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What are both parties doing to get a fiscal deal?

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    Ben Tulchin and Myra Miller weigh in on the Capitol Hill negotiations

  • Duration 13:34
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Moving on it's not nearly as fascinating as a fiscal cliff.

But what's your side doing to get this deal done -- look as though -- moving anyway.

Well I think you know Democrats are -- mean that we're looking at what happened the election which was solid victory for President Obama and Democrats in the senate.

Which basing this campaign was fought over.

A battle of ideas which was a -- -- advocated for raising taxes on the wealthy those making more than 200000 dollars in protecting.

Socialist security Medicare.

And they ran against the -- Ryan.

Plan which was to cut taxes for the wealthy and privatize Medicare and voters present only gave.

In support of -- vision of Democrats on that front and I think that.

You know what Obama and Democrats are doing is saying look we just had what's the you know -- real time poll here which is election.

And voters said hey I support the democrats' vision raising taxes on the wealthy.

And protecting Social Security Medicare and I think it really is going to be -- two Republicans -- to come to terms with their defeat in November.

And compromise.

But let me bring in -- -- -- -- now with his former political director with the Alabama Republican Party -- senior vice president with the Winston great good to see you -- I enjoy your also equally delighted revenues from England that the royals are expecting.

I'm I'm I'm ecstatic and surprised we didn't get bumped.

Oh hole you could still be don't tempt fate.

But -- Ben's point it is that we would mean through the election.

The votes as.

In his view gave.

The Democrats and President Obama a mandate.

The -- view of the way these fiscal cliff negotiations.

Should be settled.

Would you agree -- that you know that the Republicans have got to come around into the democrats' view of thinking at least to some extent.

Well I think that the Democrats and President Obama need to be very careful with how they interpret their mandate harking back to.

What President Bush did in 2004 -- Social Security if you look at the exit polling from the election and we had just a couple of weeks ago.

63% of the electorate of voters who voted said that in terms of whether taxes should be raised to deal with the deficit 63% said no.

-- so I think the Democrats seem to be really careful with how they interpret.

This election as -- mandate for raising taxes.

Aren't that -- what and where do you think.

That the President Obama.

Should and will depend somewhat on the spending cuts because you're not gonna -- this just by raising taxes everybody knows that.

They've got to be cuts in net what do you think he should cut what do you think he will agree to -- ultimately.

Why think first Republicans need to agree to raise taxes on the top 2% those making more than turned 50000 dollars -- -- The reality is polling showed consistently.

That voters strongly support raising taxes on the wealthy a specifically on those making more than -- 50000 dollars and above.

And I think what I think was important for these negotiations -- -- can come to agreement on that include and representative Tom coale from Oklahoma very conservative.

Member of congress basically is agreed to that several other -- Republican members of congress are agreeing to that.

And I think speaker Boehner needs to get his caucus together.

And put the votes up and teaming up with Democrats in the congress.

And I think they can support raising taxes on the wealthy first and that gives us time to negotiate the tougher.

Details.

Entitlement.

Reform because that that's going to be much much much more difficult to address Social Security interest Medicare trust -- right.

That have to be hot so that's what they gonna come from Ben in the -- -- you would agree that we got to look at those.

At least some reforms I mean it's hard to do the whole thing I -- I -- -- was an agreement that we can't you just do this on revenues alone.

But I think in terms of the near term negotiations.

It's overwhelming to me the polling is overwhelming that voters strongly support raising tax on the wealthy several members of republic Republican members of congress to come out.

In favor of that so it least let's tackle it.

You know that part of -- that by just more time to negotiate it and for -- the -- details and moving forward.

-- -- -- dad so did cups where do you where what do you want to see from your side President Obama to agree to full cuts and do you think.

Ultimately.

Republicans will have to agree to -- to -- Taxes well on the issue of -- I -- -- the what the Democrats have proposed so far it's really nothing in most of what they -- and that's those are things that haven't.

We're agreed to back in 2011 along with the increase spending about to go back to the point and then just made up.

