the hostage gets home. then, people will question the wisdom of that strategy. the hostage was the american people in this case. and i was not willing to see them get harmed. i could have enjoyed the battle with republicans over the next month or two. as i said, the american people are on our side. this is not a situation in which i have failed to persuade the american people. i know the polls. they're on our side. >>tavis: president obama defendg his deal. i am pleased to be joined of -- by one of to independence. senator bernie sanders. always an honor. >> good to be with you. tavis: are you buying his been? >> i am not. the president is absolutely right that it is an outrage that our republican colleagues would hold hostage an extension of benefits for 2 million unemployed workers today. that is an outrage. he is right that it is disgraceful that the republicans are holding hostage tax breaks for 90% of the american people in order to get huge tax breaks to millionaires and billionaires. i think where the president is wrong is not understanding of the american people are totally disguste

the american people know that. i think the government's failure to recognize this has led to the uprising we saw over the last year that helped create a new majority in the house. we are ready to get to work. we are ready to be held accountable. as i said before, if we don't do what the american people are demanding, they will throw us out of here in a heartbeat. not quite yet. questions? >> on the earmarks, were there other issues on the omnibus bill? >> i think the spending levels were totally out of control. nice christmas shirt. [laughter] >> on the question of spending, the tax bill will add about $400 billion to the 2011 budget. we have 681 in non-defense spending. it would be less with homeland security and va taken out where can you cut to compensate for this? >> if we want to close the deficit hole that we have in washington, d.c. with the budget, we need to cut spending and we need to have a healthy economy. is growing jobs in our country with more people taking care of themselves, their families, and back

the american people already agree with me. there are polls showing right now that the american people, for the most part, think it is a bad idea to provide tax cuts to the wealthy. the issue is not made persuading the american people. the issue is how do i persuade the republicans in the senate currently blocking that position? i have not been able to move them. in the meantime, there are a whole bunch of people being hurt and the economy would be damaged and my first job is to make sure the economy is growing, we are creating jobs out there, and people who are struggling are getting some relief. if i have to choose between having a protracted political battle on the one hand and those folks will be hurt or helping those folks and continuing to fight this political battle over the next two years, i will choose the latter. >> what about the last two years? was there a failure on the part of the democratic leadership on the hill or hear that you could not preclude these cuts going forward? >> on the republican side, this is their

speaker that the american people at the 60% plurality level opposed. and have remained here, 10 months later, as certainly was seen in the results of the election on november 2, the american people felt that this was something that was forced upon them against their wishes although they had had a two-year period of time to let not just our democratic majority and president obama but every member of congress in both the house and senate understand not only that they were opposed to this bill but why they were opposed to it. and in fact, during this campaign, our republican party made a pledge to america on many things, not the least of which, of course, was to repeal this bill. this 2,400 page monstrosity that has done laird any of the things that poth because ma had hoped, wished, promised that it would affect. so we said to the american people, you give us an opportunity, you give us an opportunity to elect to choose, to have john bay for the as the next -- john boehner for the next speak of the house and give the republicans an opportunity to lead and

it in ed the american people. is the point of having representatives, you might as well toss a coin back home. >> if anybody in the senate believes the american people are gonna let this pass without being upset this is exactly what the election was about. people were tired of the stimulus bill, health care bill last year passed on a party-line vote christmas eve. and we still don't know what's in it. there's a billion dollars to fund obama care in this bill. it is clear people want to relook at obamacare not fun it this is why people are mad. if republicans enable this to pass, we're losing our second chance with the american people. >> greta: what are you gone do -- gonna do? >> hopefully say no. >> greta: what do you mean hopefully. >> why would you vote yes on a document this big, 1.1 trillion, 6700 earmarks before christmas? it is irresponsible to pass this bill this way. we need to stop, pass a continuing resolution and do our business in a business-like manner next year. if this bill passes it will be a dis

the people's business. what is the difference? >> the american people will set our agenda in terms of what we do here in the house. >> is the last time and obama- boehner compromise will exist? >> we will take it one day at a time. >> others in the white house would urge you to think that this agreement -- >> i was glad that we were able to come to an agreement on stopping all of the tax hikes. no one can predict what next month will look like or what next year will look like, other than that i told the president the same thing that i have told him for the last two years. i will always be up front with him, honest with him, and fair. but i also told the present at the american people have spoken. it is time for -- but i also told the president that the american people have spoken. it is time for change in washington. jake. get ready for this winter in >> democrats voted for -- get ready for this one. >> more democrats voted for this bill that republicans. >> are you aware that there are more democrats in the house and there are republicans? on ba

