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It Begins: Congress Meets With President for ‘Fiscal Cliff’ Negotiations, Both Sides Confident a Deal Can Be Reached

Nov. 16, 2012 4:10pm Becket Adams

Congress Meets with President to Talk Fiscal Cliff

(AP)

Leaders of Congress on Friday said that they felt confident a deal could be reached with President Barack Obama to avert the fast-approaching “fiscal cliff,” a combination of across-the-board spending cuts and tax increases scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2013.

“I believe that we can do this,” House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said after meeting with the president at the White House.

White House spokesman Jay Carney, top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell, top House Democrat Nancy Pelosi, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid echoed these sentiments.

“We understand our responsibility,” said Pelosi (D-Calif). “I feel confident that a solution may be in sight.”

The president said the goal was to prevent a tax hike for middle-class families, create jobs, and keep the economy growing.

“That’s an agenda that Democrats and Republicans and independents, people all across the country share,” Obama said. “So our challenge is to make sure that we are able to cooperate together, work together, find some common ground.”

Rep. Boehner said he put forward a plan that meets Obama’s goals of “balance.”

“To show our seriousness, we’ve put (tax) revenue on the table, as long as it’s accompanied by significant spending cuts,” the House Speaker said. Sen. McConnell (R-Ky.) agreed but said his members believe too much spending, not too little taxing, is the problem.

Sen. Reid (D-Nev.) said any deal will not come down to the end of December.

“There is no more, ‘Let’s do it some other time,’” said Sen. Reid. “We’re going to do it now. We feel very comfortable with each other.”

Vice President Joe Biden, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, and top White House advisers also took part in the Roosevelt Room meeting.

Said Obama: “My hope is that this is going to be the beginning of a fruitful process.”

So far, a plan to avoid the cliff exists only in the broadest sense, with Republicans saying they won’t agree to tax increases without significant spending cuts, and Democrats saying they won’t agree to spending cuts without an increase in tax revenues.

None of the lawmakers made any mention of a big sticking point — the president’s insistence that tax rates go up, as scheduled, at the start of the year for individuals making over $200,000 a year and families earning over $250,000.

Republicans flatly oppose that proposal.

However, it’s important to note that the bargaining landscape has shifted markedly in the president’s favor since his 2011 faceoff with House Republicans over raising the debt-ceiling.

Then, the president squared off against a tea party-driven House over the government’s desire to borrow more money so as to avoid a market-crunching first-ever default on its debt obligations. Now newly re-elected, President Obama is putting Republicans on notice that he’s willing to mount a national campaign blaming them for holding up renewed tax cuts for most with an ultimatum against renewing them for top income earners.

Final Thought: Depending on your level of cynicism, this unusual show of bipartisanship is either a sign that gridlock in Washington has finally come to an end or that one party is simply caving to the other.

Oh, also, it’s worth pointing out that the actual “fiscal cliff” negotiations will be carried on by White House staff members and not by the president. President Obama heads off to Asia on Saturday.

Follow Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) on Twitter

The Associated Press contributed to this story. All photos courtesy the AP.

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Comments (119)

Small World
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 5:07pm
Boehner is a B***r. When is he up for re-election?

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- rickc34
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 5:39pm
  You know there was a medical study regarding lying and its aging effects on the body. Obama looks like he has aged 10 plus years since 08.
  
  Report this comment
- TheReasonableLib
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 5:42pm
  …Every two years?
  
  Report this comment
- GilbertAcct
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 6:11pm
  It’s good to see everyone being critical of Boehner… he deserves it. Now why can’t you see the same phoniness in Romney. Man, Romney makes Boehner look like Barry Goldwater, but you Blazers seem to worship the Mitt.
  
  Report this comment
- encinom
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 6:29pm
  Oh no, Becky-poo may have to pay Clinton era tax rates. Quickly send out serfs to defend their master’s gold.
  
  Report this comment
- InfiniteSolutions
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 6:42pm
  Ron Paul – He’s more American than any of these folks.
  
