Flap Your Lips Friday
Posted by Michelle Moquin on November 9th, 2012
Good morning!
A Mandate
What the Election Means for the Fiscal Showdown
President Obama won a decisive victory on Tuesday. He’s the first Democrat since FDR to be elected twice with over 50 percent of the vote.
As soon as the election was over, discussion immediately turned to the upcoming fiscal showdown. Over the course of the next few weeks, Congress has to resolve numerous fiscal issues:
The fate of the Bush tax cuts, particularly those for the wealthiest Americans.
$1.1 trillion in automatic cuts to both defense and domestic discretionary spending.
The debt ceiling, which may be hit as soon as the end of next month.
If nothing is done by the end of the year, the automatic cuts kick in and taxes revert to Clinton-era rates for everyone, not just the wealthy.
Republicans are already indicating that they think the election either didn’t mean anything or somehow actually validated their viewpoint. House Speaker John Boehner (R) said yesterday that tax hikes for the wealthy were off the table. He then floated what he called a “compromise,” but in reality is basically the same tax plan that Mitt Romney just ran on — and lost. For his part, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R) has already taken the debt ceiling hostage to deep cuts to entitlements and other spending. Cantor also insisted that Obamacare be on the table during negotiations.
Here’s why the election provides President Obama with a mandate to push his vision — a balanced approach that invests in the middle class, makes smart spending cuts, and, most importantly, makes the wealthy pay their fair share. Conversely, the election was also a definitive repudiation of the GOP’s failed top-down approach.
Candidates Ran on Tax Fairness — And Won
The President made raising taxes on the wealthiest Americans a centerpiece of his campaign, and never wavered from that position. On election night, one ofPolitico’s top headlines read: “Exit polls 2012: Most say hike taxes.” In fact, 6 in 10 voters nationwide say they think taxes should be increased. The question of returning the high end tax rates to those during the Clinton era played an even more central role in key Senate races in blue, purple and even deep red states:
Wisconsin (D51, R46): Rep. Tammy Baldwin was the lead sponsor of the Buffett Rule in the House of Representatives and made it a central element of her campaign, including in her advertising. Her opponent, Tommy Thompson, opposed the Buffett Rule, calling it “discriminatory.” He alsoran on a tax plan that would lower taxes for the wealthy while raising them on the middle class and the poor. American Crossroads, Crossroads GPS and the Chamber of Commerce all spent heavily to define Baldwin as a “tax and spend” liberal; in fact, in the final two months these three groups spent over $3.6 million to attack Baldwin on her tax plans. Yet, fifty-two percent of Wisconsin voters said that taxes should be increased for those making over $250,000, according to exit polls (with another 12 percent supporting tax increases for all incomes and 32 percent against tax increases for high earners).
Connecticut (D55, R43): Linda McMahon released a tax plan that was identical to Gov. Romney’s proposal and similarly pitched her plan as a tax cut for the middle class even though analysts agreed it would provide massive tax breaks to the wealthy and corporations. Rep. Chris Murphy centered himself as the candidate “on the side of the middle” class, featuring McMahon’s tax policy that benefited the richest in multiple ads, declaring “it’s time to make the rules fair.” According to an analysis of Kantar Media CMAG data by CAP Action, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce spent at least $550,000 in the final week of the election championing McMahon’s tax plan and contrasting it with “politicians who raise taxes so they can keep spending more”.
North Dakota (3,000 votes): Even in solidly red North Dakota, Heidi Heitkamp championed tax fairness and campaigned in support of the Buffett Rule. She also attacked her opponent, Rep. Rick Berg, for twice voting in favor of the Republican budget, specifically citing its tax cuts for the wealthy. Heitkamp also strenuously defended her support for Obamacare, even turning Berg’s support for repealing it into an attack. Crossroads GPS spent heavily against Heitkamp with more than half a million dollars in the final eight weeks used to define Heitkamp on the tax issue.
The American people voted for candidates up and down the ballot that supported getting rid of tax giveaways and special loopholes that favor the richest corporations and individuals.
A Debate Between Two Visions for the Economy
This election across the country was a proxy debate on two competing visions for economic growth: the trickle-down model that suggests that the only job creators are the richest, where it is enough to grow profits without sustaining jobs or wages, and the “middle out” vision of the economy that says the government has a role to play in making prosperity possible for more Americans. And what happened? The middle class as the engine of economic growth won.
Exit polls show that a majority believes that the economy generally favors the wealthy (55 percent); what’s more a majority also said that Romney’s policies favor the rich (53 percent). But it wasn’t just about Romney’s support of policies that benefit the wealthiest; it was that people rejected the basis of his top-down economic theory.
A poll of 1700 presidential voters the night of the election found that while voters credited President Obama with being better on the economy by only a point, when it came to “restoring the middle class”, voters favored Obama by twelve points.
Joel Benenson, chief pollster for the Obama campaign, wrote for New York Times about an 800 person poll they conducted for their own firm, finding: “Spending cuts alone could not address voter concerns — 89 percent of those surveyed agreed that “for my children to have the economic opportunities I’ve had, we need to make real investments in education, creating world-class schools and making college more affordable.” Benenson continued, “And when asked what the key to growing our economy was, nearly two in three voters said it was building a strong middle class over creating a “healthy climate for business.”