views of the american people is that of course we want to see of the eople of bangladesh and the people of china do well. but they don't have to do well at the expense of the american middle class. e we do not have to engage in awee race to the bottom. our goal is to bring them up, gs not us down. for one of the results of our disastrous trade policies isthea that in many instances, wages ie the united states have gone down. months you're going to see an intensification of efforts to i t expand unfettered free trade. cont i think i will be a continuation of disastrous policy for american workers. >> let me just personalize this a little bit. this gentleman, i'm no personal animus to them at all. his they think about a month and a large room. his name is james simon, the ce, of james morgan chase. over the past five years,, mr. simon who is the ceo ofeived jpmorgan chase receivedin $89 million in totaln compensation. i think we now know received hundreds of billions of low-interest loans and other financial assistance from the federal reserve and the tre

if we are open to each other, and willing to listen to the american people. we will have good debate and a healthy outcome every day. >> president obama is going to do washington business, we are -- you are going to do the people pause business. what is the difference? >> president obama sets the agenda for the people in washington, but the american people will set our agenda in terms of what we do in the house? >> do you see compromise going forward as looking good? >> taking it one day at a time. >> have you had a discussion with the president and others in the white house on where you think the disagreement might be -- >> i was glad we were able to come to an agreement on stopping all of the tax hikes. no one can predict what next month will look like, next year will look like, other than that i have told the president the same thing i have told him the last two years. i will always be up from within, honest with him, and fair. but i have also told the president the american people of spoken and it is time for washington to listen. >> is there any reason wh

i think the american people can convince them. i said earlier that if the american people stand up that we can defeat this proposal and that we can create a much, much better proposal. clearly we must extend tax breaks for the middle class. clearly we must make sure that unemployed workers continue to get the benefits that they desperately need. but equally clearly, we must make sure that we are not raising the national debt, which as shaopb as i'm standing -- as sure as i'm standing here will result in cuts, social security, medicaid, medicare, education, other programs by passing -- if this proposal is passed. mr. president, this is not only an important proposal unto itself -- $900 billion-plus even in washington is nothing to sneeze at -- but it is an important proposal in terms of the direction in which our country goes into the future. if we accept this proposal of a two-year extension for the richest people in america, i believe that will evenly become either a long-term extension or a permanent extension. if we accept the p

speaker, one month ago the american people told congress to change course to put the american people first, to generate jobs and to strengthen the economy. unfortunately, it seems that some democrats have learned nothing and forgotten everything about what the american people want. we are considering major legislation that the american people couldn't read until a few hours ago. the democrats confused to hold any hearings on this bill and no amendments have been allowed. it is the result of a closed and undemocratic process. we all know that the point of this bill is to give amnesty to almost everyone who is in the country illegally and who is under 30. illegal immigrants get amnesty if they can show hardship if they are sent home. illegal immigrants can stay if they claim to be eligible under this legislation. illegal immigrants get amnesty if they use fraudulent documents because the federal government has no way to check millions of claims. illegal immigrants get amnesty even if they had committed crimes like d.u.i., document fraud and visa fraud. this is a bill that gives amnesty

the questions of the american people deserve -- the questions the american people deserve answers to. i believe these questions fall into three broad categories, first of all, afghan governance, and, second, development and humanitarian efforts and, finally, establishing a sustainable security environment in afganistan. since the announcement of a new strategy in december of 2009 and deployment of 30,000 additional troops, i've sought to carefully monitor u.s. progress towards its goals. as part of this effort, i've paid special attention to combating the top killer of u.s. troops, which, of kowrgs, is impro -- of course, is improvised explosive devices. i chaired a committee hearing on this topic on november 18 and will continue to press our government and our leaders and governments in the region to do more to restrict the availablity of components that make up these terrible weapons. especially, of course, amode immodium nitrate. i'm pleased that significant progress has been made by the department of state, the department of homeland security, and the department of defense to coor

