CNN's John King: Should Republicans Consider Losing Their Jobs and Raise Taxes for Good of the Country?
Now that President Obama has put tax increases on the table in order to balance the budget, his media are going to put even more pressure on Republicans to comply.
A fine example of this happened on CNN's "John King USA" Thursday when the host actually asked Sen. Rob Portman (R-Oh.), "Should Republicans now have the open mind and the courage to maybe lose their jobs like President Bush did for the good of the country and at least say entering the conversation, 'We won't flatly, ideologically, reflexively rule out any tax increases?'" (video follows with transcript and commentary):
JOHN KING, HOST: Senator Portman, you have a somewhat unique voice in this debate because you're in the Senate now. You served in the House. You were George W. Bush’s budget director. You also served as a policy adviser back in the day to George H.W. Bush. I want to take you back to that experience. Go back, imagine it's 1990 when George H.W. Bush brought Democrats, brought Republicans to Camp David, to Andrews Air Force base. Is our deficit debt crisis now worse than then or not as bad?
SENATOR ROB PORTMAN (R-OHIO): It's far worse. And it's far worse because of the fact that between Medicare and Medicaid and Social Security, we currently have about a $100 trillion unfunded obligation going forward. That wasn’t the case then. Our deficit as a percentage of our economy was also lower and our debt, our national debt, was lower as a percent of the economy. So it's more difficult now for us to deal with the issue. It's also more important that we show leadership to do so. I would draw this interesting comparison because you mentioned the 1990 budget agreement and the risks that then President Bush took. If you recall that that came back to haunt him in the 1992 election campaign.
KING: He lost an election. Let me interrupt. Because he lost an election, the President of the United States who happened to be a Republican at the time broke his “Read my lips - no new taxes” pledge. And you’re right. There was a consequence to him. He lost the election. You could make an argument that Bill Clinton never would have balanced the budget were it not for the tax increase given to him by a Republican President George H.W. Bush.
Should Republicans now have the open mind and the courage to maybe lose their jobs like President Bush did for the good of the country and at least say entering the conversation “We won't flatly, ideologically, reflexively rule out any tax increases?”
The idiocy on display here boggles the mind.
First off, who is John King to say that raising taxes at this moment is "for the good of the country?"
An Associated Press poll released hours before King made this statement found "62 percent say they favor cutting government services to sop up the red ink. Just 29 percent say raise taxes."
As such, according to this AP poll, less than a third of Americans support higher taxes to balance the budget putting King in a very small minority.
Beyond this, claiming the budget would never have been balanced in the '90s without Bush 41's tax hike ignores that a Republican Congress forced Clinton to cut taxes in 1997, and that it was spending restraint along with non-recurring tax receipts associated with the tech stock bubble that led to that decade's eventual surpluses.
Honestly, have you ever heard anyone credit George H.W. Bush's tax hike for causing budget surpluses five years after he was out of office?
As for Republicans risking their jobs to support a tax increase, doesn't that mean their constituents in their respective states or districts would be opposed to such a move? The just-released AP poll suggests so.
With that in mind, Republicans doing such a thing would be going against the will of the people. Exactly why would they do that?
In reality, what King should have asked is, "Should Republicans now have the open mind and the courage to maybe lose their jobs like President Bush did for the good of Obama, Democrats, and people like me in the media who think that would be good for the country regardless of what the polls say?"
That's a question that makes much more sense.
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Comments
The MSM always think that
Submitted by Chris Norman on Thu, 04/14/2011 - 9:50pm.
The MSM always think that it's just a given that higher taxes are a good thing for the country. When have we ever heard them say that taxes need to be lowered - in any circumstance? I've wracked my brain and can't come up with an instance of that ever happening. Further, I don't think I've ever heard them praise a Democrat for "having the courage" to cut spending. I doubt that King will ask any Democrat to "risk" his or her job by voting for budget cuts,
1950's Reality, by a Republican President.
Submitted by Villabolo on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 4:27am.
Remember that former General and Republican President who had much higher taxes than Reagan? What was his name?
Oh never mind. McCarthy called him a Communist.
Villabolo
Fe-fi-fo-fum....
Submitted by almostacowboy on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 10:34am.
I smell the blood of someone really dum-b.
Remember the Eisenhower recessions?
Submitted by CobraMan on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 3:51pm.
It's interesting that you (almost) name a Republican President that presided over increasing taxes, yet fail to mention that his policies directly lead to two recessions.
The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States. The US Constitution
Unless you're a fetus. The US Supreme Court
Or Anwar al-Awlaki.
Tug of War - for the Title
Submitted by rogue operator on Thu, 04/14/2011 - 9:58pm.
