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Subscribe to RSSUpdated at 2 p.m. ET -- At a campaign-style event at the White House Friday, President Barack Obama invited congressional leaders to the White House next week for talks on how to avoid spending cuts and at least some of the tax increases scheduled to occur in January. But he insisted that tax increases on the wealthiest Americans must be part of any deal.
NBC's Brian Williams anchors President Obama's first post-election appearance, in which he calls on Congress to work with him to avoid the fiscal cliff and get the economy moving again.
In a statement at the White House, Obama indicated he will meet with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Speaker John Boehner next week "so we can start to build consensus around the challenges that we can only solve together."
The president was referring to $64 billion in automatic spending cuts that will take effect in January if a deal cannot be reached. Those cuts are mandated by the Budget Control Act that Obama signed into law last year.
In his first White House appearance since defeating Republican Mitt Romney in Tuesday's election, Obama said he was "open to new ideas" to avoid what is known as the “fiscal cliff.” But he also dug in his heels by insisting that additional revenue be part of the solution.
“We can’t just cut our way to prosperity,” he said, adding that he would insist that “the wealthiest Americans to pay a little more in taxes” – a line that drew applause from the group of supporters standing behind him on stage. Obama defines "the wealthiest Americans" as single taxpayers earning more than $200,000 a year and couples with annual earnings in excess of $250,000.
And he claimed an election mandate, saying, “On Tuesday night we found out that the majority of Americans agree with my approach.”
Obama also repeated many of the themes of his re-election campaign speeches in Friday’s remarks – such as his view that more federal infrastructure spending is needed.
Obama did not take any questions.
Budget analysts call the combination of automatic spending cuts and tax increases set to occur at year end the fiscal cliff.
As part of an agreement to avoid the fiscal cliff, Obama and congressional leaders must also agree how much taxes ought to go up and which taxpayers will be hit by tax hikes. According to the Congressional Budget Office taxes will increase by more than $400 billion in 2013 under current law.
Adding to the pressure to design a deal that would avoid the fiscal cliff, the CBO on Thursday repeated its previous warnings that the spending cuts, combined with scheduled tax increases, would probably cause a recession next year.
Specifically the CBO said in its Thursday report that the tax increases and spending cuts would cause the unemployment rate to rise to 9.1 percent by the fourth quarter of 2013, compared to a jobless rate of 7.9 percent in October.
In a video released by the Obama campaign, a tearful president thanks his campaign workers before he sets off to tackle second-term issues including taxes, the debt and replacing as many as five high profile secretaries in his Cabinet. NBC's Chuck Todd reports.
The tax increases would raise the average tax burden by almost $3,500 per taxpayer in 2013, according to According to the Tax Policy Center. This would happen because the current income tax rates and some tax breaks are scheduled to expire or shrink on Dec. 31. Among them, the popular middle-class tax break, a $1,000-per-child tax credit for each child age 17 and younger, would be cut in half.
In addition, starting on Jan. 1, the Affordable Care Act imposes a $20 billion tax increase on people with incomes above $200,000, or $250,000 for joint filers. Adding to the tax increase, a temporary reduction in the Social Security payroll tax is set to expire at year end.
The president has argued for raising taxes on Americans with incomes over $200,000 and over $250,000 for married couples who file jointly.
But the exact mix of tax increases and who must pay them will be the subject of intense negotiations between the president and congressional leaders over the next few weeks.
Before February Obama and congressional leaders must also work out a deal to raise the federal government’s borrowing limit.
After re-election, House Speaker John Boehner says he believes the House GOP and President Obama will find common ground "to avoid the fiscal cliff." Boehner is also talking less harshly about the president's signature health care law.
In a press briefing Friday morning, Boehner said he is willing to work with Obama and congressional Democrats, but remains opposed to raising the tax rates for any Americans.
“The members of our majority understand how important it is to avert the fiscal cliff,” he said. He sketched out his opening bargaining position: Extend current tax rates for one year, allowing Congress time to entirely redesign the tax code, eliminating some tax deductions and preferences – and pass “entitlement reform.”