the american people were persuaded by that. but the fact of the header is i have not persuaded the republican party. and of not persuaded mitch mcconnell. i have not persuaded john boehner. i have to look at the best thing to do given the reality for the american people and for jobs. giuliani -- julianna? >> if your budget office forecast that unemployment would be 7.7% in the fourth quarter. is the projected rate -- are you going to do more to boost jobs than your recovery act? >> this is not a significant boost to the economy that the recovery act was, but we are in a different situation. when the recovery act passed, we were looking at a potential great depression. we might have seen unemployment go up to 15%, 20%. we do not know. in combination with the work we did to stabilize the financial system, the work the federal reserve did -- that is behind us. we do not have a double-dip recession. we have a situation in which a -- in which the economy is growing and company profits are up. we're seeing some job growth in the priva

the american people are driving the car. they are the ones who will be making an assessment as to whether we are putting in place policies that are working for them. both parties will be held accountable and i will be held accountable if we take a wrong turn on that front. [laughter] you know, my sense is the republicans recognize that with greater power will come greater responsibility. some of the progress and i think we saw in the lame-duck session was a recognition on their part that people will be paying attention to what they are doing as well as what i am doing and what the democrats in congress are doing. >> can you? blend the anger and outrage -- can you explain the anger and out rage on the extended tax cuts for the wealthy and middle- class tax is that a device that you may be contributing to when you end up vice-president talk about morley inappropriate tax cuts to the wealthy? >> look, the frustration that people felt about that was frustration i shared. i have said that before. i will probably say it again. i d

in other words, it is a good deal for the american people. i know there are some who would have preferred a protected political fight, even if it meant high taxes for all americans. i understand the desire for a fight. i am sympathetic to that. i am opposed to the high-and tax cuts today as i was in four years. when the expire in two years i will fight to end them just as i suspect the republican party may fight to end the middle class tax cuts that i have champion. we will keep on having this debate. we will keep on having this battle. in the meantime i am not here to play games with the american people where the help of our economy. my job is to do whatever i can to get this economy moving. my job is to do whatever i can to spur job creation. my job is to look out for middle-class families who are struggling right now to get by. americans who are out of work through no fault of their own. a long political fight that carried into next year might have been good politics, but it would be a bad deal for the economy and a bad deal for the america

the american people didn't send us here to do nothing for the next two years. we've had a regularly scheduled election every two years since 1788 in this country. what i hope will happen is the president will hear the message of the american people. i think they spoke rather loudly and rather clearly. one pundit described it as a restraining order against what we've been doing the past two years, this splurge of spending and debt, washington takeovers. that needs to stop. hopefully, we can focus on things we agree on. for example, the president has apparently secured an agreement with korea with regard to trade. that's something i'm very likely to support, can support. >> and you consider that a big accomplishment by him? he was criticized leaving south korea without that free trade deal. he waited for it and he got it. >> if he now has an agreement, that's something we ought to go forward with. by the way, we ought to do the columbia and panama agreement as well, which have been languishing for years. >> your goal is to make him a one-term president. >> what's

the american economy. and creating jobs for the american people. taken as a whole that is what the package of tax relief will do. it is a go deal for the american people. this is progress. that is what they sent us here to achieve. there will be moments i am certain over the next couple of years in which the holiday spirit will not be as abundant as it is today. more over we have to make some difficult choices ahead when it comes to tackling the deficit. in some ways this was easier than the tough are choices we will have to make next year. there will be times when we won't agree. and we will have to work through those times together. but the fact is i don't believe either party has cornered the market on good ideas and i want to draw on the best thing from both sides. so, wherever we can, whenever we can, it makes sense for our country's success and our children's future to work with people in both parties who are willing to come to the party for the hard work of moving our economy and country forward. what happened with this package is a good exam

and i think the american people get that. which is why they so consistently, and particularly the best poll that was taken was the election day poll, where they came out in big numbers to voice their disapproval of the policies here in washington, d.c., that continue to kill jobs. so i think we ought to be looking at what we can do not to kill jobs but to create jobs, what we can be doing to incentivize small businesses to create jobs, not putting more burdens on them and increasing the cost of doing business in this country. there isn't anything that, in my view, that's happened in this last year, if you're -- if you're concerned about creating jobs, that has been conducive to that. now, there were a group -- there was a group of c.e.o.'s that was pulled in to visit with the president here sometime last summer, and when the president posed the question of them, mr. president, why -- or, why are you as c.e.o.'s, why are your corporations, rather, why are you not creating jobs? and i'll paraphrase this, but i think the answer v