Americans made clear this week that they are more interested in investing in growth through the middle class than austerity measures that place more of the burden on the middle class. There is broad support for cutting wasteful spending, including tax giveaways that favor the wealthiest, rather than cutting investments in programs that protect social mobility and growth, like education, infrastructure and public health.
As Elizabeth Warren stated in her speech after defeating Sen. Scott Brown, “This victory belongs to you…we’re going to fight for a level playing field and we’re going to put people back to work.“
The Choice
The choices we make over the next few weeks will have huge consequences for the middle class and our economy for a generation to come: will Congress ask the wealthiest Americans to pay their fair share, or will they keep the game rigged for the wealthy at the expense of the middle class? One path asks the wealthy to pay a little more in order to reduce the deficit while making investments in the middle class that we need in order to grow the economy over the long-term. A different path asks the middle class and seniors to foot the bill by slashing Medicare and Social Security just to provide another round of tax cuts to the wealthiest – tax cuts that have proven to not create jobs and would effectively preclude investments in energy, education and infrastructure.
As Republicans and Democrats make their case to the American people during the fiscal showdown, they would be wise to look closely at what Americans said loudly and clearly in this election and the brinkmanship and pledges they rejected.
BOTTOM LINE: Republicans made their case to the American people and the American people rejected their approach.
*L*S*O*S*L*O*S*E*R*S*
Nice to see all of you here. Thoughts? Blog me.
Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.
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Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)
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November 9th, 2012 at 9:29 am
No struggle to explain the Presidential Election loss: The GOP believed it was the bank accounts of the few rather than the consciousness of the many that was the key metric to winning.
November 9th, 2012 at 9:34 am
An Easier Road to Weight Loss
The “diet” sections of bookstores are filled with tomes that attempt to convince us that we must follow all the tips in the book all at once.
The books try to make it sound so easy.
But drastically adjusting your diet and suddenly finding time to squeeze in daily exercise and regular weight-loss counseling isn’t simple (or cheap).
Luckily, there’s another approach to shedding pounds that’s a lot less difficult, time-consuming and expensive—and new research shows that it’s just as effective as the “all-at-once” method.
WHEN LESS IS MORE
The fact is, sometimes it pays to “ease your way in” when it comes to dropping weight. A recent study that analyzed overweight and obese adults found that, after 18 months, those who used a “step-by-step” program lost about the same amount of weight as those who used an “all-at-once” program.
Both programs involved restricting calories and increasing exercise, but those in the “step-by-step” program didn’t have to take part in as many weight-loss counseling sessions, on average, so they saved time and energy. And, the cost of the program was $572 less over the 18 months.
For example, those in the “all-at-once” group had to attend a 30-to-60 minute group counseling session weekly for the first six months…then twice a month for the next six months…and then monthly for the last six months—so they attended a total of 42 in-person counseling sessions.
People in the “step-by-step” group, however, attended group counseling sessions only monthly. If 5% weight loss wasn’t achieved by three months, they added one 10-minute monthly phone call with the counselor (aka “step two”).
If 7% weight loss wasn’t achieved by six months, they made two 10-minute calls to the counselor each month (“step three”). And so on.
Interestingly, about 22% of these subjects didn’t need to go any further than “step one” for all 18 months and needed just 18 total in-person counseling sessions.
TAKE BABY STEPS
Rather than trying to overhaul your life in one fell swoop, lead study author John M. Jakicic, PhD, suggests taking this overall concept to heart and trying a more gradual approach to weight loss.
For example, each of the following tips will help you burn at least 100 calories a day and, therefore, will help you drop about one pound of weight every five weeks. Start with the first trick, and if you don’t see enough results, slowly add the others.
Week One:
Calculate how many calories you’ve been consuming per day, on average (use http://www.CalorieKing.com).
Subtract 100 calories from this amount, and make that your new daily calorie limit. You might accomplish this by passing on seconds at dinner or having a large glass of water when you’re hungry for a snack.
Week Two:
Cut out one sugary beverage per day, which might mean one soda, iced tea, lemonade, fruit punch, energy drink or sweetened latte.
Week Three:
Squeeze in 20 total minutes of walking a day—which could be split up into 10-minute or even five-minute segments.
Week Four:
Add 10 minutes of calisthenics, such as jumping jacks, crunches and/or push-ups, to your daily routine—no weights or gym machines required. You could even just do these exercises during TV commercials.
After working these strategies into your daily routine gradually, you’ll be on track to lose at least four pounds a month. That’s not bad at all—and you haven’t had to do anything drastic!
Start with these basics, advises Dr. Jakicic, and if they aren’t causing you to whittle your weight, talk to your doctor about moving on to more sweeping, time-consuming and/or expensive measures.
For example, if you feel like weight-loss counseling might help, try monthly sessions first. If that doesn’t work, add one monthly call to your counselor or increase your sessions to twice a month. If that fails, try weekly meetings. But wait and see…you might find that the basics are all you need!
Source: John M. Jakicic, PhD, professor and chair, department of health and physical activity, and director, Physical Activity and Weight Management Research Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Education.
His study was published in The Journal of the American Medical Association.
November 9th, 2012 at 11:40 am
I like this crazy tweet.
