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The Weekly Standard’s Stephen Hayes and Washington Examiner’s Byron York on efforts to rein in government spending and boost the economy.
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Despondent.
Well turning to the president's State of the Union Address.
Only be able to advance our -- to convince Americans that a risk recessions scarred economy cannot.
Hung around now but he places jobs at the top of his priority list joining us is Stephen Hayes senior writer for the weekly standard Fox News contributor.
Washington examiner chief political correspondent.
Byron York.
Only good to have you here -- let's start.
With you you've you've found a list.
Interesting headlines this suggests that this is not a new experience for the president to lead the nation tonight.
A pivot if you will.
Now he's done it over and over again.
The biggest one is back when he was involved in passing obamacare for a year from 2009 to 2010 so he's promised us a lot.
I don't think one speech is gonna change anything because there -- there's a new report that came up from Rutgers University.
Yes the the unemployment rate is seven point 9%.
But it showed that 23%.
Of Americans have lost a job.
Sometime in the last four years present Obama's time in office another 11%.
Have somebody in their household who lost a job that's a third of the American people.
Who've lost a job as a result of this economic downturn since Obama has been in office one speech is not gonna change their pessimism on the economy.
And -- and Stephen V the very thought of a new.
Address from this president on the economy and job creation.
With Nancy Pelosi House Minority Leader saying that spending is in a problem is he calls for more spending.
-- his -- some point which we become simply abuse children in this country.
-- this is this is be coming I mean awfully tiresome.
That people are saying things that are fundamentally empirical leave demonstrably untrue.
And my god we look up and they are.
A lot -- of officials of our government.
-- it's for it's pretty extraordinary remember Nancy Pelosi was basically just echoing.
Sentiments from the president himself -- mean it was reported in the Wall Street Journal that.
That Barack Obama told John Boehner that he didn't believe that there was a spending problem and what was interesting that.
I followed up a couple weeks later with the speaker's office and and did some checking.
The White House never even push back on the claim that the president had told speaker Boehner.
That there was no spending problem in the country so with something that the White House to basically accepted.
As true that that the president had said that's that there was and in fact -- a spending problem.
So how -- how Republicans.
Tried to reach good faith agreements -- of good faith negotiations about reducing.
The size and scope of government with a president who doesn't believe that that needs to happen and reports problem and reports today.
-- that the White House is calling on the house to come up and let's talk sequestered.
Precisely what.
Speaker Boehner said he would not do as is a trap being -- -- springing as we as we speak.
Well the president would like -- -- the -- and in a speech he's going to talk about some of the terrible terrible things will that would happen if us sequestration goes through as far as I can tell from talking to.
Republicans and house and senate they are really pretty dug in on this because.
Sequestration is the law right now you do nothing in these cuts one point two trillion dollars in cuts happen.
And if you open it back up as the president's gonna make the case for doing and create some sort of mixture of some budget cuts and then.
New taxes -- -- form of you know expanding the base or or or getting rid of some doing -- You're not gonna get that that the cuts that you already have in the law in sequestration.
There.
Nothing fascinates me so much as talking about sequestration.
Budget deficits mounting national debt getting down to all those zeros.
But I think the American people had a belly full of this act.
For both parties this president the speaker -- wherever it may be in Washington isn't it about time.
That we found somebody within this congress -- in the senate.
And it's perhaps in the White House -- the halls late at night someone.
Who could talk about the quality of life in this country.
RIA vision for the future and how we're going to go about getting there.
Without -- senate that -- even pass a budget a president who will not propose I sincerely a budget and a blueprint for our future.
I isn't it about time some people -- down there the straits.
Yes long past time I would argue I mean you're here -- -- you're you're hearing.
Some of these things from Republicans I think Republicans do deserve credit for doing the kinds of things.
That they've done to restrain spending in the past whether it's passing Paul Ryan's budget.
Whether it's already passing bills that would Stephens -- -- pressure -- doesn't the expression ad nauseam.
Doesn't it cry out to have that addition -- when we talked about that.
My lord give that a rest Republicans.
Let's talk about something bigger better and more effective because.
This this has been a if you will a whale that we've heard.
For the past four years I mean it's on helpful now we have but I don't know -- know what I don't agree with you on that look I think it's it's actually something when Republicans and go to the go to the trouble.
Up passing a budget and taking on -- daughter not nobody gonna be.
I really don't as a hybrid due about that do what they've done it is about -- -- -- I believe at last count seventeen types.
And I -- at what point do you say Lou we've we've put down -- marker.
Yeah what I think that's the that's the frustrating part I think for Republicans is they've done this now the question is what can you do with control of just one.
House of congress but it's clearly not what they could -- really is not Wear us out and perhaps the other thing you might be able do if you chose to do that.
Is start articulating and new and compelling message Byron York you get the last word here.
If you if you listen to Republicans in congress they'll say one they were locked in to doing a lot of these things there really was a law that would have raise taxes on January 1 had to be dealt with.
Really is a debt ceiling has to be -- Obama then.
But they if you listen to them now they are trying to switch to this message -- talking about Eric Cantor.
Number two guy in the house gave a speech at the American institute.
American Enterprise Institute last week really talking stressing quality of life issues for middle class families.
Listen to what Marco Rubio says and the Republican response to the state beginning and he's going to be talking about that as well they themselves.
Are trying to pivot from some of these fiscal fights to a more quality of life America -- economic well being argument.
Well I think that the -- will be well will be looking for -- in prospect it's a very excited what's can't wait for the reality.
Our York Stephen Hayes thank you both -- thank you -- are.
