Are 'Fiscal Cliff' Conversations Going Anywhere?

NPR ^ | 12-11-12

[ExxonPatrolUs]

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

...By now you have heard about - you might in fact be tired of hearing about that so-called fiscal cliff. That's the package of automatic spending cuts and tax rate hikes that will go into effect if Congress and the White House can't agree on a plan to reduce the deficit by the end of the year.

The speaker and the president of the United States met over the weekend to talk privately, but there's been a lot of public debate about it too, on the public affairs shows and in press conferences, and even some campaigning. President Obama has gone so far as to take to the road to promote his ideas. Here's a clip from a speech he gave in Michigan yesterday.

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA:

Bla Bla Bla... (APPLAUSE)

MARTIN: ...With us to talk about that and other political issues we're joined now by Ron Christie... Also with us Michael Fauntroy. He's a professor of public policy at George Mason University...

MARTIN: So, Michael, it's worth noting that this isn't the first time the president's taken to the road to drum up support for his policies... So what's the temperature on this? Too much, too little, or just right this time?

FAUNTROY: You know, I'm a little conflicted about this because these events strike me as the thousand events I just heard about during the election. I mean, I thought it was over. Why are we still doing this kind of stuff? We had an election. Everybody knew what the president was running on. He won reelection...

[whitedog57]

No. Obama wants his class warfare. Period.

http://confoundedinterest.wordpress.com/2012/12/13/the-7-deadly-economic-sins-constraining-a-recovery-before-the-fiscal-abyss/

[tennmountainman]

Sure. It’s all another Kabuki Dance, like the Debt Ceiling
Grand Bargain two years ago. It’s already pre-determined.
Bonehead bends over, grabs his own ankles while Obama stands
behind Bonehead. You catch my drift?

[andyk]

but clearly the people have decided.

Yep, they decided on divided government again. They decided that the GOP should maintain control of spending, even if they don't exercise that power.

[EricT.]

This whole fight is faker than a backstage pro wrestling shout down.

One side wants us $18.9 Trillion in debt in 2014 and the other side wants us $18.4 Trillion in debt by 2014.

Time to scrap the whole damned government and start over.