Bill Clinton and Obama Team up to Push Tax Deal
President Barack Obama looks on as former President Bill Clinton speaks in the briefing room of the White House in Washington, Friday, Dec. 10, 2010.
/ APUpdated 5:36 p.m. Eastern Time
Former President Bill Clinton made a surprise appearance in the White House briefing room Friday afternoon to express his support for the tax cut compromise worked out between President Obama and Congressional Republicans.
Mr. Obama stood next to Mr. Clinton while the latter made a statement of support for the $858 billion bill, which is facing strong opposition from House Democrats who object to a two-year extension of tax cuts for the highest earners and the levels at which the estate tax would be set.
The president, who said the two men had come from a "terrific meeting," left the room about ten minutes after Mr. Clinton began taking questions from reporters.
Mr. Clinton said that "the agreement taken as a whole is, I believe, the best bipartisan agreement we can reach." He said Democrats should act now because "I don't believe they can get a better deal by waiting."
He argued that Republicans will have less incentive to accept Democratic demands to extend unemployment insurance benefits and tax breaks for middle- and lower-income Americans once the new Congress starts.
"The numbers will only get worse in January in terms of negotiating," he said. "And the president -- look, if we had 5 percent growth and unemployment was dropping like a rock, maybe you could have the so-called Mexican stand-off and you could say, it will be you not me the voters will hold responsible for raising taxes on middle class people if they all go down next year."
He added, however, that America's shaky economic footing means that's not a risk the president should take.
"The United States has suffered a severe financial collapse," he said. "These things take longer to get over than normal recessions. We must first make sure we keep getting over it. We don't want to slip back down as Japan did."
The former president also referred to the bill as a "stimulus" before adding, "Well, I guess we're not supposed to use that word." His appearance came on the same day that Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders spent hours on the Senate floor railing against the bill, which he criticized as a giveaway for "millionaires and billionaires who don't need it."
Former President Bill Clinton expresses support for President Obama's tax cuts deal at the White House, December 12, 2010.
/ CBSMr. Clinton said he wasn't sure "if I could influence anybody," adding, "All I can tell you is what I think."
He said it would be an "enormous relief" to the American people if the two parties could show they could compromise and agree to pass a bill.
"This holds the promise that after the fights are over we'll be able to find principle compromises" on a range of issues, he said.
He told reporters that both sides had given up something to get to the agreement, noting that members of both parties felt their side had given up too much.
"So, I think that's healthy, too," he said. "Because everybody's got to give a little. Yes, I think the one thing that has always happens when you have divided government is that people no longer see principle compromise as weakness. This system was set up to promote principle compromise."
Asked what advice he had given Mr. Obama in their meeting, Mr. Clinton said his rule is not to discuss his advice to the president publicly. He said Mr. Obama could make public their discussions if he wanted to do so.
The former president also urged the Senate to ratify the START nuclear treaty with Russia before the lame duck session ends, arguing that "the cooperation that we will get from the Russians and the signal that will be sent to the world on nonproliferation, when all these other things are going on which threaten to increase nuclear proliferation is very important."
At one point, a reporter said to the former president, "I get the feeling that you're happier to be here commenting and giving advice than governing."
"Oh, I had quite a good time governing," Mr. Clinton responded. "I am happier when the bullets are less likely to hit me. I'm happy to be here because I -- I think the president made a good decision and because I want my country to do well and after the '94 election, I said the American people in their wisdom had put us in the same boat. We're going to row or sink and i want us to row."
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I understand why Bernie Sanders is wacko about wanting increased taxes; he is a self described socialist. In other words, he worships the government as his religion. He can't imagine reducing the size and scope of the federal government to a manageable size. It would diminish his god. Our $13.8 trillion national debt (caused by irresponsible spending of both political parties), screams the fact that we can not afford this massive federal government. We must evaluate each federal department and program, and phase out those which are found to not be truly necessary. We just can't afford higher taxes to prop up this insatiable bloated government. It must decrease, so American taxpayers can increase.
I would think after the failed socialist government of the USSR, there wouldn't be many Americans who worship this type of oppressive government. I doubt that many of the people frothing at the month in desire for increased taxes are not really socialists at heart and mind. I think there is a host of small minded people who are simply envious and hateful of anyone more successful than themselves.
Increased taxes results in an increase in unemployment. These people wildly screaming with desire for "other people" to pay more in taxes, are more filled with petty hatred of successful Americans then they are compassionate for Americans who are unemployed. I know these people. When I was a young man, I lived in a poor neighborhood. For the first time in their life, and elderly couple purchased a new car. Within a couple of weeks of the purchase, an envious jerk keyed their car. The mentality was "If I can't afford a new car, no one should have one". It doesn't matter how hard successful people worked to get where they are; it doesn't matter that their spending of discretionary funds helps keep businesses afloat - they are consumed with hatred and envy. These people are sickening.
This federal government must learn to operate on less money. We must reduce the federal government to a manageable size, and force it to spend responsibly. It has become a ravenous insatiable pig, never satisfied with what it takes from struggling American businesses and taxpayers. It makes absolutely no sense to take more from Americans, before forcing the bloated government to become efficient and lean.
"I spit on the limp-wristed cowards"
Spit on them, wow how can you defend that?