Carney: It would “ruin the fun” if I gave away Obama’s fiscal-cliff plans

posted at 6:51 pm on November 26, 2012 by Erika Johnsen

If this is meant to imply that President Obama has hitherto unknown skillful-leadership tricks up his sleeve, then these negotiations really will be surprising — but I won’t hold my breath. Apparently, the White House has a “variety of things” planned in regards to the fiscal cliff, but they’re keeping mum on the deets for now, via the Washington Examiner:

After a reporter asked how President Obama was planning to engage in the messaging war over the “fiscal cliff,” White House Press Secretary said that he didn’t want to “ruin the fun” of fiscal cliff negotiations. …

“It would ruin the fun, if I gave you all the details now,” Carney said with a smile.

Uh huh. As it is, I’m doubtful the executive branch has any real plans to lead, put forward new proposals, or demonstrate a willingness to compromise further — but I’m sure they have plenty of campaign-type messaging strategies ready like the one they released this morning, a report on “The Middle-Class Tax Cuts’ Impact on Consumer Spending & Retailers” that basically makes Republicans and their low-tax, economic-growth preferences out to be the Grinch that’s stealing Christmas.

President Obama returned to campaign mode on Monday – casting Republicans as against the middle class by saying their failure to accept his offer for a limited extension of tax breaks will essentially ruin Christmas for consumers and retailers. …

“Stop holding the middle class and our economy hostage over a disagreement on tax cuts,” the letter states, as Congress returns to Washington this week to try to reach a deal that would avert the $500 billion mix of tax increases and budget cuts set to take effect in early January. …

The National Retail Federation was among the first Monday to take issue with the letter.

“It is encouraging to see the administration’s acknowledgment that retailers and their customers will be among the hardest hit if our elected officials fail to address ongoing economic uncertainty,” group spokesman Stephen Schatz said. “However … cherry-picking reforms only serves to reinforce the well-placed fears of American consumers and retailers that the status quo will once again rule the day.”

All of these claims to be looking out for the middle class are total garbage, of course, seeing as how nothing we’ve seen so far is going to harm the middle class in the long run as thoroughly as the rate at which the federal government is sinking us further into debt. So, once again, we get to witness the White House’s remarkable penchant for producing glossy campaign-like talking points full of accusatory spinmeistering, but as Senate Majority Mitch McConnell said on the floor earlier today, the level of substantive leadership is still severely wanting. From The Hill:

…McConnell said Republicans have made a concession in the talks on taxes but that Democrats have so far refused to produce real spending cuts to match.

“The only balanced approach is one that includes real and lasting reforms. So Republicans have stepped out of our comfort zone. We’ve been clear about what we’ll do and what we won’t. And yet we remain at an impasse,” he said.

“It’s time for the president to present a plan that rises above these reckless and radical voices on the hard left, that goes beyond the talking points of the campaign trail, and that has a realistic chance of passing the Congress,” he added.

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Tax the rich!

ConcealedKerry on November 26, 2012 at 6:53 PM

We’ve had 4 years for this brilliant f$%^ing plan to come out.
You got nuthin’ ya worthless beyotches.
I cannot wait for the fun to start.

Badger40 on November 26, 2012 at 6:54 PM

Tax the kinda rich!

ConcealedKerry on November 26, 2012 at 6:54 PM

Tax the not so rich but working towards rich!

ConcealedKerry on November 26, 2012 at 6:54 PM

Let it burn…!

Seven Percent Solution on November 26, 2012 at 6:55 PM

Let’s see if I can crack the White House code:

- Offer the 50%/50% compromise – top marginal rate of 50% in exchange for 50% of the working population not paying any income tax.
- On the off-chance the Pubbies accept it, move the goal posts so all the tax hikes show up, then spend the non-defense sequester anyway.

Steve Eggleston on November 26, 2012 at 6:56 PM

Let me guess: avoid any hard decisions, then either blame the GOP if things go wrong, or claim all the credit if something good nonetheless happens.

JeremiahJohnson on November 26, 2012 at 6:56 PM

L.I.B.

portlandon on November 26, 2012 at 6:57 PM

Tax the not so rich but working towards rich!