We have half the country on welfare entitlements or otherwise sucking off the government teet, in the middle, in place of what should be a referee, we have a huge political class trying to pull economic power away from the private sector, and on the short end, we have the poor producers, who are desperately trying to hold on to what is left of their country. The only thing left to do is shrug. Drop the rope, and let's go our own way. Let the parasites turn on each other.
Hey John...read a friggin' history book once in a while.
Submitted by NeoKong on Thu, 04/14/2011 - 9:59pm.
H.W. lost because of a corrupt press in the tank for Billary and because of Ross Perot but that was some nice shilling for Obama though.
Vote against the will of the
Submitted by Snappy on Thu, 04/14/2011 - 10:01pm.
Vote against the will of the people, lose their jobs, for the good of the country....oh thats a howler...
Can we at least TRY and maintain a semblence of objectivity?
By Now Only an Idiot
Submitted by Comrade Jim on Thu, 04/14/2011 - 10:26pm.
Would try to make the argument that Bill Clinton never would have balanced the budget were it not for the tax increase given to him by a Republican President George H.W. Bush.
It has been explain 1,000 times that it was congress led by Newt Gingrich that balanced the budget in the 1990's. Is John King genetically incapable of learning that?
Furthermore, Clinton was busy under the desk with other projects.
And, yet.....
Submitted by almostacowboy on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 10:32am.
that argument continues, as witnessed during a Laura Ingraham (subbing for Bill O'Reilly) interview of Lib Erica Payne (and some "real estate investor") last night.
Idiots abound.
There would come a time
Submitted by Tjexcite on Thu, 04/14/2011 - 10:28pm.
There would come a time that if Obama enters a plan to round any Conservative up the media will go along with this as if you are Conservative you are un-American because to be a good American you have to be a socialist.
Mr. Burger King.
Submitted by blazermaniac on Thu, 04/14/2011 - 10:30pm.
John King should lose his job, for even making that suggestion. The typical liberal left, like that baffoon Mr. King will make pathetic comments. It's people like him that should be gone.
What did portman say in
Submitted by okie-pastor on Thu, 04/14/2011 - 10:40pm.
What did portman say in reply?
He didn't agree. PORTMAN:
Submitted by Noel Sheppard on Thu, 04/14/2011 - 11:44pm.
He didn't agree.
PORTMAN: There should be no ideological or, you know, flat denial of anything. But there should be an acknowledgement that what's best for the economy right now is not to raise taxes, it's to reform taxes.
And, by the way, there's a consensus about that on both sides of the aisle. If you look at what the fiscal commission did -- they said, one, we've got to get the spending under control, understanding that spending is a big problem here. It's going up as a percent of our economy, and in every other measurement. But, second, they said we've got to grow this economy and that means we need tax reform. So, they explicitly rejected the idea of raising taxes and instead said let's reform the tax code.
And, by the way, this is what Paul Ryan proposed in the budget.
And the president, yesterday, when he talked about this, did not accurately reflect what's in the Ryan budget. The Ryan budget does not say you're going to have this big new tax cuts. What it says is, we have to take our current code and make it more efficient and better for the economy and better for growing jobs.
WTF!!!!
Submitted by djwolf12 on Thu, 04/14/2011 - 10:40pm.
Why can't douchebags like John King admit that this country would be much better off if we kept more of OUR money and starve the government? Why is it that we the american people must tighten our belts to the point where our pants are so tight we would have to unzip our asses to take a leak AND OUR GOVERNMENT WON'T?
The plane is headed directly into the ditch
Submitted by hbnolikeee on Thu, 04/14/2011 - 11:38pm.
and you say full speed ahead.
The mathematically challenged liberals please read the calculations and let's see if any of it sinks in.
Eat the Rich
Comment on Newsbusters CNN
Submitted by Villabolo on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 2:35am.
Comment on Newsbusters CNN Regards Tax Hikes as Inevitable for Deficit Reduction – But Ignore Possible Damage to Economy
Oh, yes; Massive economic damage to the yacht building industry; the caviar and champagne food industries; the limousine business; the McMansion building industry; etc.. Think of all that money that trickles down to the ungrateful American masses.
Those who work on yacht piers will be unemployed. Supermarket cashiers and grocery baggers will have no caviar and champagne and caviar to check and bag. Imagine the profit loss to the Supermarket industry and the subsequent layoffs.
Don't forget those poor limousine drivers who'll be kicked to the curb. Also, less gasoline consumption with gasoline station attendants having to be laid off.
Bottom line, when the rich disappear, no one would notice the difference except their pets. The money those vampires used to suck out from the truly productive will fall right back into the real economy. Good riddance!
Villabolo
If a troll made a post in a forest.
Submitted by The Vet on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 3:06am.
Would anyone read it?
