I spoke with two members of the deficit committee this morning- Senators Kyl and Kerry - and both offered conflicting views about the state of the "supercommittee" negotiations. Both sides seem to be butting heads on the issue of taxes.
Senator Kerry told me the whole debate comes down on this issue. He said there could be a deal "in the next two hours," but the, "most significant block to our doing something right now, tomorrow, is [Republicans'] insistence, insistence, insistence on the Grover Norquist pledge and extending the Bush tax cuts."
Senator Kyl made his case: "When our Democratic friends made it very clear that they weren't going to do anything without raising taxes, we then turned to: What is the best way to derive revenues? Is it to allow the current code to expire and have the biggest tax [increase] in the history of our country? No."
Plus, we discussed 2012 politics. Though Senator Kerry said he hasn't been paying much attention to the race, in light of his work on the super committee, he still found time to attack Former Governor Mitt Romney (R-MA).
"There are few people I've met in public life who have changed on as many issues as he has," Senator Kerry said. "Every major touchstone of American politics, from abortion, to guns, to war, to God, to gays, you name it."
We also discussed the brand new poll that shows Newt Gingrich ahead of Mitt Romney as the front runner in the GOP race. The question is, how long will he remain at the top? Republican strategist Mike Murphy thinks both the Romney and Obama campaigns like the idea of facing Newt Gingrich head-to-head, however, Murphy maintained he'd be surprised should Gingrich turn out to be the nominee.
You can watch our entire roundtable on our website to hear the discussion on Herman Cain's latest foreign policy flub on Libya as well as the strategy for Rick Perry to win back support in Iowa.
Here's what Reuters wrote about the news made this morning on Meet The Press.
We'll be back next week. If it's Sunday, it's Meet The Press.
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i wouldnt put any trust in kerry, and i can assure u he knows whats going on in politics as hes hoping to be the next sec of state or defense, what ever we lose.....and im an independent who hasnt found one good canidate.....shame.....
Why would you not trust Sen. Kerry? A comment like that deserves clarification.
vwterry -- I agree that Kerry and possible career aspirations are not a concern or something that Americans care about.
Teapublicans not having good presidential candidates is a larger problem, and if anything we must ask why none of them have shown leadership by weighing in on this matter. But what I found interesting is Kyl's statement about the Bush tax cuts.
Dems are not going to balance the budget with more spending cuts only. And Dems don't want to extend tax cuts for the rich yet again, so I'm guessing they would let all the cuts expire if that's the only way to get revenue.
That means Teapublicans better get serious about ways to raise revenues that they can live with. And it would be best if they do it now to avert cuts to defense they don't want as well.
There is more to lose for the GOP/TP -- that means they are the ones that have to make concessions. Come on Kyl, your retiring anyway, take one for team USA.
Grover makes the "f"ing decisions now. Republicans wouldn't know honor if it where staring them straight in the face. Obviously polarized to the point of complete stupidity. You party members had better get your @!$%# together because your leadership is taking this country straight down to ruin, all because of Grover. We need to hang him and anyone that signed his "f"ing pledge. Some peoples kids sure are ignorant.
Teapublicans in congress could still be in keeping with their unconstitutional pledge to Norquist simply by accepting the top tax rate of 39% instead of 39.6% if the Bush tax cuts expired. Heck, removing tax expenditures, otherwise known as loopholes and subsidies, should not be contrary to Dweeb Grover either.
The real reason Teapublicans resist revenue in any form is to please their brainwashed base, and because of their desire for the economy to flat-line until the 2012 election.
The Dems have already offered to make cuts including entitlements. The GOP/TP must make concessions too in regard to revenue. Teapublicans expecting to get 98% of what they want, or "my way or the highway" is absurd. They sure as heck better not use blackmail or hostage-taking again.
The right-wing complains about OWS inconveniencing traffic or people trying to enter buildings, but have no problem with blackmail and hostage taking that resulted in a downgrade of our credit rating. Wow, just wow -- no comparison.
Republican's are attemting to ruin this country for political gain, hell they've even said it publicly. Their #1 goal is to make Obama a one term president! Not create jobs, not defeat Al Queda, not the war on terroism, not secure our borders, not solve our deficit problems, not spread freedom, and so on and so forth. Now they are refusing to negotiate to reduce our deficit, it's par for the course if you have an "R" next to your name. Shame on all Republican's in office, they truly are un-American.
