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President mounting campaign to gain support for tax hikes

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    Will the fiscal cliff be avoided?

  • Duration 6:43
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No Republicans will vote for our tax rates.

We will generate revenue from eliminating deductions and loopholes.

But we will insist our democratic friends reform entitlements something we've never done and that's -- the big -- is that.

-- is a former advisor to President Bill Clinton and co -- campaign insiders he's also a Fox News contributor.

And Grover Norquist is president of Americans for Tax Reform gentlemen welcome to -- thank you -- Good they were there I -- -- -- start with you you have taken -- very publicly because -- your accused by your critics of strong arming Republicans into signing a pledge.

That means they won't raise taxes and that you're to blame for the gridlock we've had the last two years and that is going to continue -- respond.

Well as you know the pledges taken by candidates for office to their constituents that people in their state the American people.

It's clearly a pledge they take to their constituents.

And they get elected based on that a majority of the congressman in the US have to represent as it made a written commitment to their constituents.

They'll vote against tax increases.

And we didn't have gridlock a year ago 2011.

We passed.

The budget control act which cuts spending two and a half trillion dollars from what Obama wanted to spend two and a half trillion.

Didn't raise taxes it was very successful the people who Weiner liberals who wanted to help higher taxes instead of the spending cuts.

Well and -- where we go with this because a lot of a lot of stuff that passes the house doesn't get anywhere -- -- -- and vice Versa it's true I mean is there going to be middle ground here aren't I think -- it.

Graham suggested a way to do -- which is.

If you have real tax reform and lower rates limit deductions there's a way to get more revenue.

And if you couple that with spending cuts and entitlement reform you can have a pro growth plan.

Now getting the precise numbers right and compromising.

Is a real challenge but there's a way to do a deal and given what speaker Boehner and the president have said I think there's a path.

I mean there were a number of debt reduction groups -- commissions that were put together including one commissioned by the president and yet he didn't take their advice he didn't follow where they had recommended.

So Grover what makes you think that -- groups are going to be able to come around this time around and find some common ground.

Well I'm not sure that they well the Simpson -- Commission.

Which is Simpson and Bowles wrote.

A plan that called for -- taxes for making and a half percent GDP.

Up to 21% that's a five trillion dollar tax increase over ten years.

With spending cuts that were really.

Written an outline.

Form the challenges.

That as you say the president.

Has not put any real spending cuts on the table worse when he talks about his budget.

He includes 800 billion dollars in savings from not continuing the Iraq War for the next century which no -- was planning to do.

And it counts between one and -- Trillion dollars in.

Spending cuts -- -- -- even passed into law this spending cuts from the budget control act he now wants to.

Count the second time so he hasn't put.

Real spending reduction and certainly no entitlement reforms on the table and -- guys it's all -- campaign.

Aren't gonna wanna ask you about the fact that the president did put together -- budgetary framework they got zero votes.

Over on capitol zero I mean no Republicans no Democrats.

So he's got a big task ahead of him he's got this issue of leadership that speaker Boehner keeps calling on him to rise to the occasion -- the moment.

Step up to that and but the fact is you know there there seems to be on very little common -- -- you mention entitlement reform something no when used to talk about now politicians.

Do talk about it but they're afraid it's gonna cost them their seat the next time that there -- up because -- the other side will play games with that in and calls seniors and say that they're going to lose everything.

There doesn't really seem to be an actual appetite for attacking entitlement reform on both sides of the -- it's gonna take both sides of who do you think could be a leader or leaders on that particular day I.

I think the answer Bowles and Simpson.

Grover not like coming -- don't wanna raise.

Any revenue but we have to be able to cut programs raise some revenue you can do it.

By lowering rates and reducing deductions now we have to compromise our system.

Grover may win the argument but America.

May lose the war if he's right and bottom line on one of those who believes that America can only succeed.

If we put our collective heads together compromise and achieve a budgetary settlement that is not satisfactory to anybody.

But achieves our common goal of balancing a budget something Bill Clinton and Newt Gingrich did in the mid -- -- are you against any kind of raising a revenue are you against closing loopholes you count that as raising taxes.

Well I'm certainly in favor of more revenue for economic growth if you grow the economy at 4% year Reagan rates as opposed to 2% a year French rates are now.

A -- what Obama's brought us up chip.

That -- -- 4% a year -- have 2% year over a decade raises five trillion dollars.

In more revenue not a tax increase but revenue through growth we need to have pro growth policies that bring in more -- Why would you raise taxes when you could get five trillion dollars.

By cutting marginal tax rates getting read of some of the over regulation and Obama's threatening the economy -- and having economic growth more people -- work.

That's the better way to raise revenue and -- we need to.

Reform entitlements but it's disingenuous to say.

Both parties have failed the Republicans in the house.

Passed the Ryan plan which fundamentally reform.

Entitlements it's simply needs -- senate the president to go along with -- that the Republicans have passed a real budget in writing in legislative form not some.

SA and haiku about what they think might be done which is all the president has done.

All right we mentioned Paul Ryan he did win his house seat he'll be back there with House Budget Committee so well we'll see he gets any love from the senate and the president it's a tall order gentlemen thank you both -- NN thank you so much better.

Good to be with the F.

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