He made the case that “by lowering rates and cleaning up the tax code we know that we’re going to get more economic growth. It’ll bring jobs back to America – it’ll bring more revenue.”
The revenue question is crucial: Because the U.S. economy remains anemic, federal revenue has still not reached its pre-recession peak. While revenue increased for third consecutive year in fiscal 2012, it is still 5 percent below the 2007 peak.
Boehner warned about the spending pressure from growing entitlement programs: “We’re spending a trillion dollars more than what we take in. You can’t continue to do that. This is year two of a 25-year demographic bubble. …. Ten thousand Baby Boomers like me retiring every day.”
He said “everything on the revenue side and on the spending side has to be looked at.”
Obama and the Democrats go into the bargaining over fiscal policy with voters having given them a stronger bargaining position.
Kevin Lamarque / Reuters
President Barack Obama addresses supporters during his election night rally in Chicago, Nov. 6, 2012.
In Tuesday’s balloting, Democrats scored a net gain of at least six seats in the House, which was better than most analysts had predicted, and they exceeded expectations by gaining two seats in the Senate, dashing GOP hopes for a takeover of the upper chamber.
But Boehner said Tuesday that “The American people re-elected a Republican majority (in the House) and I’m proud of the fact that our team in a very difficult year was able to maintain our majority.”
But showing that the election outcome had altered his strategy, Boehner signaled a retreat Thursday from Republican calls for total repeal of the Affordable Care Act.
“I think the election changes that,” Boehner said in an interview with ABC News. “It's pretty clear that the president was re-elected, Obamacare is the law of the land.”
But he added, “I think there are parts of the healthcare law that are going to be very difficult to implement. And very expensive. And as the time when we're trying to find a way to create a path toward a balanced budget everything has to be on the table.” The speaker may try to make rescinding parts of the law an ingredient of any deal he tries to strike with Obama and Reid.
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so the president, having no idea what he is talking about, retakes the stage like an actor and speaks from a teleprompter. he spews nonsense and class warefare while not taking any blame for his disasterous last 4 years. Did I nail it or what??? the only shame is that there are fools who listen to the idiot.
Unfortunately enough to get him elected...
So what he prepares his remarks. So he says exactly what he wants to say. Election OVER HE WON get OVER IT.
I will never get over it and the country may never either. he may be your president however he is not mine and I refuse to support anything he stands for. I own a business and I built it, I work a lot of hours and I will make dam sure i make just under his cap also I will not be offering healthcare under his plans
Yankee Boy and every other brainwashed ultra liberal thinks that someone making $200,000 is "rich". Let take an example here: A person owns a small business and makes $200,000 but wait, they have to buy their own health insurance policy for their family and let's say a handful of employees. If you looked into a halfway decent policy for a family of 4 and say 3 employees, you would see that the total cost is around $35,000-$45,000 (definately higher now due to Obamacare as it used to be much cheaper). Now that we have that out of the way let's deduct the $50,000+ this individual will have to pay in taxes while many will pay $0, side note on how "fair" that is. Now take a modest mortgage, groceries, basic needs costs and although there is some disposible income left, it should by no wild stretch be considered rich. I didn't add in the money that would be put aside for retirement or for childrens education because that of course is a luxury and I don't want to offend anyone who is less fortunate. Get ur heads out of your asses and demand that everyone pay something before you define who is rich. Defining $200,000-$250,000 as the wealthiest is wrong and only hurts the small business job creators who are realing already. I firmly believe that the younger generations have no clue about working hard to achieve greatness and this is what the presidents policies are fostering. I am of course generalizing as I'm sure their are some intelligent, hard working and responsible younger folks out there. Get real and understand that people who are deducting and deferring everything to not pay taxes are generally not those making anywhere under $500,000 let alone $200,000! I only can hope for the best for our country
The next time one of Obuma's bum constituents hits me up for a handout - whether it be some bum on the street or some charity seeking to help people out who have multiple kids with mutiple partners they don't marry and who don't support their spawn I will tell them that their imam just raised my taxes to give them my money so they should go call him. I can't wait.
