Democrats suggest driving off the cliff

[freedombecki]

Rivals dig in as "fiscal cliff" drama debuts

Source: Rivals dig in as 'fiscal cliff' drama debuts

WASHINGTON - Both sides in the "fiscal cliff" debate stood their ground on Tuesday as they gathered in Washington for the first time since the elections, with a fundamental tax dispute preventing a broader compromise on deficit reduction. The White House made clear it was ready to negotiate with Republicans on taxes and spending, but a spokesman for Democratic President Barack Obama said he will not budge on insisting that the wealthy's tax rates must rise in 2013.

The president wants to extend low individual income tax rates beyond year's end for 98 percent of Americans, but he will not agree to extending them for the top 2 percent of earners, said White House spokesman Jay Carney at a news conference. On the Senate floor, Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said his party was open to discussing new government revenues, but not raising tax rates. "We're ... not about to further weaken the economy by raising tax rates and hurting jobs," he said. The defiant remarks came as Congress returned from a post-election break with seven weeks left to deal with the "fiscal cliff," a convergence of urgent tax and spending issues that, if mishandled, could plunge the economy into another recession according to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office.

What say you?

 

[thereisnospoon]

In order to attempt to force the hand of the GOP, the democrat party would risk scuttling the economy and sending us into deep recession by suggesting the government deliberately drive the economy off the fiscal cliff.
These are such good Americans. They risk the very well being of the people they claim to want to help for political gain.
Some Dems see gains in driving off ‘fiscal cliff’ | | The Bulletin

 

[Annie]

There are the reckless on both sides of the aisle. For starters I'd like both parties to remove McConnell and Reid from leadership roles. Both are not only drunk on power, they appear not to have the country's interests at heart.

Likewise any idiots advocating going over the cliff, she face a reprimand from both the parties and the citizenry.

 

[auditor0007]

I would prefer they use a planned strategy of raising taxes slowly; however, if Republicans stick to their guns of no tax increases at all, then so be it; we'll take the jump. I imagine there is a good chance the Bush tax cuts expire, and then there are new negotiations on future tax cuts that can be made retroactive. Basically, the wealthy will see there taxes go up one way or another.

 

[VaYank5150]

In order to attempt to force the hand of the GOP, the democrat party would risk scuttling the economy and sending us into deep recession by suggesting the government deliberately drive the economy off the fiscal cliff.
These are such good Americans. They risk the very well being of the people they claim to want to help for political gain.
Some Dems see gains in driving off ‘fiscal cliff’ | | The Bulletin

Hmmmm....where were you when the GOP was doing the same during the "debt ceiling" debate?

 

[auditor0007]

In order to attempt to force the hand of the GOP, the democrat party would risk scuttling the economy and sending us into deep recession by suggesting the government deliberately drive the economy off the fiscal cliff.
These are such good Americans. They risk the very well being of the people they claim to want to help for political gain.
Some Dems see gains in driving off ‘fiscal cliff’ | | The Bulletin

All this talk of going over the fiscal cliff is scaring the shit out of Republicans who have been telling us forever that we need to cut spending. If we go over the fiscal cliff, then we will cut spending. Funny how that works. So do you want to cut spending or not?

 

[Procrustes Stretched]

In order to attempt to force the hand of the GOP, the democrat party would risk scuttling the economy and sending us into deep recession by suggesting the government deliberately drive the economy off the fiscal cliff.
These are such good Americans. They risk the very well being of the people they claim to want to help for political gain.
Some Dems see gains in driving off ‘fiscal cliff’ | | The Bulletin

Except Democratic Leader REP. NANCY PELOSI, D-Calif.: But I want you to be disabused of any notion that there's any widespread thought that it would be a good thing for our country for us to go over the cliff. We want an agreement. We want an agreement.



reality bites!

and

RICHARD TRUMKA, AFL-CIO: We're going to work together because we have the same goals. That's protecting the middle class. That's creating jobs in this country and making sure that Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries don't get hurt in this process.

 

[Black_Label]

In order to attempt to force the hand of the GOP, the democrat party would risk scuttling the economy and sending us into deep recession by suggesting the government deliberately drive the economy off the fiscal cliff.
These are such good Americans. They risk the very well being of the people they claim to want to help for political gain.
Some Dems see gains in driving off ‘fiscal cliff’ | | The Bulletin

All this talk of going over the fiscal cliff is scaring the shit out of Republicans who have been telling us forever that we need to cut spending. If we go over the fiscal cliff, then we will cut spending. Funny how that works. So do you want to cut spending or not?

Exactly. If going off the "fiscal cliff" happens, there will be automatic huge cuts to the overbloated military, and the bush tax cuts for the rich will end.

The democrats have the GOP's backs against the well and are continuing to hammer them like they should

 

[rightwinger]

I say let the tax cuts expire and then negotiate off of the pre-Bush tax rates

This is no fiscal cliff. A fiscal cliff implies that once you pass that date there is no return.

However, Congress can renegotiate new tax rates. Congress can put back things that were automatically cut. There is nothing in this "fiscal cliff" that can't be put back the way it was

So let it expire, let the automatic cuts take hold...Then let Congress negotiate what goes back in

 

[Avatar4321]

Most of the GOP is doing the same thing. There only seems to be a handful of Republicans even attempting to avoid this and absolutely zero Democrats.

