republicans are unhappy about this. voters would rather be angry with their representatives for doing something they don't like than for not doing anything at all. we'll see if our guests agree. >> after the fiscal cliff, the government shutdown, we have a bipartisan budget deal that everyone should be proud of. it's not perfect, but we should be proud of. >> there we go. >> in the crossfire, jon tester and senator wicker. >> we are joined by the mississippi river. senator wicker, i know you don't like this deal, but there are a lot of people in mississippi hurting right now. why are you going to oppose this good bipartisan deal? >> let me say, i liked your lead in. my friend lindsey graham knows how to turn a phrase. and i, this is a compromise. i expected there to be a bunch

of stuff in there i didn't like, but i really didn't think it would impact military retirees, single them out in the way it does. and when i asked the question at the wednesday briefing, some budget people came in. i said how would this affect a retired senior master sergeant. how much money would he lose per year. well, they didn't know. they got back to him with the answer. $83,000 lifetime for an e-7 who refires, 120 something,000 f th for an officer. >> that's for somebody 62 and it won't take effect until december 2015. there's a bipartisan solution again to block this provision in the budget act. i think it's section 403. senator sheehan has a bill that will offset taking this provision out.

will you support that. >> i would love to if we can get a vote on it. harry reid blocks every other amendment which has been the story this entire senate. my friend over here from montana did not allow us to offer an amendment that would have done exactly that. >> senator tester, president obama told you and your colleagues that he wanted extended unemployment benefits as part of this dole. and your likely presidential candidate, hillary clinton tweeted this, she said what happens to kids in families cut from unemployment insurance and food stamps? they're too small to fail and deserve an equal chance to succeed. how would you answer her question? >> this isn't perfect, by the way. both paul ryan and patty murray have said that. bottom line is i think this

steaks sequestration off the table which would have done draconian things to our military. and moves the economy forward, moves the government forward in a way where there's more certainty. to get back to senator wicker's point. it's true, the amendment tree's full. if we bring another amendment in, the house is gone. they won't be back for 25 days. it's not like it's going to be taken up again, it's not. you said it's better to do something that might not be perfect than do nothing at all. i agree. >> but it seems like you democrats caved on that issue, that issue that was supposed to be incredibly important to democrats. >> i think just as the military retirement that senator wicker talked about. harry's talking about bringing it up in january. i think we can deal with it then. if we have the votes to get it passed i think we can move forward in a constructive way.

>> we now have two years to talk about something else other than the budget, the budget, the budget. over the next two years we can talk about how to restore some of the cuts that have been really across the board, those sequester cuts. you opposed some of those sequester cuts. >> absolutely. >> you come from a start with a large number of people living in poverty, a lot of kid whose depend on head start and other programs. in the spirit of christmas, how do we stop this scroogenomics from going to the unemployed and other whose are hurting at this hour? >> i think the provisions have to be across the board fair, not hit anybody really, really hard. but john just pointed out why it's going to be easier said than done to get rid of this military retirement tax penalty of $80,000 for an enlisted man. he says we can go back and fix this unemployment insurance thing. we're going to have something signed into law by the president

of the united states by the end of this week. it's hard to change a statute. it's easier said than done, and my fear is we're going to see 2014 and 2015, and this thing is going to go into effect and affect people that we made a promise to, that lived up to their end of the bargain and now we pull the rug out from under them. >> today unfortunately, we've got six folks that were killed in a helicopter crash in afghanistan. if sequestration stays in effect, the readiness, the equipment those troops get is going to be severely impacted. so you have to make the call. there's, nothing's going to be perfect in this world. it's called compromise. and how we deal with this compromise is going to be important. and i think ryan and murray did a good job coming up with a compromise we could live with. >> let me ask you about some of

that spending. your colleague, tom coburn released his wasteful spending book today. i was a little shocked at some of the things our government is spending money on. you can take a look right here. $1 million to study romance in movies and novels. 385,000 to study the oddity of duck penises. $3 million for nasa to investigate how congress works. you've talked about defense cuts. how do we assume that you guys can make the right calls when this is the kind of stuff you're spending money on? >> this is the right step because this empowers the appropriations committee to do their job. this gives us the top line figures to go in and determine where the waste, fraud and abuse is and make sure these programs are lean and mean. we haven't had that ability before. we've just kind of been a cr rubber stamp to move forward. and that's not the way to run a government. and that's why this budget deal needed to move forward.

