As "fiscal cliff" clock ticks, Obama hits the road again

President Obama gestures as he speaks at the Rodon Group, which manufactures over 95% of the parts for Kâ??NEX Brands toys, Friday, Nov. 30, 2012, in Hatfield, Pa. / AP Photo/Susan Walsh

It's just over three weeks until the first effects of the "fiscal cliff" kick in and this week begins with more politics, posturing, and partisanship dominating the negotiations between the White House and House Republicans.

Although the president has been criticized by Republicans for "campaign style" rallies on the "fiscal cliff," the president today will hit the road when he heads to Michigan to tour Daimler's Detroit Diesel Corporation. The White House said he will talk again about the "fiscal cliff" and, if a deal isn't struck before the end of the year, how devastating it will be to the economy and the middle class. His remarks come on the heels of his weekly address over the weekend where he repeated that he won't budge on letting the Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthy expire.

For the Republicans' part, House Speaker John Boehner took the microphone on Friday to insist no progress is being made in talks with the White House.

But just as progress seemed stymied, Mr. Obama and House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, met at the White House Sunday for their first face-to-face meeting on the "fiscal cliff" since before Thanksgiving. While details of Sunday's discussion weren't disclosed, both Mr. Obama's and Boehner's spokesmen stressed that "the lines of communication remain open."

Meanwhile, lawmakers took to the political talk shows Sunday to profess their positions on components of a potential deal.

• Boehner and Obama meet on "fiscal cliff"
• Complete coverage: The "fiscal cliff"

In another sign of progress, the president's call for raising taxes on the wealthy seems to be resonating and gaining the support of some Republicans.

"There is a growing group of folks looking at this and realizing that we don't have a lot of cards as it relates to the tax issue," Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., said on "Fox News Sunday." He went a step further, almost endorsing raising the tax rate on the wealthy. "I think [that notion] has merit....I actually am beginning to believe that is the best route for us to take."

Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., reiterated his support for raising the tax rate on the wealthy. "Will I accept a tax increase as a part of a deal to actually solve our problems? Yes," he said on ABC's "This Week."

Indicating a roadblock, not all Republicans seemed on board, however, including the third highest ranking Republican in the House, Rep, Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. "I think if you close special interest loopholes, you have a fairer process," McCarthy said. "That is a more efficient way and a fairer way," he said on NBC's "Meet the Press."

Republicans, even those who did indicate an opening, had some conditions: cuts to entitlement programs and the debt ceiling.

"The shift in focus in entitlements is where we need to go.....Republicans know they have the debt ceiling that's coming up around the corner and the leverage is going to shift as soon as we get beyond this issue--the leverage is going to shift to our side," Corker said.

"What we're saying here is ... show the leadership to get in the room and make the changes" to entitlements, McCarthy said.

The president and his supporters point to his proposal to cut $600 billion from mandatory programs, with more than half going to cut Medicaid.

"I do believe there should be means-testing [in Medicare] and those of us with higher income in their retirement should pay more," Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., said on "Meet the Press."

The way politicians are talking, however, gives at least one Washington veteran hope. "I think we made some progress this week," Erskine Bowles, former chief of staff to President Bill Clinton and co-chair of Mr. Obama's deficit reduction commission, said on CBS News' "Face the Nation."

"Any time you have two guys in there tangoing you have a chance to get it done."

[j_paul000]

I JUST DID BUT DONT SEE IT BUT AM SAY CUT OUT OBAMA WELFARE PROGROM AND MAKE THESE PEOPLE WORK LIKE REST OF US.THEY ARE HIS REASON HE WAS ELECTED AS WE ALL KNOW

[j_paul000]

he

[John6388]

This is silly. When top earners were paying a higher rate under Clinton the economy boomed. When they paid a lower rate under Bush the economy crashed. Those are the facts and any big mouths opinion will never change these facts, period. The tax rates have little effect on the economy. When businesses pay workers nearly as much as executives' pay themselves the economy not only thrives it grows like mad. Ask Henry Ford who doubled his workers' pay why he did it.

[littlemjs]

The middle class was also paying a higher rate under Clinton. All taxes were higher then. So....the idea that you can just tax the "evil rich" and fix the deficit is naive at best.