Kyl....he did this:
"Kyl Defends Taxpayer Subsidies For Richest Oil Companies"
http://thinkprogress.org/green/2011/06/26/254359/kyl-defends-taxpayer-subsidies-for-richest-oil-companies/
If both Republicans and Democrats are truly interested in reducing the deficit, why don't they cut their salaries and benefits. Millions of other Americans are having to do just that, so what makes them immune? They can vote themselves a raise, so they should show their patriotism and vote themselves a salary reduction.
It should be clear to any Republican supporting those in the House that they have only one item on their agenda, that of getting rid of President Obama. I've tried pinning some Republicans down to find out just what they think he has done that is socialistic, in any way Muslim, and all the other labels they yell about. They never can - it just makes them mad. Most of them think Obama's health care package has already gone into effect and that this is why companies are operating in foreign countries. I have come to the conclusion that Republicans don't want to research anything and are content to just listen to what Fox News tells them. They do not want to have to think for themselves. Do we want leaders like that? Cain is a good example - after he showed he knew nothing about Libya, he has come out with a solution for it. He must have had night school from his handlers.
Let’s apply some common sense and really try to be rational and objective. Personally I am sick of all the polarization and the aggressive manipulative efforts aimed to support biased, self-serving positions and attempting to deceptively con and use the public. Arguing that the wealthy pay too much or that the majority has been greatly victimized, or debating the need for “conservatism” versus the need for “liberalism” are simply emotional positions, all having some justification, that are being used to keep people committed to one political position over the other. Even religion is aggressively used to tie people to a political bias, using the individual pride found in feeling identified with God to keep people from considering the complete picture and instead to stay focused on limited issues with very questionable solutions. All of that is disgusting but totally real and not ever concerned with the actual needs of or costs to the people - to think differently is simply to be conned.
To understand the cause of the problem, we need only look at “the money”. Politics and the politicians have become totally dependent on “the money” with the reality being that even the best, most qualified candidates don’t have a chance when having an inferior money position. Today it literally takes an abundance of money, and it also helps to have the power and influence, both overt and covert, in order to just run let alone to win. Therefore we see the candidates completely focused on getting “the money” and power behind them; on actually becoming owned and controlled by ‘the money”. The result is “the money” has the control with that being the way the candidates survive while putting their political ambitions above all else, without concern for the costs to the people, and just being “puppets” for the few who strongly support them and who “pull their strings”. Together, candidates, party and supporters, then work at achieving their self-serving goals by conning the people and manipulating public opinion - to effectively just use the people as “pawns’ in their private game of politics. To ever reform politics the first requirement would be to get “the money” out of politics, to render “the money” ineffective by the voters refusing to be conned and manipulated, by their refusing to be emotionally controlled and instead to rationally and objectively vote their consciences - forcing the politicians to concentrate on the people’s needs.
All of politics and most politicians have become less than admirable with many far worse than others. The Republicans, with their ideology simply being closer to that of “the money”, have been far more impacted then the Democrats, to the point that they are now literally owned and controlled, literally just “puppets” for those “pulling their strings”. Without debating each Party’s policy positions and really understanding that our government actually works best with bipartisanship and compromise, consider the extensive evidence that clearly exposes the Republicans / Tea Party as serving only the few (1%) while irresponsibly and insultingly taking the majority (99%) for granted.
The Bush-Cheney years, with their belligerent private agenda serving only the few and their irresponsible neglect and apathy for the majority.
That being totally supported and continued by the Republican Party.
Norquist’s, Cheney’s, Rove’s, SuperPac’s and other groups, collecting substantial contributions from the wealthy aimed to buy and control the Republican Party,
with their intimidating and coercing their own to squelch individual consciences and to assure unity in supporting “the money’s” interests.
Manipulation of the Evangelistic Christian, the Swift-boat propaganda and the Tea Party movement, all being well organized, well directed and well financed efforts to manipulate public opinion, always in the same single direction.
Norquist’s arrogant tell-tale statements: “next Republican president (puppet) only needs to sign bills sent to them by Boehner and McConnell”; they “can make or break any politician”; “Cain’s 999 doesn’t raise taxes”, ignoring it would actually provide significant advantage to the wealthy and with that then made up on everyone else.