ConcealedKerry on November 26, 2012 at 6:54 PM

To be called the Al Czervik tax. They’ll never get into Bushwood.

Steve Eggleston on November 26, 2012 at 6:57 PM

These stupid, incompetent turds think this is just a game. Thank you enlightened voters you really stuck it to us this time and I hope you are the first to go broke and lose everything.

rplat on November 26, 2012 at 6:58 PM

“We will tax and tax and spend and spend.” I don’t remember exactly who said that, but he was a Democrat in the FDR Administration.
The Affirmative Action President has FOUR MORE YEARS to come up with … something?

Missilengr on November 26, 2012 at 6:59 PM

tax ivy league endowments! tax hollyweirdos pay! tax trust funds!

newrouter on November 26, 2012 at 6:59 PM

Fun – I don’t think that means what they think it means.

gophergirl on November 26, 2012 at 7:00 PM

After a reporter asked how President Obama was planning to engage in the messaging war over the “fiscal cliff,” White House Press Secretary said that he didn’t want to “ruin the fun” of fiscal cliff negotiations. …

“It would ruin the fun, if I gave you all the details now,” Carney said with a smile.

John and Mitch, pretty effin funny eh? You guys think you can come to an agreement with pukes like this?

I know you will. :(

arnold ziffel on November 26, 2012 at 7:00 PM

“The way to crush the bourgeoisie is to grind them between the millstones of taxation and inflation.”

-Vladimir Lenin

tom daschle concerned on November 26, 2012 at 7:00 PM

I’m glad they think this is fun.

When will the adults get to lead again? 2016? Just great….

I don’t think I ever properly thanked the 10% of conservative voters who decided this election wasn’t worth it to save the country and dropped out from 2008 numbers. Think you can pay attention this time around? You have 4 years to see how bad it can really get.

goflyers on November 26, 2012 at 7:00 PM

Give the working mans tax money to the lazy, non working, dope smoking, quart drinking,ignorant, generational takers and professional baby makers! More food stamps, more welfare disability collectors, more baby mamas without daddy’s, more third world type ignoramuses concerned only with the most they can GET with the least amount of effort!
Congrats on destroying my formerly great country RATS!

ConcealedKerry on November 26, 2012 at 7:01 PM

“So, once again, we get to witness the White House’s remarkable penchant for producing glossy campaign-like talking points full of accusatory spinmeistering…”

… and a “press” corps that likes to swallow.

Seven Percent Solution on November 26, 2012 at 7:01 PM

Alternatively tax the middle class at an increased minimum rate!

The Schaef on November 26, 2012 at 7:02 PM

What an F’ing retard. Telling us what Obama wants to do would be what they like to call “leadership”. But since the moron in chief doesn’t even know how to SPELL the word, thinking he might exhibit some qualities of the word is far too much to ask.

deadrody on November 26, 2012 at 7:04 PM

I think the word JERK applies here.

clippermiami on November 26, 2012 at 7:10 PM

So this guy can refer to the safety of our jobs, retirements, etc. as “fun” but Mitt Romney was just too out of touch with the common man? Disgusting.

Transpo on November 26, 2012 at 7:10 PM

Uh, I have a question.

What is Obama’s annual income? I’m fairly certain it’s in the “pretty much wealthy” category.

Doesn’t that make him a bloated bigot only interested in himself and, on a bad day, an oppressor of the masses?

IndieDogg on November 26, 2012 at 7:11 PM

The government spends $188 Million Dollars an hour…

… we have to borrow 40% of that.

Our current debt is +$16.2 TRILLION dollars and rising everyday…

… The interest payments alone are staggering.

Oblahblah’s STIMULUS spending was put into the “Baseline” when the Dems had control of Congress, so every year we are adding Trillions to the debt from the start…

… We have nothing to show for all this spending other than huge bureaucracies and a population of dependents.

This is such huge problem facing the actual existence of this Country and it’s future citizens…

… and Dear Leader thinks it’s “fun”.

Did I miss anything…?

Seven Percent Solution on November 26, 2012 at 7:12 PM

You cannot divulge what does not exist!

