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Brad Blakeman, former deputy assistant to President George W. Bush, on why he believes we will go over the fiscal cliff, and what the fallout will be.
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-- Obama has no meetings no public appearances on the issue planned at least so far today.
Brad Blake men is not surprised he says it's a clear side we are going to go straight over the fiscal cliff.
Like man is a professor at Georgetown and also former deputy assistant to President George Bush he joins us now.
And what do you think is the best argument as to why the president would allow us or even congress would allow us.
To take the plunge.
I think the president believes in the polls that -- seeing within the White House and that is it.
If we do over the fiscal clip that people not blame the president but they'll blame Republicans I happen not to believe that at all I think that.
The buck should -- stop with a president and he should finish exercising leadership.
Especially after close election where we have the status quo he still controls the White House Republicans the house.
And Democrats the senate.
So takes three to -- in Washington the White House the senate and the house.
Yet the president refuses to engage seriously with the leaders you know you get on the telephone -- -- debater when you're less than a mile apart -- distance.
Is it is showing that the president doesn't seem.
Too concerned about driving to -- the clip.
So why has he not had John Boehner come to the White -- he did that secretly when Vice President Biden was negotiating with Eric Cantor two years ago.
He met privately -- we've made -- why don't they do that again.
Because I think the president believes he's in a much better political position when we go over the cliff as a matter of law the Obama tax cuts expire.
And then what are we have we have sequestration where these drastic cuts take place but the president.
Politically knows that even if a deal is made in January forever on spending they can be made retroactively.
So the president believes he's in a much better position on spending.
That he is today it making a deal because any deal that they make will be retroactive.
So let me flip -- logic wouldn't it be politically I don't think it would be good economically but politically good perhaps for the Republicans to call the bluff.
Go over the cliff yes they're short term pain but come 2014.
Mid term elections it's the president's economy the president gets responsibility.
For what happens after that cliff drop wouldn't that be the political move to make if -- John Boehner.
What we really have no choice because the presence in the driver's seat.
And Boehner is you know -- hostage in the backseat while the president's got his foot on the gas there's not much.
The speaker can do other than perhaps and I think it would be politically wise for the house just to pass a bill.
Where they win the majority now and then put it back in the president's court but there's really not much the the White House can do against the senate and the White House to get anything accomplished.
And so you think we go off the cliff do you think they would be any signs in the next week or two that that's and -- correct prediction they're talking right now not politely not pleasantly not get anything done.
But the -- communication are open.
-- it and good luck.
If we're in a crisis and I believe we are why isn't the president -- showing -- leadership.
And and having the leaders down to the White House burning the Midnight Oil instead of campaigning in places like Pennsylvania.
And over an Arlington Virginia speaking to the business roundtable they're not the once we're gonna make this deal is the leadership on the hill so there's no signs as far as I'm concerned.
That the president is engaged at his level between him and the leaders the staffs are are really from what I'm hearing on the inside.
Are are really at a as quite a distance and making a deal.
So what's the discussion when we bring you back on Fox Business a the week of January 4 after we've gone off the cliff by your prediction what's the discussion we're gonna be having how they retroactively restore some of the cuts or.
There's a winner in this in a -- or other than the American people.
-- the president's gonna claim that that he's the winner because he did everything he could -- -- surely is scheduled dictates that he had a hands off approach.
To the crisis what he thinks he's gonna do is have more leverage.
In the next congress for -- trying to get the spending that he wants done as opposed to the cuts that need to be done.
All right Brad Blake -- if anybody knows how Washington works that would certainly be user thank you for joining us thank you.
So big -- the Bellwether for employee benefits now says it is not paying forward contracts and still the very end of the year you've heard about that's right.
So how how many how big this benefits that --