whether it had inadequacies or not, it was critically important that we move forward and deal with those crazy things that are out there. >> so you guys are going to go through tom coburn's wasteful spending book? he says you could eliminate $30 billion. >> i appreciate his wasteful spending book. i look at the ones that he had written in for montana. they had some merit, but the way they were written up by him looked pretty awful. they can go into those budgets now and cut out the fat and weed it down. we're all concerned about the budget. we don't want to have a 16, $17 trillion deficit passed on to our kids. >> one of the reasons i have to agree with you on the appropriation. i used to be on the appropriations committee in the house, and actually, when they get a chance to do something other than a cr, a continuing

resolution, they can peick and choose, and they haven't been able to do that the last four years. >> isn't it morally wrong and economically stupid to allow $1.3 million americans to spend this christmas without getting the unemployment benefits? it was stupid that that was, you know, somehow or another left off the table during the negotiations? >> we're going back to the regular statute on this. that's been in effect for decades and decades. this has been the longest period of time since 2007 when we've had exception to that. the recovery is weak, but i think it's time to go back to regular order on an unemployment compensation, as we've done every time we've extended it. we've always gone back to the regular 27 weeks. >> one thing the president might want to spend some money on is a strategy to save his second term. we'll be back with the poll numbers. are they as devastating as i

think they are? stay tuned. we're aig. and we're here. to help secure retirements and protect financial futures. to help communities recover and rebuild. for companies going from garage to global. on the ground, in the air, even into space. we repaid every dollar america lent us. and gave america back a profit. we're here to keep our promises. to help you realize a better tomorrow. from the families of aig, happy holidays.

you can fill that box and pay one flat rate. how naughty was he? oh boy... [ male announcer ] fedex one rate. simple, flat rate shipping with the reliability of fedex. [ male announcer ] fedex one rate. life with crohn's disease ois a daily game of "what if's". what if my abdominal pain and cramps end our night before it even starts? what if i eat the wrong thing? what if? what if i suddenly have to go? what if? but what if the most important question is the one you're not asking? what if the underlying cause of your symptoms is damaging inflammation? for help getting the answers you need, talk to your doctor and visit crohnsandcolitisadvocates.com to connect with a patient advocate from abbvie for one-to-one support and education. stick with innovation. stick with power. stick with technology. get the new flexcare platinum from philips sonicare and save now. philips sonicare.

welcome back. in the crossfire tonight, senator jon tester and roger wicker. we expect the senate to approve the budget deal tomorrow. we know the old saying. i could have come up with a better deal myself, but there was somebody sitting across the table. you can tell how much the economic debate has moved to the far right when paul ryan, the guy governor romney chose to be his running mate, the guy who he showed, to show off his severely conservative credentials, well, let me just tell you, paul ryan is now seen as the reasonable

moderate deal maker. the republicans keep moving the marker. senator wicker, you know, there's a little fight right now in the republican party. i'm giviing s.e. a couple aspirins. i'm going to move to something stronger as soon as jon tester will give me something. >> everybody voted for it over there except for about 40 votes. i admire paul ryan. i wanted to make him vice president. and i think he'll make a grade president. >> amen. >> i think john boehner's done a good job with a very tough crowd. here's what i don't think they thought about.

they made all these tough choices. and they made all of them prospective except for one. and that's what they did to the military retirees. maybe we could go back and fix it, but that's my objections. i don't really mind the fact that paul ryan and john boehner had to make some very tough choices, and i think it was a good idea, probably, to save money on the mandatory side, put a little money on the appropriations side and get us past this government shutdown. we're still not quite there yet. >> you believe john boehner is right to tell these outside groups to just shut up, butt out and take it easy? >> i think john boehner made a very good point. >> senator tester, i want to move off the budget for a minute. the president's trust, when it comes to the economy, is shot. take a look at this poll out today. a year ago, his handling of the economy polling at 54%.

now, 41. not only is the president down 13 points, but republicans are up 9. how do you explain that? ? well, i think, look, there's some good things happening in the economy, unemployment is down to 7%. >> that's what i keep hearing. the economy is great. so where are these numbers coming from. >> i think it came out because of the rocky rollout of the health care bill. >> why wouldn't people trust him less on the economy because of a rocky website? >> i think it blends across all issues. >> wouldn't you be concerned that obama compare is care is g you guys? >> no. no. >> i'm having trouble following this train of thought then. >> look, look at the first of october how things have changed between the first of october when the tea party republicans were pushing the shutdown. the whole republican brand went down. guess what? you got a rocky rollout of obamacare, of health care.

they go up, democrats go down. this surge is going to happen between now and election daytime and time again. we need to have businesses create jobs. everybody can get credit for this if we work together, both democrats and republicans. and then may the best man went come november. >> so you're not worried president obama's approval numbers are going to affect democrats. >> no. they tried to tie me to president obama time and time again. he isn't exactly endeared in montana. it didn't work. we're all individuals. we all represent great states. we all work for this country, and we need to do the right thing, move the country forward. we will see incredible growth. the biggest boat anchor on this economy is congress, doing

nothing, obstructionism, filibusters, time and time again. now we're starting so see some things move. hopefully we'll get a farm bill. >> hey, one step at a time. >> get the budget done, and i think it starts to give people confidence back in their government. >> senator wicker as you well know, there's a civil war brewing inside the republican party, almost, almost as big as the last civil war. >> oh, come on. that's not true. >> i'm exaggerating a little bit myself. >> this is wishful thinksiing o your part. >> it's the season of wishes. let me give santa everything i have. so i mean, mitch mcconnell has an opponent on the far right. lindsey graham has an o.ant. and of course your colleague and someone i also consider a friend, thad cochran has an opponent on the far right. so you have all these republicans now pointing at senators, calling them rinos.

