PUBLIC OPINION > Compromise Between Political Parties Probably Won't Happen

much to the detriment of the country, this is not what congrressmen and women were sent to Washington to do.

Never, conservatives have a totally different view and believe in this great republic. How could they ever agree the following plan Geithner, sent by Obama, presented.
WASHINGTON — Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner presented the House speaker, John A. Boehner, a detailed proposal on Thursday to avert the year-end fiscal crisis with $1.6 trillion in tax increases over 10 years, $50 billion in immediate stimulus spending, home mortgage refinancing and a permanent end to Congressional control over statutory borrowing limits.
Really? A PERMANENT end to Congressional control over statutory borrowing limits? Just that one item should tell you everything you need to know about where Obama stands and where he is going to take this country. This has to be one of the most INSANE plans I have ever seen.
If this is what he believe, then in fact we would be much better going off the "fiscal Cliff". It would be much less destructive.

I don't care what side you on, both is f **cked. Both plans are flawed. There need to stricter regulation on those who receive gov funding and only if the curcumstance is dire. Fraud is in effect and people are taking advantage. Some things are sad but true. Its those n**ger who make it difficult for blacks and African American. I'm a black woman who see there fraudulent ways. I worked with Catholic whites for years and I refuse to pick side because both are not willing to compromise dividing what should be a whole.

Looks like only liberals and young morons think compromise (giving liberals everything they want) is in the future.

Of course both side CAN compromise. The question is WILL THEY DO SO?

From the posturing the GOP is doing you would think they won the election instead of losing it. They lost two seats in the Senate and at least two seates in the house.

The GOP better get their collective heads on straight or they will drown in their own polluted tea.

Typical leftist opinion. To liberals, "compromise" means doing whatever the liberals want and getting nothing in return.

Here's a clue for you. Obama got no mandate in the election. The federal government stayed just as divided as before. NOTHING CHANGED. If Obama wants Republicans in Congress to compromise, he must ALSO compromise (you know, give up something in return).

So far, in typical Obama fashion, he has offered nothing but demagoguery, class warfare, and divisive rhetoric.

Interesting choice of name you have there, Robo.

I would argue that the GOP took a considerable shellacking. Y'all lost 2 seats in the Senate and at least 2 seats in the House. Tea Party candidates fell like termite infested trees in a hurricane.

For you to say that liberals aren't/weren't willing to compromise ignores the past 4 years of GOP obstinacy. Your precious "Party of NO" has squandered any chance of relevance. McConnell is still insisting that there won't be any tax increases on the rich. The GOP LOST and it is time they moved to the center away from the tea-bagging nutcases.

Frankly I hope that Obama makes good on his threat to kill the Bush tax cuts entirely.

You are right. The Neocons lost seats in the Senate and House but the Liberty Lovers gained 9 spots between the Senate and the House. Guess what? These new Liberty Loving Congressmen will compromise even less than the normal Republicans and that is the way it should be!! They are there to make sure the Constitution is followed to the letter like their Messenger, Dr. Ron Paul, has been doing since the 1970s. Only this time there is way more than just 1 person and at least a dozen since some were already in place!!

I am so tired of hearing the GOP being described as obstructionists. The GOP passed many bills that were sent on to the Senate for discussion and approval only to have Harry Reid refuse to even allow them to be presented. So who is the REAL obstructionists here. You need to start accepting some facts.

I suppose the 33 attemps to repeal Obamacare weren't obstuctive either. Get real.

Not in my lifetime; people nowadays attach too much of their identity to their politics.

Democrats have always shown a willingly to compromise on national security issues, as they did under the Bush administration. In his first term,

Barack Obama bended over forward to get royally compromised by the Republican congress. And what did he get in return? A water-downed, toothless, ObamaCare bill.

Each side should fight for they believe is best for America and Americans. They are not always going to agree on what's best, and with national elections every two years, they cannot ignore the wishes of their constituent's.

And, "that's the nme of that tune."

"Obama bended over forward to get royally compromised by the Republican congress on the Obamacare bill"? Are you for real, the Dems locked the Republicans out of the talks, they even went so far as to change the locks on the doors. The Republicans had absolutely NO say in that bill.

Earth to the wimpy dumbed down American sheeple ....

THERE IS ONLY 1 PARTY!!!!

Look out cliff here we come,hard to make up 145 trillion !!!

You slipped a decimal place. The debt is in the $14 to $15 trillion range.

Actually it is now about $16.3 trillion and growing fast.

Liberals only want compromise if it benefits them.

Compromise with democrats just means we are moving toward the left more slowly then if they had gotten their way intirely...when the dems control the government we are racing towards socialism when the right controls the government we are walking towards socialism but either way we are always moving to the left.