Then there is Jack Abramoff, the convicted lobbyist, who on “60 Minutes” described how he owned and controlled 100 Republican congressman, as just one of the many lobbyist striving to influence government for their client’s interests.
The “puppet” candidates they offer: most notably GWBush and then Palin, O’Donnell, Cain, Perry, Bachmann, Gingrich,,, all totally willing to just be “puppets”.
Limbaugh, Beck, Palin, Hannity,, their antics, being bazaar and obnoxious without conscience.
The belligerent, arrogant and stubborn attitudes of -
Boehner, McConnell, Ryan, Cantor,,, with their cocky performances always putting their political ambitions above all else,
blocking and faulting all efforts while contributing nothing,
and having no concern for the costs to the majority or to the country.
The constantly, substantially growing spread between the middle-class and the wealthy
and with their “trickle down” theory totally proven as a complete fraud by Bush-Cheney.
The gross self-serving dishonesty of it all,
as they insultingly just take the people for granted.
The current Republican /Tea Party does not consider the majority other than to con and manipulate them as they concentrate on serving the few who strongly support them and who control them. To fail to recognize that, to accept that performance, is to accept a return to “more of the same”, Bush-Cheney style, which would be a continued catastrophe for the majority and is exactly what they want. To be distracted by arguing the values of different policies and to ignore the real effort deceptively occurring to move America ever closer to being a two-class society, with only the few competing to have it all and the majority, including the total middle-class, progressing towards having nothing, is ludicrous and self-defeating. The only way to bring back the Grande Ole Party, with real concern for the people, is to firmly and totally reject what they have become. The evidence is there and is “crystal clear”, now the people just need to put their biases, prejudices, fears and emotions aside to avoid being conned and manipulated and to vote independently and responsibly for their own benefit. Good luck!
Common Sense? This sounds like a rant. Both sides are in this mess together and don't want to give anything up to get it done.
Vote them all out. Term limits is the only answer
Amen to all of it!
We can just write in our choice for president and it does not have to be a republican or democrat.
Majority America...
Not quite... It's a nice thought, but varies according to state. In some states, you need to write in the FULL name.. and make sure there are no errors. First, middle and last. Oh, yeah, the VP candidate also.. (make sure you don't abbreviate Vice President to VP by the way)
Politicians make the laws to ensure their own political well being.
And that goes for Republicans as well as Democrats. Both major parties are on bended knee to the same special interests and powerful money interests. The only difference is how transparent they are about having their hand out.
If both the Republicans and Democrats are truly interested in reducing the deficit, why don't they vote themselves a salary/benefits reduction? They can vote themselves and increase, and they have access to better benefits that the average Federal employee, but they appear to be more interested in using their power to reduce the salaries and benefits of others, even going as far as to reduce the job opportunities of others.
Once again David Gregory demonstrates his partisanship by letting every lie by John Kyle pass without question and then challenging everything John Kerry said. Kerry proved that Kyle lied, that the Republicans are only out to take down the president, and that the democrats are trying to negotiate in good faith while the Repuglicans only want tax breaks for the wealthy, forsaking all others.
I didn't see this segment of MTP, but, if Gregory did what you said, it's the first time since he's been hosting the show he displayed any partisanship to the republicans.
As for the republicans wanting Obama out, now there's a news flash! Of course they want him out. He's a democrat and their republicans. What's not to understand about that. In my lifetime, I can recall the democrats wanting every republican President out and the republicans wanting every democrat President out. Had that not been the case, THAT would have truly been a news flash.
Just exactly how do you know that Kerry proved anything? I've heard different stories from other members of the super committe both Democractic and Republican. Kerry wants to tie the next market downturn due to this bi-partisan mess on the Republicans. The Republicans want Obama out. Just like the Dems want Bush out and failed in the process.
To me Kerry and all the others are poster Children for Term Limits. Get them all out.
Wouldn't it be nice if a "no" vote to a piece of legislation required a reason for the "no" vote and a solution for that reason. Or is that too close to compromise?
Why don't they eliminate their endless salaries that continue AFTER they no longer hold a political office. AND why don't they lower their own medical by increasing co-pays in the medical they receive. they don't want to give up a thing when it comes to themselves. Both sides are like little spoiled kids and neither side is acting on behalf of the people.
