Posted on 11/09/2012 4:29:48 PM PST by Kaslin
In case you missed it this afternoon (or, if you just didnt want to watch it, in which case I sympathize), President Obama held his first post-election, fiscal-cliff, no-questions-please presser this afternoon, during which he iterated pretty much everything youd expect.
Obama brandishes presidential pen as he calls for more taxes
National Journal sums it up:
- In his first statement since winning reelection, Obama called on Congress to let the Bush tax cuts expire for individuals earning over $200,000 per year and families earning over $250,000. Lets extend the middle-class tax cuts right now. Lets do that right now, Obama added.
- The president said while he is “open to compromise,” he will not accept a Republican plan that only contains spending cuts. “I refuse to accept any approach that isn’t balanced,” he told an East Room audience.
- On Tuesday night, we found out that the majority of Americans agree with my approach, Obama said. Our job now is to get a majority in Congress to reflect the view of the American people.
Earlier on Friday, Speaker of the House John Boehner held his own press conference, implying that he was ruling out any tax hikes as part of a deal, via the NYT:
Its clear that there are a lot of special interest loopholes in the tax code, both corporate and personal, he said. Its also clear that there are all kinds of deductions, some of which make sense, others dont. And by lowering rates and cleaning up the tax code, we know were going to get more economic growth. …
But Mr. Boehner said he has a mandate as well.
Theres a Republican majority here in the House, he said. The American people re-elected a Republican majority, and Im proud of the fact that our team in a very difficult year was able to maintain our majority.
And I just know you’re curious about what House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi thought about the whole thing, so here you go:
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., responded to President Obama with a statement that the president “is exactly right – the American people voted on Tuesday for certainty for our economy and middle class families.”
“President Obama has his signing pen ready, and I am certain that, given the opportunity, Democrats in the House will vote to send the middle income tax cut to the President next week,” said Pelosi.
So, everybody’s geared up for the fight, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid affirmed his readiness to raise the debt ceiling to almost $19 trillion earlier this week — which is really awesome, since we’re set to hit around $20 trillion in debt by the end of Obama’s second term. I’m sure we can just keep delaying dealing with our debt, and delaying it, and delaying it, and delaying it…
(**&*&^*&@()Q()*__ to you, Mr. President.
The Warlord in Chief wants MORE class warfare and Reid wants to borrow $2.4 trillion more.
These people are killing the USA.
http://confoundedinterest.wordpress.com/2012/11/08/vampires-werewolves-and-the-post-election-market-reaction/
Obama spent all the money now he wants others to pay dearly.
I have to agree with barry. The whats in for me crowd do want higher taxes, just not for themselves.
Greece. On steroids.
Go ahead, then 100% blame goes to Obama. It’s going to happen anyway. We’re over the cliff, F it.
Bet he's not.
He can take that pen, sit on it, and spin for all I care.
I don’t fear this man child. My future is assured. I didn’t need to be promised 72 virgins.
Someone died for me. That was my salvation.
I say let what was agreed to by both parties in 2011 transpire-let ALL the Bush tax rates expire and let all the spending cuts take effect. Otherwise the agreement was a sham(shock!).
Boehner will fold like a cheap lawn chair. Mark my words.
He doesn’t have the b@11$ to stand up to Zero.
Where the hell has he been for the past year? Has anyone heard anything at all out of him?
The Republicans helped get us here with their lack of anything resembling a spine.
Time for some real change. The republican party is finished.
I know - I could barely stand to watch or listen to him (which I rarely ever did, and when I did, it wasn’t on purpose)the last 4 years...God only knows how I will be able to bear the next 4.
Sure, do it. Higher tax rates means actual revenue falls, and then where will the money come from to pay off the zombie hordes?
I think we’ll get some shotguns for Christmas.
Right on! Romney would have grief from the lame stream media if the economy went down. Let Obama own it. No more Bush to blame Mr. O.
They're already spending $1.40 for every $1 in revenue.
Would spending $1.50 make any difference to them?
And HE’S still in control
Eventually, the bubble has to pop. They always do. See Greece, for example.
However, lower revenue to government can’t be bad, in my opinion.
I agree on the pop.
I just wish I knew when and how it will happen so I could structure my investments to best survive. (other than the Kruggerrands I’ve got buried in the yard LOL)
Like an immature teenager who has maxed out his folks credit card and now wants more.....
