The words were noncommittal, but the tone was a vast improvement over the deep freeze of recent days.
That would likely be a short-term deal. President Barack Obama did not present a new plan at the meeting — a fact that, once leaked, caused a stock market dip — and told reporters this evening that he was “modestly optimistic:”
I’m optimistic we may be able to reach an agreement that can pass both houses in time. Sens. Reid and McConnell are working on such an agreement as we speak. If an agreement isn’t reached in time between Sen. Reid and Sen. McConnell I will urge Sen. Reid to bring to the floor a basic package for an up-or-down vote. … The American people are watching what we do here. Obviously their patience is already thin. This is déjà vu all over again.
House Speaker John Boehner also showed some wiggle room here. Democrats’ primary fear is that they go out on a limb on taxes and spending, and then the House does not bother to take it up. Boehner’s failure to whip votes on his “Plan B” did not inspire confidence across the hall. But with help from Democrats, Boehner can shepherd something to passage — it just might not be what the conservative base of his caucus likes. Here’s what a Boehner aide had to say after the White House meeting:
The Speaker told the President that if the Senate amends the House-passed legislation and sends back a plan, the House will consider it – either by accepting or amending. The group agreed that the next step should be the Senate taking bipartisan action.
This is a significant signal to the Senate that any Reid-McConnell accord would make it to the House floor. The details, as always, remain up in the air.
- By Daniel Malloy, Political Insider
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407 comments Add your comment
clem
December 29th, 2012
1:44 pm
thanks dusty, i try to be positive. huff is tame compared to some other sites. but hardly a day goes by that some company is ruining people’s lives. why don’t you try and be objective instead of corporate shill. conservative sites rarely report big business wrong doings in depth. they focus on govt. so it would seem balance is necessary…
Voter
December 29th, 2012
1:53 pm
@Real Athens – I was just wondering, you sounded like you were college educated in economics/business.
Voter
December 29th, 2012
1:55 pm
Anyway back to taxes vs spending cuts. I agree, taxes, even if we return to previous levels it will not make a dent in the Debt or deficit. It’s Government spending that has got to be curtailed. Government thinking is that they think they can keep taxing and fix the problem.
honested
December 29th, 2012
1:58 pm
voter,
Could you supply a detailed graph of revenues and expenditures to support your unsupportable contentions?
What you are spouting does not in any way comport with the realities I encounter.
I realize your misguided ideology blinds you from reality, but it might help you to delve into the FACTS just a little.
CC
December 29th, 2012
2:03 pm
“President Barack Obama did not present a new plan at the meeting”
. . . and this is a surprise?
“Boehner can shepherd something to passage — it just might not be what the conservative base of his caucus likes”
I believe you can take that to the bank!
“The details, as always, remain up in the air”
As they have about EVERYTHING since January, 2009.
Voter
December 29th, 2012
2:05 pm
@honested – No I can’t supply a detailed graph of revenues and expenditures on this blog.
I’m relying on reports from Congress and Congressional Budget Committees , also CNN, MSNBC, FoxNews and other media outlets. Plus I have written my U.S. Senator’s and Representatives and am referencing their numbers. I have not personally been in any D.C. meeting with members of Congress.
Voter
December 29th, 2012
2:08 pm
@honested – Also, it’s common sense. National Debt at 16+ trillion. 5+ trillionin just the past 4 years. That can only happen if you SPEND more than you take in.
Does that not make sense to you?
Curious
December 29th, 2012
2:12 pm
Doubt anyone believes anything short of a combination of cuts and taxes will help get us out of this.
Anybody here not willing to pitch in?
Voter
December 29th, 2012
2:14 pm
@Curious – Do you not think we are already taxed enough? How much is enough to counter Government’s overspending?
clem
December 29th, 2012
2:15 pm
oldie When then-Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neill counseled against further tax cuts because of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and the war in Afghanistan, Cheney informed him that “Reagan proved that deficits don’t matter,” according to O’Neill’s telling.
Voter
December 29th, 2012
2:17 pm
Here’s a start of the list:
The inheritance tax.
