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Power Play 2/19/2013

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    Obama seeks sequester scare. Plus: President Obama shuns the press

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These cuts are not Smart they are not fair they will hurt our economy.

They'll add hundreds of thousands of Americans to the unemployment -- this is not an abstraction.

People will lose their jobs.

And that.

Is some -- spot.

President Obama at a event you can -- Press conference but talking to reporters.

With the backdrop of firefighters looking very crisp and blue.

There in their uniforms and this is power play and I am in fact there's.

And here's the thing Internet.

The president says that firefighters like those who lose their jobs -- automatic cuts about 85 billion dollars worth.

To increase is to scheduled increases in spending go into effect he's been exposed to go up.

This year under Donald men preset controls.

That would be decreased by about 85 billion dollars this year and -- -- as if that happens.

Firefighters are gonna lose their jobs.

And he's not saying the Republicans want to burn your -- spam and have it be destroyed.

But he's just he's just saying he's just saying.

So we'll talk about that.

We will talk about also the president.

He's got some strange.

Admiration today.

From reporters at one newspaper web site.

That we're just awed at how good he is -- not talking to them.

We will talk about president who doesn't talk to the press.

And we will also talk two commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission.

Will be here but what it says is an assault.

On freedom.

Of the Internet so we'll do all of those so you'll enjoy them.

But I would.

Like you to starch your enjoyment immediately.

And -- and sees the pay is cracking his one of your very favorites and he's very inviting guests he is of course senior writer for the standard -- -- fun interest seeing good new piece on Scott Walker.

-- governor his native Wisconsin's people back the picture good -- okay now.

Let's pop is the word in mind as I watch the president because he said this.

These firefighters could lose their jobs.

If this sequestration goes into effect.

But he's the one who gets he and his eight -- get to decide where to cut so he doesn't have -- firefighters he could cut.

Green energy he could cut so OK -- If you -- what are the chances of infinitely.

Trying to cut and he -- friend was very interesting to see the president describes something not unlike Thomas state of nature -- us.

-- coming to America if we have.

Remember forty billion dollars roughly in non defense discretionary presenting -- we spent four trillion.

How have full -- trillion dollars.

America is suddenly going this descend into chaos and fires and looting and I -- it is not it is not only preposterous.

Let's -- the right word remember this is the President -- on the day that the super committee failed November 21 2011 it.

Said I will veto any attempt to undo these cops now say we have to undo these Scotts or miracle will fall into an.

This -- right before the election not gonna -- He's not gonna have.

Yeah exactly because -- and -- I'd forgotten that I wrote I wrote a column today where can we get that that's interesting if you follow me.

-- these are all about Twitter after you're done and doing everything.

It can be found Stephen -- You could have my rate for each morning Internet and I wrote this.

I said Obama is warning that in -- Republicans agree to more taxes people will die.

Obama warrants under set of understaffed fire departments furloughed food inspectors and vacancies in the agency that tracks loose nuclear material.

He says he is for having the wealthy pay their fare share while Republicans therefore must -- -- Raging inferno was tainted food and radioactive waste pretty much he made it pretty -- he did not these did not leave a lot of wiggle room here.

Now this sequester is at least gonna get started right it is it is as he visited -- that is going to go in to a deficit virtually conceivable at this point it does.

But then we would expect.

March.

Brings with it not just sequestration but at the end of the month the expiry of the continuing resolution that's operating government in the absence of the budget and you.

So they're gonna do a -- to -- the sequestered -- it would that make sense Wednesday.

Once they got that could open to deal with the CR and it would seem like they turn it off.

I would think they will do something to turn an offer postpone it come up with you know -- -- you -- to describe it they will do something.

-- -- to push some of these cuts.

Off into the future if if at all the problem is there's really golf as there often is on such matters between.

What the house wants to do and what the senate we think wants to do and there hasn't been a real notion that Democrats sort of floated a proposal which is nice nice to have them back and -- policy initial proposal game.

It has a special excise tax on people with two million dollar incomes it's got some special -- -- -- to offset this with some cuts.

But about half as many cuts right attacks Chris Wright and -- and I would take their kind of cuts more than and other cuts but we should remember I.

Must point out because I'd.

There have been lax in this we are not talking about any cuts.

We re talking about reductions to scheduled increases these Internet remember this that is we get through this could -- -- phony baloney the -- And both sides will be doing and I mean I expect to boast about the box of puppies that they say they will ground yet if there will be grounded again sequestration goes.

You look and not get -- look it was clearly Republicans -- I mean the president's idea to do this for you beginning but the idea and the Republicans now with a would have the country believe that they really.

We're bystanders in this whole thing they had nothing to do it's nonsense -- -- they were -- it from the beginning I thought it was I didn't like the idea from the very beginning and like that.

