Howard Dean: "I think the smart thing to do here is to go over the cliff..."

[ProSense]

<...>

DEAN: You see, I think the smart thing to do here is to go over the cliff and then wrap -- then do a big deal, then wrap the debt ceiling, the cliff, the tax rates, the cuts all into one big deal. It's going to take some time, but I think you can -- if you go -- also, if you go over the cliff, you reduce the debt ceiling problem by $600 billion, so the debt ceiling gets postponed some more and that should give you enough time to do -- to do the deal. I think that's the way to go.

Obviously, you can't let us go over the cliff on the debt ceiling. That's a much more serious problem. This is really not a cliff. We call it the fiscal curb, which is really what it is.

<...>

DEAN: It's the size of the deficit. If you go over the cliff, you've done something for the first time really serious about the deficit. All of a sudden, the financial horizons look pretty good.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/week-transcript-senators-charles-schumer-jon-kyl/story?id=18083734

[lumberjack_jeff]

1. Don't disagree.

The bills which can be passed after going over the curb are better than the compromises being proposed in advance of it.

In January, unemployment funding will pass. Tax breaks for the 98% will pass. "Reforming" SS and tax cuts for the 1% won't.

[Fumesucker]

2. Oh brother, the Mother Of All Clusterfucks is coming

A goddamn singularity of stupidity.

[Mass]

3. I dont really care about the rates, but the unemployment insurance and payroll holiday are important

Does Dean also think nothing should be done concerning this?

[banned from Kos]

5. Medicare cuts are also part of the cliff (the doc fix)

also the estate tax and AMT. And UE extensions.

This really is a big chess game.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

4. I disagree with the big deal.

I'm not sure that it will benefit the US in the long run. The GOP just says no to everything so in order for the American people to see how bad the GOP is they should sent one bill right after another on taxes, debt ceiling...cuts to other programs.

Let the GOP squirm on every issue, and with luck they will see the error of their ways and vote yes.

If you give them one big bill then the chances of one no are a lot bigger than several.

[DCKit]

6. Not to mention all the useless and/or dangerous crap they're going to add in.

It's what they do.

That's why forcing them to vote on the single issue of tax relief for the 98% is being done. No wiggle room.

[OldDem2012]

7. Wow. So Dean really doesn't care about all of the people who will no longer receive....

....unemployment benefits while Congress does the "one big deal" they've been completely unable to do over the last four+ years??

And what about all of the folks who are barely keeping their heads above financial water who will now be paying a lot more in taxes?

Does he really want to count on the Members of Congress to do the right thing when the vast majority of those folks...Dems as well as Reps...are millionaires?

Come on, Howard...I thought you were better than this.

[One of the 99]

14. Dean has always been a fiscal conservative.

So noone should be surprized by this.

[progressoid]

8. Sorry Howard. I usually agree with you but this time I can't

I think a lot of undeserving people are going to be hurt with this.

[ellisonz]

9. The Republicans will not make a deal IMHO.

And we can't force them to do it...

[Cha]

10. It's crazy when you have a bunch of teabaggers in the minority of

the rest of the country holding it Hostage in order to protect Billionaires and their Billions.

And, the disingenuous sloppy US "media" keeps pushing "both sides do it".

It looks like no deal is going to be made so what choice do we have but to step off the "curb"?

Thanks ProSense

[fadedrose]

11. If we go over,

It will end Bush's tax legacy - he's out of office, so it's time.

The country is not an oligarchy yet, and hopefully will not become one.

I think the world wants our government to operate with common sense for the common good. If the rich pay more, we collect enough to pay our bills and borrow less. No cuts will produce enough savings unless they start pushing people off the cliff - the old, unemployed, and the sick.

They only way anybody'll have enought to eat and a place to sleep is commit a crime and go to jail if the Repubs get their way with their "cuts."

The taxes will not stay up for the midde class and as soon as the new Congress settles in, a new tax policy will pass...and if the economy picks up, the rich will still make more money, but not just on low taxes..

[watch the sky]

12. I think Dean is playing his cards close to his chest

if not out and out bluffing here.

[SWTORFanatic]

13. Go over the cliff, but I disagree with Howard Dean. No way we get a bill with tax hikes,

military spending cuts, and debt ceiling limit without give backs on SS/Medicare.

I think the best we can hope for is to go over the cliff and get a bill that restores "the bush tax cuts" and/or the payroll tax holiday on income under $250k and nothing else. The teabaggers can go back to their districts and say they helped avoid the biggest tax hike in history* and that way it gets through.

Tackle the debt ceiling and spending cuts in separate bills.

*bs