My name says it all
If Obama's plan is to raise taxes he can forget it. At least for the next 2 years.
Republicans get to keep thier majority in the House? Forget it! After 2 more years!
HE DOES NOT HAVE TODO ANYTHING TO GET HIS TAX INCREASE. You people on the right are dumb. Stop watching faux Noise it is rotting your brain
Timetogeta... Of course MSNBC is the one true unbiased news source ... Laughing at you.
How about some facts for the "only people who voted for Obama are on the government teat" folks. The 2012 budget for food stamps is $ 85.2 Bil, the 2012 budget for TANF (Temporary Aid to Needy families) is $ 17.8 Bil. That is a total of $ 103 Billion dollars out of a $ 3.7 TRILLION budget. For the math challenged, that is less than 4%. People needing to take advantage of these programs are not causing your taxes to go up. Under the current rules, most people can only stay on TANF for 5 years, so popping out babies to be on welfare for life went away in 1996. There is a lot of discretionary spending that needs to be cut, I agree, but to deny a safety net for the poor is un charitable, un christian, and not reflective of the American culture. There are still children going hungry in this country, so we are not doing a good job by any measure. All social democracies re distibte wealth to some extent. I don't mind paying a little more to help, and since many in the 1% agree, the Romney supporters need to quit the whine, get to work and get with the program that the majority (about 51%) voted for.
Since the top ten percent of earners currently pay 70% of the federal tax collected, we think that's more than reasonable..
Let the fiscal cliff hit. Everyone can go back to their old tax rates, pay their "fair share," the government can cut back on paying for sh*t, and maybe the economy will improve..
His continued focus on the "rich" reinforces his narrow perspective and the comments of divisiveness. Hitting the "rich" alone will not get it done. But yet he continues with the rhetoric. He makes it sound like we are not in this together. It is his us versus them mentality. So much for reaching across the aisle. So much for being the president of the country and not just his constitutency.
Again, his ambition out reaches his abilities and he demonstrates it through his actions, comments and approaches. Most of our opinions, including mine, are irrelevant. Once the economy and interest rates pick up, the interest on the debt will triple. We, as a country, will have not any choice but to make the same hard decisions being made in Europe. Time will prove it out.
What do you expect from a guy who used to listen to Reverend Wright?
Yes, hitting the rich solely will not get it done. But they've been sucking off America since the marginal tax rate of approximately 91% in the Eisenhower years was first cut. Second, the majority of American people support this first step.
If you make the same decisions that are were made in Europe, which was an austerity approach and not a balanced approach, we will end up like Europe and be pitched into another recession. And so too will the rest of the world.
I'm glad Obama is sticking to his guns on raising taxes approximately a modest 4% on persons or couples making $250,000. This rate is the same as the rate which was in effect during the prosperous Clinton years. It didn't hurt the rich and economy back then, and it will not do that today. The American people support it and want a balanced approach to dealing with the deficit. After 40 some years, the rich need to make some sacrifice and support greater equality in wealth distribution to ensure a better economy for all people.
Just how did someone else making money, even illegally hurt you. Did they hold you back somehow? Steal it from you? Was you forced to work for them. Please explain
Please, Obama zombies, tell me why this wasn't addressed in the first 2 years of his term. The Democrat party had complete control of Congress and did NOTHING on taxes. Zip. Nada. And don't give me the 60-vote filibuster crap - tax bills don't require it. Bush passed his tax rate reductions with a smaller majority than Obama had.
So, thanks again for putting this imbecile back into office. Evidently, none of you can see our gaping annual deficits, massive debt, devalued dollar, or our unsustainable entitlements. You voted for free stuff over freedom. Enjoy the ride off the economic cliff, you dolts.
