Hey whats up with this Fiscal Cliff ?

I see this ominous Countdown Clock on Fox News Counting down from 56 Days toward the "Fiscal Cliff"

It has to with the automatic trigger, January 1st 2013 (if the world happens to spin on after 12-12-12 and the Mayans mis-calculated.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unit...scal_cliff

Keep in mind this was going to happen regardless of a Romney win or loss. Its up to congress now. Elections have consequences Lets see who blinks first.

Ohh look the GOP has already. http://www.latimes.com/news/polit...0933.story


What will end up happeneing, IMO a temp band aide solution will agreed upon. Kicking the can down the road to make this the center piece of the 2014 elections, which strategies are already being planned. The GOP has alot more to lose having aligned themselves with the Tea Party and the like, Michelle Bachman who barely won reelection or nut Allen West who was kicked put last night.

Republicans can't ignore the voters. The President is in a very strong position to dictate terms to Boehner now.

you'll find out soon enough on January 2.

Quote from HEATBaller : The President is in a very strong position to dictate terms to Boehner now.

But think of it this way: What power do the national Republicans have now except for the ability to obstruct? You don't give up your only power, so expect lots of obstruction, just like the last 4 years. You won't see change in the Republican party until it loses again because of TEA party members, and they have to lose big enough that normal Republicans quit being afraid of them and fight back. But that won't happen because extremists are stubborn, and we'll probably have to wait until the demographic shift does its job to change American politics.

The "fiscal cliff" is a wonderful thing. Embrace it.
It renders the Norquist pledge null-and-void as any adjustments made after January 1 will be tax cuts.
As your chart states, the CBO estimates of a shrinking economy and increasing unemployment as a result of sequestration assume that all the cuts are left in place for all of 2013. After January 1, retroactive adjustments will be made to balance both taxes and spending and we'll end up with the center option at the bottom of the chart. The tax cuts that are reinstated will not be as heavily weighted towards the wealthy as the original Bush tax cuts were.

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-...tax-pledge

Quote from larrymoencurly : But think of it this way: What power do the national Republicans have now except for the ability to obstruct? You don't give up your only power, so expect lots of obstruction, just like the last 4 years. You won't see change in the Republican party until it loses again because of TEA party members, and they have to lose big enough that normal Republicans quit being afraid of them and fight back. But that won't happen because extremists are stubborn, and we'll probably have to wait until the demographic shift does its job to change American politics.

Normal Democrats left the Democrat Party to join the Republican Party.

When are they going to take back the Democrat Party from the radicals?


The reason for the hard line by Conservatives, is that they have compromised and compromised. The Left keeps pushing further and further Left.

The real question is, when will the radical Left be satiated, because that is the end game in your formulation.

Quote from larrymoencurly : But think of it this way: What power do the national Republicans have now except for the ability to obstruct? .

For starters, consider this: The Bush tax cuts expire in December. How can Bohner continue them, especially for the top income earners?

Quote from EscapeVelo : Normal Democrats left the Democratic Party to join the Republican Party. When are they going to take back the Democratic Party from the radicals?

Did you post that from the year 1972? Because the party has been dominated by center-right Democratic Leadership Conference people since the 1980s.

Almost all the people who left the Democrats were far-right southerners who didn't like Johnson's civil rights laws.

Quote from RHCCapri : http://www.colbertnation.com/the-...tax-pledge

Actually, Obama could let the "fiscal cliff" happen. It's basically the end of Bush era tax cuts - a tax increase and automatic cuts throughout the gov't, including the military. He can raise taxes and cut military funding at one stroke.

But wait - who will blink first in this game of chicken? House Speaker John Boehner offered Wednesday to pursue a deal with a newly-re-elected President Barack Obama that would raise taxes "under the right conditions" to help reduce the nation's staggering debt and put its finances in order.

http://seattletimes.com/html/poli...ehner.html

Quote from Spiff59 : The "fiscal cliff" is a wonderful thing. Embrace it.

Agreed

Quote from StarNova : House Speaker John Boehner offered Wednesday to pursue a deal with a newly-re-elected President Barack Obama that would raise taxes "under the right conditions" to help reduce the nation's staggering debt and put its finances in order.

I'll believe it when he has the votes. Boehner said many things during the negotiations then it turned out he didn't have the votes to get it through the House.

Quote from rrc06 : Agreed

Me too. No problem with it at all. Great starting point.

Quote from EscapeVelo : Normal Democrats left the Democrat Party to join the Republican Party. When are they going to take back the Democrat Party from the radicals? The reason for the hard line by Conservatives, is that they have compromised and compromised. The Left keeps pushing further and further Left. The real question is, when will the radical Left be satiated, because that is the end game in your formulation.

This, sorta.

Politics is like a tug of war - the more the other side pulls, the more you pull and retrench. It's a reflex. It gets worse and worse though - one side pulls, the other wise pulls harder, etc etc.

The whole fiscal cliff thing - is a result of government kicking the can down the road yet again. Too many sacred cows.

Quote from Dr. J : This, sorta. Politics is like a tug of war - the more the other side pulls, the more you pull and retrench. It's a reflex. It gets worse and worse though - one side pulls, the other wise pulls harder, etc etc. The whole fiscal cliff thing - is a result of government kicking the can down the road yet again. Too many sacred cows.

I think you're right. You have a large group of republicans that promised not to raise taxes. You have a large group of democrats that have promised to continue and expand certain entitlements. It's a recipe for disaster. You have sacred cows, SS for example, that will have to dealt with. But it's political suicide to do so.

The Speaker of the House may want to deal but without enough votes the fiscal cliff will happen. My main concern is for the military and the veterans. I think you will slash and burn some truly crappy programs that need to be off the gov't dole; however, you will also cut some desperately needed programs. Across the board cuts without regard of how it affects our nation and its safety is mind-numbingly foolish.