Another Drew on November 26, 2012 at 7:12 PM

We can criticize O’s sleaze tactics all we want, but, it obviously works. A majority of people in this country have now voted twice to use government to steal from their neighbors and force their fellow man to work for their precious government under threat of imprisonment. I don’t hear any republicans pointing that out, do you? All i hear is republicans giving pretty strong hints that they’re just fine with raising taxes. Let me know when they start point just how disgusting and inhumane taxes really are, until then a pox on both their houses.

clearbluesky on November 26, 2012 at 7:14 PM

“It is encouraging to see the administration’s acknowledgment that retailers and their customers will be among the hardest hit if our elected officials fail to address ongoing economic uncertainty,” group spokesman Stephen Schatz said. “However … cherry-picking reforms only serves to reinforce the well-placed fears of American consumers and retailers that the status quo will once again rule the day.”

That’s the problem, talk like that.

Why not this?

“This is the most anti-business, anti-free market administration in history, and if it’s accidental they’re incompetent, if it isn’t then they’re wrecking this economy on purpose. Taxation above and beyond what it takes to run the constitutional functions of government is destructive of freedom, let alone prosperity, and until Americans wake up to the traps the Democrat Party has led us to we remain in danger of collapsing as a free and independent nation.”

Over and over, every day.

“The Democrat Party’s idea of helping the middle class they’ve been at war with for eighty years is to put as many of them on food stamps and welfare as possible to extort their vote for the necessities of life, necessities they would otherwise have no trouble obtaining but for Democrat successes at the polls.”

Stuff like that there.

Akzed on November 26, 2012 at 7:15 PM

Tax ‘em all, let the bankruptcy courts sort it out once the government folds up.

Oh, wait… not enough money to run the courts… hmmm… maybe some pro bono work to sort things out will be necessary.

All’s I know is that if you can’t get a government to run on 2 trillion a year, then the ‘revenue’ is NOT THE PROBLEM. If you gotta prove that by letting the tax cuts expire, then do it.

And don’t raise the debt ceiling.

Surely for $2.44 trillion you can run a government, right?

ajacksonian on November 26, 2012 at 7:17 PM

I don’t think I ever properly thanked the 10% of conservative voters who decided this election wasn’t worth it to save the country and dropped out from 2008 numbers. Think you can pay attention this time around? You have 4 years to see how bad it can really get.

goflyers on November 26, 2012 at 7:00 PM

Putin in 2009 outlined his strategy for economic success. Alas, poor Obama did the opposite but nevertheless was re-elected. Bye, bye Miss American Pie. The Communists have won in America with Obama but failed miserably in Russia with Zyuganov who only received 17% of the vote. Vladimir Putin was re-elected as President keeping the NWO order out of Russia while America continues to repeat the Soviet mistake.

http://english.pravda.ru/opinion/columnists/19-11-2012/122849-obama_soviet_mistake-0/

Flyers♥……my hometown team.:-)

Green eyed Lady on November 26, 2012 at 7:18 PM

Give it away now

Dongemaharu on November 26, 2012 at 7:21 PM

We will tax and tax and spend and spend.” I don’t remember exactly who said that, but he was a Democrat in the FDR Administration.
The Affirmative Action President has FOUR MORE YEARS to come up with … something?

Missilengr on November 26, 2012 at 6:59 PM

If memory serves, it was Harry Hopkins – FDR confidant; sort of a czar in his day.

Asked if the New Deal had a philosophy, he said; “Tax and tax, spend and spend, elect and elect!”

massrighty on November 26, 2012 at 7:23 PM

Carney: It would “ruin the fun” if I gave away Obama’s fiscal-cliff plans

Reminds me of this one…

CAIRO CARNEY: “There is no plan that has been offered, certainly in the last several months, about which more detail is known or has been specified than the Obama-Boehner plan, okay, in terms of the cuts in domestic spending, both defense and non-defense discretionary; the savings coming out of entitlements programs, including Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security; the kind of tax reform that was envisioned and the mechanisms by which tax revenue would be a hard thing for Republicans to accept but was part of the deal — that would be $800 billion, that would be part of this proposal.”

ED HENRY: “Last thing, in the 2008 campaign as a candidate, the President said if he’s elected, he’d put the health care negotiations on C-SPAN. Didn’t happen, but he got the health care reform through. And he later told “60 Minutes” that he regretted it. He said, “There’s a price to that. People then felt like what’s going on behind closed doors isn’t so good for us. I think it hurt us politically.”

