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Subscribe to RSSPresident Obama praised lawmakers and Vice President Joe Biden after the House of Representatives voted to pass a Senate measure to avert the most serious impacts of the so-called fiscal cliff.
Updated at 12:32 a.m. ET: An agreement to stave off the harshest and most immediate consequences of the fiscal cliff won approval in the House late Tuesday. President Barack Obama signed the law on Wednesday night, the battle over which foreshadowed more fights with Congress over spending.
Following a day of hectic wrangling on Capitol Hill — where the prospects for passing the bipartisan, Senate legislation regarding the fiscal cliff hung in the balance for much of New Year's Day — the House voted 257 to 167 to pass the belated compromise measure over the objections of many conservative Republicans.
The legislation takes steps toward resolving the combination of automatic tax hikes and spending cuts that took effect at midnight on Jan. 1. It preserves tax rates as they were at the end of 2012, except for those individuals earning more than $400,000 and households earning over $450,000. It also allows taxes on capital gains and dividends to go up, and extends benefits of the unemployed. Additionally, the Senate bill delays the onset of the "sequester" — the swift, automatic spending cuts — for two months.
Fiscal cliff compromise leaves few satisfied
"Thanks to the votes of Democrats and Republicans in Congress I will sign a law that raises the taxes on the wealthiest of Americans," Obama said in remarks at the White House Tuesday, "while preventing a middle-class tax hike."
The House vote laid bare some of the internal ideological divisions to plague the GOP over the past two years. More Republican congressmen (151) voted against the Senate bill than for it (85), meaning that Democrats' support was needed to advance the final deal. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, took the rare step of casting a vote, and did so in favor of the legislation. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., the former Republican vice presidential nominee, also supported the package. But Boehner's top two lieutenants, Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., and Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., each opposed the deal.
The House voted Monday to approve the Senate's fiscal cliff bill by a vote of 257-167. Richard Lui, Luke Russert and Mike Viqueira report on MSNBC.
"Now the focus turns to spending," Boehner said in a statement following the House vote. "The American people re-elected a Republican majority in the House, and we will use it in 2013 to hold the president accountable for the ‘balanced’ approach he promised, meaning significant spending cuts and reforms to the entitlement programs that are driving our country deeper and deeper into debt."
While the last-minute action on Capitol Hill essentially mitigates much of the risk posed to the U.S. economic recovery by the fiscal cliff, it hardly brings resolution to the bitter and often intractable fight in Washington over taxes and spending. The first half of 2013 will feature battles in Congress over raising the debt limit, continuing basic government funding and the expiration of this two-month delay in the sequester.
Bipartisan outrage after House skips vote on $60 billion Sandy aid bill
Obama nodded to those looming fights in his remarks Tuesday evening, renewing his call for "balance" in any solution in the coming year to address deficits and debts. But the president also sternly warned Congress against using the debt ceiling as a bargaining chip, as Republicans had in summer of 2011.
"While I'll negotiate over many things, I will not have another debate with this Congress over whether to pay the bills they have racked up," Obama said.
PhotoBlog: Deal done, Obama heads back to Hawaii with a weary wink
The fiscal cliff itself was the product of discord in Congress resolving those very issues. And the difficulty in attaining even this less ambitious piece of legislation — versus the kind of "grand bargain" Obama had first sought in talks with Republicans — offered a cautionary tale for the 113th Congress, in which the House and the Senate remain controlled by the same parties as during the past two years.
Squabbling
And even for much of Tuesday, House approval of the fiscal legislation — which was negotiated by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Vice President Joe Biden — was far from certain. GOP leaders were forced to cajole conservatives who complained the fallback deal contained insufficient spending cuts. Only after it became clear that Republicans wouldn't have the votes to amend the Senate proposal — which the upper chamber said it wouldn't even consider — did House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, bring the bill to the floor.
The squabbling was familiar to any observers of Congress during the past two years. This divide almost resulted in a government shutdown and a default on the national debt in 2011. It again threatened Tuesday to allow the painful, across-the-board tax hikes and spending cuts to play out just as the U.S. economic recovery showed signs of accelerating.
PhotoBlog: See images of Congress working overtime to avoid fiscal cliff
And this deal just approved by Congress in the waning hours of 2013's first day all but ensures that much of the coming year will be dominated by similar battles in Washington. Republicans are hopeful they might be able to extract more spending cuts and entitlement reforms with the government up against other deadlines, like the one needed this spring to authorize more government borrowing.
That could complicate Obama's already-ambitious second term agenda. The president said just this past Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press" that he will seek comprehensive immigration reform legislation and new laws to address gun violence.