To those who are realists....we are in for a very bumpy downhill ride. Our election was totally riddled with corruption and fraud and the administration now in place is responsible. It's pretty hard to fight city hall....or at least that's what has always been said. That doesn't mean we shouldn't try.

They have already compromised into one party. They are one and the same on any issue that matters.

Liberals believe compromise is possible because they have seen so many decades of Republicans accepting anything the Democrats push and calling it compromise.

No. The era of compromise is over with. We The Serfs compromised away our jobs, legacy, national inheritence, and economic rights over the past 30+ years. We compromised away a healthy social fabric so corporations could import cheap labor and Democrats could import cheap votes. Thank you Reagan and LBJ!

The bigger problem is now that there is no residue of the Old Republic to recover, let alone the Economic Rights of modern America's Golden Age.

Therefore, it is our Fate to fall into a mass of squabbling minorities foreseen by Teddy Roosevelt. Compromise validates the crimes of our Power Elites and conflict exacerbates the fruits of those crimes.

Obama has tried....Medicare and Social Security (among other programs) were on the table in negotiations in July....Republican refused the tax hike on the top 1% wealthiest.

Social Security has no place on the table unless it is to stop the politicians from using the Social Security monies for something other than their purpose. You do know they have spent every penny of the fund and all that is in it is IOU's. The problem is not there is enough to support Social Security, the problem is they stole the funds that were there to support it.

You are right about them tapping Social Security. Their political meddling in the Postal Service is another example...somehow on Bush's watch they decided it was necessary the postal service give back $5 billion a year to the government, then say it can't support itself. Republicans would like to see it privatized to give Fed Ex, UPS and other private corporations more opportunity for profit. I do not want to see Social Security on the table either but believe it should be ran more efficiently.

NOPE. He said himself, he cannot fix Washington from the inside. Well how in the h*%% does he expect to get anything done then... http://abcnews.go.com/Politic...

Typical mentality of a community Organizer who once worked for ACORN.

George Washington was against this two party system because people would pledge allegiance to their party and not to the country. The government system is corrupt in itself. Instead of fixing an immoral (but still a great country) nation, they only throw more fuel onto the flames.

Republicans should not lower their standards and compromise their values so they can "meet in the middle". The Communist party agenda is going very well in the US. One of the things they've done is lower the moral standard of the nation with an influx of junk aimed at our youth and it has been working. Then create the 'give me' mentality as well...

Too me the steps that need to be taken will never occur. One thing that need to happen is real reform in the tax codes. Congress will never do this as it would be taking money out of their own pockets. They are suppose to be representing the people and it seems they only represent themselves. Without taking care of the tax code I see no fair way of taxing people fairly. The other thin is hidden taxes which effect the lower and middle class more than the others. Those should be eliminated. This would lower the price on many things. Taxes on phones, inventory, alcohol and cable, ect., ect.

Next look at all the departments and failed programs. Determine which one are worth keeping and the ones that are worthless. Like the Department of education. Since their existence it seems the school have gone down hill. Some departments overlap. streamline them and cut people. Like when a salmon goes from the ocean too fresh water it changes agencies. What’s with that.

Add up all the taxes gained and lost and then figure out the taxes needed after cuts and setup up a tax structure. No exemption just gains and loses and pay the tax you owe. That tax book would never need to be 71,684 page long.

Correct and you are especiall correct about the Department of Education. We need to get that back to the states and get the federal government out of it. They have destroyed our education system, just as they have destroyed anything they have tried to run.

Education really does need to go back to the states.. But the states need to get rid of tenure and demand performance from the teachers. When I went to school the classes were much bigger and the teacher did not have a teachers aid to assist and got the job done. But there was also discipline in school. After getting a whack on the knuckles and a swat on the backside I understood something. I was there to sit in class and pay attention.

Republicans can't negotiate with people that rigg the election ,we all know who did it was a congressmen from Georgia the programer swore under oath and I wonder if he also rigged the election in Florida?

Nope since Republicans are full of hate .. this can never work. Republicans spent 15 years asking for mandate when it came to Health care . Romney did an Op Ed. about how Obama should use his plan Nationally. Yet when Obama used them they started to cry . When Obama helped a state in need . These same evil people complained that Governor of that state did not turn him away.

First of all, Obamacare is very different from the Health care Romney instituted. Look it up, read it and compare it. Second exactly what kind of help did Obama give after Sandy other than show up for a photo op. The folks are still screaming they are getting no help. FEMA participation is worse than during Katrina. Those are the facts.

Those are not fact .. that is right wing bull crap.You people just like complaining about Obama and could not give a care about facts.