Accounts Receivable Tax,Building Permit Tax,CDL license Tax,Cigarette Tax,Corporate Income Tax,Dog License Tax,Excise Taxes,Federal Income Tax,Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA),Fishing,License Tax,Food License Tax,Fuel Permit Tax,Gasoline Tax (currently 44.75 cents per gallon),Gross Receipts Tax,Hunting License Tax,Inheritance Tax,Inventory Tax,IRS Interest,Charges IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax),Liquor Tax,Luxury Taxes,Marriage License Tax,Medicare Tax,Personal Property Tax,Property Tax,Real Estate Tax,Service Charge Tax,Social,Security Tax,Road Usage Tax,Recreational Vehicle Tax,Sales Tax,School Tax,State Income Tax,State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
Voter
December 29th, 2012
2:18 pm
And some more:
Telephone Federal Excise Tax,Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax,Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes,Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax,Telephone Recurring and Nonrecurring Charges Tax,Telephone State and Local Tax,Telephone Usage Charge Tax,Utility Taxes,Vehicle License Registration Tax,Vehicle Sales Tax,Watercraft Registration Tax,Well Permit Tax,Workers Compensation Tax
Voter
December 29th, 2012
2:19 pm
So? How much tax is enough?
Cherokee
December 29th, 2012
2:21 pm
Voter taxes are at their lowest level in years.
Curious is correct – there has to be some combination of cuts and tax increases.
Cherokee
December 29th, 2012
2:22 pm
What cuts would you make, voter?
Cherokee
December 29th, 2012
2:23 pm
Someone here mentioned the Romney/Ryan plan.
First, that was rejected by the voters, and secondly, Ryan’s plan actually increased the deficits.
Voter
December 29th, 2012
2:23 pm
Correction on Gas tax, it’s now 49.5 cents per gallon for gas and 54.6 cents per gallon for diesel
Voter
December 29th, 2012
2:25 pm
@Cherokee – To start, 5% pay cut to all government employees, 10% pay cut to ALL members of Congress and Executive Branch, 5% budget cut to all government departments, all unnecessary travel suspended.
Cherokee
December 29th, 2012
2:26 pm
And how much would that save?
Cherokee
December 29th, 2012
2:27 pm
And which programs would you end to reach the 5% department budget cut goal?
td
December 29th, 2012
2:28 pm
Look up the the Penny/Mack plan and you will see a way to balance the budget in 6 years.
Voter
December 29th, 2012
2:29 pm
@Cherokee, then next, all monies sent overseas to unfriendly Countries cease. Stimulus money like Solyndra and other disasters stop. We subsidize our farmers to not grow. We start growing again and sell surplus to other countries, the ones who can’t afford it, they can owe us. We start building and manufacturing again, the Government has taxed almost all production out of the country.
Cherokee
December 29th, 2012
2:29 pm
And by the way, my daughter works for the government – state of Georgia, not the fed – but if you think that government workers deserve or would accept a 5% across the board cut, you’re just naive.
Voter
December 29th, 2012
2:32 pm
@Cherokee, it doesn’t matter, it’s a start to saving money and cut spending. ALL DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT 5% budget cut, I agree, some whole department could go but I don’t want anyone to lose a job. Early-Retire some, retrain others but an across the board budget cut.
Voter
December 29th, 2012
2:33 pm
Would accept? Who do you think votes increases or decreases? By the way, they have never voted a decrease in recent decades.
Voter
December 29th, 2012
2:34 pm
And employees will “accept” whatever their bosses tell them to. Most of these states including Georgia is a Right-to-Work State.
Cherokee
December 29th, 2012
2:35 pm
moneys sent overseas – our total foreign aid budget is less than 1% of our expenditures – and that includes money to our friends like Israel – so cutting that won’t help much
The stimulus ended a couple years ago – again, no impact there.
Farm subsidies – yeah we do pay some farmers not to grow crops – but it’s not a significant amount, and we already sell everything we can overseas.
And manufacturing is on the increase in the US already – because in spite of what you’ve been told, Obama has lowered taxes on small business and encouraged growth here.
The problem is – as you’ve proven – that people who yowl about spending cuts don’t really think it through.
Voter
December 29th, 2012
2:36 pm
Plus I was mainly talking Federal Government and their Debt and Deficits. States typically run a little better.