Again he never had a filibuster proof majority(60 votes) in the senate.
TEA Party:
he President's tax proposal today was entirely correct. No sane working class man or woman would vote against it ---- unless there is something that trump's sanity. What could that possibly be??!?? hahahaha All any one has to do is look at the electoral map showing the states Mittens won Tuesday night!
Most of the people on this website who hate Obama are old, racist, bastards who lost the civil rights movement of the 60s and 70s and are now living off the government in one form or another. (But keep your government hands off my welfare check! Remember that classic from 2009? hahahaha) They would rather see the United States of America fail, as they said, than to see this president succeed. If the Republican Party doesn't get rid of these people and return to a rank and file of sane, conservatives, the GOP is dead in the water. As it is, they have won the majority vote in ONLY ONE presidential election since 1988. Let them go to the American Nazi Party where they belong so the GOP can return to a sane conservative party.
There are some positive signs within the GOP leadership and among conservative journalists (FOX is a disgrace!) who are arguing the same as I. The poorly educated, racist, far right wing, extremist, fanatics can find a home in the American Nazi Party where they belong, and the old Republican Party can return to sanity!
GOP...U have NOTHING TO LOSE.....
I wish someone would make the NRA and the gun idiots go away. NRA is nothing but serving hate to their rabid membership. Why is the Repub party is like a magnet for all the whacko's in the country???????
Let the morons who voted him back in listen to whatever he has to say. I frankly don't care what he says. He is NOT my president..... and nothing he says interests me. I don't want to see his ugly face or his big ears or anything else for that matter. The best thing to happen is that he gets IMPEACHED on Benghazi, the sooner the better! He MURDERED FOUR AMERICANS. He has blood on his hands! He is a CRIMINAL! Welfare morons and the trailer trash who voted him back in can listen to him and swoon in their misery and I HOPE THEIR MISERY GROWS because their families, their kids, their grandkids cannot escape what's to come!
leave... no one will miss you.
Were you this vocal when President GW Bush lost 12 at the embassies? Barack Obama IS everyone's President. Get over it.
When Obama says people that make under $250,000.00 wont see a tax increase why does Boehner say it's a tax increase for small business?
He is talking about individuals wasn't he? After all the Republicans have done NOTHING to help the economy in the last 4 years. Tax cuts for Boehner and his CEO Republican buddies that haven't hired anyone so why is it going to cost 700,000 jobs? Oh I know they still won't hire anyone. Just keep those bank accounts of their own bursting. Oh, and just don't agree with Obama even if some of the stuff is Republicans idea. If Obama agrees they disagree. I say the House and Senators need to REDUCE their pay.
And I thought I heard a Republican say if they can't win this election they should eliminate the Republican party. I agree.
Because most small businesses make around $250,000 you idiot. Where do you think $250,000 will get you in NY or Washington DC area? Believe me people who make $250,000 in large cities are considered the middle class. Obama will put soooooooo many small businesses out of business then where will you get the free stuff you want? You must want a socialist country or you would prefer a dictator? Obama would oblige you. You better wake up before it's too late. It maybe too late already.
we should give dumb ass obama a break,,,after all,,he just inherited a heck of a mess from the last guy..........
WAIT!!!! he was the last guy......hahahahahaha
Attention middle class republicans:
Most of you are social and/or fiscal conservatives. You have enjoyed a coalition with wealthy Americans over the past several decades who are often neither. They have one goal: maximizing their incomes and political power and minimizing their expenses (taxes). They really could not care less about your social or fiscal concerns. They just need your votes.
The past election showed these wealthy folks that you are becoming less of an asset and more of a liability. Examples of this are Todd Akin and Richard Mourdock. But, there are many others. You can rest assured they think folks like Michelle Bachmann, Rand Paul, Rick Santorum, and a host of others are nearly as looney.