————————-
Neal Boortz compares Obama to a natural disaster. There’s no such thing as too soon for libertarian-leaning radio host Neal Boortz, who compared Obama’s win to Hurricane Sandy, a storm that killed 113 people in the US alone:
Neal Boortz
✔
@Talkmaster
Obama a bigger disaster than Sandy. But media didn’t create Sandy as they did Obama, so they feel free to report the destruction.
November 9th, 2012 at 11:42 am
Most members of both parties agree that we need to address the large federal budget deficits that are projected for coming years. If we don’t eventually reduce the deficit then interest rates will rise and investment will be misdirected away from the private sector
November 9th, 2012 at 11:43 am
Happy Friday, everybody.
Just wanted to say, I’m so proud of our country and the women that took charge and began the steps of voting for independence from the patriarchy and voting women into office. Here’s a complete list of all the Women Congressional and Statewide Elected Executive Candidates for 2012. Sisters are doing it for themselves! :)
http://www.cawp.rutgers.edu/fast_facts/elections/candidates_2012.php
Have a great weekend. I’m know I’m ready for it!
/SB
November 9th, 2012 at 11:44 am
I like this one:
Victoria Jackson cries, says “America died.” The Saturday Night Live star who turned into an anti-gay right winger took Romney’s loss very, very seriously:
Victoria Jackson@vicjackshow
I can’t stop crying. America died.
November 9th, 2012 at 11:46 am
This is another crazy Right wing tweet.
———————————
The Cincinnati Tea Party declares the death of America. Ohio was the state that pushed Obama over the 270 electoral vote threshold. For Tea Partiers in the state, that was hard to handle.
One Cincinnati group’s website claimed America had committed suicide:
November 9th, 2012 at 11:59 am
If you want to know why the Dems didn’t win more House seats here it is.
============================
The actual partisan breakdown of the 113th Congress will be very different, however. Currently, Republicans enjoy a 233-192 advantage over Democrats, with 10 seats remaining undecided.
That means that, in a year when Republicans earned less than half the popular vote, they will control a little under 54 percent of the House even if Democrats run the table on the undecided seats.
There is a simple explanation for how this happened: Republicans won several key state legislatures and governors’ mansions in the election cycle before redistricting, and they gerrymandered those states within an inch of their lives.
President Obama won Pennsylvania by more than 5 points, but Democrats carried only 5 of the state’s 18 congressional seats:
Similar stories played out elsewhere. Obama won Virginia, and Democrats took 3 of 11 House seats. Obama won Ohio, but Democrats carried only 4 of 16 seats in Ohio’s House delegation.
Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), however, cannot simply thank Republican state lawmakers for enabling him to keep his job. He can also thank the conservatives on the Supreme Court.
Partisan gerrymandering exists for one purpose: to cut off the ability of people who disagree with a state’s ruling party to influence future elections.
It is a a clear violation of the First Amendment, which absolutely prohibits viewpoint discrimination.
Yet the Supreme Court abdicated its responsibility to end this discrimination in its 5-4 decision in Vieth v. Jubelirer, where the conservative justices tossed out a lawsuit alleging that Pennsylvania’s congressional districts were unconstitutionally drawn to maximize Republican representation in Congress.
Americans voted for a Democratic president, a Democratic Senate, and, barring significant shifts in the vote tally, a Democratic House.
Instead, they will get a House majority similar to the one that held the entire nation hostage during last year’s debt ceiling hostage crisis.
If the American people wanted this to happen, they would have said so at the polls on Tuesday.
Instead, Republican state lawmakers took away their right to democratically legitimate leadership — with a big assist from the conservatives on the Supreme Court.
=========================
Once again STARK has betrayed the american people. They have allowed the republicans to draw up the election districts to eliminate any areas with a majority of OTW or democratic voters in them.
Mike, TM
November 9th, 2012 at 12:19 pm
CIA Director David Petraeus has resigned because he had an extra marital affair.
Once again the little head has over ruled the big head.
He tendered his resignation to President Obama and it was accepted. There was no reason for Obama to not accept it as Petraeus has been a secret republican spy.
In this case his republican friends were attempting to blackmail him for information on Benghazi or they would release solicitous information about his affair. So he decided to tell the President.
He lied to the Ambassador Susan Rice because the republicans blackmailed him into not telling her everything so they could use it against Obama.
Anonz had him fingered when he informed Obama that the CIA knew the attack in Libya was a terrorist attack at the time they told the Ambassador it was because of that movie. He was confronted and he admitted it.
What Petraeus didn’t know at the time was that Anonz knew that he was one of those plotters who would have gone along with the nefarious plans of the Right wing.
He was also blackmailed into giving out other information to members of the Right wing by members of that wing.
Don’t be surprised if he surfaces as a candidate for the Presidency in 2016. We know that republicans will excuse anything by their candidates if they think they can win.
Goodbye and good riddance is my position.
Robert, RT
November 9th, 2012 at 12:27 pm
I wanted to add that David Petraeus was convinced that Romney would win and he would not have to resign.
But as they say, fuck with Anonz and pay the price.
Anonz was last seen smiling as Petraeus was seen leaving hanging his head. He smiled and mimicked “Done.”
Robert, RT
November 9th, 2012 at 12:49 pm
It is known that he had a particular fondness for CBS News’ Lara Logan.