Sequester them as a super committee if it's all punting but remember that wasn't the consensus is blocked -- I was only I was a little bit and I hated that I was with my -- like I was I was -- while I was with you in finding it to be.

It was crave it.

It was great it was it was all about the avoidance of -- -- doing what everybody knows we have to do at some point well but as long as there was any hint of an out.

They were gonna take the -- of course is.

Clearly that and you know I feel bad for -- I don't feel bad for them because they seem to be having a lot of fun.

Erskine Bowles and Alan Simpson right the the The Blues Brothers are back out and didn't do anything really they've been around I don't know whether you've heard and really need to get some -- -- -- public.

But -- I feel bad for them because.

Look their offering.

Something that is very sensible sound different.

There are it's a tax simplification and it's and it's not revenue neutral their ends up being about 600 billion dollars.

In tax increases but there's about 600 it -- these states that it into it addresses entitlement it has actual cuts it's the kind of thing that.

You should make sense to a lot of people.

But you feel bad for them because as you say nothing is going to happen until it's around crisis -- this exactly right there's no other way.

Look at it it is this didn't get much attention but it was a little over a week ago Jay Carney and a regular press briefing.

Basically said the president was now ruling out taking off the table in -- increases and eligibility age for Medicare and asked.

That's a big deal right that's one of the areas where there was thought to have been potentially -- so -- -- and his people live if you believe that the president was set right if you believe the president actually wants to deal with these issues and I'm now we're right don't.

But if you believe that he does that was one of the areas that people held out some hope for compromise.

That's gone it's off the table and unless the president is going to get serious on Medicare and restructuring Medicare.

This is not gonna happen so -- -- I get I give them credit I -- I don't like a lot of the particulars of their plan it certainly better than the status below.

But I don't think it's going anywhere -- I don't see that there's going to be any kind of a grand bargain because you can't have.

I think one side.

Really wanting to restructure entitlements and the other side you're basically and that's what we are.

-- That's great I'm so uplifted by this is so fantastic.

It it's Stephen Hayes Stephen -- -- fantastic as agreed today.

For one more segment which we are very grateful for -- expect but it probably is getting a little queasy at the thought.

So stick around.

Teddy Roosevelt.

Franklin Roosevelt.

Ronald Reagan.

Ronald Reagan again and Bill Clinton that.

It's how presidents used to get their message out to the American people as -- hang out with reporters and you see a lot of happy -- video -- smiling.

For FDR look pretty cheerful it was the day after all and they had finally -- to turn the tide so he had a reason to be cheerful that day.

And this is power play.

President Obama doesn't do that.

He doesn't do it his predecessors did for the previous century which is used the press -- -- -- the press.

Get them on his side.

And try to tell his message he basically avoids the press except for ones that are.

Kind of brown -- A little bit.

And he gets a lot of softball questions he does local affiliates.

And he does people like Steve croft you seemed like him quite a lot so how does this strategy how -- it -- We will find out with Stephen Hayes and our friend Garland Nixon he is.

A radio show host at the UW which is a -- -- in my car.

And he's probable and very entertaining belittle them -- fish.

The act Garland Nixon on the twitters now.

Garland.

President Obama.

Played some golf over the weekend and -- you heard about that.

And people were very grouchy about the fact that -- -- not even a photograph was allowed to be taken that there was not the usual thing which is we call them.

Pool sprays and stuff like that -- left -- press -- come in for a minute there's was a yellow question it you.

The president.

Didn't do that forgot you were complaining that president almost never talks to the press -- -- only interacts with us and I don't blame and let me morbid bunch of jerks but that -- I think a couple of things here and what happened it didn't -- demonstrate why number one you know where we're -- -- kind of this.

Place in the world where the press looks for sensational stories regardless of how important they are god knows of all of the important issues going on right now whether or not he's playing golf -- getting a picture of him with Tiger Woods is not.

You know who lived in this is not a big deal of what and I do you think -- there's a strong point that you made and it early and that is.

He tasted build towards the local press I think the president sees.

-- seized that a local press as his method to get more directly to the it to the American -- Steve.

-- -- -- And Mike Allen wrote a piece.

-- peace in Politico today.

Sort of they called president hello puppet master with the press but they were very admiring him in in his ability to manipulate them it was -- -- life.

Give me a little clean -- as I was reading it.

But.

The Mike McCurry who was Press Secretary for Bill Clinton and at some point and that he said we would have tried the things that Obama does mean in terms of shutting out the media they would -- didn't kill.

Think about this and this is this is the truth.

Four previous president's all the president's -- Obama would have.

Interaction a few times a week with the press they would have one of these availability is -- pool spray and there would be interaction with reporters.