[littlemjs]

Obama...(rubbing hands together)...my plan is working on the "evil rich"! Make them pay more!! Make them pay their fair share!!! lol

Rich Gain as Companies Seek to Beat Obama Tax Increases

The wealthy look set to enjoy a windfall in the closing weeks of the year as companies push money out the door to beat the higher tax rates advocated by President Barack Obama.

More than 150 companies, from Costco Wholesale Corp. to Las Vegas Sands Corp. (LVS), have declared special dividends totaling about $20 billion this quarter to avoid anticipated tax increases in 2013, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Others, including law and private-equity firms, probably will pay bonuses, partnership distributions and commissions early for tax reasons, according to Lou Crandall, chief economist at Wrightson ICAP LLC in Jersey City, New Jersey.

"We're going to have a big jump in household income in the fourth quarter" said Crandall, whose company is a subsidiary of ICAP Plc, the world's largest broker of transactions between banks. "It's going to be in excess of $50 billion."

Much of that will go to upper-income Americans, the very people Obama has targeted to pay higher taxes, including Las Vegas Sands controlling shareholder and Chief Executive Officer Sheldon Adelson.

[quantum_analysis]

Pop quiz, hotshots. Which fiscal cliff plan raises taxes on the rich more, President Obama's or Bowles-Simpson?

The answer is ...BOTH! Obama's plan increases taxes more on the top 1 percent, but Bowles-Simpson increases taxes more on the top 0.1 percent.

There's $1.36 trillion in new revenue for Obama and $1.253 trillion for Bowles-Simpson from the top 1 percent, versus $753.6 billion in new revenue for Obama and $834.6 billion for Bowles-Simpson from the top 0.1 percent.


----------
GENTZER0 replies: "You're such a moron."
----------




HA! HA! So not only couldn't "gentZERO" debate the two different "fiscal cliff" plans -- President Obama's and the Bowles-Simpson plans -- and which one raised taxes on the rich more than the other, but could only use an outright PERSONAL ATTACK, calling me a "moron".

When you have NOTHING to add, and cannot debate the other posters here, all the RWNJ's can do, is make juvenile PERSONAL ATTACKS!

YOU LOSE!

[quantum_analysis]

Run along little "gentZERO," since it must be time for glenn beck or sean hannity, to give you the latest republican talking points!

[quantum_analysis]

GENTZER0 replies: "only a hack regurgitates misinformation that Romney outsourced jobs. There is little or no evidence he profited from anything."




HA! HA! So romney's multi-millions in the Caymans just magically appeared?


Mitt Romney's Bain Capital outsourcing Illinois jobs in Freeport to China

The company that Mitt Romney founded, Bain Capital, took control of Sensata Technologies in 2006. Bain Capital announced earlier this year that it would close the plant in Freeport, Illinois and layoff 165 workers there.

This case is a concrete example of the culture that has developed at Bain Capital of shipping American jobs to China. This culture developed at Bain Capital dates back to the founding by Mitt Romney and the chasing of the all mighty dollar over people. These jobs are not only American jobs, but for residents of Illinois, these are local jobs lost to China if Bain Capital has its way.

http://www.examiner.com/article/mitt-romney-s-bain-capital-outsourcing-illinois-jobs-freeport-to-china

[quantum_analysis]

GENTZER0 replies: "And only a hack regurgitates misinformation that Romney outsourced jobs."




And only a RWNJ regurgitates misinformation trying to protect romney from the vulture capitalism that he practiced, since bain capital outsourcing is still practicing the same, exact business practices it did under romney, today!

You won't find this story on your fox political network:


Bain Capital, Firm Founded By Mitt Romney, Outsourcing 170 Jobs To China
September 21, 2012

Bain Capital, the private equity firm co-founded in 1984 by one Mitt Romney, is preparing to export 170 US factory jobs to China in November.

Furthermore, the NY Daily News reports that workers at the Sensata Technologies plant in Freeport, Illinois have been asked to train their Chinese replacements.

GOP presidential candidate Romney has consistently stated that he hasn't made any management decisions at Bain since retiring as CEO in 1999. While that may be true, numerous critics point out that Romney continues to rake in a share of Bain's profits and that the company (and Romney) has a history of exporting jobs to cheaper labor markets.