———————————-
HEADQUARTERS Central Intelligence Agency
9 November 2012
Yesterday afternoon, I went to the White House and asked the President to be allowed, for personal reasons, to resign from my position as D/CIA. After being married for over 37 years, I showed extremely poor judgment by engaging in an extramarital affair. Such behavior is unacceptable, both as a husband and as the leader of an organization such as ours. This afternoon, the President graciously accepted my resignation.
As I depart Langley, I want you to know that it has been the greatest of privileges to have served with you, the officers of our Nation’s Silent Service, a work force that is truly exceptional in every regard. Indeed, you did extraordinary work on a host of critical missions during my time as director, and I am deeply grateful to you for that.
Teddy Roosevelt once observed that life’s greatest gift is the opportunity to work hard at work worth doing. I will always treasure my opportunity to have done that with you and I will always regret the circumstances that brought that work with you to an end.
Thank you for your extraordinary service to our country, and best wishes for continued success in the important endeavors that lie ahead for our country and our Agency.
With admiration and appreciation,
David H. Petraeus
————————————–
Speaking of expectations of Mitt winning the White House. The Right is livid because they knew that they would steal the White House.
The STARK at the Supreme were poised to eliminate many of the civil rights gains in the 60′s. They have accepted several cases that they can rule on.
The Right believes that they have the power to take control of the US. Unfortunately something happen on the way to the theft.
Mike, TM
November 9th, 2012 at 12:54 pm
I work within SCOTUS. It is known that STARK is planning to eliminate the Voting Rights Act and the Affirmative Rights Act.
They have instructed their clerks to begin writing a brief removing the burden of proof from the states and make it the requirement of the person who is being discriminated against.
The fix is in. It is a done deal.
Sandra
November 9th, 2012 at 1:08 pm
GOOD AFTERNOON TO EVERYONE!
Our stories are below, as our coverage shifts away from the election to the looming battle in Congress over our national debt and fiscal outlook. We also look at the make-up of President Obama’s cabinet in his second term and several pieces looking at the get-out-the-vote program the GOP used in this election. Some of the information is quite damning.
Talk to you all on Monday,
– Adam Tragone, Managing Editor
November 9th, 2012 at 1:13 pm
I wonder what he really did, because this sounds like some kind of smoke screen to explain why he’s no longer D/CIA. Someone must have something really juicy on him, or otherwise I watch too many spy movies.
November 9th, 2012 at 1:39 pm
How Big Companies Use “Plain English” to Rob You Blind
You typically can’t buy a car, open a bank account or obtain Internet service without signing a contract.
Those contracts inevitably are drafted by the company offering the product or service. That’s a perfectly sensible system—it wouldn’t make sense to hire a lawyer to hammer out a contract every time you wanted to obtain phone service or a credit card.
Problem:
The contracts that companies are asking us to sign have become increasingly one-sided in the companies’ favor in recent decades.
Hidden in their small print are unexpected and unfair fees, rules and restrictions.
Among the dangers in small print…
ARBITRATION CLAUSES
Contracts from financial institutions, car-rental companies and other corporations often force consumers to forgo their right to sue—even if the consumer clearly has been wronged.
Consumers who sign these contracts must instead settle any conflicts through binding arbitration. That may sound reasonable, but the arbitration process usually is strongly slanted against the consumer.
Arbitrators have an economic incentive to side with the companies rather than the consumers—if they don’t, they won’t get work from those companies in the future.
Many contractual arbitration clauses also grant the company tremendous power in the selection of the arbitrators. They let the company choose where the arbitration will take place, which can lead to prohibitive travel costs for consumers.
They require consumers to pay half or more of the arbitrators’ fees, which can be $400 an hour. And they might even include rules limiting the consumer’s ability to present evidence.
What to do:
When you’re handed a contract containing an arbitration clause, write “I disavow this section of the contract” next to this clause and then initial the modification. (Make a copy.)
There’s no guarantee that the company will accept this—or that the disavowal will hold up in court—but there’s little harm in trying, and in some cases the tactic could increase the odds that the company will be willing to agree to an out-of-court settlement rather than risk the possibility that you could force a court case.
If you are asked to sign a contract containing an arbitration clause and a very large sum of money is involved—for instance, the contract may be with the investment company that you intend to entrust with your retirement savings—it’s worth paying a lawyer to review the contract before signing.
If you become entangled in a serious dispute with a company with which you have signed a contract containing an arbitration clause, a jury trial still might be possible—but you will need an attorney who has a very specific background to achieve this.
Google the words “arbitration,” “clause,” “case” and the name of your state to find attorneys who have handled and won such cases, or contact your state bar association.
ESCAPE HATCHES
Companies sometimes insert language into the small print of their contracts that allows them to escape promises they have made to their customers—even promises made in writing—without being legally liable for the consequences.
Example:
A condominium buyer secures a promise from the real estate developer that it will repair his/her unit’s leaking windows.
The developer then fails to do the repairs, and water damage ruins the condo—yet depending on the wording of the contract, the buyer might have no legal recourse.
Companies do this in two ways…
They insert language in contracts that grants them the right to unilaterally change the terms of the agreement after it is made.
Consumers later are mailed notices of contractual changes, but the language tends to be dense, difficult-to-interpret legalese.
They write contracts in a way that takes advantage of the legal distinction between a promise and the duty to live up to that promise.
