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President Obama, the Next 4 Years: The Economy - Can Democrats and Republicans find a way to work together on spending, defense cuts, a budget and gov...
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Common ground Democrats Republicans couldn't seem to find it during -- Obama's first term and they do it now -- is that while dreaming.
Republicans won't -- in defense spending Republican and President Obama won't budge and entitlements.
-- apostle bridge to gap senator Jeff Sessions is a ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee he joins us nice to see is an act thank you Greta.
First mom.
-- tone like on Capitol Hill between Democrats Republicans are from our perspective since it's all out war.
I don't know it's all out war but I do believe the Democrats have strengthened on their positions in -- Harden their views since the election maybe that's understandable.
But it looks to me like it's going to be pretty difficult to get the kind of rational settlement that will promote growth and -- Sound reduction of deficits that we need for our country do you -- tax rates going up on the wealthy.
Well and not be we should not raise taxes at all until we at least know where the money -- go.
And without a budget without a plan.
We need and there's different we've got to me did ask Americans that I was constituents impossible for me as my constituents to send more money.
To Washington when they don't know where is going to be spent.
Which is where I've come up to your office so many time today on the topic of waste and fraud.
Because it drives me actually -- and I know that they you have been pursuing that as well as it is it is it any discussion minutes of this people you talk about changing entitlements and spending.
-- talk about race attacks what are.
Hi -- no discussion but dig into the -- -- a lot of waste in our government and fraud group.
Greta that is absolutely.
True we can do so much more than we are doing.
-- whole portions of our budget -- totally exempted from any of these scrutiny of cuts.
For example the whole -- most of the welfare program.
The Medicaid.
The food stamps all of which didn't surging.
Have no reductions in spending client and people don't even talk about that.
But that -- -- -- talking about the situation where you have.
Mean I'll like give that you have seen the -- reports where you have five agencies doing the same training program which makes no sense of onto the overlap -- is it's -- it is it's just -- senator Tom Coburn has written a lot about it there's so much weight if we.
I think more people might be more willing to him like Texas they saw any commitment from the government that they're just not waste -- Absolutely and we're not doing that oversight there's sixty job training programs in this government sixteen I S -- head job training person in Alabama.
Would it be better if the government just gave you your share of those sixty programs and -- you develop.
Needs to meet the unique conditions of Alabama he just said absolutely.
They give me a break.
For every of the recent story -- the general who had to pay back he lost a -- because he was spending 82000 dollars of some sort extravagant.
Travel so he had to pay back -- 2000 that's the culture at least would this man you've got situation really we've had so many of those conferences and conventions and I know it's just a million dollars -- in a million dollars it.
But regulated government has spent all that stuff does begin to add up and -- part of the culture it's like other people's money doesn't matter.
It is part of the culture and we need to understand that every single dollar that comes into this treasury is really.
Under the responsibility of the United States congress and the president and we need to.
Honor that -- And make sure every cent.
Is invested.
For the right way -- if we were to make government leaner and more productive it would have growth in America just one thing we can do to help make America.
More productive is making government more productive it is inefficient and getting worse.
Is there any sort of mean since election and know that the Democrats that -- the wind behind the back because depression was reelected in the picked up some seats in the senate.
But do you ever hear anything like William we can work this out your -- discussion like that -- -- did you talk to people across the -- Oh absolutely you talk -- people and then they have this idea and that idea but -- being control with the leadership level and the presidential level.
So here's we've been in session only a few days what three days since the election.
And they'll be the first meeting.
You know just.
After that after -- gone home on to discuss what kind of fixed they should be for the fiscal cliff.
So we really have wasted all of September virtually all of November now.
And we're getting closer and closer to the deadline which -- I think about it means there will be less.
Virtually no public discussion we'll probably have some sought of debt secretly negotiated agreement.
Right before Christmas arrived before January 31.
And all members of the senate expected to just vote for what that's not a good way for the American people to hold their representatives accountable.
For the votes and the responsibility.
Of managing their money.
We are Thursday has left but I -- -- a -- can't -- how much money need to have a budget is senator Harry -- a single handedly prevent the senate from coming up with a budget so that it can be reconciled with a house budget and the president to win a single -- stop that -- know we need.
Exactly and then they say they've got to have more money.
Well where's it going how much do you go where you don't spend it are you going to reduce debt.
Or what's the numbers indicate they wanna use to fund new spending and it has no impact on reducing the debt -- I don't remember what I know I think EMI to namely don't even have any idea where it's going but anyway so campaign the last word on that ice and see you sir thank you try to press.