Read more at http://www.inquisitr.com/338667/bain-capital-firm-founded-by-mitt-romney-outsourcing-170-jobs-to-china/#4vt1kDlRbZ3xItwG.99

[quantum_analysis]

Just in case you want to argue about the source of that info like a typical RWNJ that is still angry and in denial:

Mitt Romney's Bain Capital outsourcing Illinois jobs in Freeport to China

http://www.examiner.com/article/mitt-romney-s-bain-capital-outsourcing-illinois-jobs-freeport-to-china

------------------

Workers at Freeport's Sensata Technologies plant walk off the job in response to threats, harassment from management

http://rockrivertimes.com/2012/10/26/workers-at-freeport%E2%80%99s-sensata-technologies-plant-walk-off-the-job-in-response-to-threats-harassment-from-management/

[quantum_analysis]

The 'Bring Jobs Home' bill, filibustered by ignorant GOP senators, would have done exactly that -- rewarded small businesses creating jobs right here in America, but the anti-American GOP economic terrorists, decided we should give more tax dollars to BIG BIZ for offshoring those jobs! HA!


----------
GENTZER0 replies: "This bill guaranteed nothing."
----------




Sure it did....Under current law, companies can deduct the cost of moving people and equipment overseas from their taxes. SB 3364 would have eliminated that deduction, and created a new 20 percent tax credit for all costs associated with moving overseas jobs back to America.

It's no surprise republicans are on the side of corporations making big bucks sending American jobs to China and India. After all, their presidential nominee, mitt romney, made a fortune outsourcing jobs, too.

[quantum_analysis]

You RWNJ's will just remain angry and in total denial:

Mitt Romney's Bain Capital outsourcing Illinois jobs in Freeport to China

http://www.examiner.com/article/mitt-romney-s-bain-capital-outsourcing-illinois-jobs-freeport-to-china

[TimeToEvolve]

Our first mistake was listening to that idiot Reagan about anything. The next mistake was passing any fake, failed and fraudulent "free" trade agreement.

[j_paul000]

HELLO.I AM SINGLE AND IN MY 70,S AND AREADY LOST MY CHILDHOOD SWEETHEART TO CANCER.I JUST GOT A LETTER FROM IRS AS MY MEDICARE WILL DOUBLE THIS YEAR BUT MY INCOME IS THE SAME AS LAST YEAR.MY QUESTION IS THIS IS I AND ALL REST OF OLDER PEOPLE HAVE PAID SOCIAL AND MEDICARE FOR 50 YRS AND THE CLOWNS IN WASHINGTON SPENT ALL OUR MONEY AND WE HAVE NONE. WHY IS IT THAT OBAMA DOESNT TALK OF CUTING WELFARE BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW THEY ARE ONE WHO GOT HIM ELECTED.EVERY ONE SHOULD KNOW THIS AS WELFARE IS NEVER MENTION AND YET IS THE MOST OVERPAID AND ABUSE PROGROM AND YET ALL WE HERE IS CUT SS AND MEDICARE.I DO FEEL FOR ALL BABY BOOMERS BECAUSE WE DID PAY OUR FAIR SHARE THAT THEY GAVE AWAYS TO OTHER.THIS IS A SAD SITUATION. THANKS

[TimeToEvolve]

Some of the comments confirm the fact that to Republicons, everything is black and white. For example if you tax the rich then you are a communist and want to take all their money. If ANY democrat is corrupted by corporate money, then the entire party is like the Republicon Wall Street party.

Let me tell you a fact. NOTHING is black and white. Nothing is as easy as people want and you CANNOT generalize. Unless you are talking about the Wall Street owned and operated Republicons in Congress. The all vote as one organism.

[littlemjs]

You cannot generalize...lol...Really!!!

Seems to me you Democrats generalize all the time.

"to Republicons, everything is black and white."

"Why do Republicons and right wingers worship the dirty and finite fossil fuel industry?"

And from quantum_analysis:
Why do republicans hate renewable energy so much, while worshiping the dirty and finite fossil fuel industry?

[quantum_analysis]

OK little_pms, you were able to copy and paste a few lines from other posts, yet couldn't even put up any defense of your counter argument!

Again, since I see this on a daily basis where republicans continuously attack every clean and green renewable energy project, answer my question:

Why do republicans hate renewable energy so much, while worshiping the dirty and finite fossil fuel industry?





Still waiting..............