Prolly more than a retread troll making a post here.
Don't dance with psychopaths and don't reason with psychotics.
Submitted by Villabolo on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 4:25am.
I used to make civil sounding, rational and fact based arguments, but would get response, from those like you, other than trash talk and monkey gibbering dominance displays. As a result, I've come to the conclusion that the only meaningful response is a blending of facts and as nasty a sarcastic response as I can muster.
Villabolo
I've seen them
Submitted by sentry_99 on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 4:30am.
You first thread was impressive. I like the parts where you ignore the many links of evidence offered to you and continue with your failed attempts. I've also seen some of the very civil, rational and fact based arguments posted under your username elsewhere.
So when does the blending of facts come in? I didn't see any you posted above other than the fact that you are a complete idiot. Oops...was that trash talk? Monkey gibbering dominance displays? You should run along, I'm sure many goats have crossed your bridge unmolested in your absence.
Private Bill Wilson is back!
Submitted by The Vet on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 7:24am.
Villabolo: ...monkey gibbering...
j. frank wilson: Not to mention a poet. Re-read some of his gibberish - a monkey pounding a typewriter couldn't do better...
He is easly as bright as ol Frank
Submitted by Boudin on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 7:44am.
He must work for the homeless folks.
Villabolo
Submitted by ckc1227 on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 3:18am.
Is that French for "moron"? Shouldn't you be in a welfare line somewhere....or a bathhouse?
What's in a name
Submitted by jon_torlin on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 7:47am.
I think a rough translation is "village idiot."
Makes sense, the comments he made against the rich are as idiotic as they come.
Because of people like him, many would suffer in the collective idiocy. I keep thinking of those hippies in that one south park episode where they invaded South Park for a festival and Eric Cartman tried to lock some in the basement. That's what this kind of thinking reminds me of.
-Jon
Get rid of the rich.
Submitted by Par for the Course on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 12:02pm.
Bottom line, when the rich disappear, no one would notice the difference except their pets. The money those vampires used to suck out from the truly productive will fall right back into the real economy. Good riddance!
Yes, let's get rid of the rich, especially ones like Mike Markkula.
[...]
original Apple investor Mike Markkula. Markkula was an “angel” investor (a private individual with money to invest) who had made his fortune as a marketing manager at Fairchild Semiconductor and Intel, retiring at age 32. In 1977, Steve Jobs met with Markkula and convinced him that personal computers were an exciting opportunity. Markkula invested $250,000 in Apple for a one-third stake in the company and served as president from 1981-83.
[...]
So yes, let's get rid of the rich, especially the ones that invest and take the risk of providing startup money to small businesses.
I say, let the government decide which businesses and what ideas should get funding.
{sarcasm off}
[edited to add]
Apple Inc. Form 10-K
[...]
Employees
As of September 25, 2010, the Company had approximately 46,600 full-time equivalent employees and an additional 2,800 full-time equivalent temporary employees and contractors.
[...]
If rich people annoy you so
Submitted by Smartypants on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 9:16am.
If rich people annoy you so much, why not go somewhere where there aren't any of them? I'd like to see how that economy is doing.
I think CNN should all 'lose'
Submitted by Slyrr on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 12:01am.
I think CNN should all 'lose' their jobs. The country would be much better off. And as low as their ratings are, no one would miss them.
Haha. CNN lost its creds when
Submitted by MightyMouth on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 12:38am.
Haha. CNN lost its creds when Ted Turner lost his mind. I love Atlanta, but for Pete's sake, go back to selling peaches... not 'news'.
Bravo, Noel! That is an
Submitted by motherbelt on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 7:22am.
Bravo, Noel! That is an amazing dissection of the warped reasoning of a liberal intellectual snob.
MB
Submitted by Noel Sheppard on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 12:21pm.
MB,
Thank you. Thank you very much. ns
The wealthy democrats
Submitted by ohio granny on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 9:05am.
No wonder Democrats always want to raise taxes on the so-called rich. Rich democRATS DO NOT pay the taxes they legitimately owe. Remember Ted Kennedy probated his mothers estate in Florida instead of Massachusettes. Tim Geitner, Tom Dschle. etc., etc., etc.
Granny, let's not forget that
Submitted by Smartypants on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 9:15am.
Granny, let's not forget that Barack Obama had trouble filling his Cabinet with rich liberals who had actually paid their taxes. To the left, taxes are something middle and upper class conservatives pay to fund programs for liberals of all income levels.
My favorite was the "Sloop John B. Kerry" $500K tax dodge.
Submitted by SickofLibs on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 9:18am.
He "resides" in Mass., his wife "resides" in Pennsylvania and his yacht "resides" in Rhode Island.
Really?
Submitted by Bourbeau on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 9:27am.