In the eyes of the law, these are distinct things.
A company that exploits this distinction might be shielded from charges of fraud unless consumers can prove that the company had an intention to deceive when the promise was made—and intent is extremely difficult to prove.
What to do:
When lots of money is at stake, pay an attorney specializing in contracts to confirm that the contract really does require the company to do what it has promised to do.
If you receive a notice of updated contract terms from a financial institution—or any other company with whom you have signed a contract—wade through the dense legalese of the notice to determine what, specifically, has changed.
If the new terms are not acceptable to you, it might be time to take your business elsewhere.
There is some good news—you might escape a contract without penalty if a company changes the terms of its agreement with you in a way that works against your interests.
For example, contractual changes sometimes offer a way out of multiyear cellular-service contracts without incurring early termination fees.
PHONE AND INTERNET TRAPS
Phone and Internet provider contracts have become riddled with small print—and the bills so laden with incomprehensible fees—that consumers often aren’t sure what they’re being charged for or what they’re receiving.
Two examples…
Phone bills have increased by more than twice the rate of inflation in the past 20 years despite technological advances that should have dramatically reduced the price of calls.
Much of this price increase has been quietly slipped onto bills in the form of new fees.
Typically these added fees are fairly low, so consumers don’t bother to complain about them, but there are so many of them that they quickly add up.
Some of these fees even are designed to look like taxes—that “FCC subscriber line charge” that appears on many phone bills isn’t really imposed by the Federal Communications Commission.
It’s simply a fee that the phone company charges to let the customer have access to the long-distance network.
What to do:
The only way to reduce phone fees is to reduce the number of phone lines you pay for, perhaps by canceling your landline and using only a cell phone or Internet-based phone.
Internet speed usually is not as fast as what customers think they have been promised.
Take a close look at the small print in high-speed Internet service contracts. Whatever speed customers order, they are promised only “up to” that speed.
Usually they receive much slower service, particularly at peak usage hours.
What to do:
If you have multiple Internet providers in your area, it is possible that one offers noticeably faster connections in practice even if all advertise similar speeds, something you can determine by asking your neighbors which providers they use and how fast their connection speeds have been.
Source: David Cay Johnston, a Pulitzer Prize–winning reporter formerly with The New York Times. Based in Rochester, New York, he is author of The Fine Print: How Big Companies Use “Plain English” to Rob You Blind (Portfolio).
November 9th, 2012 at 2:03 pm
I worked for Petraeus. He is just another white boy that has been given too much credit for more skills than he possesses.
He found that out when he tried to use the CIA to take on Anonz. His famous last words, “I tamed two countries, I don’t think one man will pose a serious problem.” are still ringing the halls of Langley.
Their followers found out who blinks first; the man ordering others to accomplish a mission or the man leading men on a mission.
If he thinks it is over, he will discover that Anonz has a long memory.
November 9th, 2012 at 3:06 pm
Remarks by the President
East Room
1:08 P.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you so much. (Applause.) Thank you very much, everybody. Everybody, please have a seat. (Applause.)
Well, good afternoon, everybody. Now that those of us on the campaign trail have had a chance to get a little sleep — (laughter) — it’s time to get back to work. And there is plenty of work to do.
As I said on Tuesday night, the American people voted for action, not politics as usual. You elected us to focus on your jobs, not ours. And in that spirit, I’ve invited leaders of both parties to the White House next week, so we can start to build consensus around the challenges that we can only solve together. And I also intend to bring in business and labor and civic leaders from all across the country here to Washington to get their ideas and input as well.
At a time when our economy is still recovering from the Great Recession, our top priority has to be jobs and growth. That’s the focus of the plan I talked about during the campaign. (Applause.) It’s a plan to reward small businesses and manufacturers that create jobs here, not overseas. It’s a plan to give people the chance to get the education and training that businesses are looking for right now. It’s a plan to make sure this country is a global leader in research and technology and clean energy, which will attract new companies and high-wage jobs to America. It’s a plan to put folks back to work, including our veterans, rebuilding our roads and our bridges, and other infrastructure. And it’s a plan to reduce our deficit in a balanced and responsible way.
Our work is made that much more urgent because at the end of this year, we face a series of deadlines that require us to make major decisions about how to pay our deficit down — decisions that will have a huge impact on the economy and the middle class, both now and in the future. Last year, I worked with Democrats and Republicans to cut a trillion dollars’ worth of spending that we just couldn’t afford. I intend to work with both parties to do more — and that includes making reforms that will bring down the cost of health care so we can strengthen programs like Medicaid and Medicare for the long haul.
But as I’ve said before, we can’t just cut our way to prosperity. If we’re serious about reducing the deficit, we have to combine spending cuts with revenue — and that means asking the wealthiest Americans to pay a little more in taxes. (Applause.) That’s how we did it in the 1990s, when Bill Clinton was President. That’s how we can reduce the deficit while still making the investments we need to build a strong middle class and a strong economy. That’s the only way we can still afford to train our workers, or help our kids pay for college, or make sure that good jobs in clean energy or high-tech manufacturing don’t end up in countries like China.
