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House speaker sounds off on intel leaks, dysfunction in Congress, the key issue in the presidential race and whom he favors as Romney's VP pick
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That's ahead but first speaker of the house John Boehner the fight over extending the bush era tax cuts and getting down and dirty but -- getting anywhere.
Yesterday the democratically controlled senate passed a bill renewing the tax cuts but only for people earning less than 250000 dollars year.
For everyone else tax rates will go up on January 1.
So now it is a Republican led house is moved we spoke with speaker Boehner earlier today.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Wheel house but next week will vote to stop the looming tax hike scheduled to take effect -- -- and where the first.
President's plan would cost to about 700000.
New jobs.
That wouldn't be created or could be lost.
By taxi in a small businesses.
On the house will not do that the house will extend all of the existing tax rates.
We're 8% unemployment.
We get 41 months of it -- does not to be time the time to be raising taxes on American small businesses.
Will there be any deals made down the road by good people who make -- More than five million dollars -- -- -- -- this the big numbers bigger numbers than a million at some point in order to get a deal.
And I just know ours is an -- no tax hike as anybody.
This is not the time the -- raising taxes on small business owners so -- you're not going to do.
That means nobody no way never.
And we -- excited.
We are going to pass our bill next week.
The senate the past what I'll call unconstitutional bill all tax bills have to start in the house.
Found then we would hope they would take up by the house passed bill.
You say they hope -- take it up but -- you're gonna past your film next -- the numbers that's clear it then goes over to the senate you don't expect the senate to adopt your -- they have.
Wouldn't look that way but hope springs eternal -- so then where does that leave the American taxpayers tapes are at -- -- -- two different bills.
Very different bills.
It's the president would remind me from time to time that's what elections are for.
But American taxpayers shouldn't have to wait until after the election to know what the tax rates are going to be for next year.
In addition to that of the alternative minimum minimum tax worked won eight of twelve and has not been extended.
I -- so you still -- four million Americans.
Affected by the Alternative Minimum Tax in January.
It'll be thirty million Americans.
And you wanna ship to our real tax -- about a four trillion dollar tax agrees that we don't come to agreement on this bill.
Part of that leaves everybody sort of sputtering trying to decide what to do because it's not gonna happen either -- the lame duck session or sometime in January.
-- everyone is so we're all on hold.
Is there anyway let me -- -- suggestion how about that kind of senator Harry Reid and President Obama and so we got that we have this August recess everybody let's try to do something now so this prediction for the small business people and -- America -- Make in this case all year of the we ought to extend all the current tax rates -- it's it's an issue in the presidential campaign.
There's no reason to wait I'm ready willing and able.
-- to Saddam the president or Harry Reid tomorrow.
And to resolve this issue for the American people so they would agree to give up August in the sit down here never enough but his -- that I'm your game I've been having good.
So.
What's the problem reunite you know why can't this and me get this yourself because we -- a lot -- of the above the founders gave us with a system of government -- may not be perfect but it really does work better than anyplace else on the world.
Now -- good American view will give us divided government and Republicans control -- house Democrats controlled the senate Democrats control the White House.
Now and it.
And so we've got a recipe here.
Four -- water and it's -- but I think it's our job.
Even though we may have some very strong opinions is that an opposite opinions our job is still to find common ground.
And to do our best for the American people.
But you can't you can't do the tango by yourself.
Value you've got to have a willing partner and I have not had a willing partner.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- That's why I don't -- -- wait we don't need to be up against put a deadline in order to act.
But if I can't get Harry Reid this would have -- the negotiator of the president's -- negotiate.
I'm not considered negotiate with myself.
The bill on the senate to essentially adds about it's -- finance and government for eight days approximately.
The headline in the tax rate go back to where was for people make over 250000 dollars -- Any thoughts on how we're gonna fund the other three and 57303.
To 57 days out of the year -- -- so eight days.
Well listen -- a while we need to extend all -- the current tax rates because.
You're -- you're just kidding yourself.
The American people but don't need to be paying higher taxes at a time when our economy is not doing well.
In other presidents -- to run around campaigning.
Avoiding sitting down with his own jobs council.
-- have some level of for over six months if you look at the report that the president's job council put out guess what.
It supports many of the ideas that we've passed in the house and sent over to the summit.
But a meeting with the jobs -- to really get us anywhere he needs to meet with senator Harry Reid.
And with you and work something not the jobs council can't implement policy -- -- Got thirty bills.
A city -- over the United States senate that would help or get our economy moving again and get the American people back to work.
He's there did you ever talked to the presence ever call you -- -- -- let's work this -- what are you able to call him.
I guess I could but I haven't heard from the president months.
What do you get -- campaign.
Well what I'm gonna call me.
Money give macabre maybe maybe step I'll -- they hit return your can't say -- it's a good idea operators all the jury it'll be polite enough to return the call.
And -- but -- like Colin.
How much senator Harry Reid because and there are bills I understand that are stalled over at the at the house at the senate summit they -- to serve political -- mostly send over the but summer doesn't really need to be discussed and debated and resolved.
Does he have -- he ever talk to it.
I do talk to senator -- more often than our staff talked pretty regularly.
About -- about trying to move things through this process.
It's a very different -- process.
That the founders gave us but my job -- to keep the movement.
On behalf of the American people.
-- what what's your prediction of what's actually going to happen.
Take me through this tax -- we -- we NN dot.
What doesn't look to me you'd likely that anything we'll get accomplished before the election.
