Democratic aide: Fiscal 'cliff' deal reached

AP ^ | December 31, 2012 9:03 PM EST | By DAVID ESPO

[bd476]

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Democratic aide says the White House and congressional Republicans have reached an agreement to avert the so-called fiscal cliff.

The measure would extend Bush-era tax cuts for family incomes below $450,000 and briefly avert across-the-board spending cuts set to strike the Pentagon and domestic agencies this week.

[SkyPilot]

WHERE ARE THE SPENDING CUTS??

The only spending cuts that would save the Republic from going into financial collapse were entitlement reform.

The talk of reforming Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and Welfare programs was bandied about before Christmas, but watered down to nothing. The GOP tried to institute the last vestige of that (chained CPI COLA) into yesterday's negotiations, and then promptly chickened out.

Entitlements are breaking the nation's back, and now they will only grow larger. We haven't even been talking about ObamaCare either. Everyone is also going to pay more for their health insurance and receive crappier medical care so that we can all pay for Obama Voters.

[Praxeologue]

so, just to be clear, this deal has no impact on raising the debt ceiling, and that will be whole nother separate issue in a couple months?

Yes, agreeing to permanent tax hikes over $450k now is the quid pro quo for "unbundling" the debt ceiling negotiations. The expense reduction negotiation is made part of the debt ceiling negotiations. Meanwhile, Obama and the media will portray the Reps as mean ogres all Winter in preparation for the final surrender of the Reps. The real losers are all of us.

[Pollster1]

That's quite a "deal", but only for America's enemies who want our future crippled. The left wing gets their class warfare tax increase on the rich. Decent Americans get no federal spending cuts at all. Why are the Republicans agreeing to this?

The Dems claimed that if we gave on taxes, then they would have room to negotiate on spending. The House needs to hold firm until they have a Senate bill on spending, and not give the far left this win with nothing to show for it. Frankly, I'd rather go over the "Cliff" and then solve the real problem of out of control spending than continue to impoverish our children and our grandchildren.

[gusopol3]

The Democrats lose their leverage if this deal goes through, it makes the <$450,000 rates permanent and permanently fixes the AMT. TheDemocrats no longer will be able to hold a gun to the head of the midde class and dare the Republicans to see if they’ll pull the trigger. Obama’s giving up more than he said he was willing to when it seemed he was all to happy to let the taxes rise on everybody, then o back and fix it by pushing middle class tax cuts. Therefore, it’s something else in the deal he’s got to have and I say it’s the delay of the defense sequestration.

[EternalVigilance]

Helluva way to run a railroad.

[jeltz25]

Seems to me this whole thing has been a waste of time. AT the end, Biden and McConnell were always going to work out some deal, and that’s how it will alwyays be.

The WH has no incentive to negotiate with Boehner or the House. They know that in the end they’ll just work out a deal with McConnell.

I guess once Obama won in NOvember though an outcome like this was to be expected. I’m actually surprised they got the taxes to be raised at 450k. I thought for sure they’d fold and give in at 250.

[tennmountainman]

I’ve changed my mind.
There won’t be any votes to increase taxes.
They will all go up by default
And then they will all agree to reduce taxes on most of the brackets.
Voting for tax reductions will be a much easier vote, that voting for tax increases.

[Mike Darancette]

So what about payroll taxes, the doc fix, presidential approval for debt ceiling and unemployment benefit extension?

[Wyatt's Torch]

LOL! I’ve heard this about a thousand times over the last 20 years. This result was cast in stone in August 2011 when the Debt Ceiling deal was struck. I’m actually pretty impressed they got it up to $450K and didn’t cave for Obama’s $250K. They are 1/2 of 1/3 of the government. It’s actually a decent deal because the Dems are pissed as well. Thinking taxes weren’t going up was incredibly naive. Is it a good thing? Of course not. It goes against principle. But it will have a negligible impact on the economy and its a better deal than going over the cliff and raising taxes on everyone.

[Democrat_media]

This article is more lies from the AP.

I just heard on the radio that Republican House majority leader Cantor said he hasn’t seen the deal.

Call Congress there is still time to stop it.

[EternalVigilance]

New tagline ...

[Tzimisce]

So the libs get EVERYTHING they want?

What a great deal. :)

Not for us, but who cares about that?

[Democrat_media]

No deal yet.

This is the AP. what do you expect ? it’s pure lies.

Just heard Cantor said he hasn’t seen any deal.

Call them tell them to go over the media’s cliff, no tax increases.

Congress switchboard number: (202) 224-3121.

[SC_Pete]

We need a new party. The GOP has been losing since the Roosevelt Administration. This new party MUST COMMIT TO VOLUNTARILY IMPOSE TERM LIMITS ON ITS OWN ELECTED OFFICIALS AT ALL LEVELS. Only then can it insulate itself from corruption and cronyism. Only then can we have uncompromised advocates of the Constitution and limited government. The RATS are winning anyway—it’s time to at least fight and speak the truth.

[Democrat_media]

So you believe the AP? Lol

[Uncle Chip]

Democratic aide is full of bs — no deal

[Democrat_media]

Democratic aide is full of bs — no deal

Also the AP is full of bs. This article is from the AP

[Artcore]

“So you believe the AP? Lol”
_____________________________

So you believe Eric Cantor...Boehner’s inept lieutenant? LOL!

[Nervous Tick]

>> Is there a difference?

In name only.