The last couple of days you seem to be arguing that it’s better to do these things behind closed doors, because if it’s all public, interest groups are going to blow it up, right? So do you have any regrets now that we’re at this precipice that — the President has put some details on the table, but if you had put more of the details on the table earlier, you might be further along in this process because it would have been more transparent?”

CAIRO CARNEY: “And you’re a veteran Washington reporter. There are a lot of you here. And I think we all understand how that works, that if you lay out a proposal that’s politically — by yourself that’s extremely politically hard for your party, whether you’re Republican or Democrat, it’s like putting a clay pigeon in the air. It’s ensuring its defeat. And that’s — and maybe that’s a sad statement, perhaps, about how Washington works, but it’s an incredibly realistic statement about how Washington works.”

IOW, Obama’s “plan” was the best plan evah. In fact, it was sooooo great that it could not be reduced to writing because it would wind up being a clay pigeon or something.

Resist We Much on November 26, 2012 at 7:24 PM

If this is meant to imply that President Obama has hitherto unknown skillful-leadership tricks up his sleeve,
=========================================

FU BO The Clown,that weilds a Big Stick,and Kicks *ss!

(snark)

canopfor on November 26, 2012 at 7:25 PM

President Obama returned to campaign mode on Monday – casting Republicans as against the middle class by saying their failure to accept his offer for a limited extension of tax breaks will essentially ruin Christmas for consumers and retailers.

Excuse me, did I miss something? Did President Obama actually write up a proposal and send it to the Republicans for them to consider? Forget not putting forward real spending cuts, did the White House prepare any formal proposal to address the fiscal cliff prior to January?

Or he is just play-acting that he’s made some proposal so he can claim Republicans stone-walled him and so we’ll all have to wait until January when he has more Dems on his team in Congress? If that’s the case, I’m thinking John Boehner’s plan to just smile broadly, say we’ll work with him, and then ask him to put something forward is actually pretty bright. Make Obama put an idea out there first. See how “serious” it is.

Jill1066 on November 26, 2012 at 7:32 PM

Carney thinks with his LADY PARTS.

Pork-Chop on November 26, 2012 at 7:37 PM

President Barack Obama will meet with a second batch of chief executives Wednesday as part of his efforts to mobilize external support for a package of changes to reduce the deficit, people familiar with the matter said.

It will be the second such meeting this month after Mr. Obama met with a dozen CEOs on Nov. 14, including Jeff Immelt of General Electric Co. and Indra Nooyi of PepsiCo Inc. The names of CEOs meeting with Mr. Obama on Wednesday couldn’t be immediately learned.

The meetings are part of a White House approach to deficit negotiations with Congress that differs from its strategy during the debt ceiling fight of 2011. Last year, the White House met primarily with lawmakers to try to craft a deal.

This time, Mr. Obama is spending more time meeting with businesses and other outside groups to galvanize external support that White House backers believe could help pressure lawmakers to compromise. The meetings with chief executives have been arranged in part by White House senior advisor Valerie Jarrett.

The meeting comes the same day a number of other chief executives are traveling to Washington to try and convince lawmakers to reach a deficit-reduction deal. Those CEOs, part of a campaign called “Fix the Debt,” have said policy makers should agree to a combination of tax increases and changes to entitlement programs like Medicare.

Fix The Debt.Fix.The.Debt!

A “campaign”!

tom daschle concerned on November 26, 2012 at 7:39 PM

“It would ruin the fun, if I gave you all the details now,” Carney said with a smile.

Details? Besides “tax the rich and make them pay their FAIR share”?

Whatever Barry’s plans, I’m sure they involve “leading from behind”.

GarandFan on November 26, 2012 at 7:41 PM

He is a victim, too

“The Middle-Class Tax Cuts’ Impact on Consumer Spending & Retailers” that basically makes Republicans and their low-tax, economic-growth preferences out to be the Grinch that’s stealing Christmas.

Erika Johnsen has it pegged. Republicans have a damaged brand and can’t sell their solutions yet.

It doesn’t matter whether you are still suffering 45 months into the administration.