The president just tweets baby he's not like he he did it he he's not sitting down with the New York Times let alone taking straight questions from -- -- Now if -- it's really been striking I don't agree gone I don't think that that the golf we can is the right time to -- -- -- to have this fight and for me it would be where the seventy emails between administration officials and the intelligence agencies on -- -- The real legitimate questions where are questions about the president's what about the -- -- -- on on these six I think the president would have to spend more time.

Engaging with the media if the media covered him.

Gotten more aggressively if they raised the kinds of things they said Mr.

President back in -- in January 2011 you said raising taxes would send the country back in recession.

Why are you now insisting on raising taxes.

-- Bill Clinton to try this is pre Twitter pre Internet pre all that stuff but if Bill Clinton would have tried this freeze out.

There would have been right in the press room it would have been people would have been really upset at this look at this little degree of access.

Uses those pictures we showed -- This dates back all the way to the second Roosevelt which was -- make you with the and the deal is we will not getting your grill 24 hours today a we will not be trying to climbed the roof of the White House.

-- CU and what you're doing if you agree to tell us what you're doing and make yourself available to us so that we can have -- case.

So people can go to their kids' football -- so that we're not chasing the president around quite senate -- -- predictable schedule and we called pool it's OK and it's worked but the president doesn't.

I think to some extent he's he's transferring his campaign strategy to his press strategy which is to you know to to pinpoint people to get to the Obama Nation out there.

That's a weaker than it did he get -- yeah.

They did luckily I guess they say that -- always say that in sports you know always raider nation summit Andy -- yeah I think he's doing that I think in the world of Twitter and and and FaceBook etc.

you know maybe will seats Obama and future presidents and maybe we'll see more politicians start you know because there with the press is dangerous they can take you down quick.

If you're allowed to get away with -- -- the question.

There will only ever -- one about the -- only ever be 11 African American president who was also charismatic in his own way.

That inspired this sort of devotion he has this -- the nation of Obama that you're talking about this is that you know he is real ordinance say.

In this and he also gets very favorable treatment.

Is this something that could be repeated I another press.

It's a good question I.

I don't see vigil for the reasons that you suggest and no I don't think other presence will be allowed to get away with us in the ways -- -- president for I think they like him for three reasons he's historic he's cool and he's liberal and the last of those I think are why the press corps.

They give him due deference and it's not so much that they're -- there's something the scales and every one of their stories and saying how can we how can we write this piece so that it makes the president look good.

It's that they don't think to ask a lot of questions that I think are on the minds of half of the country right now we're 47 years doing what I have.

-- -- I now relish the an interesting thing happens and it's the sort of akin to regulatory capture.

Which is that if you know that access to the president is hard to get.

And you know that you're not gonna get a chance asking a question now in the old days.

Sons Peter Baker at the New York Times would know as White House correspondent -- the New York Times he was gonna get to sit down president at least once a year.

That would be in the in the old days you had to give the New York time to sit down because that was the deal.

And you could ask tougher questions now interviewers -- I've mentioned Steve croft at the beginning now interviewers know it's hard to get him so when you do you better be pretty thanks to -- Yes and the other part is that you view if if you don't give them access during the tiger would outings and things like that when you do it's a big deal he and you get more coverage so when you do -- have me.

A press conference to talk about the -- that whatever the latest you know deficit reduction issue was one -- when you do you get more people you get more visibility and you keep the you keep the press -- at the bit so there's something to these -- sit for their owners are important.

Yeah.

It's just not cool for us because we do like asking that we do enjoy asking thanks.

So -- keep looking forward to that pays about one.

That's -- -- -- where -- that -- -- I'm combing exactly here Steve is available you tweeted back that's been evidence.

Gentlemen we thank you for making time for us that your time to do so okay.

Internet we're gonna talk about your favorite thing.

Which is yourself.

We're gonna talk about regulations for the Internet Internet safety Internet security why Vladimir Putin doesn't Wear shirt more often we will do all of those things.

But FCC commissioner Robert McDowell when we come back.

-- -- It is Vladimir Putin now he looks good on -- horse no doubt but would you like him to run the Internet.

And this is power play end.

What's going on is a battled really for the future.

There's a struggle for the future of the Internet is going to be a big part of whatever happens for the future of I -- the civilization.

And the battle is raging right now between those around the world who think that it's time to have a global authority to regulate the Internet and those who say.

We have with us today one of those says -- he has brought down he is a commissioner on the FCC.

Commissioner welcome back.

Thanks very back OK so that's something very -- in Washington.

Is when people.

Asked that -- not have their power increased.

You -- doing something unusual in that way and you say that the Internet does not need regulation.

Greater regulation either at the national level.

There's so we haven't talked about for several years now.

And you're absolutely right and we have just came out of -- treaty negotiation in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates in December.