  Report this comment
- TransmitToVladmir
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 8:20pm
  Rep. Boehner: “I believe that we can do this.”
  Rep. Pelosi: “We understand our responsibility.”
  Sen. Reid: “We feel very comfortable with each other.”
  President Obama: “My hope is that this is going to be the beginning of a fruitful process.”
  
  WILL YOU STOP ALL THAT MOANING IN PUBLIC? Get a room, will ya?
  (America is screwed.)
  
  Report this comment
- Servant Of YHVH
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 9:10pm
  It is a safe bet that Boehner and Obama are “bed buddies” and probably have always been. If his family doesn’t feel complete and total shame that they even know this commie much less of being part of his family, they have absolutely no morals or shame either.
  
  Report this comment
- iDeStroyFakeComPuterTroLLS
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 9:41pm
  Have you Beck Bots woke up yet? Can you now notice that they are all on the same side. Can we now, stop looking at the Republicans for an answer. If you guys pick another Romney, I am going to scream. Wake up!
  
  Report this comment
- cbrown
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 11:03pm
  That was a love fest between Obama and Boehner. The huggy-kissy feeling at the end between Republicans and Democrats was cute.
  
  Report this comment
- watashbuddyfriend
  Posted on November 17, 2012 at 8:20am
  Yes @Small World
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 5:07pm
  
  “Boehner is a B***r. When is he up for re-election?”
  
  It is every 2-years, but, we idiots keep repeating, thinking we are going to get more of the hand-out from the fed coming back to our State! That is where the waste, and abuse comes from in the pork!
  
  After Eight, Must Vacate, and that goes for all three branches!
  
  Report this comment
- wordsofwisdom
  Posted on November 17, 2012 at 11:52am
  Well here comes the screwing and we are not wearing any protection? I can’t undrestand why we are so stupid. I do not think we will recover from this election. We let the criminals cheat and steal the country from us. Their is nobody doing anything about it nor will their be. Boehner is showing his pleasure to be at the table with a bunch of criminals. Personally I would not be able to be in the same room with this bunch. But birds of a feather flock together. I’m sorry but we are finished unless some law enforcement agency like the U.S. Marshals grow some balls & do their jobs. This song should be our rally call but it takes a patriot to hear it & react “Just A Piece of Cloth” http://www.reverbnation.com/open_graph/song/14947776
  I’m not to sure we have the what it takes any more?
  
  Report this comment
ricckky
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 5:05pm
Bone head just needs to go back to his favorite bar and keep drinking until he can’t speak anymore!!! Because he sure doesn’t speak for the conservatives!!!!

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- Thebusman
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 6:10pm
  Amen!
  
  Report this comment
- pamela kay
  Posted on November 17, 2012 at 4:09am
  RICCKKY, I agree, he is turning his back on the people that got him into office.
  
  Report this comment
christhefanatic
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 5:01pm
Furthermore …is that a rug on Boehner’s head?

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- rickc34
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 5:10pm
  Yeah what’s up with his ****..weird. Boehner you and McConnel better stick to your guns and not give in to Obama. Stand up and grow a pair.
  
  Report this comment
- SacredHonor1776
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 5:20pm
  That would be his brain leech… A species of wooley bear caterpiller…
  
  Report this comment
thegreatcarnac
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 4:47pm
We did not vote for Republicans to compromise with the socialist. They should remember that. If this country goes over the ‘fiscal cliff’ it is the fault of obama for not renewing Bush’es tax cuts and his mean stubborness in trying to make rich people pay for his tremendous amount of spending.

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- toiletclogga
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 5:05pm
  I believe we should just tax the film and entertainment industry at 80%, and see how that shapes our economy. This industry could be our petri dish. We would then move on to tax the coffee purveryers, a.k.a. Starbucks. Last, we would go to Microsoft and Apple, and tax them at the same rates. Let’s just start with these few, and move on from there if this is successful. Right Bruce Springsteen? Right Madonna? Right Bill Gates?
  
  Report this comment
- girlnurse
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 5:21pm
  Everything but the Starbucks toiletclogga! I love me some coffee:)..but the rest would be hilarious!
  PS. Have you tried the cranberry Bliss bar they have at Christmas time??? YUM!
  
