Sen. John Barrasso predicted Sunday there will be no “fiscal cliff” deal, in part because President Obama sees political gain in blaming the aftermath on the GOP.
Mr. Barrasso, Wyoming Republican, said on “Fox News Sunday” that the White House isn’t interested in finding a solution to avoid having the American economy go over the “cliff” — the automatic tax increases and spending cuts that kick in in 2013 if Washington lawmakers can’t reach a long-term budget deal.
Economists have said the new taxes, combined with government spending cuts, likely would trigger a new recession.
“I think the president is eager to go over the cliff for political purposes,” Mr. Barrasso said. “I think he sees a political victory at the bottom of the cliff.
“He gets all this additional tax revenue for new programs; he gets to cut the military, which Democrats have been calling for for years, and he gets to blame Republicans for it,” Mr. Barrasso said.
© Copyright 2013 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.
David Eldridge joined The Washington Times in 1999 and over the next seven years helped lead the paper’s coverage of regional politics and government, Sept. 11, and the sniper attacks of 2002. In 2006, he was named managing editor of the paper’s Web site. He came to The Times from the Telegraph in North Platte, Neb., where he served as ...
By Jay Sekulow
The left's outrage over the IRS turns to a plea to 'move on'
Independent voices from the TWT Communities
This column will cover anything that has anything remotely to do with the game of baseball, from the game itself to mid-summer trades to offseason moves.
The cold hard truth about politics in America today and the state of this once great nation.
Uncensored exploration of issues concerning current events, civil liberties, American political advocacy, and the political and social issues facing military veterans.
World's Ugliest Dog Contest
26 Photos
Spelling Bee finale
45 Photos
Marines train Afghan soldiers
4 Photos
Rolling Thunder 2013
24 Photos
Benghazi: The anatomy of a scandal
13 Photos