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Remember the republicans in 2014. Cantor and tea's in the House have got to go. Cantor is a crook who has bet against America in the past.
If the economy is still in the crapper come 2014, the Dems don't have a chance.
Wrong fool,we will throw out all you useless repukes and Hillary wins in 2016
Later retard
sorry - wishful thinking - NOBODY with half a brain would have re-elected obama - the turd with the economy being as bad as it was just 2 months ago but look what they did. NEVER NEVER NEVER underestimate how STUPID some American voters can be
Nope. The House and Senate need more GOPer's so they can override Obama and prevent him from turning our country into France.
Hillary might not be alive in 2016 with the way things are going.
not stupid just a lot of ignorant people who thought they were being loyal to thier race
Hillary banged her head on the stearing wheel after servicing Barry and can no longer run
PC/CLOT just personified his own posting at #482.3
Way to go, Clots!
@Buffarilla....mistaken identity, Buffy, that was YOUR wife who was servicing.
ANOTHER zinger from saywhat!!! Wow boy - your on fire tonight !!! keep em coming
Hillary was do bobbing on Barry damn.
OH! That moron Quayle from AZ (that LOST in the PRIMARY), is now the acting speaker in the House for TP speeches!
THAT IS FUNNY! His stuff is on a truck and heading back into obscurity!
MSNBC - Maddow's Stupid Neanderthal Broadcasting Network.... for the neanderthal in all of us! Go Rachel!
I make 23.000 annually. I have cut out internet service (I work nights and have use of a computer there), satellite Tv (I read instead), eating out, buying new clothes (yard sales and second-hand stores serve my purpose), all but the cheapest foods, my home phone (I have a cheap cell with minimum pre-pay service), and everything else that is not a bare necessity. Yet the powers-that-be cannot see their way to cut spending, but continue to add taxes and fees to me that I cannot afford to pay so they don't have to give up any of their pet projects. They give themselves a raise to an already humongous salary which they will receive for life, free insurance, free perks, while exempting themselves from almost all the laws and expenses they are piling on me. I don't know what the answer is, but I know that our political system has failed. It is breaking the backs of working Americans, Republicans so the rich can get richer, Democrats so the do-nothings can be handed everything they want. If America is to survive, the whole thing has to be thrown out and remade. The problem is, the ones benefitting from this fiasco are the ones who would have to revamp it, and we all know they aren't going to bite the hand that feeds them. It just looks hopeless to me. Both parties are at fault. Voting new people in when they have the same failed political views is worthless. The only hope I see is for the Lord to come before America implodes. Come quickly, Lord Jesus.
The only ones not wanting to cut spending are the Democrats.
For over 10 years
Big business and self centered Politicians Primarily
I am really sick and tired of all of these posts where people didn't actually research wtf is going on. President Obama truly cares about average americans, more so than those rich, fat cat repubs who only care about their own personal gain. Americans need to be pro-active and before any elections, research how the people seeking re-election voted previously. It's all public knowledge and it would start sending them a strong message if they not longer were re-elected because of their past voting history.
Oblahblah doesn't give a rat's arse about you.
So you want to extend the Bush tax cuts? Wait, were those good or bad?
L - Sounds like you really did your research! Good job! Do you watch MSNBC much?
MSNBC
Media Service Nonsence broadcasted by Comcast
Notice all the new funnels for comments pumped over to NBC Today.
The Worst
I am assuming you are referring to "average" Americans as those who live on welfare and government handouts, who refuse to work, and who spit out an illegitimate baby every 9 months. If so, I agree. Obummer really does care about "average" Americans.
They want cuts? Let us start with thier pay, insurance, expense accounts, ect. holding 98% of the country hostage to feather thier own nests once again.
Prediction, 2 years from now Repub Congress flushed, 4 years from now they need not waste thier time or millionaires money trying. They are screwing themselves right out of thier own Party. Its almost gone now.
Two years from now, when the economy is still in the crapper and Oblahblahcare in full swing, the Dems don't have a chance.
uh dummy - its your dems who are doing the reckless spending and dummy - its obama - the turd who just gave congress a raise - figure out who your enemy is dum dum - it the Republicns who have been protecting the middle class from the massive obama tax hikes since 2010
Most people arent fooled. If we are still in the crapper this is a shining example of why!
No, we're still in the crapper because Oblahblah decided the best thing for the economy is to pass a healthcare law that the majority of Americans don't want and waste money on green jobs for his cronies.
