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the senate is expected to start voting on the debt ceiling proposal just about ten minutes from now. most americans, though, are frustrated at the back and forth in washington that led up to this vote and that brings us to today's talk back topic. carol costello is here with your responses. >> oh, it was a loaded question, too. today's talk back question, what would it take to restore your faith in lawmakers. this from kathy. a good start would be to do what the majority of economists and americans have called for and raise taxes on the rich, end corporate welfare, take away unnecessary oil subsidies and remember who they represent, we, the people, not we, the corporations. this from skip. i think you may have to restore my faith in voters first. how can you vote for representatives who ply you with

lies and half-truths and play on your fears? keep away from extremist pundits. do some research and think for yourself. this from earl. a complete reboot like they do in the movies. the abolishment of the political parties would be a good start. a second good start would be line item veto, also the elimination of all riders. this from michael. if they all got on the same health plan as the rest of us, if they stood up to and resisted lobbyists, if they stopped voting themselves midnight pay raises, if they didn't get a pension for life deal that none of the rest of us get, and if they got the hell out after a two max term, oh, and if they were just honest but i think that's asking too much. please continue the conversation. facebook.com/carolcnn. thanks for your comments. >> you have tapped into a gusher of public outcry. thank you very much. the senate will take up the debt deal at the top of the hour. wolf blitzer and the best political team on television will join us live with the special coverage in just a minute. the bundler. let's say you need home and auto insurance.

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we are just a few minutes away from the top of the hour, when the senate's expected to begin voting on the debt limit deal. let's go to cnn's wolf blitzer for our special coverage of the senate vote. wolf? >> it will wrap up a really tumultoous few weeks. the senate getting ready to do what the house did and pass this debt ceiling bill in the next few minutes. we're standing by to hear from the republican leader.

there's mitch mcconnell right now. let's listen in to hear what he says and harry reid, the majority leader, will wrap things up before the vote. >> the push and pull americans saw in washington these past few weeks was not gridlock. it was the will of the people working itself out in a political system that was never meant to be pretty. you see, one reason america isn't already facing the kind of crisis we see in europe is that presidents and majority parties here can't just bring about change on a dime. as much as they might like to from time to time. that's what checks and balances is all about. that's the kind of balance americans voted for in november. the american people sent a wave of new lawmakers to congress in last november's election with a

very clear mandate, to put our nation's fiscal house in order. those of us who had been fighting the big government policies of democratic majorities in congress welcomed them into our ranks. together, we've held the line and slowly but surely, we've started turning things around. that's why those who think that no problem is too big or too small for government to solve are very worried right now. they're afraid the american people may actually win the larger debate we've been having around here about the size and the scope of government, and that the spending spree may actually, actually be coming to an end. they can't believe that those who stood up for limited government and accountability have actually changed the terms

of the debate here in washington. but today, they have no choice but to admit it. now, i know that for some of our colleagues, reform isn't coming as fast as they would like. and i certainly understand their frustration. i too wish we could stand here today enacting something much more ambitious. but i'm encouraged by the thought that these new senators will help lead this fight until we finish the job and i want to assure you today that although you may not see it this way, you've actually won this debate. in a few minutes, the senate will vote on legislation that represents a new way of doing business in washington. first, it creates an entirely new template for raising the nation's debt limit. one of the most important things about this legislation is the fact that never again will any

president from either party be allowed to raise the debt ceiling without being held accountable for it by the american people. and in addition to that, without having to engage in the kind of debate we've just come through, because you see, mr. president, whoever the next president is will be back asking to raise the debt ceiling again. it will provide another opportunity for us to focus on the subject raised by the request to raise the debt ceiling. so we'll be back at it probably in the early part of 2013, trying to continue to make progress toward reducing the size and scope of government and reducing our spending. this kind of discussion isn't something to dread. it's something to welcome. and while the president may not have particularly enjoyed this debate we've just been through, it was a debate that washington