  Report this comment
AmericaMustBeFree
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 4:45pm
Which means American’s will soon be screwed! Now both sides are joined at the hip! No different than those in the UK. Spain, etc etc etc!! Very few that are actually honest and upright, will no longer have a voice, or simply just join the crowd!

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V-MindMeld
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 4:44pm
They must have called each other to see what color tie to wear,,,,,I hate green now! makes me think of the green movement,,,,another sham

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Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 4:43pm
To put this in context, gov’t spending is in 3 buckets. Interest on the Debt. Entitlement spending including SS, Medicare, Medicaid, FHA, Student loans, Unemployment, sect. 8 housing, obamaphones, etc. This is called MANDATORY SPENDING. I can’t be cut unless congress passes new laws. In fact, most of that is indexed to inflation. So as we monetize, it goes up. (we’ll get to that). The third bucket is discretionary spending. It is EVERYTHING else including defense. At current tax rates if we took defense to 0 and shrank government to only entitlements and nothing else…we run a 250B deficit in 2011.

When it comes to taxing incomes for revenue, for 60 years no matter the tax policy and rates income tax has been right at 18%…even at 90% marginal rates. You can raise taxes all you like, you get 18%.

The only other way to raise revenue (besides growth…ha! yeah right) is to confiscate wealth. The government is getting really good at that. They do it through monetization. Simply print. It steals the purchasing power of your dollars. You are now poorer and the government can continue to spend.

So, spending cuts won’t work and there isn’t enough tax revenue to get in the black. The result is spending will go up and monetization will follow until one day the whole thing comes apart or else you finally get off your **** and revolt because a gallon of milk costs $50 buck.

Guess we’ll see.

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- girlnurse
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 5:18pm
  I wish it would ROTH! We need something drastic like $50 a gallon milk to get the public school graduates to notice! They want a soft kill. I pray something will wake the numbskulls up and let that train wreck happen! Lord open the eyes of the blind please…
  
  Report this comment
- progressiveslayer
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 5:50pm
  I vote for hyperinflation Roth because when that happens the parasites will revolt and hopefully the regime will liquidate all of them at once.I call it parasitical extinction erotica.
  
  Report this comment
- Pantloadian
  Posted on November 17, 2012 at 9:28am
  RASTAFARIAN_OF_THE_SPLIFF
  
  Here’s your problem: “(besides growth…ha! yeah right) ”
  
  I got news for you skeeziks. Growth is the answer. Capitalism is based on debt. Until conservatives – or worse those who whine about everything but are quick to say they believe in nothing (Hmmmm?) – until you stop channelling all your efforts into destroying those with whom you disagree, you won’t contribute to the recovery and prosperity of this economy. The national debt was already insurmountable through taxes or cuts when Obama took office. Growth is the key. The biggest impediment to growth isn’t regulation, it’s greed. Fix the greed. Grow America. But I guess we’ll have to take that up with Jesus. eh?
  
  Report this comment
TRILO
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 4:42pm
Boehner and the republicans will fold like they have done for the past 4 years. Because of the proposed tax increases and costs, our employees will see their employer paid health benefits disappear and some will lose their job and the others will have to work harder to make up the difference.

Elections have consequences.

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- Mil-Dot
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 4:53pm
  Boehner looks like a hung-over drunk idiot. What a POS he is. All this crap, including the election results is their fault. You see, what happened was the govt knew that the population growth was stagnating and in order to have enough workers to keep SS alive they came up with the plan to let the Mexicans come on over. They thought that they would side with the Goppers. Well they didn’t. A freebie is a freebie and while the typical Latin will work circles around any black, they are still mooches that want freebies so they side with the progs. That is what happened. Big time miscalculation.
  
  Report this comment
truthsurfer
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 4:40pm
the kenyan is going to get the republicans to cave and raise taxes then blame the republicans for all of his spending for union kickbacks and fraudulant energy companies that do not produce products let alone jobs

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Webeenhad
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 4:38pm
Crumbs!…What a wicked game they play.

