House won't vote before midnight on 'cliff' deal
WASHINGTON — The House will miss the midnight Monday deadline lawmakers set for voting to avoid the "fiscal cliff."
House Republicans notified lawmakers that the chamber will vote Monday evening on other bills. They say that will be their only votes of the day.
President Barack Obama and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said Monday they are near a deal to avoid wide-ranging tax increases and spending cuts — the fiscal cliff — that take effect with the new year.
Both men said they were still bargaining over whether — and how — to avoid $109 billion in cuts to defense and domestic programs that take effect on Wednesday.
It remained unclear whether the Senate would vote Monday.
Congress could pass later legislation retroactively blocking the tax hikes and spending cuts.
bubba posted at 4:53 pm on Mon, Dec 31, 2012.
The "Fiscal Cliff" is the new Y2K. It's all a preplanned scheme by all involved. We'll go over the much hyped "cliff", then deals will be cut to lessen taxes on those that make less than 500k. Those that made their treasonist pledge to reprsent Grover Norquist instead of their constituents won't be blamed for raising taxes, but be seen as heroes for lowering taxes. The other side will lay claim to saving Social Security, even though it should never have been on the table, The Middle Class went over the "cliff" years ago. It's all hype and scare tactics that result in "Much Ado About Nothing".
Accuracy posted at 6:43 pm on Mon, Dec 31, 2012.
The “Cliff-hanger” Democrats’ last-minute negotiation – to secure a tentative agreement to raise income taxes on high-income Americans, and leave taxes at current levels for the middle class. But the measure was not going to pass in time for Congress to meet its "Obama fiscal cliff” deadline. Meaning, the proposal did not go far enough for President Barack Obama’s higher taxes and higher spending.
Rational posted at 7:49 pm on Mon, Dec 31, 2012.
You get what you vote for. The congress is a reflection of the division in the nation. There was a time when moderates could be elected. Not today, you are either a left wing liberal or a right wing conservative. Don't blame the congress, we elected them and they are trying to satisfy their constituants. Whether you like it or not, we are responsible for the deadlock.
chatmandu002 posted at 9:23 am on Tue, Jan 1, 2013.
It's a spending problem not a taxing problem. Put the big government on a spending diet. Cut til it hurts then cut some more.
Ateam1 posted at 12:19 pm on Tue, Jan 1, 2013.
chatman,you are absolutely right. Obama's printing press needs a cool down but i don't see it happening.He is also going to scroo everyone who has employer supported health insurance by taxing the fool out of it so he can fund obamacare for all his bums! Any way you dice it,all working class peoples taxes are going up,he is just trying to make middle class people like me think it's not! LIAR,LIAR Mr. Obama!!!
bubba posted at 2:57 pm on Tue, Jan 1, 2013.
chatmandu002:....“I’m not worried about the deficit. It is big enough to take care of itself.”.....Ronald Reagan Mar.24, 1984.
George W. Bush added $4.9 Trillion to the national debt, nearly doubling it from $5.7 Trillion upon taking office 2001 to $10.6 Trillion to leaving office in 2009 Most of the debt was run up under Bush. Dick Cheney said, quote:"deficits don’t matter.” I mean the Republicans have some nerve. Bush came into office. The debt was $5.6 trillion. He took a surplus and turned it into a $10 trillion debt, almost doubled it, with stuff they didn’t pay for.
They didn’t pay for the wars. They didn’t pay for the tax cuts for the rich, which should be called tax spending for the rich, because it is spending. The prescription drug program, all of that unpaid for. And then suddenly Obama comes into office and they act like he’s Newt Gingrich’s wife at Tiffany’s.