I sympathize. My parents have some Krugerrands stashed, too ... but you can't eat them. I've invested in children who can grow food if TSHTF! Our neighborhood was farmland only 20 years ago, and it can be again, if people get hungry. Between us and the Russians and Ukrainians, there are plenty of strong young folks to work it.
“We voted in 2010 to STOP Obamacare....”
That worked out well, didn’t it?
I’d like to jam that pen up his nose.
I was hopeful. I do not know why so many did not vote Republican. I voted hoping the 2010 Tea Party rebellion would send an overwhelming message...Ah, little did I know that Tea Party reformers would sit out and let Obama have at us again.
I’ll second you.
Only here will I see or hear O for the next four years.
Now I wonder who of the Freepers sat on their butt on Tuesday, so we could have at least captured the Senate majority? With it we would be able to remove that arrogant, lazy, lying pos occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. After the House could impeach him
Plus, we are spending .borrowing $6 for every $1 of economic growth. Sounds like a plan.
I'd like to stick it somewhere else, as they say where the sun doesn't shine.
Are you forgeting? It takes 67 votes to remove the pos from office after an impeachment.
Didn’t it look from his demeanor and tone of voice today that he’s ready to negotiate and work with Congress? That man is STILL angry and it shows! He’s no more ready to listen to the other side in the next four years than he was in the last four.
What was the purpose of having that many bodies around him for this speech today? Failed to impress me if that was his objective!
This TOO SHALL PASS I keep telling myself.
Go ahead Mr. President. But don’t just bring back the rates before the the Bush (and congress) tax cuts. Lets do this thing right. Take us back to the rates under Carter. Wasn’t it 78% then. You know during those wonderful years under Carter, which I must admit you have done a pretty good job of recreating. Those were the good times before the decade of greed that was the eighties, when everyone was buying Ferrari’s and making lots of money. Then Bill Clinton came along and it was suddenly a good thing to make money. Just changing from a Republican to Democrat caused it to be the decade of prosperity for all. Amazing.
Sure, I say we go ahead and do it, on one condition: ELIMINATE WITHOLDING. MAKE EVERY TAXPAYER WRITE A PAYCHECK ONCE A YEAR TO THE IRS FOR HIS TAXES.
I read that most wealthy people voted for Obama. I would not care if they are taxed into a tent. After using the camp stove for a time, they might want to reconsider the glory of socialism.
Wealthy people love socialism...it keeps out their competition, and keeps them in the elite. Only the little people are subject to socialism.
Press will still blame Bush and make us accept high gas prices, unemployment etc. it is amazing what people can get used to.
They won’t love it if we make sure they pay for it and lock their paws out of the US Treasury for corporate welfare. Monopolies are against the law and we can start prosecuting them for that. Bring ‘em down with us.
raise em, you won’t get another dime from me
my operation is shutdown and won’t open up again unless it’s overseas
have fun moochers ... I hope you all rot
I’m against raising taxes. They raise them and then spend it.
I still say GM should have been broken up.....if it’s “too big to fail” it needs to be broken up.
I wonder if he is going to blame his troubles on the guy who is just finishing a 4-year term.
You act like that’s a bad thing...
“With out it we are helpless, even though we have the House”
Extortion-Care would not have passed if the Republicans had controlled the House.
The real extortioners “please stand up.” That’s what we now get to witness.....The propaganda, is “fiscal cliff”, “fiscal cliff”, “fiscal cliff” 24/7. Notice this was not front and center in the “debates” “show.” But now, “in your face” pie throwing 24/7.
They had their Hillary, “The Hillary of Massachusetts”, all picked out again, but now they have to panic deal once again with the Undocumented One, as in the bribing to get Extortion-Care passed. At least Reagan dealt with an honest Glass-Steagal paradigm. The anti-Glass/S want a free fascist ride on everyones backs.
Agree. I emailed by pubbie Congressman and explained why he should just vote "present," as our glorious Dear Leader did for years. Let the spending and tax bills sail through Congress without amendment or opposition. The rats are responsible for this fiscal, monetary and social mess; let them own it.
Boehner will fold like a cheap lawn chair. Mark my words.
Of course he will..and zero knows it. He has nothing to lose and no more elections to steal. The unbridled arrogance we are about to witness will be breathtaking. Boehner has no balls, but if he has a brain he will step aside and let the dems take us over the cliff...
I'd like to see a new tax - 5% bracket for those making under $35K....
If all of you think obama is making these decisions....the man is dumber than a democrat voter. Someone else is making the decisions. He plays golf and smokes.
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