speaker, we have to level with the american people. we got to start somewhere bringing down the deficits. and if we can't settle on the estate tax exemptions and rates that were in place in 2009, which is the lowest in 77 years, if we can't do that and say to the very wealthiest estates and we are going to give you $23 billion to benefit 6,600 estates, how can we look the american people in the eye and say we are serious. i hope when this amendment comes up later today, we can make a deal that benefits all the people in this country. thank you. the chair: the gentleman's time has expired. . the gentleman from michigan. the gentlman reserves the balance of his time. the gentleman from, mr. levin, is recognized. mr. levin: i yield one minute to mr. farr. the chair: the geneman is recognized for one minute. mr. farr: the sirens of the election that were about the deficit and you want to add $1 trillion to that deficit. wake up and listen to the sirens to the people who are needing of help. i can't believe that you talked about this bill as

not only did they buy it, they sold it to the american people. and the way they got away with selling it to the american people, they were not the clear, outside, uninterested with no agenda to push voice saying, wait a minute. it's a lie. whenever these republicans were interviewed, they got away. because nobody said, what do you mean, takeover? define that word for me.

they wanted us to deliver on behalf of the american people. and i think what we saw during the course of the last few weeks was just that. we made enormous progress, as you pointed out, from the taxes -- everyone when they get their next paycheck instead of their taxes going up, they'll go down. earned income tax tax, child tax code, with a credit to afford children to college. importantly, a credit so that companies will invest and take 100% of their expenses now to create jobs for america. that's sending a positive signal. the s.t.a.r.t. treaty, the president's single most important foreign policy. and don't ask, don't tell. now gays and lesbians can serve their country proudly in the military. the military is based on trust. now they'll be able to serve proudly and represent our country. these are all major accomplishments that are achieved in a bipartisan basis with congress and the president, both sides of the aisle working together. >> the vice president, who was on the program last week, responded to a question of mine about when people

you've been telling the american people you oppose extending the tax cuts for the wealthier americansday but you never said you opposed the tax cuts but would be willing to extend t

you've been telling the american people all along that you oppose extending the tax cuts for wealthier americans. president obama: yeah. >> you never said you oppose, but willing to extent it for the middle class americans. when you take the stand, why should the american people believe you are aren't going to flip-flop? president obama: hold on, ben. this isn't the politics at the moment. this is what can we get done right now? the issue -- here's the choice. it's very stark. we can't get miff preferred option through the senate right now. as a consequence, if we don't get my option through the senate right now, and we do not, then on january 1, of this -- 2011, the average family is going to see their taxes go up about $3,000. number two, at the end of this month, 2 million people will lose their unemployment insurance. now i have an option which is to say, you know what, i'm going to keep fighting a political fight which i can't win in the senate and by the way, there are going to be more republican senators next year sworn in than there are currently. the likelihood that the die ma

the current people. i think we're going to keep that alive, and the american people believe transparency is very importantstrong support from the grass roots of america. >> congressman, we have found out of that $3 trillion. they were big banks, foreign banks. do you have a problem with that? we obviously know about it. what's the issue there that you don't like about having this money be used in this way? >> yeah, i have a big problem with it because, you know, or it was thought at one time in our history that all appropriations would go throughout congress. we would authorize and appropriate and the congress would control it. this is off the books. the fed creates and spend their money. their budget is bigger than ours now. and the people who get bailed out are the ones in the political know. they say what i want my political to say. how could it be more political if some companies were bailed out. lehman was bailed out and goldman sachs did pretty well. those that benefitted from the bubble formation, the housing bubble. they were the ones that got over. we ended up buying that stuff. the fed owns he's

the american people are not deeply divided. he extremes and the elites and the activists are deeply divided, but the vast majority of the american people aren't. culture or issues that are intensely designed as issues put forth to divide people. on an issue like worship which is deeply, sincerely divided, the vast majority of the american people actually agree. user problem. if you look at the issues are facing as a country, the american people want that divided. at think the president could work with the gop. bleeding. but you have to generally reach out, not a total of by partisanship, but the substance. what if the president took immigration reform. immigration reform gets demagogue every election cycle and then nobody deals with that. what if president obama to president bush's immigration plan and dusted off from the border security and say, here, do you like this? just fooling with the american people? >> is going to take a look at energy. the american people, health care reform. the debate and health care reform always be