The handwriting is on the political wall and these wealthy folks are very able to read it. They MUST form a new coalition if they are to maintain their political power and perquisites. Liabilities (like you) will likely not be a part of it. They will be happy for you to spin off entirely into the various Tea Parties where you will fight petty battles with each other until you are forgotten. They may court women. They may court Hispanics. They may even court homosexuals. But, they have been burned by Evangelical and other extremists ideologues for the last time.
So, why do you continue to carry their water by insisting that their taxes are not increased fairly? Have you REALLY thought about that question? Do you REALLY believe it is fair (even economically wise) for plutocrats like Mitt Romney to pay far less taxes than middle class Americans? What's in it for you other than being a part of a winning coalition? Well, that coalition does not win anymore and it is doomed. They know it. Do you?
Most of you are, no doubt, thinking this is a self-serving argument made by a progressive. You are absolutely correct. But, does that diminish its truth? That is for you to decide. But, you had better hurry because plans are being made at this very moment to throw you folks under the bus.
No. And then there is that other small detail. He doesn't. That aside, the only reason for increasing taxes is so our government can continue to spend money without regard for efficiency. 1 in every 34 workers in the US labor force gets their paycheck directly from the US Treasury. That is just plain crazy. Tax the rich or don't tax the rich. Frankly I don't care. But please don't act as if taxing the rich is going to fix our government. It won't. It will simply enable them to continue spending.
Skup......you said:
Do you mean like on unnecessary military programs and corporate welfare for oil companies?
You may be (one of the) wealthy (more likely you are their minion). But, this is not just about deficits. It is about fairness. That, to some of us, matters.
Evidence that middle class conservatives are about to be clobbered:
http://nbcpolitics.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/11/08/15029606-boehner-obamacare-is-the-law-of-the-land?lite
http://nbcpolitics.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/11/09/15040894-gop-resistance-to-immigration-reform-could-be-casualty-of-2012-election?lite
Middle class conservatives will see MUCH more over the next weeks and months. Do you really want to be a political cuckold? Stop defending unfairness.
Mitt Romney pays somewhere between 0% and 14% in federal income taxes. That IS far less than most of us pay. Even HE acknowledges that.
Yes... The government needs a complete overhaul of how the operate. The are bleeding money from every program they operate. We don't need to cut services. We need to demand they become more efficient at running them.
As for the taxes. There aren't many folks out there paying much more than 15% in taxes. But as I said, tax them or don't tax them. In the long run it isn't going to make much of difference.
Wow Skup.......you said:
How can you be SO misinformed? Take a look at this link from the IRS on marginal tax rates. Hopefully, you will be unburdened from your misinformation.
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/rp-11-52.pdf
PLENTY of us pay substantially more than 14% in federal income taxes. Furthermore, we ALSO pay FICA on that income. Romney pays ZERO FICA on his income which is 100% capital gains.
Apparently, you care not one whit for fairness. There are actual (often needy) families that are having to pay the taxes that Romney is (and, perhaps you are) not.
Think about this: If Romney's income was split between a number of tax payers each earning $50k, how much more taxes would be collected on that income? It is a hardly trivial (as you like to suggest) number.
Mitt Romney did this nation a service by spotlighting the vast difference between tax treatments for wealthy versus non-wealthy Americans. You shall see.
That pdf is simply IRS policies. It has nothing to do with what people are actually paying. I have yet to see a single static from a reliable source showing that middle class families are paying more than 14% of there income in taxes. Here is a link to a study done by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. According to this report the middle fifth pay an average of 14.3% of their pay in federal taxes with only 5.6% of that going to federal taxes.
I will make you this promise. If you can show me some reliable statistics that show my information is wrong I won't make the claim anymore. Until then I'm not buying it. I've looked over my own tax returns and the most I've ever paid was around 14%.
http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=3151
That's a softball.....
http://www.whitehouse.gov/economy/buffett-rule
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/wp/2012/09/19/heres-why-the-47-percent-argument-is-an-abuse-of-tax-data/
http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/20/opinion/ghilarducci-mcgahey-romney/index.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/21/poor-americans-state-local-taxes_n_1903993.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-r-talbott/rich-pay-taxes_b_1873392.html
These are just a tip of the taxberg.......You folks have lost this argument. The middle class now KNOWS the truth. Wait until it is confirmed that Romney paid ZERO income tax for several years. ......and, don't forget, Romney and his capital gains cronies pay ZERO in FICA. That, alone, is patently unfair.