It was unfortunate but I -- -- seeming willingness.
On the part of the democratic controlled senate war President Obama to try to resolve this issue before them.
If it's done though in the lame duck session and I realize that the deadline for the taxes going up as the first of the year.
If it's done a lame duck and then -- elections really don't count that much because there will be people voting.
On behalf of the American people who have been removed from office or retiring or whatever so we had a lot of they had the lame duck people people who will not be answered the American people.
Well that is the case.
It's unfortunate that we're we would be in that position that's why we ought to be doing -- now there's a reasonably.
-- -- to the issue of leaks.
Admiral William craven who is ahead of special operations command has said that leaks the leaks -- of -- -- have happened have put lives at risk and may ultimately cost American lives unless there's an effective crack down.
Then the chairman of the house Intel committee.
Chairman -- Mike Rogers told them Bret -- essentially it's the White House is not cooperate.
This is very serious problem and I agree with the admirals.
Prediction that frankly we have put lives in danger.
While I'm not disclose any classified information.
I can say this.
That the type of information that has been leaked.
Is information that I was not spread.
On -- in a very wide circle.
This is not something that came from some underling somewhere.
And so there's great concern on my part as to where these leaks can from end.
Why they were leaked.
And I would hope that the administration.
Would cooperate.
With the special counsels that have been appointed so that we get to the bottom of this -- very serious problem do you believe the leaks came from the White House.
I don't know were -- -- came from.
But.
They clearly came at a very high level what does that mean high level.
Well -- would have got to they classified information.
But dependent upon know how class about it is that there's certain circles that of people who were entitled to see that information.
I've been on -- an awful lot of information.
But when you look at the types of information.
That have been leaked on this is not something that wounds wounds.
Offered.
To a wide array of people.
There -- a couple different kinds of links in -- and -- the leaks that are done accidentally.
And there are leaks that are done deliberately.
For political advantage.
Do you have any idea.
Which this one is and not what now I don't have any information that that.
To suggest why the information -- Is some of -- -- simply have -- political I understand.
And you'd need take no position on that I don't know that I don't want I don't want -- speculate that's why the information -- -- -- -- that.
It is gonna put.
American lives in danger of again is going to have that has disclosed.
Some of our methods of operation which.
Or -- series don't need to know.
Do you have any opposition to the way it's been investigated there are two US attorneys appointed one is in the US attorney appointed by President Obama.
The other one appointed by President Bush 43 both have an answer to the attorney general and all that chain of command.
Do you have any objection to it being investigated that where do you think that a special counsel some sort should be -- point I think him.
Or independent counsel who would have been -- more appropriate ways to proceed.
The president -- agree with.
At one point I thought that -- -- congress itself.
The leaders along was.
Of the intelligence panels of both the house and senate.
Would in a bipartisan way.
Appoint someone on our behalf to investigate -- -- but unfortunately we couldn't get to a bipartisan agreement.
Is there any way to detect the speed of this because if admiral craven is correct that this could cost lives.
If we really need to move fast and figure out where Italy quest to prevent from happening before -- politics you know that's just sort of the.
Political or -- my I don't know how these investigations.
Are undertaken there are hundreds and hundreds of interviews of -- have to be done all of that information is kept.
Well by of the special prosecutor's.
Beyond everything is in the door not until.
-- ready but to issue their report.
And so I don't expect to -- soon.
I guess -- that you mean if it's as high as people think -- -- early if a handful of people who were privy to that information or should be.
And so that -- should be it it could be a swifter investigations.
And then an order than what my.
Otherwise occur that they could be but again -- don't bottle.
I don't have information.
And I'm not going to speculate on how many people have access to information.
Or for that matter why it was -- Your prediction on academy eight point 2% unemployment.
Last two months it's it has been very sluggish d'antoni you know hugely positive -- the well that's the official unemployment rate when you look at.
That the rates down because a lot of people just given up looking for work.
In other real unemployment rate is almost 15%.
And and then if you -- -- black unemployment Hispanic unemployment.
You're into the high teens and low twenties.
And then look at college graduates recent college -- which where you've got 50% of those graduates.
Either unemployed or underemployed.
But we have a serious problem was our economy.
And the present wanted to meet with -- -- jobs council his policies have failed to hit may have actually made things worse.
And this election was coming up in November is gonna be a referendum on the president's economic pulse.
Your home state has an unemployment rate under the national average which is I mean that was -- for Ohio.
It's a swing state.
Any thoughts on how president Obama's -- -- -- in your state this very important -- in the November election governor.
Case it -- his jobs council.
I've done a marvelous job of making it easier come to -- easier to set up a new -- there's real cooperation between the state government.
And those that are looking to locate in our state.
I don't here -- and there's an example -- worked with Abbott labs.
We're building a new facility and tip city Ohio.
260 million dollar investment.
Of external employer for 400.
Do people.
In our part of Ohio so the governor has done a good job not -- the president mobile tragic credit for it but I would argue the most of vote.
The decrease in unemployment Ohio came -- a work of governor Kasich and his administration.
-- -- -- -- silly game of who's going to be the vice president nominee and -- party any thoughts on the vice presidential choice.
Well you know -- Bob partial Rob Portman.
-- but a long time friend of the United States senator from from Ohio served in the room.
As a director of office of management but budget.
Under George W.
Bush also served.
As the US trade -- served in the house representatives as well those those -- around Washington and I think you did a great asset.
Well for governor Romney.
Thank you -- -- thank you nice.
