House GOP says they're leading Obama to the right
From left to right, Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA), Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) and House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-CA)
/ CBSLiberal activists are complaining that President Obama is letting House Republicans lead him to the right -- and House Republicans agree.
Ahead of Mr. Obama's speech this afternoon in which he'll lay out his vision for deficit reduction, Republicans boasted that they're the ones leading and that the president is following.
"We continue to move this president places he never said he would go," House Republican Whip Kevin McCarthy said to reporters today. "In the State of the Union the president sat out here and said we would freeze spending."
Instead, McCarthy said, "we have cut spending," referring to the 2011 budget deal recently agreed to, which makes a historic $38.5 billion in cuts over just the next six months.
"Our speaker negotiated, out numbered three-to-one" for that deal, he said.
Some Republicans and some Democrats are expected to reject the budget deal, but it's expected to pass in the House this week with bipartisan support.
After Republican leaders spoke with reporters this morning, they headed to the White House to meet with Mr. Obama and Democratic leaders to preview the president's deficit speech. In that meeting in the White House Cabinet Room, Mr. Obama sat in between House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Republicans this morning seemed to suggest the president would give more of his attention to Boehner.
Is Obama a leader or a follower?
What's in the budget bill?
"I have been pushing the president for months to engage in this discussion about our long term fiscal mess," Boehner said. "I'm glad he's finally decided to engage in it."
Added House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, "This speech is coming a full two months after the president's original budget proposal. This is vintage Obama. He's been standing on the sidelines expecting the rest of us to make the tough decisions to lead this country."
Mr. Obama's speech is, in fact, seen as a response to the GOP 2012 budget proposed by House Budget Committee Chair Paul Ryan. That budget, among other things, makes drastic changes to Medicare and lowers the top income tax rate. The president is expected to offer a plan that includes both ideas to rein in spending and raise taxes.
Obama deficit plan: Medicare changes, tax hikes
Liberals urge Obama not to cut Medicare, Social Security
Grandma's back in the Medicare fight
The Medicare changes in Ryan's plan are considered to be the most contentious part of the budget proposal. The plan promises to cut $389 billion in Medicare expenses over 10 years, largely by indexing the growth of Medicare to inflation. And starting in 2022, seniors would no longer receive government-run health care -- they would get limited "premium support" to cover the cost of coverage from private insurers.
Boehner insisted today, "There's no privatizing Medicare [in Ryan's budget]. We're transforming Medicare so it will be there for the future."
Republicans are also pushing back against the president's anticipated call for some tax increases -- namely, to let the Bush-era tax cuts expire for the wealthy.
"Most people understand that Washington doesn't have a revenue problem, it has a spending problem," Cantor said CBS' "The Early Show" Wednesday. "We can't raise taxes. That was settled last November during the elections." (Watch below)
Popular in Politics
- FBI director acknowledges domestic drone use 153 Comments
- Obama and Berlin: Faded echoes meet new realities
- Obama on NSA programs: Americans "not getting the complete story" 260 Comments
- Smooth, on-time Obamacare rollout no sure thing: GAO
- House Republicans pass 20-week limit on abortions 511 Comments
- GOP Sen. Murkowski backs same-sex marriage
- Obama renews push for a nuclear disarmament legacy
- Immigration reform would cut deficit, analysis shows
We have two concepts of deficit reduction here:
1) Paul Ryan's Plan: Cut government a lot, requiring far less revenue to run the government. Lower taxes on business, but get rid of the tax loopholes. This enables businesses to be more able to afford additional workers, and additional workers paying taxes will send more revenue to the government. It also diminishes the power of lobbyist to control government, and gives more power back to the people.
2) President Obama's Plan: Cut the federal government only a little, causing a greater need for revenue to run the government. Try to make up the ground by increasing taxes on businesses and those making more than $200,000. It will result in higher unemployment, and that means less people paying taxes. He just hopes to collect more from less people. Without getting rid of tax loopholes, it leaves the lobbyists in power in Washington.
My vote is for option 1.
-------------------------------------------------
like a ship heading for the rocks.
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of RELIGION, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of SPEECH, or of the PRESS; or the right of the people peaceably to ASSEMBLE, and to PETITION the Government for a redress of grievances."
If one takes the time to really listen to what the Teaparty is saying they want to do, one will notice that they want to take away the very rights that make our country free. When opinions are silenced and the press is censored, a nation ceases to be free. When religious beliefs are forced on a population and people forbidden to peacefully protest, a nation ceases to be free. The Teaparty have said they are against the First Amendment and various other parts of our Constitution. The US Constitution has kept our citizens free for 235 years. It is what has made us be admired by the world. The Republican party fed the little snake Teaparty thinking they would garner votes but they were wrong. That little snake grew into a serpent that will swallow them. If they ever take hold, they will never let go. TeaParty are the revived Nazi Party. Most of their followers are white supremacists. Teaparty candidates lie about their motives and they're dangerous. Up until now, no matter what party is in the whitehouse, be it Republican or Democrat, when their term is up, they leave in peace because they respect our Constitution. It's the American way. I will exercise my right by casting a vote for the re-election of President Obama in 2012.
Mission Statement
The impetus for the Tea Party movement is excessive government spending and taxation. Our mission is to attract, educate, organize, and mobilize our fellow citizens to secure public policy consistent with our three core values of Fiscal Responsibility, Constitutionally Limited Government and Free Markets.
Core Values
" Fiscal Responsibility
" Constitutionally Limited Government
" Free Markets
PS: Thanks for the US Constitution First Amendment quote, I wish more people would read the entire US Constitution. It is a brilliant document, and the basis for our freedoms.
Now, if we can only get Obama to grow a permanent spine.
Boehner insisted today, "There's no privatizing Medicare [in Ryan's budget].
Requiring the government give premiums to private insurers on your behalf is supposed to be different from requiring private insurers to accept premiums from the government on your behalf. There is one rather significant difference that seems to get overlooked: Medicare currently tells the industry how much it will pay for the procedure/service provided. Under the Boehner Transformer Plan, the industry will make the final decision about the cost (no matter how exorbitant) and the insurance company will make the final decision about how much it will pay (no matter how little). Everything else is whatever the traffic will bear and your mortgage will cover.