BTW---as you probably realize, democrats are preparing legislation to repair tax damages to the middle class should republicans not compromise and force us over the fiscal cliff. Then, after Bush tax cuts are repealed, republicans will be faced with opposing legislation to help the struggling middle class. It looks like check and mate from here. Taxes on the wealthy are going UP.
None of those links are to statistics. They are just articles written by folks trying to win an argument. Speaking of “the argument”. You don't have to convince me that our tax system is unfair nor do I believe that 47% pay nothing. I don't, however, believe that the lower wage brackets are paying more than 15%. Those articles are really saying anything more than 15% hurts the poor a whole lot more than the rich which is completely true. They spend so much time trying to manipulate the numbers to prove their point that anyone who isn't predisposed to believe it won’t. I think the argument would have been more successful if they had focused on why the lower income brackets paying the same rates as the rich. After all it’s hard to argue that 15% of 50k doesn't hurt any more than 15% of 5 million.
Our tax system needs overhauled. Personally I think it should be a flat rate that increases with the amount made. No deductions for anything. Getting rid of all deduction is the only way to truly make the tax system fair. If there aren't any deductions there can't be any loop holes. Set the rates at the level the government needs to operate and tell the politicians to keep away. It also has the added bonus that we could do away with most of the IRS.
Politicians have been using our tax code as a social engineering tools for decades. The end result is the mess we have now, a tax code that discriminates against different classes of citizens. Buy a house and you don’t have to pay as much tax. Get married (man and a woman only) and you get a tax break. Have kids and get a tax break. Donate enough money to the right politician, get a tax break. I guarantee you the legislation being drafted will have well-crafted loop holes that allow certain individuals to slip quietly through.
As for raising taxes on the rich, I don't have a problem with it. I just don't think it will accomplish anywhere near what you think it will. You say this legislation will help the struggling middle class, but how? You can't use taxes to close the growing pay gaps between the rich and the middle class. You can't use taxes to redistribute wealth. In the end the rich don’t have nearly enough money to make a large difference. It seems to me this whole exercise has been political rhetoric by both sides.
BTW, Warren Buffet's secretary probably makes between 200k to 500k. She is hardly the poster child for unfair taxes. In fact she's probably one of those targeted for a tax increase. Those are really the only folks paying those higher rates, a high income with little money from capital gains.
Did you hear that Obama had to pass a bill that does not allow congress, the senate, and anyone else connected to them to engage in insider trading. People said Yay!!! Why have they been allowed to do so in the first place. It seems that once you get into politics that the laws change for you.
However did people notice HOW the market place responded to Obama's re-election? The Dow plumeted. How do you create jobs when shares of stock drop and companies do not have the excess cash to expand? Parties can argue back and forth but when there are OBVIOUS and UNDENIABLE facts that show how the economy is going to be impacted the next four years what grounds do the Obama supporters have to explain them.
Actually- there are two factors affecting the DOW. The fiscal cliff is one, Europe is the other and by far the biggest problem. Neither is in the Presidents control. I, for one, thinks the congress may have some sanity, work together on the Presidents agenda and avoid the former. As for your comments on Corporations not having cash to spend, you are delusional. They have plenty of money. They won't hire, because they are working the current workforce to death making less real dollars than 10 years ago. If they had America's best interest at heart they would start to raise wages, people would buy, and the economy would expand. 75-80% of the U.S. economy is consumer spending!