Now, already, I’ve put forward a detailed plan that allows us to make these investments while reducing our deficit by $4 trillion over the next decade. I want to be clear — I’m not wedded to every detail of my plan. I’m open to compromise. I’m open to new ideas. I’m committed to solving our fiscal challenges. But I refuse to accept any approach that isn’t balanced. I am not going to ask students and seniors and middle-class families to pay down the entire deficit while people like me, making over $250,000, aren’t asked to pay a dime more in taxes. I’m not going to do that. (Applause.)
And I just want to point out this was a central question during the election. It was debated over and over again. And on Tuesday night, we found out that the majority of Americans agree with my approach — and that includes Democrats, independents, and a lot of Republicans across the country, as well as independent economists and budget experts. That’s how you reduce the deficit — with a balanced approach.
So our job now is to get a majority in Congress to reflect the will of the American people. And I believe we can get that majority. I was encouraged to hear Speaker Boehner agree that tax revenue has to be part of this equation — so I look forward to hearing his ideas when I see him next week.
And let me make one final point that every American needs to hear. Right now, if Congress fails to come to an agreement on an overall deficit reduction package by the end of the year, everybody’s taxes will automatically go up on January 1st — everybody’s — including the 98 percent of Americans who make less than $250,000 a year. And that makes no sense. It would be bad for the economy and would hit families that are already struggling to make ends meet.
Now, fortunately, we shouldn’t need long negotiations or drama to solve that part of the problem. While there may be disagreement in Congress over whether or not to raise taxes on folks making over $250,000 a year, nobody — not Republicans, not Democrats — want taxes to go up for folks making under $250,000 a year. So let’s not wait. Even as we’re negotiating a broader deficit reduction package, let’s extend the middle-class tax cuts right now. Let’s do that right now. (Applause.)
That one step — that one step — would give millions of families — 98 percent of Americans and 97 percent of small businesses — the certainty that they need going into the new year. It would immediately take a huge chunk of the economic uncertainty off the table, and that will lead to new jobs and faster growth. Business will know that consumers, they’re not going to see a big tax increase. They’ll know that most small businesses won’t see a tax increase. And so a lot of the uncertainty that you’re reading about, that will be removed.
In fact, the Senate has already passed a bill doing exactly this, so all we need is action from the House. And I’ve got the pen ready to sign the bill right away. I’m ready to do it. (Applause.) I’m ready to do it. (Applause.)
The American people understand that we’re going to have differences and disagreements in the months to come. They get that. But on Tuesday, they said loud and clear that they won’t tolerate dysfunction. They won’t tolerate politicians who view compromise as a dirty word. Not when so many Americans are still out of work. Not when so many families and small business owners are still struggling to pay the bills.
What the American people are looking for is cooperation. They’re looking for consensus. They’re looking for common sense. Most of all, they want action. I intend to deliver for them in my second term, and I expect to find willing partners in both parties to make that happen. So let’s get to work.
Thank you very much, everybody. Thank you. (Applause.)
END
1:15 P.M. EST
November 9th, 2012 at 7:05 pm
Insure the surveillance of Key West doesn’t mirror the mistakes done by those who mirrored the USS Chicago.
November 9th, 2012 at 7:11 pm
Honoring Our Nation’s Heroes
November 9, 2012
Honoring Our Nation’s Heroes
On Veterans Day, Americans pause to honor and celebrate all of the men and women who went to war and came safely home; who traveled to distant battlefields on behalf of our freedom and security; who have fought in the name of liberty, in defense of our values.
In Congress, our work is founded on a solemn promise: just as the military pledges to leave no service member behind on the battlefield, we will leave no veteran behind when they return home.
Under Democratic Majorities in the House and Senate, Congress made historic gains for America’s veterans including:
Enacting the new Post 9-11 GI Bill to restore the promise of a full, four-year college education, that has already helped over 700,000 veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars afford college.
Strengthening health care for more than 5 million veterans, with a historic commitment – including the largest single increase in the history of the VA – for more doctors and nurses, and better access for rural veterans.
Providing veterans with the benefits they have earned and resources they need by taking steps to reduce the backlog and wait for veterans trying to access their earned benefits and making headway in ending the Disabled Veterans Tax.
Congresswoman Pelosi visits veterans at the San Francisco Veterans Administration Medical Center’s (SFVAMC) Community Living Center.
Casework News
Recently my office was able to assist a Vietnam era veteran whose claim was incorrectly decided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
Upon my intervention, the VA was able to determine that a clear and unmistakable error did occur in the prior rating.
The VA reviewed the case again, reversed its decision, and provided the veteran with a retroactive payment in addition to correcting his monthly VA compensation.
If you have a problem with the VA or obtaining your federal benefits, you can learn more about how my office can be of assistance to you at my website or by calling my office at 415.556.4862.
Please feel free to forward this information to your family and friends. To learn more about these efforts, to express your views, or to sign up for email updates, please visit my website. I am also on Twitter at http://twitter.com/NancyPelosi.
best regards,
Member of Congress
November 9th, 2012 at 8:47 pm
Denice Helms wrote a racist’s tweet said “And another 4 years of the nigger maybe he will get assassinated this term..!!
http://gawker.com/5959209/woman-who-called-for-nigger-obamas-assassination-in-viral-facebook-post-confronted-by-news-crew-is-officially-the-worst-person-in-the-world
Yet, we are constantly being told that the election of Obama shows racism is over.
