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Rep. Issa: Fiscal cliff bill didn't address crisis in government spending, America may lose viability as an economic power
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And you just heard from now congressman Darrell -- -- now warning if congress doesn't take on spending that come true go into a downward slide to make us like Greece congressman I should joins us -- -- -- there.
Nice to see you and and nice to have you concentrating on what your best stat which is this waste in government that over and above all things we argue about it slipped into.
Every big bill.
And of course there was no discussion about ways to should add and -- we would -- that in the debate on this fiscal cliff has been about.
Spending and revenue taxes but I haven't heard anything about waste from anybody.
Well and and Greta if -- would simply take and what shouldn't have been in last night's bill out.
You would have at least taken it from the 330 billion net increase in spending.
Down to something closer to neutral and might have been more palatable for some Republicans.
But it was the best excuse in the world to say -- for lower taxes.
But not -- we're simply passing it onto the next generation.
-- -- just could have video saying that there were on a path to becoming like Greece Greece -- in my -- -- a 26%.
Unemployment rate in on and if it defaults on its next round it's been and -- -- kicked out of the eurozone.
Why do you say -- were on the path to grace well because the people.
-- in Greece continue to reject.
Any kind of real reform because they've so they've been so long denying reality that they think they can do it forever.
The Americans are not that far from when we had a balanced budget -- not that far from when we paid for what we consumed.
-- got to get back to a pretty soon because after twelve years you're beginning to build a generation.
Of the citizens and even more generation of politicians who think this can go on forever.
What's going to happen with the that's individualized sort of -- people didn't really notice the last -- victory their -- Geithner sent a lot of the capitals and we have hit -- -- -- would that the debt ceiling how he can now -- some sort of you know -- with the money so that we at least have some cash about two months but we're about to get to run out of cash started this big fight over the debt -- What's gonna happen.
Well first of -- Tim Geithner bless his heart.
He's a little disingenuous -- one sent me a little disingenuous isn't okay here's -- here he's not that I'm getting there yeah credible cash flow that's going to come AM.
Because in fact people cashed out.
All kinds of capital gains forceful.
Fourth quarter was about a lot of people taking gains on which are gonna pay taxes and the first part of this year the government's going to be flushed and -- about April 15.
They are going to have the ability to cash flow so his idea that he can stretch for two months it's probably more like five.
But the real point is.
Win -- we going to say that the budget.
Should be linked to -- -- in fact a debt ceiling we put a budget together we whatever amount we say we're gonna deficit spending in the budget.
We we increase the limit and you signed both at the same time because it's one bill.
I don't believe in playing chicken with the with in fact the debt ceiling if in fact we've already appropriated the money we're simply not allowing -- to be spent and Bob -- and spent.
But I am forced say you know what there has to be a once a year agreement on the budget it happens to be the law and it's been ignored.
I ask for better for worse I had I've been very hard on senate majority leader Harry Reid there has been no budget coming out of the sent another as the present submitted one to the -- -- the hill.
And and the Republicans in the house this memo what do you think those are good budgets are bad let's at least have put him on the table for discussion senator Harry Reid pocket veto it doesn't put one in the game so there's no discussion about budget -- -- discussion about budget we have -- budget.
We -- exactly right the president has a budget that at -- would never get a vote in the senate it's.
Bloated but you -- -- we.
He's appointing at least he's tried to -- his put it even if you hate has budgeted puts -- discussion play senator Harry -- to single handedly.
Steps it.
Right he violate the 1974 law we end up passing that we didn't just propose -- that we pass a budget we sent the senate and it goes nowhere and then we deem it.
Because that's what the acts as we begin acting as though we passed a budget that I had a product -- -- -- what it's the best we can do underwrote.
And it isn't an American people get a little bit I would think a little bit disenchanted with the fact that always sort of these games are being played well one body is doing what they're supposed to do.
Not all the time but in the case of the budget Paul Ryan did we supposed to do you saw the commercials they came out of his saying this is what will take to reduce the deficit not to eliminated to reduce it.
And that's what the president campaigned together -- -- the president as leaders party could cost senator Harry Reid say stop playing with us.
I think that he could do that this I think the president is somewhat of what he could get the -- out of the stimulus I -- hit his complicit in this whole business aren't so loud so we're gonna have a discussion.
And then and the Republicans say that -- -- -- senator -- senator McConnell had an op Ed tonight saying that -- do we know more tax increase none.
You smile your laugh.
Okay Mitch is a long time friend I believe him that's usually save -- -- we have -- gave -- -- -- -- someone around and he came to.
-- me personally when I ran for the senate he was straightforward.
He was right.
I didn't win that one.
But the fact is that where we're senator McConnell say that and it's an NN -- he means it is he doesn't have the votes ultimately.
The problem we have is what we've done is we've taken this four trillion dollar -- -- -- and then said we won't do it again.
Well did vote the other night was four trillion dollars of new deficit new debt as a result and then we're saying well we're not gonna do this.
They will be back and they will be saying if you wanna do this you wanna do that is recollect what the president will start doing.
Is -- renew that border 10 we have -- give me -- dollar in tax and I give you four dollars and cut we just did four trillion with no cuts.
Pat is set speaker Boehner.
Going to -- -- promise becoming speaker Boehner and now I don't know -- -- did you.
You -- speaker of the whole house that's as he got a net Greta are you here's the answer that really is.
Has he -- the Republican.
Right wing strongman no.
Has -- been the speaker of the whole house sometimes in fact recognizing that the art of the possible is not in his party alone yes.
Is there's someone going to challenge -- no I don't expect it.
Does he have a dilemma which is ultimately it isn't working as well as we'd like to were not able to message and oh by the way we're not united in the most important things Republicans stand for which is restraining the growth of government.
Yep that's a problem and under his leadership I hope with Eric -- and others we can fix it and it's a very difficult job trying to corral those people he couldn't.
At this biggest ever have been -- I know he's done one thing we don't do earmarks in the house you saw the other night I -- Susan's gonna talk about it.
You know you saw what effectively was a ton of earmarks coming in from the senate and that and hurricane sandy it's got thirty billion dollars worth of -- -- effectively.
Catherine thank you -- thank you.