Tax the wealthy is just a feel good statement by Obama. It will not put a dent in the deficit but it makes the Obama base feel he is on their side. Spending needs to be cut and make the US friendly to creating jobs. Obama needs to LEAD by sitting down with the house and senate which is something he is not capable of. He is lovable, smart and has great intentions but he is a horrible leader/President.
I am Republican but will admit that Bill Clinton was a great leader. Kennedy was a great leader. Hillary would have been a great leader. Obama is a good person and very lovable. It takes more to be President.
The government will not stop with just taxing the rich and anyone who believes this is definitely drinking the coolaid.
Specially when the wealthy say "Scr*w this. We're gettin out of Dodge" and then take up residence in another country.
Interesting because the rich were the only recipients of the trickle down years. They basically got $11 trillion in handouts which they never handed down. (Surprise). Now we, the middle class have to pay their debt. I don't think so.
last I looked...49% of the people don't want higher taxes.....
the rest that does (that would be a lot in the blue states)call Obuma...and contact IRS and send in your cash
ASAP....
The reds spent it. Would be nice if they ever paid it off. Instead they keep red ey're the one sthat don't want to tax the rich. Interesting, isn't it?thrugh and through. And thyshuffling it to the left to clean up. The poor states that get to bennies are alll
The part I like is when the Reight talks about the spending the left is doing. Obama has been steadily cutting that spending. The ONLY GROUP that has consistantly spent much more then they take in (and always during the good times) is the Republicans. A full half of the spending Obama's administration is spending comes from laws past during the Bush years.
Must already be into that legalized pot. Spending has risen every year under Obama.
nibor, no it hasn't, at least not if you include state. Come out of the bubble sometime.
Fasten your seat belts folks; we are beginning Jimmy Carter's 2nd term.
Please, everyone remember.
The House and Senate (Legislative Branch) of the government PROPOSES and PASSES legislation which is then sent to the President (Executive Branch), who also passes or vetos the legislation. If he vetos the legislation, congress may overturn the veto by a 2/3 vote of BOTH houses. Congress also is responsible for preparing an annual federal budget. The President may propose that congress consider legislation but he is not primarily responsible to do so. He and his branch are to enforce laws, and does this through executive appointments to agencies and the cabinet.
President Obama should understand that Congress is under no mandate to function and perform and behave in the way HE desires. For him to suggest they should do what He wants, and that THEY must compromise is close to an abuse of power, and is nose-bending behavior.
Read up:
Congressional leaders and committees should be raising their voices more, and perhaps we might wonder what they will do to balance the budget, maximize revenues, provide employment, and cut expenses. This, instead of waiting for the President to propose the solutions.
After "read up", this link should have posted:
http:www.whitehouse.gov/our-government
Just for the record. The House has passed a budget for two years in a row since the republicans took over in 2010. The first two years when dems had the house not one budget. The senate still 4 years later still no budget.
Who are the irresponsible ones running this country. I think you get my point.
Titan,
Thier budget calls for slashing in Govt. spending including entitlements and does nothing to increase the taxes on the wealthiest. In other words, a GOP approch during a Dem administration. The party of NO knows thier mouthpieces like yourself are going to keep spewing this stupid argument. It's part of their antiquated attempt at modern politics.
Roy outstanding post!! It is ironic that they young will have to be enslaved but they voted for it, same for the Latinos they should have checked with the African-American community on how things have worked out for them the past 40 years voting Democrat. Figures don't lie but liars do figure.
Why are we not choosing to pay no taxes? Have we become complacent with paying taxes. I do not care what income level you are. Stop the spending. Do not believe the government should take care of you. The only thing we should be paying our taxes to defend this country. Nothing else.
We have been hoodwinked into thinking it is ok to pay taxes to a government that does nothing but waste on themselves and their reelection so that they still get the $200k-$400k in pay per year.
Paying taxes for anyone is not ok. We used to live in a time when accountability meant something. Where have we gone?
Boehner and the rest of the tea party Republicans don't want to raise taxes on the most wealthy americans because they are a part of those most wealthy americans!!!!