Where an arm of the UN the International Telecommunication Union actually expanded its reach.

After a very divided vote expanded its reach into the Internet space it's very troubling that does not bode well in the.

People -- -- and other.

Lovers of centralized authority.

I think that if it's necessary.

Work.

The good of society that the Internet be monitored regulated and turn -- -- right that's what -- that's what they want and.

-- their motives very but it tends to be authoritarian regimes or regimes where there's less freedom they want more government control.

Over the Internet and more more more multilateral or international control over the Internet its content its economics its operations.

All of that.

And so what we saw in December coming out of this treaty negotiations crossing.

A -- important regulatory rubicon up until this point the unit had been run by.

Private sector nonprofit multi political multi stakeholder groups not government and he CC.

-- biblical and acronyms yeah so now.

The -- is expanding its reach and there's a bigger treaty negotiation in November 2014.

That's going to be you.

Like constitutional convention -- -- moment whatever scraps were left on the table last December will be gobbled up I think it would.

And so the Internet this works like we remember the Kyoto protocols and when the president would Copenhagen.

This is adjunct to the United Nations.

And they're trying to do international treaty.

Global warming this is an international -- That's your home we're having some -- -- discussions about the Internet to.

How to tax it that is being discussed in congress.

But the president took some steps to increase what he's what will provide greater security he says -- the Internet against hacking and things like that.

What kind of remedy do we really need as it relates protecting the Internet but still having it.

The Internet.

By definition is a global network of networks without borders and its millions of networks starts if you're Internet connected device your -- on your tablet your your PC right here.

And I'm so we want as you want resiliency and that comes through redundancy you want competition.

You want many different -- be they wireless fiber -- cable or whatever.

And that comes through decentralization.

Not centralization.

Centralization.

Causes choke points and that makes it easier for governments to choke off communications.

So what do you see in terms of the the next couple of years leading up to this.

We're going to have to come to some resolution here it seems like things are coming to a head right.

They -- and they're not going -- very good -- so the vote if you will out of Dubai I was 55 countries did not sign this treaty 89 did.

But of those 55 more could and about 49 countries didn't even show up and make little -- he could see that.

55 number go down and the number who -- go up.

And that's very troubling and then this this notion of this big -- negotiation in Korea and when he fourteen -- -- expansion.

Of the right to use authority and all aspects of this -- content content economics operations Internet.

And it's a very -- today tax it.

That to try and so there is one proposal that's.

One regulator or government official from a developing nation.

Proposed to me about a year ago.

When that was for an 800 billion dollar fund to fund broadband build up throughout the world -- Viewers -- need to understand that this story actually broke on your show November 2011.

And it hadn't been anywhere in any press.

Alternate or otherwise no.

Thank Steve for the Internet thanks you also for looking after its interest -- -- they're very few people as I said Internet very few people.

Asking not to be given authority different things in Washington so we thank you for your.

Cincinnati -- like forbearance there.

Thank you very much you missed -- -- okay Internet on the on the Jonathan Hunt is up next that's true.

And you -- -- controls but how about some power points.

Before we get to that.

-- -- what it's worth it.

Worth it and that's the question the president had the President Obama asked -- himself today about Chuck Hagel.

Who is bumping dragging -- being banging his way.

In two eventual confirmation.

As the secretary of defense.

So -- first PowerPoint uniquely equipped.

Somebody better be pretty dog gone good and uniquely equipped for the job to be worth all of this trouble.

And Chuck Hagel does not seem to be that -- either people who share the president's ideological views.

On the Defense Department on all those things that -- sealed through could've Michelle Florida life would have sprinted through the senate with no complaint.

This isn't about ideology this is about the fact that people.

-- -- So.

Here's the second -- -- -- a bit more broken.

The -- is a bit more broken now than it was before.

You had to unprecedented things occur as a result of the -- nomination one was a squeeze play party line vote before people were satisfied.

With document route releases from an eagle on the Senate Armed Services Committee that was the first time and in.

-- -- the Republicans and filibustered.

Angles nominations will be if devolved one circle of hell further doubt in terms of a dysfunctional senate.

And here's the third that.

A near -- thing.

It's hard to do this stuff it is harder to have the biggest best military in the world.

It is hard to figure out had to do these things this is a near run thing.

And maybe not the best thing to be experimenting with especially with the sequestration.

-- descent and now as we'd like to do every day we -- -- you.

The word from our French us.

-- keystone issue is the most open and shut that case I have ever seen.

Mean not only will it reduce our dependence on Hugo Chavez in the Middle East we'd get a from Canada.

And not only would be an insult if we sort of slammed the -- door on Canada closest ally.

But refusing the pipeline are not building it would have absolutely zero effect on the environment.

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