What matters is who is at fault:

Independents, for instance, blame Bush rather than Obama for current economic problems by a 19-point margin, 51-32 percent. And that widens to a 27-point margin among political moderates.

WHY DIDN’T BUSH DO WHAT CADDELL SUGGESTED AT RESTORATION WEEKEND AND DEFEND HIMSELF?

IlikedAUH2O on November 26, 2012 at 7:42 PM

This just has to be more fun for Carney than Benghazi.

a capella on November 26, 2012 at 7:43 PM

“The Republicans care more about the wealthy then they do about you hard working middle income Americans.”

Demagoguery to be sure but damned it’s effective.

SteveMG on November 26, 2012 at 7:45 PM

Marxists love a serious crisis like dogs love trucks.

onomo on November 26, 2012 at 7:46 PM

“Fun”?

Anything I could say to characterize this attitude would be inadequate.

farsighted on November 26, 2012 at 7:53 PM

Gibsmedat

That’s the bottom line with the Democrats.

Dack Thrombosis on November 26, 2012 at 7:57 PM

Yes so much fun…

Wow….

rightConcept on November 26, 2012 at 8:00 PM

Oh gee,

I thought maybe working to secure the nation’s future was, oh, IMPORTANT, and not all fun and games….

Was I mistaken…

What an asshat.

ProfShadow on November 26, 2012 at 8:01 PM

Mortgage deduction on the table per DRUDGE.

Sweet.

Thanks GOP!

Mr. Arrogant on November 26, 2012 at 8:06 PM

Gee, on November 6, I thought the public re-elected the guy who was all for increased revenue as the means to deal with our debt. Let the Bush tax cuts expire. It will be painful but maybe it’s time for more people to pay into the system.

DaveDief on November 26, 2012 at 8:26 PM

51% of America voted to return Obama to the White House. Thus I say, again, step out of the way GOP. Let the debt and tax bus go off the fiscal cliff.

Rndguy on November 26, 2012 at 8:29 PM

These stupid, incompetent turds think this is just a game. Thank you enlightened voters you really stuck it to us this time and I hope you are the first to go broke and lose everything.

rplat on November 26, 2012 at 6:58 PM

Ditto,
What he said.
Or she.

Colorado Anne on November 26, 2012 at 8:47 PM

“FUN”
Evidently destroying our economy one precipice at a time is the demon-crat’s idea of “fun”.

kregg on November 26, 2012 at 8:52 PM

“FUN”
Evidently destroying our economy one precipice at a time is the demon-crat’s idea of “fun”.

kregg on November 26, 2012 at 8:52 PM

Destruction is always fun to moral degenerates. And make no mistake, from top to bottom, the Obama regime is made up of evil moral degenerates.

tom daschle concerned on November 26, 2012 at 8:57 PM

What I wouldn’t give to watch this Carney b@st@rd get waterboarded. Not because he knows anything and is likely to spill it. But just to wipe that smirk off his gob and make him cry like the little female dog that he is.

Left Coast Right Mind on November 26, 2012 at 9:12 PM

What juvenile mentality.

Most transparent administration ever.

Mimzey on November 26, 2012 at 9:39 PM

Carney should just stand there…and sh!t his pants in front of everybody!

KOOLAID2 on November 26, 2012 at 11:13 PM

This has GOT to be the most tone deaf administration ever. Do they think this is a joke?… “ruin the fun”? What the hell is THAT supposed to mean?

Murf76 on November 27, 2012 at 12:15 AM

“Fun”?

Anything I could say to characterize this attitude would be inadequate.

farsighted on November 26, 2012 at 7:53 PM

Anything I would say would get me banned…

affenhauer on November 27, 2012 at 10:31 AM

Yawn.
Another of those “we have to pass it to find out what’s in it” kind of things again?!

Can’t you boys ever be straight with us?

Sterling Holobyte on November 27, 2012 at 10:51 AM

Fun – I don’t think that means what they think it means.

gophergirl on November 26, 2012 at 7:00 PM

It means whatever they TELL YOU it means!

Of course, we will have to find out what they want you to think it means later.

Sterling Holobyte on November 27, 2012 at 10:57 AM

Glad to see its all fun and games to these people.

Sammo21 on November 27, 2012 at 11:36 AM