very much needed to have. as for the particulars, this legislation caps spending over the next ten years with a mechanism that ensures that these cuts actually stick. it protects the american people from government default that would have affected every single one of them in one way or another. it puts in place a powerful joint committee that will recommend further cuts and much-needed reforms. it doesn't include a dime, not a dime in job-killing tax hikes at a moment when our economy can least afford them. and crucially, it ensures the debate over a balanced budget amendment continues and that it actually gets a vote. now, this is no small feat when you consider that just last week, the president was still demanding tax hikes as part of any debt ceiling increase, and that as recently as may, the

president's top economic advisors said it was quote, insane, end quote, for anybody to even consider tying the debt ceiling to spending cuts. it's worth noting that two and a half months later, that advisor is no longer working at the white house and the president is now agreeing as a condition of raising the debt ceiling to trillions of dollars in spending cuts. so let me be clear. the legislation the senate is about to vote on is just a first step, just a first step, but it is a crucial step toward fiscal sanity and it's potentially remarkable achievement given the lengths to which some in washington have gone to ensure a status quo that's suffocating growth, crippling the economy and imperilling entitlements. now, we've had to settle for less than we wanted. but what we've achieved is in no way insignificant.

we did it because we had something democrats didn't have. republicans may only control one half of one third of the government in washington, but the american people agreed with us on the nature of the problem. they know that government didn't accumulate $14.5 trillion in debt because it didn't tax enough. and if you're spending yourself into oblivion, the solution isn't to spend more. it's to spend less. now, neither side got everything it wanted in these negotiations. but i think it was the view of those in my party that we try to get as much spending cuts as we could from a government we didn't control. our view was we would get as much spending reduction as we could from a government we didn't control. and that's what we've done with this bipartisan agreement. this is not the deficit reduction package i would have

written. the fact that we're on a pace to add another $7 trillion to the debt over the next ten years is certainly nothing to celebrate. but getting it there from more than $9 trillion, the president continued to defend until recently, is no defeat either. and slowing down the big government freight train from its current trajectory would give us the time we need to work toward a real solution or give the american people the time they need to have their voices heard. so much work remains. and to that end, our first step will be to make sure that republicans who sit on the powerful cost-cutting committee are serious people who put the best interests of the american people and the principles that we have fought for throughout this debate first. but before we move to the next steps, i would like to say a word about some of those who made today's vote possible.

i'll start with speaker boehner. it should be noted that he helped set the terms of this debate by insisting early on that we would oppose any debt limit that didn't include cuts that were greater than the amount the debt limit would be raised. and he stuck to his guns. the speaker and i worked shoulder to shoulder over the past few months and it's certainly been a pleasure. he's been a real partner and i assure my colleagues we wouldn't be here without him. >> minority leader mitch mcconnell is praising those who helped him get this deal done with the president of the united states. what we are seeing now is mitch mcconnell speaking, he's wrapping up the debate. then harry reid, the majority leader, he will speak for final comments. then there will be the formal roll call in the u.s. senate on this debt ceiling agreement, raising the nation's debt ceiling. that roll call will go on for at least 15 minutes, probably closer to 20 minutes, after which we expect it will be passed and within minutes after that, the president of the

united states will go into the rose garden and address the nation, praise what has just happened. we will have extensive coverage of all of this. let's continue to listen to mitch mcconnell and then harry reid. >> everyone on their staffs who believed as we did that despite our many differences, we could all agree that america would not default on its obligations. it's a testament to the good will of those on both sides that we were able to reach this agreement in time. neither side wanted to see the government default, and i'm pleased we were able to work together to avoid it. now, this bill does not solve the problem. but it at least forces washington to admit that it has one. the bill doesn't solve the problem but it forces washington to admit that it has one. and it puts us on a path to

recovery, where nowhere near where we need to be in terms of restoring balance, but there should be absolutely no doubt about this. we have changed the debate, we're headed in the right direction, and people are wondering how it happened. well, it happened because the american people demanded it. so in the end, we're back to where we started. the only reason we're talking about passing legislation that reins in the size of washington instead of growing it is because the american people believed they could have a real impact on the direction of their government. they spoke out and we heard them. and it's only through their continued participation in this process and lawmakers who were willing to listen to them that we'll complete the work we've begun. as winston churchill once said, courage is what it takes to stand up and speak.

courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen. i can't think of a better way to sum up this last year and in particular, these last few months right here in washington than that. the american people want to see accountability and cooperation in washington, and they want to see that we're working together to get our fiscal house in order. this legislation doesn't get us there but for the first time in a very long time, i think we can say to the american people that we're finally facing in the right direction and for that, we have them to thank. >> majority leader, the senator from nevada. >> this is the majority leader, harry reid. he's about to speak. we should listen to him as well, then we'll assess what's going on. john king is here, gloria borger

is here. stand by. let's listen to harry reid. >> -- and averted default on our debt that has been so concerning to all of us for such a long period of time. our country was literally on the verge of a disaster. it was on the brink of a disaster. one day left, we were able to get together and avert that disaster. now, this compromise that we've reached is not perfect and i feel it's important -- mr. president, can we have order, please? >> the senate will please come to order. we welcome all our visitors and want to make it clear that any disturbance or manifestation of approval or disapproval is prohibited under the senate rules. the majority leader may proceed. >> i appreciate the kind words that my counterpart has stated on the floor. i have gotten to know him and speaker boehner a lot better

this past month or two. especially the speaker. and even though i disagree with him only in the direction the speaker's legislation took, with no bipartisan support at all, it is not the product we have here. the product we have here is one of compromise. the winners, without trying to outline who the winners are, there is principally one winner, the american people. we settled for less than we wanted. so did my friend, the leader of the republicans settled for less than they wanted. that's the way legislation works. that's the way compromise works. but i can't let go without responding to my friend who boasted about in his own way, about the new senators and the new members of congress who came here. i welcome them all, but a result of the tea party direction of

this congress the last few months has been very, very disconcerting and very unfair to the american people. it stopped us from arriving at a conclusion much earlier and we must go forward. and also, mr. president, i recognize we have to do more. of course we need to do more. that's why we have the joint committee set up that i'll talk about in just a minute. the american people are not impressed with the no new revenue. the vast majority of democrats, independents and republicans think this arrangement we've just done is unfair because the richest of the rich have contributed nothing to this. the burden of what has taken place is on the middle class and the poor. my friend talks about no new taxes. mr. president, if their three was right, the huge taxes that took place during the bush eight years, the economy should be thriving. these tax cuts have not helped the economy.

the loss of eight million jobs during the bush eight years, two wars started unfunded on borrowed money, these tax cuts all on borrowed money. if the tax cut were so good, the economy should be thriving. if you go back to the prior eight years, during president clinton's administration, 23 million new jobs were created. we had when president bush took office, a surplus over ten years of $7 trillion. that has evaporated. now we're talking about a $14 trillion debt. the compromise we reached is imperfect. and we're going to send legislation to the president today that will not only avert a default but make significant deficit reductions. is it enough? i repeat, no, not enough. this legislation will provide the economy with stability is

desperately needs and to assure congress that we will continue working and i said this yesterday, i say it again, i appreciate my friend, the republican leader, putting his arms around the idea that i came up with to have this joint committee. they have worked in decades past. there's no reason it can't work now. no super majority. each leader will appoint three, a committee of 12. we need to do something because the trigger that kicks in is very, very difficult. we need to do this. and it has to be one that's fair. the american people demand fairness. it can't be more cuts to programs that have made this country what it is. there must be a sharing of sacrifice. it's really unfair for billionaires and multi-millionaires not to be contributing to the arrangement that we've just made but they're not. my friends the republicans held firm and no revenue which is really too bad. we need to have a fair approach