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V-MindMeld
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 4:38pm
John Boehner,,,you better not make a deal with the devil!!!!!! he will not keep his end of the bargain….you can count on that. you give in I will do my part to vote you, and all that deal with him, out office next time around! Don’t be a “Chris Christie” here ok? (our newest brown noser republican) already your photo op with obama is making me nervous! Hold your ground dude

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- Truthbeliever2
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 4:56pm
  I would love to give that little cry-baby back stabbing bitch something to really cry about. Then I would give Obama a new pair of concrete shoes and take him out for a little swim.
  
  Sounds like you still have some confidence in Boehner. What a MAROON!
  
  Report this comment
- girlnurse
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 5:14pm
  TRUTHBELIEVER: lOL…LOL
  
  Report this comment
florida123
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 4:37pm
business as usual, getting the math just right, so they can con everyone into believing they have a plan when in reality they are just kicking the can down the road once again ……………

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justangry
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 4:37pm
I betcha they raise the debt ceiling and kick the can down the road.

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- Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 4:44pm
  If I had to bet on that vs. say the sun coming up tomorrow…I’ll put 50 on O-boehner to kick the can.
  
  Report this comment
- Mil-Dot
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 4:57pm
  He will not only kick the can. He will kick it and it will tumble end-over-end perfectly and go right through the uprights and hit my young son and others right in the face. My only question is this: Where the hell are our military when our country is being overrun by these bastards. I have lost all faith in them. Not their skills or abilities, but how they are just letting our country go down the drain like this. They have been bought off too.
  
  Report this comment
- SimpleTruths
  Posted on November 17, 2012 at 4:47pm
  So you would like to see a military coup? That’s worked out so well in other countries hasn’t it? Yeah that’s the road to liberty, have the military run things.
  
  Report this comment
Detroit paperboy
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 4:34pm
When we were kids, we called it kick the can………………………………….

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MeCpl13
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 4:32pm
I bet taxes will go up, yes for everyone in general but significantly for those making over 250k. And I bet spending will continue to rise. Either way we are in for a rough ride. I feel like we are teaching our kids, “Don’t try to be successful, you’ll be punished.” They are watching their dad get punished financially for all his hard work.

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- Mil-Dot
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 4:37pm
  Correct. We will be sold out. THat was the plan all along. Oh, they will reach a deal alright.
  
  Report this comment
- Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 4:45pm
  Good thing all your Tea Party republicans voted for McConnell and Boehner to lead the chambers. Any guesses on if any GOP hold to principle? I’ll bet not.
  
  Report this comment
ResistSocialism
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 4:31pm
Makes me all warm and fuzzy inside

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- Mil-Dot
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 4:38pm
  The cuts will never occur. Just like they always don’t.
  
  Report this comment
RANGER1965
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 4:31pm
Neither side wants to be characterized as the bad guy in this opera. The bad guy will be the one the media will hold responsible for failing to avoid the fiscal cliff.

The only problem with this idiotic reasoning is the media has already chosen the winners and losers, regardless of what happens. If the Republicans concede and the president gets his high tax plan the headlines will look like this:
“President stares down the Republicans and Saves the United States from the Fiscal Cliff.”

If the president doesn’t get his way the headlines will look like this:

“Republican lawmakers side with the wealthy and doom the middle class.”

So why play the game at all?

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meisterman41
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 4:24pm
Hey Obama, go take a peek over the edge of the Fiscal Cliff. Ok Boehner give him a push on his back side! AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

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- DadRocked
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 4:38pm
  Good chuckle… Thanks
  
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- Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 4:45pm
  Shoot, maybe Boehner better go check on him.
  
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drphil69
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 4:23pm
Why not just cut to the chase – bay-nor folds, obama wins, massive taxes, no cuts, America loses. End of story.

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- Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 4:29pm
  What do you bet that the GOP is offering to call of the Benghazi dogs for “spending cuts”? In the end, taxes go up, spending goes up, Libya goes away, F&F goes away, they all take each others hands out of each others pants and go home for Christmas.
  
