Beltway Insider: Obama, Romney Meet for Lunch; US Headed for Fiscal Cliff; UN Votes in Favor of Palestinian State
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- Category: Beltway Insider
- Published on Saturday, 01 December 2012 23:03
- Written by Janet Walker
President Barack Obama played host, this week, to former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney during a private lunch that brought the once political foes together for the first time since the November 6 election.
The closed door meeting held at the White House began with a photo opportunity in the Oval Office and was followed with the men retreating to the President’s private dining room for white Turkey chili and Southwestern grilled chicken salad. They emerged approximately 90 minutes later.
From all accounts and the released statement from White House Press Secretary Jay Carney, the lunch brought together two leaders both of whom remain focused and committed on moving America forward.
Neither the President nor Gov. Romney has denied there still remains an immediate urgency for government to focus on America’s fiscal crisis and job creation. Mr. Carney also alluded to the possibility of the “two working together in the future.” Although he added, “no job offer was in the works.” He stated specifically the “President found aspects of Governor Romney’s record very helpful.” Mentioning his work with the Olympics and his ideas to make federal government work better and “that skill set lends itself to” an ability to assist the President with his own belief and plans regarding the need to reorganize government.
According to Gallup, President Obama’s job approval, over the past week, stayed steady at 50% of those polled who approve of his effectiveness as President and those who disapprove of his effectiveness gained one percentage point to 43%.
Heading Toward the Fiscal Cliff
While the much talked about “Fiscal Cliff” is simply a government term the economic ramifications of its December 31, 2012 deadline, which the American people are facing in the next month, are far reaching and could result in tax increases and spending cuts.
The Fiscal Cliff is due to the expiration of the Budget Control Act of 2011 and both the President’s and Congress inability to work effectively in a spirit of compromise and the failure of Congress to pass a federal budget.
According to Wikipedia, as of November 30th, 2012, “President Obama is supporting an undeclared amount of spending cuts, $1.6 Trillion in higher taxes over ten years, and cut of $400 Billion from Medicare and other benefit programs over a decade. Also, Obama wants to include “an extension of the 2 percentage point payroll tax cut” and spend at least “$50 Billion in 2013 to boost the economy.”
United Nations Votes in Favor of Palestinian Statehood
Marking the 65th Anniversary of the original vote by the United Nations to divide the former British ruled region into two states, (countries) one Arab and one Jewish, the United Nations has voted again this time to officially recognize Palestine as a state.
The United States and Israel stood in opposition of the Arab Statehood along with nine other countries. 138 members of the United Nations voted in favor and 41 countries abstained.
The Palestinian state is located on the West bank of what was formerly known as Israeli and a small area known as the Gaza Strip to the South. The bitter hatred between the two countries has been marked with un-relentless violence including car bombs, suicide bombers, and aggressive and vicious clashes, causing the Israeli government to build walls in order to defend their people from both the known and the unknown enemy.
Recognizing Palestine as a “Non-member observer state” equates to absentee acceptance. The United Nations, along with every member nation has voted to recognize Palestine as a country (state). Palestine is not a voting member of the United Nations.
Sources: Gallup/Wikipedia