Uh dummy, it was the pubs who created 10 tril of debt. Then forced more debt to keep us out of a depression. Your unfunded wars didnt help. Neither does the 2 trillion of debt which is interest from Reagan raiding SS. Your boy Bush froze the taxes, then started wars...............
Uh once again most are for OBamacare! Who won?
To be clear first off, I'm what you could probably call a '1%' person , income-wise. That said...I wish these folks in Congress, (not saying Rep, Dem, or othe) who just cater, pander, and get on their knees to the richest of Americans, would do this country a favor, and jump off a cliff. Then we could get to the biz of fixing the country for the MAJORITY of the people.
yeah, right.
What a show - what a show. They get a raise today! They can't pass a budget in nearly four years. This men and women of congress have desicrated the constitution on of the United States. These millionaires and well off political leaders are no more leaders than the thugs who run the streets of our cites. They just wear suit's and have nice cars that have drivers. They are surrounded by other suits who have GUNS to protect them. The repubic is in trouble - no leadership at all from 1600 Pennsylvania Ave -- a wise ass smile and tells the masses he knows what is good for this country --- really --- total madness - total disregard for the average working family. More taxes and the likes of Boehner - Reid - Polosi - this country is heading for a revolt. Leaders are numb to existence and necessity. We have become a third world nation - our freedoms are being TAXED to death - not only at a Federal level but at the State - County - Township and City levels to boot... Food prices are soaring up up and up. Gas prices continue to remain twice the price of four years ago. Drugs are readily available by the cartels, our borders are worthless. Well folks - all that hope and change has really backed this country into a corner. To the world "For Sale to the highest bidder, a former great country - lots of people to tax, a military you can own outright with all of the best trained men and women in the world, all of the weapontry you need and some nuclear stuff as well, natural resources up the a-- to take as you want." Oh we have an opening bid from China.... $16-trillion!!! going once, twice, SOLD!!!!
reagonomics::: A good explanation as to the US problem!
If you clowns in both parties can't work for whats best for the country, then get out includes obama &biden .
The Democrats have agreed to lower their intellectual standards to accommodate the Republicans who are trying to raise theirs.
The words Democrat and intellectual should never be used in the same sentence.
It confuses you? Here I will show it to you again....
The Democrats have agreed to lower their intellectual standards to accommodate the Republicans who are trying to raise theirs.
Sounds to me like the House of Representatives needs new leadership; a new speaker and a new majority leader! Make it happen guys and gals.
As long as we have democrats like Polosi and her followers America will keep going on the down hill slide.Democrats cannot or will not understand pumping money to the free loaders will not improve our economy or jobs! Stop all welfare to those who can work and stop all Corporate welfare,remove burdensome regulations on our industry and jobs will fallow.Clean up the IRS tax laws so every one pays a fair share and America will get back to being prosperous.Deport the illegals and you would have a net gain of millions of jobs,but Democrats can not understand the meaning of Illegal ,a major problem to our Country!
So if you are considered the problem....Then you are the solution.... So Congress... If you come through with the solution...The left will give you all the credit due to the Right. Correct? If the Congress gets this done ....The President is never allowed to be blamed ...only Congress... So Congress will get all the credit!
Why do Democrats feel the need to punish success through taxes and reward failure through entitlements?? Odd approach to motivating people to succeed.....
dont you get it? The democrats DONT WANT PEOPLE TO SUCEED - they want people dependant on the government
It is called jealousy
why do Pubs think the rich walk while the poor pay?
Whaddacrack....The Upper 2 percent of the country pays 40 percent of the tax....50 percent of the people do not even pay taxes....so please explain how the POOR pays and the Rich walk......
I cant wait to hear your response.....
OH! That TP moron Quayle from AZ (that LOST in the PRIMARY), is now the acting speaker in the House for TP speeches!
THAT IS FUNNY! His stuff is on a truck and heading back into obscurity!
When is the next "awards given out in Hollywood" All of these MF's need to get one..what a bunch of BS. Fire every one of them and start over.WTF Oh and the new one's get Obama care and no pension.
Vote it down. Too much spending, too little savings. We're like a family with an income of $30,000 spending $40,000 a year and owing $120,000 on our credit cards. Mindless, reckless, liberal welfare leftists.
Why do not some people in this country not want too stop the flow of Chinese loans to our government? Please answer this liberals.Well do not say taxing the rich is going to take care of OUR problem.YES!YOUR AND MY PROBLEM. Have you no pride?
Where the heck were YOU when GW had two UNFUNDED WARS, TWO UNFUNDED TAX CUTS, and UNFUNDED Medicare part d?
5th grade?
Your first time voting was in 2012, correct?