November 9th, 2012 at 8:52 pm
Threats against the president are a felony under U.S. Code Section 871.
It reads: “Whoever knowingly and willfully deposits for conveyance in the mail or for a delivery from any post office or by any letter carrier any letter, paper, writing, print, missive, or document containing any threat to take the life of, to kidnap, or to inflict bodily harm upon the President of the United States, the President-elect, the Vice President or other officer next in the order of succession to the office of President of the United States, or the Vice President-elect, or knowingly and willfully otherwise makes any such threat against the President, President-elect, Vice President or other officer next in the order of succession to the office of President, or Vice President-elect, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.”
November 9th, 2012 at 9:04 pm
Thanks Juanita, now will someone tell me why whites in America profess to believe that it is protected free speech to express threats against President Obama’s life?
Those are the same white people that wanted to ban the Dixie Chicks for merely saying they were embarrassed about Bush’s behavior.
What is up with the whites in your country America? My cousin emigrated from the Netherlands to gain american citizenship. He returned last year saying that american whites in Georgia were racist and religious hypocrites.
Now I see this Denice Helms from California is just as sick. I have always dreamed of visiting California, land of Hollywood. Now it sickens me to think, I could be identified by the OTW of your country as a racist because I could pass for one of your white citizens.
I’m staying home.
Driek
November 9th, 2012 at 9:09 pm
So of course, Fox gives her an audience. So she could say to millions of their racists viewers, “I didn’t think it would be that big of a deal.” “The assassination part is kind of harsh. I’m not saying I’d go do that or anything like that, by any means, but if it was to happen I don’t think I’d care one bit.”
She doesn’t even now that she’s a racist! I guess this is what happens when your parents are cousins!
November 9th, 2012 at 9:15 pm
Driek:
Its a damn shame that a whole race is being targeted over 1 white racist bitch’s comment. It just shows the mind frame of the majority of you…
You are all just as racist as she is…It’s not a whole races fault if 1 single person of that kind reacted in such a hate filled manner…but to sit & claim that all white people are the same is absurd…
Grow up people thats why we have these problems b/c people blame entire races for just a few of that races hate filled spats…
Its really sad & sickening that this much hate lies deep within the souls of so many people… still in 2012….its shameful ..and this woman is pathetic & it’s terrible that all whites are now being targeted for her mistake.
I voted for Obama because I know he is a good man I wouldn’t have voted for Romney if they held a gun to my head and told me they would blow my brains out if I didnt I would have died 1st…
Please don’t say all whites are in the same category as this racist bitch b/c I felt the same way towards romney if he became pres.
Only I didnt post the feelings I had about that because I know where the government will take it.. Obama 4 More years you racists need to get over it…besides he’s white too ..he’s mixed just like my beautiful child…and for white people to go out & vote for romney b/c he was white is absurd.
You vote for a person b/c of their beliefs & you agree with them and you feel like they can benefit our Nation & our people better than the other person, not b/c of their race…
It’s absolutely ridiculous! God Bless Obama & may God keep him safe from all harm & protect him & his family from people that may want to harm him b/c he is in office for 4 more years in Jesus name!!
November 9th, 2012 at 9:15 pm
“There isn’t enough Black people in this country to get the President reelected alone, so know that there is a lot of other different races who saw and see the big picture.”
That is true, but the days of just needing majority white votes are over. Blacks/Latinos,play a MAJOR role in electing Presidents now.
November 9th, 2012 at 9:17 pm
Don’t get mad people if you voted for President Obama you already won. There’s going to always be people like this no matter what.
Just don’t blame all white people for the actions a few. There isn’t enough Black people in this country to get the President reelected alone, so know that there is a lot of other different races who saw and see the big picture.
We don’t want to be grouped with all the foolish African americans so let’s not do it to them. Truth be told, this country is changing for the better slowly but surely and lets add to the change instead of fighting with the foolishness.
November 9th, 2012 at 9:23 pm
Claire, I wouldn’t fret over Driek’s comment. Most OTWs know that poor in need of attention woman isn’t representative of all whites in America.
I read this comment from the NAACP on a blog: “We as community leaders and patrons of the business needs to continue to support the business that is handling a very negative situation,” said NAACP Branch 1048 President Frank Johnson.
Kegle said Helms never expressed her opinions in the store or to her friends, but Facebook users we talked with say some people are more comfortable expressing their views on social media than in person, where face to face feedback is more immediate.
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It is obvious she is just a person feeling unattractive and vented her frustrations the only way she knew how.
She poses no harm to anyone. Let her be.
Byron
November 9th, 2012 at 9:47 pm
Yeah, but most whites in America are quick to either tell racist jokes or look the other way when one of their racist members does.
Check this one out by a senior employer of Kitchen Aid who knew exactly what I just posted so he felt free to use the logo of he company when he posted his racist joke about Obama’s dead grandmother.
http://thinkprogress.org/election/2012/10/04/960361/kitchenaid-obama-grandma/
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The real problem is that most whites won’t chastise their own for their disgusting racist behavior.
June
November 9th, 2012 at 9:47 pm
Nothing new here.He been dealing with this kind of hate since running for President.Racism in America is alive and well.Cannot let the ignorance of the few polarize the love of the majority!
November 9th, 2012 at 10:07 pm
What do you people expect? The fucking nigger won again.