Ken- While i agree with term limits there is no question in my mind that Democrats are less beholden to the special interest than republicans. When to war tax was levied and the temporary tax cut were given and a blind eye towards wall street we knew this day of reckoning would come. Now these guys refuse to answer the call. Put America first and i know the country will go with the committee. We are all in for some pain. Poor governance got us here and these guys need to acknowledge it and pass these austerity and tax laws. I know if its fair the president and the democrats will do it. If its more breaks for their buddies and all cuts then as a nation we cannot. We all know the truth and the GOP is on a slippery slope to oblivion. They had better read the declaration of independence and do the right thing before we abolish them.
I live in California where the Democracts have been in control for the past 20 years. We are flat broke. People and businesses are moving out due to the hammer lock they have on small business owners. I look at the strip malls and see more and more For Lease signs. And now Jerry Brown wants to build a high speed rail that was estimated at 36 billion but is now up to over 100 billion. I could point a finger at the Democrats here but they're both in it together. This has got to stop!
We need cuts in entitlements, defense and the size of government. Raising taxes on the rich sounds all warm and fuzzy but you can't get enough from them to do the job. It's the big ticket items that are killing us. If you want to do both fine but you can't get anybody to agree. So, blaming the GOP doesn't cut the muster.
Did you forget about your republican govenors?
The last one attempted to cut back on the Unions in 2005. The result was a union uprising. They weren't going to give up one thing and the Democratic legislator give them more. Every initiative was defeated. How proud the Unions were. We saved our jobs at the expense of everyone else. In fact, they upped the ridiculous budget projects for growth and revenue in the state. None of this came true. The latest budget came from another Democratic group now has CA in debt even more.
The governor cannot stop the congress.
Perhaps, if they were to invest their tax credit money into this country and not take jobs outside of the united states we wouldn't be in this distress. If the tax surplus that these "innovative corporations" had enjoyed how has this been of a benefit for the nation. It has been draining the U.S. assets because they are not reinvesting in the country. The facts speak for themselves. We are in dire straits and it is not from the "entitlement programs' but from redirecting funds outside of the country.
California is a microcosm of our country under total Dem control. We see what happens when the Dems are allowed to go unchecked (look at health care reform)! We will make Greece look minor by comparison. Only the Chinese have the wherewithall to bail us out but I don't think they will be so inclined!!!
American business has financed a Chinese take over, thank you very much!
nobody could do worse than obama right now. so all you libs can put down the gop canidates but any of them would be an improvement!!!! obama just doesn't know what to do... never did. he was a job killer to start and will end with unemployment over 8%. what did you all expect from a community organizer with no experience whatsoever!
Down with congress and keep the lobbiest, especially Grover, running the country!
REPUBLICAN Presidents Created Deficit - Reagan went from $1 Trillion to $3 Trillion - GWB went from $5 Trillion to $12 Trillion & Left USA with $1 Trillion yearly Deficits.
Those are FACTS - WHY does GREGORY or any Political Genius NOT Point THAT OUT.
The inside job was very profitable as Law Makers bet the US Economy would fail and they had a big win with their votes. Now each has placed their bets the Super committee would fail and they have already taken their money out when the Stocks were high. Some reporters have made big money as their spouses working for government agencies and get paid to pass on policies for the Banks/Corporations. Newt got 1.8 million for his help in creating the Housing crisis. Perry's wife was rewarded with a top job by the Health care industry when Perry passed that fake drug for kids. Paul made his big money with gold and his inside information now he's out. Santorum is just hoping he can feed his kids and needs donations and free money. Mitt made his money by helping companies close their doors and come out winners and thousands of unemployed because of it. Mitt even hires illegal immigrants to save money. Mitt uses the reputation of his Father as a front while working for Corporations/Banks.
ccongress is figureing out great ways to cut benifits for elderly and disabled. i haven't heard mention of congress takeing a cut in theiir fatcat pay. congressmen and women make over 170,000 per year,,, for doing nothing, but playing switch, waiting for obama to tell them when to switch, and takeiing week long vacations about every month.come on america, protest congress high pay, and DEMAND they take a cut in their salary.WAE UP PEOPLE.
with all the benifit ccuts congress is trying on elerdly ad disabled, never aany mention of cutting congress pay, these idiots make over 170,000 per year for doing absolutly nothing but figureing how to screw the public.come on america, protest. and DEMAND congress take a pay cut. WAKE UP, PEOPLE.
Kerry is a liar working for a liar....simple...