to this joint committee and i'm confident we will do that. and the one reason we're going to do that is because the trigger mechanism that kicks in. now, this committee that was going to have -- be appointed, the members i say here must have open minds. we've had too much talk the last few days of republicans as early as this morning, republican leaders in the senate saying there will be no revenue. that's not going to happen. otherwise, the trigger's going to kick in. the only way we can arrive at a fair arrangement for the american people with this joint committee is to have equal sharing. it's going to be painful. each party, if they do the right thing, it's going to be painful for them because to be fair, we have to move forward. there has to be equal spending cuts, there has to be some revenue that matches that. the legislation's going to be sent to the president today,

ends a standoff that ground the work of washington to a halt this summer. so congress must now return to its most important job, creating jobs. now, mr. president, there are things we can do to create jobs. we know that. we passed out of here quickly the patton bill, 270,000 jobs we're told that legislation will create. we'll move to that first time we get back after the summer break. we will move to the patton legislation. important we do that. there are other things we can do. there are things out there that should be bipartisan in nature that we can do. we have a highway bill that's due. i have spoke to the chairman of the finance committee today. there are ways we can fund that that should be in keeping with bipartisan approach to this. the important part, the important thing that we have, mr. president, with these infrastructure jobs we need so, so very much, is that for every billion dollars we spend in

infrastructure, we create 47,500 high-paying jobs. a lot of other jobs spin off from that. now, these aren't jobs that you have $1 billion and you have all these jobs are jobs that the federal government does. these are monies that go to the private sector to build roads, bridges and dams. we need to do that and we can do that. clean energy jobs. they are changing the face of this nation. we need to do that. i'm optimistic and hopeful that the spirit of compromise that has taken root in washington over the last several days will endure. i hope my republican colleagues will join forces with democrats to put america back to work and not be looking for winners and political parties, but let's start looking for winners with the american people. we made progress toward cutting the goal. we made progress toward a goal of cutting the deficit spending that we have around here.

this nation still faces a jobs deficit as well. there is no issue more important to the american people than job creation. until every american who chooses to work can find a job, our job is undone. so we're going to continue making jobs our number one priority. we ask the republicans to join with us in this regard. adlai stevenson once called the people's business the most important business there is. so mr. president, it's time for congress to get back to doing the people's business, creating jobs. nothing is more important than that. mr. president, i ask for yays and nays on my motion to concur. >> is there a sufficient second? there appears to be a sufficient second. the yays and nays are ordered. >> mr. akaka? mr. alexander? miss ayott? >> there you have it. the majority leader, minority

leader, they both wrapped up the debate. now the voting has started. we expect it will continue for about 15 minutes, sometimes it drags on a little bit longer, maybe 20 minutes. after it passes, we assume that they have the necessary 60 votes to pass this legislation within a few moments, the president of the united states will walk into the rose garden over at the white house. he will not sign this legislation into law because the paperwork, the bureaucracy that requires some time to do, so he has to sign it before midnight tonight in order to get the process going, but he will make a statement, we expect about a 10 or 15-minute statement from the president as well. kate bolduan is up on the hill watching. i assume a lot of people have been looking closely at the numbers. they have well over 60 votes that will support what mitch mcconnell and harry reid have now proposed. >> reporter: i have been talking to leadership aides this morning and on all sides they tell me it's safe to say they're confident this will pass. of course, we always warn that you can't call the vote until the last vote is cast but there

seems to be a general understanding that the biggest obstacle as we were talking about yesterday was getting this bill through the house of representatives, not so much the senate. so they seem confident of course they're not going to call what their margin will be, but they seem confident they will pass the 60-vote threshold once this 15-minute vote comes up. but we have heard on the floor this morning as they were debating this, wolf, some of the similar criticisms and concerns of this compromise from both democratic and republican senators that we have been hearing really for the past week, really, from members on both sides of the aisle in both chambers. republicans concerned there aren't enough cuts, they don't go far enough. also hearing concern from republicans about this select committee, this committee of 12 that they think it puts too much power in the hands of too few. on the other side, i'm hearing from democrats they simply are very frustrated that the burden of these cuts fall too heavily on the poor and middle class, rather than asking for some sacrifices as they