November 9th, 2012 at 10:09 pm
Obama only won because he’s black. Romney would have been a much better president as he actually has morals unlike that nigger Obama.
November 9th, 2012 at 10:10 pm
These people learn their racism from their parents.
November 9th, 2012 at 10:12 pm
America picks a worthless nigger over a full blooded american. What the hell has our world come to? Its called the White House for a reason.
November 9th, 2012 at 10:15 pm
We who pay attention to policy know that Obama is about the same ilk as LBJ. The racist screed propagated here is just as hateful as if you called him N. He is not remotely doing ANY of the things you claim.
We monitor racism FROM Black groups and can’t find any. The FOX screed against the lone Panther outside a Philly poll was seriously undermined by his walking over to open the door for two old white women!
I thought he was sweet. And the FOX commentators are ranting about his “intimidating” voters. Get over it.
When we find it we will do something about it, but all our looking has unearthed NOTHING Marxist or Black supremacist. NOTHING.
November 9th, 2012 at 10:16 pm
The difference being that in Michigan people have enough sense not to put their racism on display for the world to see. They see that it is now socially acceptable, whereas in many other parts of the country It is virtually a social necessity, let the other racists know you’re one of them.
November 9th, 2012 at 10:17 pm
Michelle, where is your list of those people who threatened Mitt Romney’s life. Where is your list of those people who threatened to kill white people if Obama lost.?
You have no journalistic integrity if you only whine and groan about those people with whom you disagree.
In fact, a journalist is supposed to have enough integrity that in everything that they do, that they do not give any indication as to what their personal beliefs are.
You belong to a group of people who carried water for the president and did everything you could to hide his failings.
You’ve NO room to talk, since you didn’t carry the flag when Romney was attacked by thousands of tweets. You’ve no room to talk since you didn’t carry the flag when white people were threatened for being white and voting for Romney.
You’ve no room to talk since you aren’t pointing out how black people keep killing white people, at a rate 81 times that of killing white people killing black people.
You are absolute scum for being so one-sided. Racism has no place in this nation, and the Democrats are the primary source of it. Democrats pay off those that vote for them. Republicans care about the country as a whole, not a particular color.
What party did the KKK belong to until they died out and became near invisible? Democrats.
What party fought segregation? Democrats.
What party opposed civil rights legislation 96% of the time from 1933 through 1960? Democrats.
You sicken me.
November 9th, 2012 at 10:19 pm
Racists all think they’re so clever and original with the whole “It’s called a White House for a reason” thing.
November 9th, 2012 at 10:20 pm
What hit me after President Obama was elected the first time was how all the bigots came out of the woodwork. It’s extinction burst. They’re terrified that the world might not always be tilted toward being Caucasian (and possibly male,) and so they have to scream and shout and be as ugly as they know how, in a last-ditch effort to prove they’re not the new minority.
Either the Republican party makes a concerted effort to leave them behind, understanding that playing to their tantrums is a losing strategy, or they present their traditional tenets to the people they’ve largely left out for a generation.
November 9th, 2012 at 10:21 pm
In case you were hopeful that Obama winning a second term was some kind of indication that racism doesn’t really exist anymore, check out Twitter.
The amount of hate speech, referring to the president as a “nigger,” a “monkey,” calling for violence and for the south to “rise again” was depressing—and eye-opening.
Here is incontrovertible proof (as if we needed it) that racism isn’t just some imaginary talking point invented by liberals, but an actual problem. What’s sadder is that many of these Tweeters seem to be in high school, who don’t have the flimsy excuse of being raised in “another time.”
If you believe these children are our future, then our future is fucked.
November 9th, 2012 at 10:22 pm
As someone who generally identifies as conservative but finds current Republican policy vomit worthy, I really hope that the party can finally grow up and get with the 21st century. You can be fiscally (and socially) conservative without still living in the 19th century.
November 9th, 2012 at 10:24 pm
As a lifelong progressive Democrat who finds Obama to be too conservative, I say, ‘bless you, dear sister.’
I have nothing against fiscal solvency, balanced budgets, non-bloated government and true family values (including the right to marry according to one’s wishes, adopt children, inherit property, and do family planning while using birth control, or even abortion if it’s a last resort).
It wasn’t just Obama who won yesterday. People like you, who turned your backs on ignorance, hatred and fear, won yesterday, too.
You embraced science, truth, education, the rights of working people to decide their own destinies, and the american Way of Life, which has always been about working together to find a way to protect the rights of all people.
I’d be willing to stand by you any day. Conservatives like you are all right by me.
November 9th, 2012 at 10:27 pm
My girls wanted to see the Hunger Games. I advised against it. It was this site that made the want to see it. They really couldn’t understand why whites were so against a little black girl playing a part.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/donnad/racist-hunger-games-fans-that-failed-reading-com
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I checked out the links and it is amazing how silly some people can be.
November 10th, 2012 at 9:37 am
This blog is tiring to me due to when I read the comments I see just how many ignorant, racist, uneducated, irrational, idiots there are…Steve, David, John, Mark, the large percentage of the people in the uneducated “southern” states are perfect examples.
November 10th, 2012 at 11:34 am
Anon#43, I agree with you. But it is still the best blog for us foreigners if we are interested in getting the true american conscious.
Face it American whites are a severely racist bunch.
Mihail