people are angry at me. i do pay attention to the words. branson is so american. i used to be a collector of this snow globes. i could go there and get so many. looking at the people there, it makes me appreciate this country. if i could give you an amount of money for you to never stepped foot in the 50 states, and the amount of money you could keep forever, you could live in toronto or vancouver, but you could never come back to america, was that i'm not be $1 million, $10 million, $100 million? no amount. host: you are asking me if you paid me a not the money to never step back in the country again. guest: correct. a 40% of americans say no amount. i don't care how much you could give me. i went to school in britain for three years, and i could not wait to come home. there is a different openness here. i appreciate what the caller had to say about this country. host: talk a little bit about the last couple of weeks. the president had to get republicans and democrats on board for the tax bill. what do you see as a personal opinion for him going into 2011? guest:

but most of all, i want to thank the american people. i want to thank those that made the calls, those that sent e-mails, those that stood up and called in to the talk-shows all over america and said, we've had enough. haven't they listened to the message that we were trying to send on november the 2nd? so i think this is a great, great victory for the american people today because we would have spent $1.1 trillion, at least $8 billion of it, $8.3 billion, in earmarks that had never had a hearing, that had never had any scrutiny, had never seen the light of day but had been put in by very powerful members of this body on the appropriations committee. so i'd like to extend my gratitude to the american peop people, the tea partiers, those who've aligned themselves with the cause to stop the spending and the mortgaging of our children ask grandchildren's future. we've -- children and grandchildren's future. we've apasse amassed a $40,000 r every man, woman and child in america. the late e commission that reported out -- the latest commission

the people's business. what is the difference? >> the american people will set our agenda in terms of what we do here in the house. >> is the last time and obama- boehner compromise will exist? >> we will take it one day at a time. >> others in the white house would urge you to think that this agreement -- >> i was glad that we were able to come to an agreement on stopping all of the tax hikes. no one can predict what next month will look like or what next year will look like, other than that i told the president the same thing that i have told him for the last two years. i will always be up front with him, honest with him, and fair. but i also told the present at the american people have spoken. it is time for -- but i also told the president that the american people have spoken. it is time for change in washington. jake. get ready for this winter in >> democrats voted for -- get ready for this one. >> more democrats voted for this bill that republicans. >> are you aware that there are more democrats in the house and there are republicans? on ba

happy holidays to all the american people. i think this congress has forgotten about the low income, the typical american people. i feel as though the whole house, the senate, and everything else -- it should be refurbished. they're forgetting their direction. they're forgetting about the american people. as far as tax cuts for the rich -- i know plenty of philanthropists in the city right now they're giving away money, houses, furniture, clothing, and everything else they can for the low-income people. they need to reevaluate themselves before they start out doing what they're doing in this process. we just do not know what they're doing anymore. host: thank you. the hill" om "u newspaper -- host: this is the lead editorial in "the washington times" this morning. "lame duck on steroids." mich pete, democrat, the tro igan. what are your thoughts? caller: i understand fully what the republicans did. they are sucking out everything they can suck out of this. there's no question about it. on the democrat side, bottom- out. they ar

and i -- i think it's key that the american people who are watching this debate today understand one basic fact, mr. president, that because of their concern for 1/10th of 1% of those americans earning over $1 million a year, the republicans stopped a tax cut for everyone else. i need to repeat that. because of their concern for those 315,000 out of 307 million americans who earn over $1 million a year, the republicans, to a person, stopped a tax cut for 99.9% of the american people. i cannot tell you how bizarre that seems to me. and not only did they block tax cuts for everyone in this country, except for that 1/10th of 1%, they also turned their backs on the unemployed, two million of whom have lost their benefits or are about to lose their unemployment benefits. in my state of california 400,000 people are losing those benefits. and they blocked out important tax cut extensions, which i don't have time to go into. i have to say that when you block unemployment insurance extension, which gives people about $300 a week to survive and keep their homes together, if they are actively l