When he's talking about raising taxes on the wealthy there's an overlook -- -- anything I stations which is.

That is going to hit -- 194000.

Small businesses that's a very serious consequence to consider as we need Ford that's a very serious concern for the speaker and -- house Republicans.

But all right so we do we do we look at cuts.

Taxes taxes taxes a -- and the Democrats are saying.

Two Republicans Myra I you go to all agree that they got to go all the with the wealthy have to pay a little bit more.

I think the question needs to be what solution is going to get this economy going against me it's not about -- -- -- cut here -- we -- there it really is about how do we get economic growth going in this country again.

-- increasing government spending clearly has not worked so.

We need to start with the outcome that we're trying to get -- which is getting the country on a path to economic growth again.

-- -- your your point would be you improve.

The economy you get jobs growing -- you get more people paying into the taxes and you increase revenue that way.

You get economic growth going again -- back to my original point when you try to raise taxes on 894000.

Small businesses that is not the way to do it.

Ben what about that.

Well I just look at the last two decades right under Clinton Clinton raise taxes on the wealthiest.

And we had it a decade of strong economic growth.

George Bush cut taxes and everybody including the wealthiest and we had a decade of poor economic growth so I think the facts speak for themselves here that if you raise taxes slightly on the wealthy just to where they were under Clinton.

That's one way because what happens is.

By maintain that -- the key I think -- democrats' perspective is.

We need to actually maintain the tax cuts on middle class families and I think that's the risk that Republicans are running right now -- out there and that Democrats are strongly saying.

When you raise taxes on the wealthiest -- done very well the last over years.

And protect those tax cuts for the middle class so we don't raise tax on middle class the way the Republicans are behaving.

They're gonna Travis over the fiscal -- that's gonna raise tax on middle class and run this coming back in the recession look all the polling is clear.

That voters are gonna blame the Republicans for that so I think opponents -- to be very very careful here now -- -- they are.

On the wrong side of public opinion there are on the wrong side of the election.

And I just think that they have to come to terms -- have.

The rehab the new reality which is there and then they they they lost election voters supported.

Obama Democrats and -- that vision of raising tax on the wealthy and I think that that that the biggest point right now Republicans need to come to terms with that.

And some of -- you -- and some -- come around to it and I just think it's up to speaker Boehner to show some leadership.

And get his caucus to agree with what most.

Voters in this country want.

-- would -- would you agree that other Republicans are under more pressure -- that President Obama does hold the whip and well that's.

I think I think both sides feel the pressure him and recognize the severity of the situation are facing but let's go back to Ben's point about.

Going back to when looking at what Clinton did attacks -- -- nice you really have to take -- more holistic look at what Clinton did with taxes in the -- He he cut capital gains 1996.

He implemented welfare reform with Republicans in congress -- -- with the speaker Newt Gingrich he also exercised significant spending restraint.

After those things happen in the mid ninety's that's when he really saw the economic growth that was not from raising taxes I think you have to look.

At the larger picture of what Bill Clinton did in the 1990s.

All right out of course but talk writing in -- -- one -- view is Ben.

Us says that -- to -- point that -- President Obama had something of a mandate.

I'll has something of a -- -- he says since when did election give one side or the other.

Full raid of their agenda -- the losing side should just Baghdad person I think the division impala.

Is more important today than ever but both sides need to get over the we want to do -- we say.

Did you work to do what is best for America and the security of our -- -- yeah I mean it's.

It's hard to say it was a ringing -- endorsement -- or real mandate for the president given that they.

The house balance of how did change.

Well -- my -- this that it's not that.

You know that that there's not to be any negotiation or flexibility here is that Obama spent his first term.

Consistently coming out first with the initial proposal every -- Republicans get moving the goalposts and said thank you.

We -- that -- that we need more and he's learned from.

His past.

Lessons on that might believe it seems like he has and he he wants the Republicans to make the first pass because every time he did in the past.

They get it was like Lucy and Charlie brown and then with a football -- get moving the football on him so.