Cherokee
December 29th, 2012
2:37 pm
And employees will “accept” whatever their bosses tell them to.
But they won’t. They will just go somewhere else. And the government will be left with the employees who are incapable of finding work elsewhere. Which will make it even less efficient than it is now.
Penny wise and pound foolish.
Voter
December 29th, 2012
2:39 pm
@Cherokee – and you talk about being naive. I said it’s a start, the problem is the FEDERAL Government thinks taxes is always the answer. Check my list above and that list is by no means exhaustive. How much taxing is enough for you. 30% of your paycheck? 40%? 45%? How much is enough? Because what you have left of your paycheck you still are paying your bills with, and there is more taxes in that, then when you buy something, more sales tax. So I ask again, how much is enough?
Curious
December 29th, 2012
2:40 pm
Voter,
Why not just go over the cliff?
That’ll give you the cuts you want, plus the increased tax rates will be equivalent to the pay cuts you want, except everybody will be seeing that cut, even those CEOs making millions a year.
An added benfit will be the recession and out of necessity the government will spend even less.
The wild card is just how much influence will the various lobbying groups have on Congress.
Money talks.
honested
December 29th, 2012
2:41 pm
voter,
Don’t you think it is a little less than genuine for you to fold the ‘taxes’ that are used to directly fund the programs for which their ‘user fees’ are charged in with your distorted view of some overarching excessive view of tax burden?
How else do you cover the costs of:
Building Permits?
Commercial Driver’s License oversight?
Animal Control?
Unemployment Insurance?
Department of Natural Resources (fishing licenses)?
Health Department Restaurant Inspections?
Road Construction and Improvement?
Department of Natural Resources (hunting licenses)?
ATF?
Local Governments and Schools?
Medicare and Social Security?
Communications Security?
Department of Natural Resources (watercraft)?
Geez, you don’t have a tax problem, you have a Civilization problem.Civilization is expensive, but for folks like you there are places like Somalia and North Korea where the taxes are lower and the Civilization is dang near non-existent. You might be happier there!
And no, you dis-prove your own point, WE ARE NOT TAXED ENOUGH ALREADY!
Voter
December 29th, 2012
2:42 pm
@Cherokee” Go somewhere else”
Now that’s really naive. Millions are out of work and can’t find jobs. Unemployment is at record highs. And don’t quote the numbers because the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 knocked off millions from the unemployment numbers being counted. I know, I’m one of them.
honested
December 29th, 2012
2:43 pm
voter,
If the problem is FEDERAL, howcum you included so many Municipal and State license fees and general cost obligations.
Methinks your comprehension of the problem is limited to what you hear on rant radio.
Voter
December 29th, 2012
2:44 pm
@honested – I didn’t say there wasn’t a purpose and need for those taxes. The problem is the misuse of what they are receiving. Spending more than what you take in. Try that in your household and see how long you last.
Voter
December 29th, 2012
2:45 pm
@honested – I was just showing some taxes. If you would like I will pick out the Federal only.
Curious
December 29th, 2012
2:46 pm
Let the Federal $ now going to States dry up and see if anybody starts hollering,
Anybody know how much Federal $ are spent in Georgia per year?
Attack Dog
December 29th, 2012
2:46 pm
If you go overboard with rubber stamping tax cuts and increased spending with nothing to show for it, and then obstruct tax increases on the players and prevent spending on the middle class, and blame it on others, you are a Dixiecan.
honested
December 29th, 2012
2:52 pm
voter,
As to what percent?
First, cut military expenditures at least 50%. There is no legitimate reason to fund the most expensive Military Industrial Complex in the entire universe any more. It does not benefit our Citizenry, it only bleeds them dry.
With that done, determine the cost of maintaining the level of Civilization the American Public has requested from their government and expects it to continue and assess the costs based on the wealth of the individual Citizen (you don’t get much by taxing poverty).
Don’t like it, move somewhere else where Civilization is not held in as high a priority.
There are several theologically based, barbarous countries to choose from and a few secular barbarous countries.
Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.
honested
December 29th, 2012
2:54 pm
Curious,
There are numerous websites displaying the tremendous positive inflow to red states of federal largesse (just look at our wasteful military industrial plant in Cobb County).