that isn't looking out for the american people. looking for the iranians, looking out for the russians, log koreans, the people of venezuela and cubans, who would like to see us gone and have said as much, but not looking out for america. now, this administration never been a fan of of the plan president reagan proposed. but because the russians, the soviets at that time couldn't keep up, they were spending too much money, the soviet union fell. but clearly, this treaty links offensive reductions with missile defense. so these guys down the hall, they think they're doing a wonderful thing for america, but they are not. they may think, gee, the president has said this about the treaty, so maybe, maybe it's true. my friend, andrew c. mccarthy had a posting today, december 21, with "national review" quote online and it bears particularly on this point so i'll read from his article, because it is so well written, patting himself -- these are mccarthy's words, patting himself and fellow senate republicans on the back for selling out on p

the american people are driving the car. they are the ones that will make an assessment as to whether we are putting in place policies that are working for them. and both parties are going to be held accountable, and i am going to be held accountable, if we take a wrong turn on that front. you know, my sense is the republicans recognize that, with greater power will come greater responsibility. and some of the progress i think we saw and a lame duck was a recognition on their part that people will be paying attention to what they are doing as well as what i am doing and the democrats in congress are doing. mark? >> yes, sir. mr. president, can you explain the anger many democrats felt when the tax cut bill to extend a tax cuts and not just for the middle class but also for the wealthy? is that a divided you may be contributing to, when you and the vice president talk about morally in a proper tax cuts for the wealthy? >> look, the frustration that people felt about that was frustration i shared. i said that before. and i wil

the republicans in this house have heard the call of the american people and earlier this year began the youcut program in which the american people actually get to choose specific spending cuts that we attempt to bring to the floor. we understand the need to change the culture around here from one of spending to one of fiscal discipline. cutting spending and ending the practice of piling a mountain of debt onto future generations. today's youcut looks to end the practice of wasteful spending by eliminating the mandatory printing of all congressional bills and resolutions by the government printing office. potentially saving over $35 million over the next 10 years. certainly that is something that we can all agree is a commonsense cut. i would urge my colleagues to join me in voting no on the previous question so that we could have the opportunity to bring this commonsense spending cut to the floor. if they do not intend to join us in the effort to end this spending now, american taxpayers can rest assure that our new republican majority will bring this cut and many, many others, mr.

the american people are hurting. things like slots at public colleges and universities, things like financial aid for those positions are very scarce and very sought after, more than ever before because of the horrible state of our economy. these young illegals who would be granted amnesty would be put in direct competition with american citizens for those scarce resources. are we really listening to the american people about the struggles they're going through right now in this desperate economy? if we do that, the answer would clearly be "no." and third, what about spending and debt? the american people have been speaking to us loud and clear about that, and yet the "dream" act would increase spending and deficit and debt yet again. so would we be listening to the american people about that were we to pass the "dream" act? absolutely not. the "dream" act has at least $5 billion of unpaid for spending in it by all reasonable estimates. you grant amnesty to 2.1 million people and then down the road you can double or t

american businesses. the clock is ticking and american people are waiting. if congress doesn't approve this proposal, our small businesses will be saddled and crushed by a $588 billion tax hike. 1/3 of all businesses and business activity in the united states will see higher taxes. businesses that create 80% of our jobs in this country, raising taxes on small businesses in the middle of a recession is absolutely the last thing congress should do. even those in congress who want to raise taxes must question the timing of doing so when credit is scarce, wages are being cut and people are losing their jobs. as i travel around my district i hear one consistent thing over and over again from small business owners. they need certainty. they want certainty. certainty so they know what uncle sam is going to take from them, from their bottom line now and into the future. certainty so they can plan for and make future investments, hire workers and buy equipment. certainty so they can pursue the american dream without worry being how government will get in the way. oppo

i think the american people can convince them. i said earlier that if the american people stand up that we can defeat this proposal and that we can create a much, much better proposal. clearly we must extend tax breaks for the middle class. clearly we must make sure that unemployed workers continue to get the benefits that they desperately need. but equally clearly, we must make sure that we are not raising the national debt, which as shaopb as i'm standing -- as sure as i'm standing here will result in cuts, social security, medicaid, medicare, education, other programs by passing -- if this proposal is passed. mr. president, this is not only an important proposal unto itself -- $900 billion-plus even in washington is nothing to sneeze at -- but it is an important proposal in terms of the direction in which our country goes into the future. if we accept this proposal of a two-year extension for the richest people in america, i believe that will evenly become either a long-term extension or a permanent extension. if we accept the p