Over 20 of the last 30 years have been Republicans in governance in Cal. The last 8 were Rep. California couldn't even put taxes on the ballot to ask it's citizens if an increase would be okay because of the Republicans here. If that had past, the bills would be easy to pay during this recession. Still the 7th strongest economy in the world, but reform does need to happen.
Reply to 11.1 Ken
The last good California was Ronald Reagan but all Governors since have been handcuffed by a Democratic legislature. California has high taxes and massive giveaways to non USA citizens. Raising taxes is just going to make the people who have to pay more run out of money sooner or make the people who can afford to leave get the hell out of the state. We half the identical problem in Illinois.
Companies and people leaving in droves.
Lets face it, both Dems and Reps are at fault for this mess. Both parties stuffed their pockets when they had control. Both Bushes played to cosy with the Dems and ran up deficits to get the votes they needed. Clinton inherited an economy on the the rise and road it most of the way until 2000 when the vaporware (dot com) bubble burst. He went out with a recession. Obama who promised openness has run the most closed government in history. He has rewarded his friends with billions of dollars in "stimulus" money. His 50 billion dollar loan guarantee for George Soros's south American off-shore oil drilling company while blocking off-shore drilling in our country, his jobs czar, the CEO of GE, is off-shoring more jobs than anybody in the last decade, while laying-off 25,000 people in this country, are just the tip of the iceberg.
While Dem and Rep presidents have not fare well in the last 20 years, Obama has been the biggest failure since Jimmy Carter.
It is time for a change.
I find it frightening and fascinating that both parties continue to talk about things which will not pass and do not matter instead of bringing the truth to the table for all to either publicly accept or try to deny .. it's like yo say or monopoly biz reality does not work for most people... most... the important part.... we apparently have a system where big biz has tried to make it legal to bribe people who are supposed to represent the people.. by paying the people who wri9te the laws to write them incorrect ... yet the dimms and the pubbs both pretend to answer question that have no more reverence to the current situation than asking why the sky is blue.. The representative are either insane, afraid, or bought out in the minds of most... americans.. get them to actually answer my first ? in public and explain where i'm wrong and many other americans are wrong ... 4 the record .. history tells us what is going to happen if they insist on thier non-semse much longer with the few trying to rule the many .. ...if the many do it peacefully this time we .... will have a whole new world which is more honest and rins better. the idea that the people on top are replaceable is false ... what we need is a true free market to cut the rotten tops off of biz. In nature when you have a basically healthy plant with a rotten top you cut the top off so the plant can survive. This is what happens in society also. The reason we have unemployment is the banks and big biz are in lock step holding thier pockets shut trying to assert thier power.. in the modern communication age every one see's the puppet stage .. ask the real ? David get the real answers . remind big biz they did not pay for the roads or the infrastructure they use for free that make thier profits psossible .. when big biz squeezes out little start up biz you get what we have now .. they essentially are asking americans to eat and excrement sandwich and pay them.. in the real world not the reel world of advertising and public relations and media censorship attempts this will not and can not happen. Apparenly the people at the top are like Howard huges ended up ..insane.. or they are very very crooked.. reality hits hard when it hits in the real world and it hits fast the best thing the incorrect people at the very top of biz and society can do is to very quickly back away from ... thier abyss
I was just reading about Senator Dick Durbin's insider trading deal 3 years ago. His spokesman, said that Durbin did not break the law. This is true because congress exempted themselves from the insider trading laws many years ago. Anybody else could go to jail.
I'm sick and tired of ALL the politicians. There doesn't seem to be even a single ounce of skill in negotiation between the entire group on the super committee. From my perspective all of them feel that they would rather see the country continue to go down the drain and let the American people suffer so long as they can say that they didn't give in.
What happened to the accepted axiom of a law that passes with both sides complaining is a good law? I can tell you that I don't think a single one of them deserves to be re-elected no matter what party they are with. Both the Republican and the Democrats have failed. The words really just escape me for what is going on. I wish we could all vote today. We would see a real change in Washington. At this point, I'm perfectly willing to vote for any reasonably intelligent person no matter what his background is. I don't care if he is a damn plumber. Who ever replaces these jerks can't do any worse governing our country and probably would do a lot better. I say throw them all out. AND, if the next group fails I'll say the same thing again. I can't believe we can't find 535 people in our country who can do the job we deserve.