Quoting President Obama from the report: "I have shown enormous willingness to compromise and have taken huge heat for it," he said, "but my responsibility is to the American people and there comes a point when I need to say, 'Enough.'"
President Obama answers reporters' questions at the White House, 07/11/11. (photo: Getty Images)
Obama to Republicans: "Don't Call My Bluff"
14 July 11
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Obama: 'This may bring my presidency down, but I will not yield' on no short-term extensions.
t was, sources from both parties say, the most tense of the deficit reduction meetings yet.
After a period of what was described as constructive discussions, President Obama embraced $1.7 trillion in cuts as a "foundation."
But House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., said, "Wherever we are, it's a long way from the $2.4 trillion needed to meet House GOP goals of dollar for dollar."
So Cantor suggested a possible short-term extension in order to avoid default, with another vote next year.
The president - frustrated - said there would be no short term extensions. It would be bad for the economy, and resolving the deficit issue certainly won't be easier next year in the throes of the political season, he said.
If we can't do this now, we won't be able to do it next year, he said.
"This process is confirming what the American people think is the worst about Washington," the president said. "Everyone is more interested in posturing, political position and protecting their base than in solving problems."
He said we can get a lot of savings "if the spirit changes from why we can't do things to why we can.
"I have shown enormous willingness to compromise and have taken huge heat for it," he said, "but my responsibility is to the American people and there comes a point when I need to say, 'Enough.'"
"It cannot all be on us," the president said, arguing that Republicans need to give on the revenue side of things as Democrats are willing to do so on spending cuts.
"Don't call my bluff," the president said. "I am not afraid to veto and I will take it to the American people."
If Moody's, the credit rating agency that announced a review of US credit, downgrades the United States, President Obama said, "it will be a tax increase on every American."
There needs to be a long-term debt extension, the president argued.
"This may bring my presidency down, but I will not yield on this," he said.
Then he stood up.
"Enough is enough," the president insisted. "We have to be willing to compromise. It shouldn't be about positioning and politics, and I'll see you all tomorrow."
Then he left the room.
The group is to recovene Thursday at 4:15 p.m. at the White House and continue debate on cuts in health care spending and revenues that the president still considers necessary if the negotiations are to reach the Republicans' demand for $2.4 trillion in savings to match the increase in governement borrowing power.
President Obama also told the leaders that by Friday they need to decide where they are heading in the talks - whether a deal is possible or whether they must turn their attention to avoiding a default.
The meeting began with Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner explaining the impact of the decision by Moody's, the credit rating agency that will review a possible "downgrading" of the United States' creditworthiness.
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Let the courts sort out the rest.
They have not had a working government for about 20 years - and the war lords move in the vacuum and take over.
We need more good government and less bad government. Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater.
I've seen no mention at all of this 'protest' (or issue) in the print or television media of New York. I see no discussion of how this came to be, much less the implications for monopoly-owners hip of our planet's food supply. Not important? Try living without food. That seems to be the idea... Want food? Pay Monsanto. Want real, naturally evolved and grown food? Fughhetabout it . Gotta pay Monsanto first for seed.
Better living through chemistry and monopoly? Is anyone (besides readers 'here') paying attention - to the issue, to the law, or to the lawmakers? Maybe not, too many distractions.
Capitalism is an exploitative "Winner-take-al l" and "Devil tak' the hindmost" system that encourages shabby but flashy products made in sweatshops with huge marketing budgets that only large corporations can afford thumped into dumbed-down consumer heads by a totally commercial owner-media monopoly, similarly shoddy in it's lack of content and a government for. of and by the corporations bought and paid for by lobbyist "burrowers".
If THAT doesn't describe Monsanto and their ilk, I don't know what does.
And letting the courts sort out the rest is pure piffle!
Monsanto especially, moves their huge batteries of corrupt lawyers into vulnerable countries (not yet Europe but they're trying hard), gets into the pockets of their mostly corrupt governments and takes over and patents seeds and crops that have been sustainably cultivated for millennia, causing mass suicides of farmers who can no longer afford the "patented" crops like Atta (Chapati) flour and many kinds of rice.
Hell they just sued an Indiana farmer who tried to locally trade his soybean seeds allegedly with a hint of Monanto's GMO crap. So the courts here are complicit too!
They are after nothing less that domination, in the worst, ruthless totalitarian way, what is grown, sold and eaten worldwide.
And YOUR leaders and judiciary whores are all part of the master plan by turning heads or worse, cashing in.
II was curious and sent an e-mail to you.At reiverpacific@j bw110, but got it back as
permanent failure. No address like it.
I'm disapppointed.
I just saw that several women' groups are going after Facebook because they have some INCREDIBLY OFFENCIVE postings depicting rape of women as a big joke. And they refuse to take them down.
So.....the women are going after Facebook sponsors and tell them they will boycot their products if the support such crap.
And they are going after a lot, and there are MANY groups.NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF WOMEN. especially when they get angry.
Could WE figure a way of "getting" Monsanto??
Well, the people of both genders are taking to the streets world wide including this country (there's a big rally in Portland OR and many other cities including DC, over the weekend and this anti-Monsanto movement is growing.
We are reading about how dangerous GMO crops are but who is out there demonstrating and fighting against Monsanto and those in our government who support all of Monsanto's dangerous practices?
I am glad to hear that.Unfortunat ely my marching days are in the past. my feet do not allow it anymore. But I do what I can in other ways.
THANBK YOU
I write my senators and representatives,
I even talk to relative strangers and ask them how they feel about the gm foods and labeling..."Wou ld you not like to know what is actually in the food you eat?"
dquandle is so right, Monsanto are terrorists, and should be exposed as such, so people would see and understand what they are doing not just to us, but to so many other countries.
I have mentioned to several of my friends, how Monsanto is causing so many suicides in India, because they go bankrupt when they can not use the corn as seed corn, but must by new every year.
But I am just ONE Grandma, a very concerned grandma. How can I do more, how can I be more effective?? Oh I also write letters to the editor.
And am in no shape to actually go marching in a protest these days, though I've done so in my time. So my pen and computer have to do the 'marching' ... I have sent on the clear articles on Monsanto in emails to friends all over the country too. What else can we do?
A CONCISE ACCURATE LIST OF PRODUCTS WITH GMOs TO BOYCOTT WOULD BE WORTHWHILE TO PUBLISH SO WE CAN INFORM THOSE WE KNOW... anyone have such a list?