country is the omnibus and as a freshman i would regard the omnibus as a 1924 page memo to the american people that the congress doesn't get it. >> a treaty of this kind that the administration considers to be a critical part of their foreign policy is a part of american strategic posturing and i'm worried about that. for example, north korea has attacked one of our best allies. russia has attacked a sovereign nation. iran is proceeding with a nuclear weapon system and russia has intermittently only been helpful in that regard and not at that point of time. i am worried about where we are heading in general with our foreign-policy. mr. putin has opposed the missile defense idea so a number of his people have made statements contrary to what art administration is telling us but december 1 on larry king, mr. putin said "of the radar encounters missile will be deployed in the year 2012 along our borders, our 2015 they will work against a nuclear potential there and we are obliged to take actions in response." so it seems to me a fundamental issue like missile defense we are not in accord and a bi

i am all for investing in the american people. i believe in the american people. but i also believe the american people are trusting me to try to advocate for the best deal for them. that is what i am doing. let me also just remind the emirate that general motors is now a viable -- remind the caller that general motors is now a viable company, a private business now pursuing its interest in the marketplace. and we will make money on the tarp. we bailed out the banks, we will get the money back. we have gotten a lot of it back. i am very grateful for being here today. i believe in mixed government -- private sector, for sure, but also a government role. they play off of each other to augment both and make sure we have a good life for the american people. so, thank you for having me and i look forward to coming back. host: look forward to having you back as we close here. pretty interesting politics at home. handicap for the audience? guest: democratic governor, both houses in minnesota were taken by republicans in the last election. coming up on redistricting. and w

you know, i do know the american people, the majority say they do not want to get in the business of invading other countries and using our force abroad in various contingencies, but i have to say that we as a people have a short-term memory disorder, because even though the american people do not -- say they do not want to do that, it is astonishing how frequently they do it. i think when we talk about, of course nobody wants to be sending troops of around the world willy-nilly, but if you look a little bit at recent history, it is quite remarkable how often we do in fact do that. to make a quick look through recent history, we intervened in grenada, panama, iraq, somalia, haiti, bosnia, kosovo, afghanistan and iraq. so we have now gone a record number of years without an additional intervention. it probably has something to do with the number of troops we have. and i recall, after each one of those interventions, there was a great cry, we will not do that again. this is abnormal. only people with a wonderful memory can think that intervening every two years over 20 years is now all

the rhetoric. on one hand people like palin saying things like, americans are -- >> this is supposed to be a sarah palin free zone -- >> she's breaking the rules. >> talking about american exceptionalism, right? cheer leading about how great americans are. but not you guys. not you unemployed people. think they're being stigma tilzed and demonized. think it's a "blame the victim" mentality. we know that money would go right back into the economy -- >> it goes to a deeper issue. the social contract in this nation has fallen apart. it has broken. >> what is the argument here, as someone who knows this stuff what is the argument here? it seems to me that not only is there a moral issue, where there are people really suffering at this moment, in terms of up employment benefits. but there's also the stimulative issue right where that money goes right back into the economy, versus tax cuts that may not? >> i think we have to have a discussion about what actually is stimulative. i helped negotiate the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts. in 2003, we forget, in the third quarter of 2003, we grew at 5.6 or 6% growth aft

if the american people speak up. if our tea partiers get going. come on up on my website, facebook, twitter, tell the democrats and republicans in congress to stop this. i think that the american people can be heard and we can stop it. >> sean: by the way, bob bennet of utah leaving, voinovich, leaving they appear willing to go along. bond of missouri on the appropriations committee. i got very angry today senator at some republicans. here jim demint gave an opportunity to make these tax cuts permanent. there were six republican senators, scott brown, susan collins, mark kirk, lisa murkowski, olympia snowe, george voinovich all voted against the demint will which would have allowed the tax cuts to be permanent. did they understand the electorate in this election? >> i don't know. obviously, we were able to achieve, i think a significant success by extending all tax cuts. this mortgaging of our children's futures the debt and deficit. you look at it in one way we have a worse debt problem in the short term than greece and spain does. what have they