republicans in name only. is it going too far? >> the people who say that about those three senators are -- yes, they're going too far. but i don't know that that means there's a civil war. you know, it's a free country, and it doesn't cost much to file for senator. so you can't blame somebody for giving it a shot. i think all three of those, cochran, mcconnell and graham will be renominated, and when they are, they'll be reelected. >> i still believe it's a civil war. you have the far right pointing fingers at the so-called conservatives. i never thought i would see this day. are you sure that your colleagues can beat back this challenge? >> wish on. let's go back to the poll on the front page of the washington post. this is shaping up to be a disastrous ten months coming up for the democratic party.

and it may be partly six-year itch, which happens to presidential terms, but i think it comes back to obamacare. it's not just the rollout, it's a broken promise -- you can keep your policy, period. and, you know, to the extent that we break a these waters may be turbulent but most democrats will be able to survive. this is a fact. i honestly believe when the health care bill come november, it will be a plus for democrats. why? the website is working. you're going to see people get on and actually save money. it does some real positive things for access, for hospitals. especially rural hospitals that won't have to be giving out as much charity care. i think when this gets done, the people will see the real advantage of it. >> isn't it dependent upon getting young, healthy people on. and they're not getting on the

website. president obama is losing millennials in droves. they're moving to the center. they're not impressed with washington or president obama. it is not just a problem for obamacare in that sign-up. it is a problem for the democratic party that is a key demographic. >> i think it is too early to say. that i meet with young people a couple times a month. to talk about and i am encouraged by their perspective and their world view. i think they'll sign up when they find out what the costs. are we're talking about bills less than a cell phone bill. >> but they're more than they were paying before. >> they were not paying anything. >> exactly. >> you have to convince the demographic to buy something they've never traditionally bought. and for more than they would have before. how does that work? >> you can help with that, s.e. >> i will not help with that. >> i'm talking about the facts as it applies to health care. you can't have health care delivers by emergency rooms and have that be sustainable for

folks who don't have insurance and don't pay their bills. i can give you an example of plenty of folk aifl familiar live four that save $500 a month when they went on the website and got it. >> when it is all said and done there will still be 30 million americans uninsured. and i don't know what rural hospitals you're talking to. but the ones i talk to from mississippi are apoplectic. >> they know under the curb system. that's what this was about. >> still 200,000 people in mississippi who can get access to health care if we expand the eligibility for medicaid in mississippi. >> we're going to see how this all plays out. we've got nine months. stay here next. the final question for both of our guests. we want you at home to weigh in on today's fireback question. will congress be more or less productive next year? tweet more or less. we'll have the results after the break. my customers can shop around.

but it doesn't usually work that way with health care. with unitedhealthcare, i get information on quality rated doctors, treatment options and cost estimates, so we can make better health decisions. that's health in numbers. unitedhealthcare.

we're back with senators tester and wicker. it's time for the identifiable question. >> i'm an old school democrat. i miss ted kennedy. and i believe president obama will come back next season. but let me ask you. there is a lot of talk these days about economic populism on the left. can you tell us what's happening in the senate? >> well, i can tell you this. we can give all sorts of folks labels on what they need to do.

bottom line, we need to go forth with policies. not only moved business ahead. give them opportunity to create employment. but also take care of the folks that are most needy. i saw what the house did to the farm bill. i'm still a farmer. it doesn't work. it doesn't work for agriculture. whether you're in production and it doesn't work for the folks who need help. i think you need to look at i. put the titles to the side. take a look at the program that's out there. what needs to be done to help people move forward. whether it is in food, education, business, whatever it might be will. >> senator wicker, let me give you compliments to your wife on an excellent christmas tie. she did a great job. >> thank you. >> with the poll numbers the way they are, obama is down. republicans are creeping their way back up. do you think it is wise as donna would say for conservatives to target other conservatives? shouldn't this be a time when we're coalescing and building on

this momentum going into 2014? talking about it all the things that we agree on. >> i do not think it is wise for conservatives to target each other. >> how do we convey that message to some folks who would seemingly prefer -- >> this is the time i want to give you some ammunition. i think when you have incumbents who are strong and have a real main stream voting record, it doesn't make sense. >> why haven't we found a by to celebrate our diversity as a big tent party? >> there are a lot of viewpoints out there. i was hoping to get back to john's question. about the productivity of the congress. >> thank you so much. we appreciate it. to go facebook or twitter to weigh in on our fireback question. will congress be more or less productive next year? 32% of you say no. 68% say yes. 68% say yes. sorry, senators.

-- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com >r >>p next, an ind arrest arrested in new york and fights back. >> i think we have taken a touh stand. we do protect our foreign service officers and any other indipindian that is unfairl. >> who was the man behind the lawsuit that slammed the nsa spying program? >> our goal is to pry open this veneer of secrecy. >> and the mega millions jackpot passes $600 million. >> winning the mega millions is akin to getting struck by lightning at the same time you're being eaten by a shark. >> but hey, you never know,