Herron... I thought that two nights ago you were retired in your mid 40's and never got any government aid. Assuming you to be 45, and the normal retirement age is is 65, and a normal working middle class income to be about $40,000, that means roughly $800,000 socked away until Social Security, or basically $800,000 most individuals don't have in your age bracket. With $800,000 socked away, that would mean money for expensive housing and cars. Seems to me you would be favoring taxation policy of a different order than you expose, or are you one of the entertainment industry progressive Democrats? I don't know of any war which is funded totally before it is fought in the modern era. Most wars use up stuff from the last war, stuff which was previously funded by earlier congressional actions. When I was in the service, ( Vietnam Era ), munitions from the Korean War were used, and the Korean War used munitions from WWII. When the Twin Towers were destroyed the warships and airplanes that were put into immediate service had been purchased prior to the event, as were the ambulances, fire trucks, and other equipment used. Wars develop new technologies, which are funded by acts of Congress, such as drones which weren't used in the Vietnam Era. GPS satellites now used commercially were put into space as instruments of war at the end of the Vietnam era, not at the beginning of Gulf War I. Where were you when Lyndon Johnson was going to nail the coonskin to the wall and soldiers were drafted? Probably thinking up a plan to retire at 45 with no government aid.
Against,,,
Your mother pooped you out
Haha hehe hoho
The path forward is as obvious as the Orange Glo slathered over Boehner's ugly mug. If he and Boy Wonder Cantor will stop giving the GOP teabaggers (aka "the hostage takers") veto power & just get the hell out of the way maybe the House will actually accomplish something today. These so called "leaders" are lame lame lame. Obama is right not to negotiate with terrorists.
By accomplish you mean adding another 4 trillion to the debt over the next Ten years? this according to the CBO.
Dunce - its these Republicans that have been protecting the middle class from obama - the turd . Your too stupid to even figure out who your enemy is
And you to stupid to walk down the street, I'd guess.
PC/CLOT has trouble walking due to his personal cranial-rectal insertion maneuver.
good one! too stupid to walk down the street - SNAP!!!
Let's see if the Repubs are stupid enough to vote on the Senate version without reading and comprehending the entire bill. Don't be too surprised if the Senate version contains a provision that gives Obama the sole authority to raise the debt ceiling without Congressional approval, plus a few more Democratic favored provisions that the Repubs are too dumb to recognize.
Yes, I forgot, New Year's Day is Tinfoil Hat Day, and your paranoia is right in keeping. Hooray!
What happened to your tinfoil hat Tetrapoda,did you leave it in your butt again?
The Dems' ploy worked with Obamacare. No paranoia here, just the facts, which you intentionally refuse to recognize.
I don't need it, luckily, since I'm not sitting in the corner fretting about Obama taking over the world, or queers moving in to my neighborhood, or whatever drives my friends like you and Kooks. But thanks for asking.
Bottom line, the crooks in the left of the whitehouse need to pass a few bills
to start cutting spending period, all this talk is worthless, they are spending us
into the depths of hell...............................They need to be taken over sent home
and some on the right are weak panzy asses. Taxing the reach will only last about
2 days in are gover=spending, my God do the math.
While Obummer is in office the right needs to keep an eye on everything he does,
he hates are laws and the way history has ran this country, he doesn't care about
the general population, anyone who plays 114 rounds of golf REALLY says it all
about this idiots merits
Damn, you really ARE an illiterate, aren't you?
Only a total moron would call a plan that increases spending and increases taxes a balanced approach towards deficit reduction. Ladies and gentlemen meet the Democratic Party.
Just think Obama is going to need congress to raise the dept ceiling in two weeks. He will be made to make spending cuts. he may win this skirmish, but he will lose dept ceiling battle.
Go sit in the corner, teabugger.
republicanbs your so intellegent.
This idiot from Ohio doesn't realize that we in other states will hold them accountable for this screwing of tax payers. Lets vote out house republicans. Lets remember who are screwing baby boomers, and vote out those who are trying to screw us. China's retirement age is 55 years old and doing the calculations, the retirees get 8.8 years more benefits than American retirees. We used to retire early at 55, the average Chinese man lives only 3.2 years less than the average American. Yet over the total span they still get 8.8 years more including taking into account the life span difference. It seems that communists can kick out butt more and more in the market place and take care of their retirees.
Many Chinese who "retire" at 55 live in 800 square foot homes, have at it-
and they come no where close to the amenities that are available here WHICH IS WHY SO MANY OF THEM ARE BUYING PROPERTY HERE just check californias real estate agencies