of the message of the american people. gwen: if you are john mccain or any of these incoming members of congress, people who didn't have anything to do with the lame duck session, aren't you carrying a couple of grudges you want to act on? >> i talked to senator alexander from tennessee and he said they got five to 10 votes they lost on the final vote on start, because they are mad about don't ask, don't tell, dream act. the mood was poisonned and people are going to remember that in the new year. gwen: there were a couple of things that were like slam dunks, like 9/11 and that was the last thing they got done. what was that? >> it's money. next session is all going to be about money. gwen: 6.2 billion. >> they had to cut it and limit it to a certain degree. but they ended up -- they ended up passing it. but again, when you get to the next session, they spent, one would argue, $900 billion on what you would call a stimulus package. and so these new members coming in, you want to talk them about having a grudge against their

not screwing the american people out of $4 trillion is not the same as helping the american people. and it really doesn't. it kind of maintains a status quo. there are a few new things in it, but washington has decided not to rob the american people of $4 trillion and tell them they're giving them a christmas gift. it doesn't really change, do much to stimulate themy. >> you don't think the president gets credit? >> here's the other thing the president could have done better. say, look, if you're going to embrace a deal, don't attack it at the same time. he said, republican, i'm going this because they're taking the economy hostage. you don't get credit for eating your spinach if you say, i hate spinach, it's bad for me. he should have embraced it or not. >> he's going to come back in a couple years and try and undo part of it, correct? >> i think probably so, look -- >> it runs counter to one of the signature issues he campaigned on, and that's different from president clinton. president clinton signed a welfare reform bill. first ad we ran in that campaign was in favor of welfare r

the deficit is of deep concern to the american people. the amount of debt we're piling on, the national debt, and the election results that we saw were not good for president obama, not good for the democrats, but at the same time my republican friends had better be careful because they think the american people were expressing displeasure with the entire political system in washington, d.c. and so the next year i think is going to be very, very important to see how the republicans use their majority in the house, how the democrats respond with their majority in the senate, and how the president responds as still the president for the next two plus years. >> larry: governor rendell a democrat of pennsylvania suggested that general powell be asked to be the chief of staff. would you? >> i haven't been asked and i don't expect to be asked and -- >> larry: if asked. >> well, i don't know what i would do if asked but i don't expect to be asked because i've had 40 years of government service. >> larry: you're the kind of guy -- >> i have no int

the feeling amongst the chinese people that i experienced as possible about the sense they are moving forward. what you say to the american people and how you advance legislation in informant when people think that our best days are behind us as americans? tavis: tw >> we incorporating a sense of investment in the future and all segments of our society, but also getting beyond this notion that the government is our enemy. that is not the case. the government does a lot of good things, but there is a constant barage and the last decade from certain segments of the media saying that the government is your enemy, the government is evil, they cannot do anything good. the only way we can act collectively, it in or did not individually, is through our elected representatives and the steps that they take to make this a better country. that has always been the case. has government got off the track from time to time? has it been corrupt, as if it -- have at people that elected? yes. but that does not mean that the government is inherently evil. it must be made the instrument of progress, and it can be. it has spent in the past. t

instead, this has been a season of progress for the american people. >> here to talk with us about the president's agenda heading into 2011 a top white house adviser and close friend of the president's valerie jarrett. happy holidays. welcome back to "meet the press." >> thank you david. same to you and your family. >> a season of progress the president called it. just november 3rd the president was talking about a shellacking he was responsible for in the mid term election. then unexpected victories in this lame duck session. what happened in that interim time from the president's point of view? was there a course correction that he ushered in? >> i think as the president said right after the election what we heard and what the nation said during the election is that they really wanted to see congress and the president and the administration in washington working together. they wanted us to deliver on behalf of the american people and i think what we saw over the course of the last few weeks is just that. we made enormous progress as you pointed out from the taxes where, you know, eve

country is the omnibus and as a freshman i would regard the omnibus as a 1924 page memo to the american people at the congress doesn't get it. >> a treaty of this kind that the administration considered to be a critical part of the foreign policy is a new part of american strategic posture. and i'm worried about that. frankly. for example, north korea has attacked one of our best allies. russia has attacked a sovereign nation. iran is proceeding with the nuclear weapons system, and russia has intermittently only been helpful in that regard and not very at that point in time. i am worried about where we are heading come in general, with our foreign policy. mr. putin has opposed the missile defense idea, so have a number of his people. they made statements to go contrary to what our administration is telling us. but december 1 on larry king, mr. putin said quote, if the radars and counter missiles we will deploy in the year 2012, along our borders, or 2015, they will work against our nuclear potential bidder, and we are obliged to take actions in response. closed quote. so it seems to be on a fu