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FNC contributors Ed Rollins, Joe Trippi and Judith Miller on the negotiations to avoid the fiscal cliff.
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-- White House correspondent.
Joining me now Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Judith Miller campaign strategist former Reagan political director Ed Rollins veteran democratic campaign strategist.
Joseph Tripoli.
We thank you all for being here let's turn them if I mean -- you Judy.
This this is an impasse there's a stalemate has been -- but the speaker in talks but for the life of me I can't see who's talking here there doesn't seem to be anything really.
Going on of it.
At all.
I think Lou this is exactly where the president wants to be.
He has the onus apparently on the Republicans have.
There are no tax cuts it's going to be the republicans' fault income booking theater he's really got the advantage here.
You agree job.
Yeah absolutely -- lucky and it basically.
You the complaint he he's put out one point six trillion in tax increases let's -- what they are.
On the wealthy.
-- saying look.
I'm gonna be for raising taxes like you guys set I was gonna be throughout the campaign everybody knows I was gonna raise them on the upper.
One or 2%.
So and you're the -- a wanna cut spending and cut got any and the government so.
If you want more spending cuts you put them up.
I'm gonna be the one who cuts who raises taxes but you're gonna be the ones who cut Medicare if you want if you want cuts in entitlements put them up.
I'm not gonna do both for you.
Well here here's a follow -- and that is that the earlier that perhaps the Obama White House is mainly rare mistake.
Miscalculation.
Because they have incentivized it seems to me Republicans.
Add to.
To say you know the aqueduct you know if you are gonna come to the table -- are going to certainly advance it.
You have chosen.
And we have reached an agreement is two parties -- for sequestration.
We'll go along with the you want to let the tax cuts.
Go.
Find that your decision and sequestration was part you know we're partners on that deal so.
Letter -- because they're gonna get twice as much.
In the way of spending cuts as an increase in taxes that way.
That it's the best deal -- and it's also oriented toward.
The Republicans favor.
-- that that the damage it'll do to the economy I don't think the president says the bigger role as he thinks he has.
The house is going to be held by Republicans for the foreseeable future not just two years -- -- -- down because reapportionment.
Mid term elections the sixty years always terrible for the president at the end of the day he wants a legacy.
His legacy is gonna be the highest unemployment in history for two terms if he's not careful here.
He's gonna kick us back in -- recession if you want serious negotiation both sit down and come to some kind of agreement.
This is not again we we've been down this road before where Republicans have given on the taxes I was in the white house with Reagan and we did that they promise to -- dollars in cuts for every dollar in and in that.
And in taxes that we race -- give us any.
Bush went to the same drill when he broke his tax pledged to -- senior.
So we've had this history before so basically tell us what you gonna do there's going to be a stimulus by fixing the northeast from the from the storm.
-- add another fifty billion dollars out there thrown on top of the package and then the audacity -- saying well.
I'm gonna raise the debt ceiling whenever I want to want to give me permission to do that is just steps switzer is the president of -- -- exceeding his perhaps period.
Will safe I mean he clearly thinks that he's in a very strong position -- wouldn't be trying some I think he thinks that the optics worked for him.
But but but -- deep -- It was -- McDonald's idea in 2011.
To give the president the power to raise the debt ceiling by himself it was this -- -- some democratic idea came from Mitch McConnell himself.
And on top of that.
The problem I agree and we're saying my president isn't an original thinker on the debt ceiling is -- -- report journal.
No well my point is that it was a it's a bipartisan idea a lot more bipartisan in 2000 let you guys like Paul -- that you don't suppose that was a -- -- proposition on the part of senator McConnell.
Well it may it may well have bid but the but the further point -- I agree with a lot of what -- said the problem's going to be not just the fiscal cliff but also.
Today if it if it goes down the way -- was talking about we're gonna have the middle class.
Taxes go up on them in sequestration is well.
And I think they will blame the Republicans for that at least that's what most the polling says were that voters look at when they're looking at right now that -- -- -- -- GOP we've.