Every time -- tried to kick it so I think at this time it you know what he's trying to say is look.

2011 that the Dead -- lifting the debt ceiling negotiations.

Broke down but Obama is -- a much stronger position politically than it was in 2011 I think.

It -- to his credit in in what he should do is he should stick to his guns as long as possible because he has.

A lot more backing are now from the public in his position now ultimately if he's gonna give you always you know he's always been -- and is willing to compromise.

But in terms the art of negotiation.

You know he's not gonna make -- a mistake he has -- -- I hope not for from a democratic perspective.

You know offering the for making the first -- Republicans for them to just want demand more and more and more and I think speaker Boehner has stepped.

Come to reality some terms of new reality that.

In the -- remember me in the correctional races.

More Democrat Democrats got more votes than Republicans -- -- the Republicans -- the house but frankly is the gerrymandering that they did and redistricting so.

You know I again I think it comes down Republicans haven't come to terms morality some already have.

But more so and -- truly have to speaker bear to come to that reality that we can we can negotiate I'm not talking you know massive concessions here for the problems -- the thing to have that.

I give enough so that.

Did he says the move forward and -- addressing entitlement reform.

But -- do you think we walk.

On the -- to some sort of compromise you think we will get that even if it's on the smaller issues not the bigger ones.

I'm very hopeful as a speaker was saying very emphatically yesterday he certainly does not want to go off the fiscal cliff but at the same time.

We have to confront this nation's debt problem now we cannot kick the can down the road I think the president -- have to agree we have to confront the fiscal crisis right now and deal with it.

I did and you thing that will happen though -- that would because the Republicans.

All going to have to compromise to some extent if that's going to happen -- This does speaker at a Republicans in the house are actually not inches sitting down off the fiscal craft cliff that would be bad for the country that would be bad for everyone they are not interested in going -- fiscal.

A -- what do what about the the argument that's being made by some that actually -- and then some on the democratic side perhaps the feeling that.

Heading -- and at least to the very edge or even going over the so called fiscal -- might not be the -- thing that could happen to the country.

-- anyone I've talked to you or nor I wanna see that happen I mean did -- it's one of those what is that you don't really wanna see you hope that it wouldn't be that bad for the country but I don't think anyone wants actually.

See us go over that cliff -- again that's why go back to -- if we had all come to agreement.

Raising taxes on that -- the wealthiest of Americans.

We can avoid going over the cliff and it buys this time.

And again -- several problems are agreed to that we're very close on that front.

And I think that's the easiest way to avoid going over the fiscal cliff buys us time and then we can negotiate the tough for details down the road.

So you'll -- solution then is get -- get -- small deal done on tax increases for the wealthy.

And deal with the -- in entitlement spending some time in the future.

I think so because look at even if you -- and negotiate -- gonna get.

Real entitlement reform and that means addressing Social Security Medicare.

That the stakes couldn't be higher for both sides -- -- we saw what happened this past election with the Paul Ryan plan to privatize Medicare.

Republicans took a beating on that issue Democrats you know have always stood out to be the protectors of Social Security Medicare so if they're gonna.

You know address -- those programs and ended in and and reform them in any way.

That's gonna take I think that's a lot to digest and for a lot of political pressure for both parties to be -- handle and I don't think it's something that either party can handle.

Very easily over the next three weeks.

-- very quickly -- and could you see Republicans and agreeing to a deal when taxes are raised an entitlement spending.

Reform -- kicked down the road -- Well I'm not gonna speak for house Republicans here -- -- -- comes down to what's gonna happen to those small businesses that are going to be hit -- what the president's proposing.

Are the Democrats going to be serious with spending cuts and so you know at the end of the day what's going to be the solution that is going to provide a path to economic growth for this country.

All right -- Miller a former political director of the Alabama Republican body.

And -- -- vice president with the Winston group.

I've been told him president and found out culture in researcher -- -- December -- thank you both very much good discussion to deceive us today thanks so much.

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