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Kirsten Powers of The Daily Beast weighs in on the fiscal cliff deadline, and whether Obama has done his part as a leader to aid the ongoing debate in...
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But first let's go to custom -- she is with the Daily Beast in DC -- I have to ask you about leadership.
Now we've said many times when you joined us on this program I think you ought I -- to repeat myself I think -- drifting a little bit away from the leftists in the Obama camp.
I want to know do you think that the president has exercised the kind of leadership.
-- we would expect from a president who is just one election.
Do we see the kind of leadership that you want to sit.
Yes I'm sorry I'm gonna disappoint you here Stuart I do you think he's not exactly always study was going to do he ran on the basically on raising taxes on people who make over 250000.
Dollars and that you might remember the Republicans accused him of waging class warfare all through -- campaign for doing this that this is what he ran on he never ran on.
Cutting the deficit he talks about it but it's never -- as a central part of his glove his plan and and I but it but it.
In a leadership position.
Faced with a real crisis and this is in a crisis for heaven's sake.
Wouldn't you expect some degree of compromise from the present which is I don't ask compromise west I don't and it went with the cuts in spending -- -- -- I'm form of entitlement systems and.
-- look at I would ask you if you wanna talk about leadership I would ask you where why have the Republicans not put forth really specific cuts you know John Boehner gave the sort of backed.
A number are -- was not specific about it and Marco Rubio just -- and pattern of it was today or yesterday.
That the Social Security cuts were off the table the GOP didn't want them and the president's support them I'm I'm really don't think I'm being partisan not on this point I -- -- you know I don't -- I don't want a big cons I don't want to leave Asia they're.
Because it what you're doing is -- shifting attention.
I think we should be focused on the president and granted public opinion is gonna blame the Republicans for this fight that's understood it and probably gonna happen.
But I want to focus on the president I don't think he's really shouldn't.
But here's my here's isn't honest question for you the president.
Never said that this is the central point to governing the Republicans.
Say it is their central point okay why aren't the people will -- that if you don't comment about cuts the options specific cut.
It is the president's job I would have thought to try to lead America back to prosperity.
The plan I think that's what this -- that is not know is not.
You can you can no really you cannot have prosperity in America lost his spending a trillion dollars -- yeah.
A move what you bringing in moderates you have to borrow.
You cannot return to prosperity by -- government spending which is already failed to produce a reasonable growth rate.
And you cannot return to prosperity -- ever ever mounting debt that just goes up help well.
That's a philosophical difference that you have with a president -- very aligned with what the Republicans thanks to you should expect the Republicans to be the ones who are pushing on that.
That is not the liberal -- if you read Paul Krugman hit he is concerned that that we're gonna reduce the deficit to quickly.
So what I'm saying is that I would deal and that's your focus that I think the republic I would be very upset with -- Republicans for not make.
What what cut some they opera would -- -- -- wait what we need more than anything else is growth.
Haven't you asked the president to meet your asking the president to be a Republican -- finally paying you know not it's not what he ran on it's not what he was elected to do -- not he's president.
He really does -- -- you prosperity and I don't think the president will do that.
And I think if he really wants to do not know what he -- he seems to me again -- I'm nonpartisan observer.
But the country pays the price that's my problem -- cuts I don't think that's right.
I think that I do I think that people misunderstand off on what's goes on in Washington that there are these really serious film philosophical different although it's about what it's gonna take to get the country on the right track and the president -- -- different vision and you Axel tomorrow morning.
-- tomorrow morning regardless forget the fiscal cliff percent regardless and a as of tomorrow morning every single post in America who books will pay more taxes the Social Security -- is going off okay.
Every single post new -- over a certain amount of money will pay a higher met a cat tax.
Everybody he uses a medical device will pay a higher price for the medical device because of a new Obama -- tax taxes all going well.
-- -- Now is that the -- you get growth what is the president doing about this all he's standing -- is tax increase is that's all he's built.
That is not prosperity on the horizon it's not that.
Look let's not really all -- got those storage I mean look he and there are plenty there my name economists who think that the stimulus helped our our economy helped stave off a Great Depression.
We are there are lots of economists who are saying are looking at next year and say we're gonna see.
Growth not huge growth but we're still gonna continue to like I don't defend not against our employees are you gonna -- that again do you think the stimulus 800 billion and -- tonight that many times and -- -- many times it why do we just I prosperity.
And another fifty billion on road I union pay -- will get those to prosperity really I I think I think that the stimulus was necessary and that without it we would be in a worse position and -- -- -- I don't think it was perfect I don't think it was designed perfectly.
I'm not saying everything was done perfectly but I do think overall it was the right thing and we are on the right track.
I know your -- stand with the fact that.
I was often used to -- assurance aspect.
As are often used sentenced today get some insurers I know you hill on on the on the special report you wanted to ask with Brett that happen.
And I I was offering you the chance so that you could.
Perhaps say something a little negative about the administration.
So that going forward when we get into a real financial mess you be able to -- fall back on bombings program way back what I what I was I was pointing out the prize -- -- negative about the Obama administration not today -- more than covered.
My new years they have.
Professionally I confess I just empowers it is always good to have you with -- and we appreciate you -- to --
