Obama responds to failed debt deal, threatens veto
(CNN) - President Barack Obama on Monday said Republicans in Congress rejected what he called a balanced approach to deficit reduction that included tax increases on the wealthy.
"Despite the broad agreement that exists for such an approach, there are still to many Republicans in Congress that have refused to listen to the voices of reason and compromise that are coming from outside of Washington," Obama told reporters after a special bipartisan committee announced that it had failed to reach a compromise.
Obama said that he will veto any attempt to get rid of automatic spending cuts if Congress fails to reach a deficit-reduction agreement. The president spoke after a special deficit reduction committee announced it failed to negotiate a compromise.
The president urged Congress to work over the coming weeks to take steps to ensure that taxes do not rise - which, he said would happen without action - "for every single American next year."
"When everybody gets back from Thanksgiving, it's time to get some work done for the American people," Obama said.
The government deficit will be pared significantly in the coming decade - even if some in Congress want to prevent it - calling for a "balanced approach" of cuts and additional revenue.
"One way or another, we will be trimming the deficit by at least $2.2 trillion over the next 10 years," he said.
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I half agree with him. It takes two to tango and I saw no grand compromise from the Dems on spending (and remember spending is the real problem – raising taxes does not reduce spending, it just gives the government more to spend) so laying it at the Republicans feet is bogus political rhetoric. . But I do like his veto idea and making congress reach some kind of deal.
Veto. Say No. Hold their feet to the fire. Republicans have more broken promises over the past decade to The People than I can list in this space. Don't let them break another promise. The defense cuts are easy if we get out of the wars.
The only solution to this spendthrift, is the election. He has to be shown the door.
Everyone should stop acting like this is personal and start to work for the american people this is crazy get it together.
Here we go again waiting for government to make a choice ! They act worst than kids to get there actions right! They talk a good talk and take up for material things and not people! Please pray that God touch them all on thanksgiving ! No one is perfect but ,we should get a group of 6th graders to make USA CHOICES so, that we can survive this recess in life!
Take heed PLEDGE SIGNERS – WE ARE COMING FOR YOUR JOBS IN 2012. We need solutions to our problems NOT pledges to pagan gods and their self serving masters. Get ready to feel our wrath.
Obama had no intention of doing anything about this from the start. This is the same President who is yet to pass a budget.
oh really? Obama appointed the six dems to the committee five of which are liberals and one is a moderate....the gop put 3 conservatives and 3 moderates in...so obama is blowing his political horn...chicago politics, how are you liking it? This is not a dictatorship...and we will vote accordingly in 2012...noobama!
Good for you, Mr. President! Make the Republicans live with their scorched earth policies!
You tried, Mister President. The American people support you and know full well that it was the obstructionist GOPers that are the reason for the committee's failure. The fault is theirs, the blame is theirs.
Next time, don't include the GOP. They are only out for themselves and aren't interested in helping the American people out of the mess that Bush and his cronies caused.
republicans who have no conscience have made it clear that they want to see obama a one term president.unfortunately americans are not reading thru that.we are just a bunch of hypocrites in this country.
We are where we are because President Obama tried to outsmart the GOP and he played right into their hands and they took him to the cleaners on the Bush tax cuts. Now America has to eat crow for a bad decision. I voted for the President but It is looking more and more likely we made a Mistake. This first/last term showed his great oratory ability but no Political common sense . He needed to be in DC running the country and not a world tour. It looks like our only hope now would be a good Democratic challenger.The country is headed to HELL in a hand basket.
Why has compromise become a four-letter word and political process in America? The tall, rigid oak gets felled in a storm. The bending, flexible bamboo does not. Need I say which the US is?
Do you hear US electoral democracy crumbling? I do.
Go get em Champ!
So the president was mum on the super committee and travelling the past two months, so now he's ma.d May be he should have been trying to provide leadership instead of just holding back and watching failure take place.
We need a leader not a watching and reporter.
What?? The POTUS is saying "NO"??? On my gosh. That makes the Democrats the "party of no." No wonder nothing is getting done in any branch of the government. We have 2 parties that say no. How about getting 5 normal people in a room. give them a day to cut the budget. Bet they could do it since none of them would be politicians.
Mr. President, I agree with you in holding this unproductive Congress accountable for their actions. Making the rounds on talk shows reciting talking points is not a way to govern, we as Americans demand action from those we elected. The GOP promised jobs and defict reduction, and to date they have failed to deliver on either.
Mr. President, you need to be tough to the GOP or you will never get things done that you promised to the voters in 2008. The Democrats and most of the independents are still behind you.
Wow!!! This Fool-in-Chief was MIA for over two weeks. Now he comes back threatening everyone because of the lack of action on the deficit reduction plan. This MIA Chief really has "bolas". For over two weeks he goes gallivanting essentially all over the globe while America sinks more and more into debt and the discontent of the people grows by leaps and bounds.
All of a sudden he shows up and demands that people "bow" to him. He should have stayed wherever the h... he was!
America does not need a president that goes missing when the heat is turned up. America needs a president that will deal with the nation's business and "REALLY" work across the isle to ensure that America's needs are being met (solved).
Why would Republicans want to work with this president when he is always crucifying them. Always playing the blame game. But the when the s... hits the fan, he wants (demands?) their assistance.
Yes, I am a life-long Democrat and I truly believe that this president, up to now, has been an utter failure. And instead of being the "Great Uniter"; he has become the "Great Divider".
Yes, opposing views are welcome and respected.
How did we ever end up with this guy?
Mr. President how can the Republican listen to the voice of reason when since day one their main goal was to make you a one term president!! going back to the words of Mitch McConnel by now you could have realized that, there is no way they can work with you and its very sad because the more the obstruct your ideas the more the Nations lags behind from the BRIC nations. No wonder there was great cerebrations in China when the Republicans won the last Midterm elections.