No one is willing to do something tough

 

[OohPooPahDoo]

In order to attempt to force the hand of the GOP, the democrat party would risk scuttling the economy and sending us into deep recession by suggesting the government deliberately drive the economy off the fiscal cliff.
These are such good Americans. They risk the very well being of the people they claim to want to help for political gain.
Some Dems see gains in driving off ‘fiscal cliff’ | | The Bulletin

I guess the Democrats should just do whatever the Republicans tell them to, then.

 

[Black_Label]

Most of the GOP is doing the same thing. There only seems to be a handful of Republicans even attempting to avoid this and absolutely zero Democrats.

No one is willing to do something tough

The GOP has been doing nothing. Obama has stated right after he got re-elected and again today for the GOP to pass legislation to continue the tax cuts for the 98% so they are off the table.

It's a very fair compromise to make sure the people that need those cuts the most aren't used as a bargaining chip or pawns.

 

[WillowTree]

There are the reckless on both sides of the aisle. For starters I'd like both parties to remove McConnell and Reid from leadership roles. Both are not only drunk on power, they appear not to have the country's interests at heart.

Likewise any idiots advocating going over the cliff, she face a reprimand from both the parties and the citizenry.

Hey! I advocate it. It's going to happen. Sooner is better than later. The sooner we hit rock bottom the sooner we can figure out what we need to do. Pox on these asshole politicians lying to us. Call their bluff.

 

[OohPooPahDoo]

Most of the GOP is doing the same thing. There only seems to be a handful of Republicans even attempting to avoid this and absolutely zero Democrats.

No one is willing to do something tough

The GOP has been doing nothing. Obama has stated right after he got re-elected and again today for the GOP to pass making the tax cuts for the 98% continued so they are off the table.

It's a very fair compromise to make sure the people that need those cuts the most aren't used as a bargaining chip or pawns.

Republicans aren't into compromise. If they can't get their way 100% of the time then they will do everything they can to destroy this country.

 

[oreo]

In order to attempt to force the hand of the GOP, the democrat party would risk scuttling the economy and sending us into deep recession by suggesting the government deliberately drive the economy off the fiscal cliff.
These are such good Americans. They risk the very well being of the people they claim to want to help for political gain.
Some Dems see gains in driving off ‘fiscal cliff’ | | The Bulletin

We have a choice either let sequestration take place on January 1st 2013--resulting in the expiration of the Bush tax cuts--and massive budget cuts--or you can choose the austerity measures put in place by Greece.

Yes--it's going to be painful to everyone--but it needs to be done.

 

[Avatar4321]

Most of the GOP is doing the same thing. There only seems to be a handful of Republicans even attempting to avoid this and absolutely zero Democrats.

No one is willing to do something tough

The GOP has been doing nothing. Obama has stated right after he got re-elected and again today for the GOP to pass legislation to continue the tax cuts for the 98% so they are off the table.

It's a very fair compromise to make sure the people that need those cuts the most aren't used as a bargaining chip or pawns.

Your compromise is that the GOP let Obama slow the economy even more?

If you are a legislator, would you make things worse for people for the sake of compromise?

 

[Avatar4321]

Most of the GOP is doing the same thing. There only seems to be a handful of Republicans even attempting to avoid this and absolutely zero Democrats.

No one is willing to do something tough

The GOP has been doing nothing. Obama has stated right after he got re-elected and again today for the GOP to pass making the tax cuts for the 98% continued so they are off the table.

It's a very fair compromise to make sure the people that need those cuts the most aren't used as a bargaining chip or pawns.

Republicans aren't into compromise. If they can't get their way 100% of the time then they will do everything they can to destroy this country.

So you think instead, we should actively destroy the country rather than do what needs to be done to save this nation?

 

[Procrustes Stretched]

at moments like this....

In order to attempt to force the hand of the GOP, the democrat party would risk scuttling the economy and sending us into deep recession by suggesting the government deliberately drive the economy off the fiscal cliff.
These are such good Americans. They risk the very well being of the people they claim to want to help for political gain.
Some Dems see gains in driving off ‘fiscal cliff’ | | The Bulletin

Except Democratic Leader REP. NANCY PELOSI, D-Calif.: But I want you to be disabused of any notion that there's any widespread thought that it would be a good thing for our country for us to go over the cliff. We want an agreement. We want an agreement.



reality bites!

and

RICHARD TRUMKA, AFL-CIO: We're going to work together because we have the same goals. That's protecting the middle class. That's creating jobs in this country and making sure that Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries don't get hurt in this process.

...deserve repeating.

 

[auditor0007]

I say let the tax cuts expire and then negotiate off of the pre-Bush tax rates

This is no fiscal cliff. A fiscal cliff implies that once you pass that date there is no return.

However, Congress can renegotiate new tax rates. Congress can put back things that were automatically cut. There is nothing in this "fiscal cliff" that can't be put back the way it was

So let it expire, let the automatic cuts take hold...Then let Congress negotiate what goes back in

That is exactly what will happen if there is no agreement.

 

[OohPooPahDoo]

The GOP has been doing nothing. Obama has stated right after he got re-elected and again today for the GOP to pass making the tax cuts for the 98% continued so they are off the table.

It's a very fair compromise to make sure the people that need those cuts the most aren't used as a bargaining chip or pawns.

Republicans aren't into compromise. If they can't get their way 100% of the time then they will do everything they can to destroy this country.

So you think instead, we should actively destroy the country rather than do what needs to be done to save this nation?

And doing what we need to do to save the nation means appeasing Republicans wack jobs who refuse to compromise one bit and giving them exactly what they want?


The Constitution protects the rights of the minority - but it doesn't make them dictators. The Senate is Democrat, the White House is Democrat, and the House Republican - clearly the People want the solution to come from both sides.