Lindsey Graham Stunner On NBC: He Likes Some Of Obama’s Budget Proposals

Mediaite ^ | 4/7/13 | Garrett Quinn

[markomalley]

South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham surprised many this morning on Meet The Press when he said he liked some of the provisions in President Obama’s expected budget.

President Obama is expected to release have dinner with several Republican legislators next when he releases his new budget. Graham, who has shown openness to raising billions in new revenues in exchange for some austerity measures, is expected to be among the Senators that join the president for the dinner. One must remember, though, that the president’s budget is has no real teeth and is a blueprint on where to spend in a way that is similar to the House and Senate budgets.

Nonetheless, Graham told NBC’s David Gregory that he thinks the president is making a good faith effort to address entitlement reforms in his budget proposal. “There are nuggets of his budget that I think are optimistic. It’s overall a bad plan for the economy,” said Graham.

The changes to entitlement programs that Obama is proposing, according to Graham, would extend the life of the programs and increase revenue for the government.

“The president is showing a bit of leg here. This is somewhat encouraging. His overall budget isn not going to make it but he’s make a step forward in the entitlement reform process that would allow guy like me to talk about flatening the tax code and generating more revenue,” said Graham.

Watch clip below via NBC

[markomalley]

A picture of Senator Graham before appearing on the show:

Despite it is Gramnesty, I did check the transcript to make sure that the left-wing Mediaite wasn't taking him out of context.

SEN. GRAHAM: There are nuggets of his budget that I think are optimistic. It’s overall a bad plan for the economy, but when you look at Chained CPI and Medicare reductions, we’re beginning to set the stage for the grand bargain. Chained CPI, adjust/harmonize the retirement age of Medicare with Social Security, do some means testing for both programs and in return flattening the tax code, generate about 600 billion dollars of revenue. And if you look at these changes over 30 years, there’s four to five trillion dollars in savings. So I’m looking for the biggest spending cut in American history by reforming entitlements, saving those entitlements. And the president is showing a little bit of leg here. This is-- this is somewhat encouraging. His overall budget is not going to make it but he has sort of made a step forward in the entitlement reform process that would allow a guy like me to begin talk about flattening the tax code and generating more revenue.

GREGORY: Do you think a grand bargain is possible by July?

SEN. GRAHAM: I think if you do immigration and the grand bargain this year will dominate the 21st century, yes. The key to the grand bargain is can we solve immigration? If we can in a bipartisan fashion fix a broken immigration system to regain our lost sovereignty, control who comes to the country, who gets a job, a robust temporary worker program and as to Republicans, the politics of self-deportation are behind us. Mitt Romney is a good man. He ran in many ways a good campaign, but it was an impractical solution, quite frankly. It was offensive. Every corner of the Republican Party from libertarians, the RNC, House Republicans and the rank and file Republican Party member is now understanding there has to be an earned pathway to citizenship. That gives us leverage on immigration with our Democratic friends.

GREGORY: I want to follow on that in just a second but I-- I also want to follow up-- you’re putting new revenue, as a Republican, you’re putting that on the table and you think it ought to be…

SEN. GRAHAM: If we do substantial entitlement reform that will save four to five trillion over a 30-year window, I think there’s…

GREGORY: This is what the president is talking about in your view substantial?

SEN. GRAHAM: Yeah, more than that. This is a step in the right direction, but harmonizing the age for retirement, means testing both programs, CPI adjustments gets you pretty much where you need to go.

GREGORY: Is the Republican leader of the Senate there yet?

SEN. GRAHAM: Well, I can tell you this, that the Republican Party would benefit as well as the Democratic Party from saving the American economy from becoming Greece. If the president will lead on this, and he showed some leadership, no Re-- no Democrat will get to his right. Nobody is going to adjust the age for retirement if the president doesn’t embrace it. Nobody is going to adjust CPI if the president doesn’t embrace it. So he’s showing some signs of leadership that’s been lacking. I’m encouraged and that puts the burden on us to do the same thing. I think we will.

[Olog-hai]

Well, it would be the lefties calling it a “stunner”.

[Secret Agent Man]

really? anyone here stunned that hide-the-submarine boy likes some of obama’s budget?

[Doogle]

only a stunner for those who think he’s a Republican

[plain talk]

There are nuggets of his budget ...

Senator Graham, you dumnass, those 'nuggets' are turds.

[Paladin2]

Has Linda taken the 0bama/rahm tour of chitown bathhouses yet?

[Gay State Conservative]

You’d expect this kind of crapola from a Senator from the Northeast,Illinois or California but from South Carolina????

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Go home and paint your nails, Linda.

[faithhopecharity]

Raising taxes even higher means more Americans lose their jobs and wind up on the dole. “Means testing” social security benefits turns that program into welfare. Hopefully, we can find someone good to run against this guy next election!!!!

[upchuck]

President Obama is expected to release have dinner with several Republican legislators next when he releases his new budget.

Should not have fired your editor Garrett.

[cripplecreek]

[upchuck]

Here she is, all dressed up to go to dunner with the Queer In Chief. Birds of a feather, etc.

Uber RINO Lindsey Ping
"Republican by day, Democrat by night."

Want on or off this ping list?
Just FReepmail me.

h/t to martin_fierro for the graphic

[upchuck]

Dang it! Left off the list.

(Truth be told, Linda doesn’t have much of a list anymore. Bunch of folks bailed. Can you blame them?)

[biff]

No but Barry kissed him and blew in his ear.

[stanne]

I am stuned.

[Christie at the beach]

South Carolina, you must replace this man.

[Secret Agent Man]

but are you stunned? i can see you’re stuned, but are you stunned?

[stanne]

I am stuned!

[exit82]

“The President is showing a little leg here....”

Who the h@ll talks like that?

[exit82]

“The President is showing a little leg here....”

Who the h@ll talks like that?