President Bush lost his job for the good of the country? Earth to King, Earth to King, you're either intellectually dishonest or just plain stupid. No further explanation necessary,.
He's married to Dana Bash.
Submitted by SickofLibs on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 9:30am.
So I'm going with #2.
OBAMA'S BUDGET PLAN
Submitted by rondo on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 9:45am.
Obama's budget plan is DRACONIAN and VERY MEAN it will kill our economy, starve our elderly,starve our poor, starve our children.
All freedom loving people of America must work to adopt Rep Paul Ryan's budget plan which will save our Republic
Thank You America
Mutually exclusive -
Submitted by almostacowboy on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 10:37am.
"raise taxes" and "good for America".
Okay GOP, does this pretty
Submitted by dscott on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 10:38am.
Okay GOP, does this pretty much tell you that ANYTHING you do is going to be spun negatively? Give up on trying to get good press OR having your actions portrayed in a light that is for the good of the country. Now it's time to take the Hollywood use of the MSM, any press even bad press is good press. Since you are the minority Party and only control one house of Congress it's time you use this to your advantage instead of thinking to yourselves that you are hamstrung because you don't have the Senate.
Go for the throat, refuse to raise the Debt Ceiling and let the liberals in the MSM and Dem Party scream. Tell the country the time for an intervention has come because the RULING Party is not capable of setting priorities so you are taking away the credit card of the spend thrifts. They are addicted to spending and can't help themselves. The Dems have refused all reason to the point you are accused of starving old people on effectively cutting the budget only $365 million when they have raised spending $1 TRILLION above 2008 fiscal budget. Tell the country that the Dems are trying to spend $105 Billion this year to impliment ObamaCare that will slash $300 billion from Medicare, when the Dems have accused you of wanting to change Medicare to save the program from $500 billion in EXTRA costs by block granting the money to the States to cut out the bureaucracy that ObamaCare was going to create in thousands MORE government jobs just to tell medical practitioners what to do. Medicare Advantage has been a resounding success story and liberals want to kill it at any cost just like they want to kill Medicare Part D the Rx benefit which IS THE ONLY PART OF MEDICARE NOT IN TROUBLE (see the pattern there?).
Rep. Boehner you need to pass a Debt Ceiling resolution that gives the orderly disbursement of cash flow IN THE EVENT that the Debt Ceiling is NOT raised. This will tell the country and its creditors that the US is NOT going to default on the debt, that Social Security and Medicare will continue, that the military will continue and that only the most important functions of government will continue until the impasse is resolved in a responsible manner. This will signal to the Dems that YOU ARE GOING TO DO WHAT THEY FEAR MOST, CUT OFF THEIR CREDIT CARD.
The bottom line is this, it's them or the country, that's how stark the decision has become. If you are not up to the job of delivering the bad news then resign and the rest of the GOP leadership might as well also resign since any cooperation at this point in continuing the WILD SPENDING SPREE makes you EQUALLY GUILTY.
Liberals
Submitted by Bob K on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 11:12am.
have never met a tax they did not like. Bleary eyed, I rolled over in bed this morning and turned on C-Span. House member "speechifying" as they do early in the day. The democrat house members name I did not get, as i was not wearing my glasses. He was giving a passionate one minute speech on why the fed gas tax needs to be raised NOW. LOL. Apparently he is not in a position where the price of a gallon of gas or heating oil matters at all in his life. As well, he is apparently unaware of the taxes we already pay for fuel that have not gone to the purpose of roads and road infastructure.
Well Bob, you do realize why
Submitted by dscott on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 4:36pm.
Well Bob, you do realize why the Dems are making noises to increase the gasoline tax? While prices are still up due to Obama's Libyan adventure of military kinetic action what's adding another 18 cents per gallon (doubling the Federal tax) on top of the current rise? You also realize when Obama calls it quits in Libya the price of oil will drop and no one will notice that increase in the gasoline tax because they all will be greatful that the price of gasoline dropped. For liberals this is a win/win because they get to declare raising taxes REDUCES the price of gasoline!!!! Only in the liberal universe is that true. That's why Bob.
And now you know why Obama started this ridiculous air war in the first place, it had nothing to do with humanitarian grounds but raising taxes in the name of AGW. As most non rubes know, gasoline taxes are regressive taxes upon the poor, liberals just enjoy kicking the poor every chance they get since the rubes continually believe taxes are only paid by the rich and businesses. Of course GE will be happy too because then with all that new money stolen from the public they will get their corporate welfare to build another liberal boondoggle called high speed rail. I suspect Obama will be getting that billion dollars in campaign donations very easily given the all the piggies eagerly waiting to be fed at the trough. With all those green tax credits GE will have another banner fiscal year!