The wrong wingers hate this exposure of the truth, but it is still the truth.
honested
December 29th, 2012
2:56 pm
voter,
If the concern is ‘waste, fraud and abuse’, accept that the revenue is necessary and concentrate on the allocation and use of the funds.
Of course, that does not pander to the interests of the uber-wealthy that invented the ‘over taxed’ myth.
honested
December 29th, 2012
2:57 pm
Where did that tiny dog and his low information supporters go?
The conserrrrrrrrrvative viewpoint is getting the drubbing it deserves here!
td
December 29th, 2012
2:59 pm
Cherokee
December 29th, 2012
2:29 pm
And by the way, my daughter works for the government – state of Georgia, not the fed – but if you think that government workers deserve or would accept a 5% across the board cut, you’re just naive.
I thought we were talking about the Federal Budget? The state has done due diligence and balanced it budgets each and every year. They have froze pay increases for years, furloughed staff and cut out many vacant positions. Many other states have taken the same measures. The Feds need to do the same thing until the budgets are under control.
td
December 29th, 2012
3:03 pm
honested
December 29th, 2012
2:52 pm
Again your math does not work. You can cut the entire military budget $1 trillion per year and still not balance the budget. When you do this then there is no need for the Federal government since its number one Constitutional requirement is to protect the country.
tireofit
December 29th, 2012
3:13 pm
When you do this then there is no need for the Federal government since its number one Constitutional requirement is to protect the country.
++
No where does the Constitution say we should be the worlds policeman, therefore DOD budget of 100 – 150 billion is more than enough. Also, all government contractors should make no more that 20 dollars per hour.
Voter
December 29th, 2012
3:22 pm
@tireofit – Agreed, on being the worlds policeman but sometimes in our own interest to help. There were a lot of people who disagreed with The Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, WWI and WWII also but helping win those wars preserved our Nation.
Kris
December 29th, 2012
3:22 pm
The fact is Romney wasn’t “narrowly beaten.” He was shellacked. The entire Republican party was shellacked.
When will the GOP realize it is time to fix the economy.
I am just a simple person with a simple dream. My plea is for someone, one of you, anybody to help me realize my dreams of this great country.
I dream of individual rights that allow me to own my own home without being annexed into a city by ordinance rather than referendum.
The ability to buy a hundred watt light bulb that reads “made in America”.
I long for the time I can stroll down the aisles at Wal-Mart and see more items made in America than made in China.
I want to choose to wear a motorcycle helmet or not, choose to wear a seat belt or not.
I would also like my school to teach reading, writing and arithmetic after a pledge to the flag and morning devotional.
It’s also important that my daughter has some Social Security benefit when she retires.
The ability to fill my truck with gas without a credit union loan.
To open my phone bill and see two lines, one for service rendered and one for tax.
Each and every day seems more and more restrictive than free to old timers like me. Good intention is always appreciated but not always good. America seemed at her best when each of us was responsible for ourselves. I am willing to once again assume responsibility for my own self. There may be others who would as well.
I have already started by balancing my own budget.
Voter
December 29th, 2012
3:26 pm
@Kris – 1st check the numbers, he wasn’t “shellacked”. 2nd it isn’t only the GOP, the Democrats are part of this. Civics Class 101
Curious
December 29th, 2012
3:35 pm
Considering Obama had/has about the worst numbers (in every category) of any previous President, Romney should’ve won in a landslide. Yet, Romney was such a chameleon many people finally assessed him as a phony.
His loss to Obama should be and is the equivalent of a shell-lacking.
td
December 29th, 2012
3:40 pm
Curious
December 29th, 2012
3:35 pm
Considering Obama had/has about the worst numbers (in every category) of any previous President, Romney should’ve won in a landslide. Yet, Romney was such a chameleon many people finally assessed him as a phony.
His loss to Obama should be and is the equivalent of a shell-lacking.
2 reasons why Obama won:
1: Republicans again thought they actually had to run a “moderate” to win and it did not work for them.
2: The Dems crushed the Republicans with using technology. Their data mining techniques and use of targeted messaging (mind manipulation of the uninformed) was brilliant