  Ludicrous Speed Colonel Sanders!!!!
  
  Report this comment
- Cavallo
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 4:33pm
  That’s just as bad as the “cliff”. See these half wits don’t understand economics nor business. They think money just appears out of favors or a magic wishing well. Taxes are a cost, and expense.. it makes it tougher to do business and is a disincentive to do business. What they really want is some kind of moronic gimmick that the uninformed and uneducated can go, “oh, lookie Day is do’n sumpt’n! Me happy now.” The free candy bag that has been built up over generations of work and sacrifice is drying up and they won’t admit that they’re going to run out of candy. The only thing these idiot jerks can do is stamp their feet and say “We want more!”
  
  Report this comment
- DadRocked
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 4:40pm
  Cleve – What a pessimist, what a cynic, what a…. great observation.
  
  Report this comment
- Cavallo
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 4:50pm
  @Roth, We’ve gone plaid!
  
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Dismayed Veteran
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 4:22pm
Let’s jump off the cliff and get it over with. We are broke and need to apply common sense just like a family coming out of bankruptcy.

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rinosrus
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 4:22pm
in an amazing turn around, peolsi teabags boehner

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Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 4:22pm
LOL. There’s your GOP. Anybody wanna take a bet with me that the spending never goes down? Anyone? C’mon, surely somebody thinks Boehner will make sure the cuts happen right?

I’ll give you double or nothing that the spending actually goes UP. C’mon, step right up.

I’m pretty sure I can’t find a soul that doesn’t believe the taxes are going to go up. I won’t even try on that.

Ooooh, here’s another one. How long after the deal (cough…can kick) happens until rating agencies cut us again? I’ll say 4 weeks. Any over under on that?

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- Mil-Dot
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 4:43pm
  Everybody knows you are right Roth. The GOPper sellouts are at it again. It is almost as if they are all in bed anyway. This is all just part of the plan to soak us for more and kick the can down the road. These vermin will pay someday. And, all of the freebie crowd will come to regret their decisions. When the cash cow dies and they are ripping each other to shreds, they will wish for help to come but it never will.
  
  Report this comment
- hauschild
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 4:46pm
  Even if I were an idiot, how could I not see thru this charade after that silly debt-ceiling debacle?
  
  Appears most people in this country don’t subscribe to the old, “Foo me once, shame on you! Fool we twice ……”
  
  Report this comment
- Cavallo
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 5:06pm
  Maybe they’ll do a deal like they did last time..”We are standing firm on 60 billion in cuts!!.. Um.. make that 30,…. no.. 10 billion.. er.. okay.. three.. BUT LOOK HOW FISCAL WE ARE!!!”
  
  Report this comment
- girlnurse
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 5:08pm
  I can’t even watch this circus any more or participate in a so called government that wants nothing but to take and regulate our lives…you guys, let me know when the revolution starts and I’ll come down and join you…but until then..this is effecting my health and watching it is literally making me sick. Theres only so much “watching in amazement–anger, hurt and anxiety” a person can handle…
  God help us all
  
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Cavallo
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 4:17pm
So Taxes are going up, meaning more capital will be leached from the system and spent! They have never used tax increases to pay down the debt. It is always spent on something else. I don’t see how you can convince me that this time will be different. Yes,dear. I understand that you only hurt me because you were drinking. I know you can change.. feh.. FEH! I say!!! They’re just going to drag this cliff out over the next several months or the next two years. You can’t ignore the math or the reality. Sooner or later you will have to pay the piper, either now, or when he walks off with your children.

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buttpatriot
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 4:16pm
cave gop, cave.

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hauschild
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 4:13pm
What a freakin’ dog-n-pony show. It’s an embarrassing sham.

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- flyoverbob
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 4:25pm
  Just a bunch of noise,then Boehner will cave again.Whats the difference if you close loop holes or raise rates,it’s still a tax increase.It will be tax increase and no spending cuts.
  Broaden the tax base,everyone pay something
  
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- Cavallo
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 4:36pm
  Fly, No tax increase will help. They’ll spend it.. always have, always will.
  
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