BILLY GRAHAM LETTER:
Some years ago, my wife, Ruth, was reading the draft of a book I was writing. When she finished a section describing the terrible downward spiral of our nation's moral standards and the idolatry of worshiping false gods such as technology and sex, she startled me by exclaiming, "If God doesn't punish America, He'll have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah."
She was probably thinking of a passage in Ezekiel where God tells why He brought those cities to ruin. "Now this was the sin of … Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen" (Ezekiel 16:49-50, NIV).
I wonder what Ruth would think of America if she were alive today. In the years since she made that remark, millions of babies have been aborted and our nation seems largely unconcerned. Self-centered indulgence, pride, and a lack of shame over sin are now emblems of the American lifestyle.
Just a few weeks ago in a prominent city in the South, Christian chaplains who serve the police department were ordered to no longer mention the Name of Jesus in prayer. It was reported that during a recent police-sponsored event, the only person allowed to pray was someone who addressed "the being in the room." Similar scenarios are now commonplace in towns across America. Our society strives to avoid any possibility of offending anyone-except God.
Yet the farther we get from God, the more the world spirals out of control.
My heart aches for America and its deceived people. The wonderful news is that our Lord is a God of mercy, and He responds to repentance. In Jonah's day, Nineveh was the lone world superpower-wealthy, unconcerned, and self-centered. When the Prophet Jonah finally traveled to Nineveh and proclaimed God's warning, people heard and repented.
I believe the same thing can happen once again, this time in our nation. It's something I long for, and my son Franklin recently shared a vision for perhaps the greatest challenge in the history of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association-to launch an outreach called My Hope with Billy Graham that would bring the Gospel into neighborhoods and homes in every corner of America next year.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Billy Graham pours out His heart for the sins of America. He writes, "Yet the farther we get from God, the more the world spirals out of control. My heart aches for America and its deceived people. " I agree wholeheartedly with Billy Graham. Let us call on God unitedly with fasting and desperate prayer for Him to intervene in our helpless situation. - Pastor Max Solbrekken
Monday, July 23, 2012
FREE...FREE...FREE AT LAST... Thank God Almighty I am FREE at last... Real Freedom Comes through Jesus Christ our Lord Who purchased our FREEDOM through His precious BLOOD shed on Golgatha's Hill outside the City Walls of Jerusalem, Israel's Capital City founded 3,000 years ago by King David. And thank God for Rev.C.L. Bryant who has escaped from the clutches of the corrupt and sleazy Democratic Party with their hypocritical, political hacks, Al Sharpton and Jessie Jackson, who have been masquerading as Ministers of the Gospel far too long. It is about time someone called them on it. Amen.!!! - Pastor Max Solbrekken
Runaway Slave Could
Cause Obama to Lose the Election
Sunday, July 22, 2012
RUNAWAY SLAVE
to Open in Theaters
in Philadelphia and Atlanta
July 27, 2012.
Documentary created
by Atlanta’s
Ground Floor Video
WHAT: Controversial new documentary featuring
Rev. C.L. Bryant - RUNAWAY SLAVE – opening in theaters in Philadelphia
WHEN: Opening in Philadelphia and Atlanta theaters
on July 27.
WHERE:
Regal Warrington Crossing, 40 Easton Rd, Warrington PA 18976
UA Riverview Plaza Stadium 17, 1400 S. Christopher Columbus Blvd.,
Philadelphia, PA 19147 AMC Barrett Commons 24. 2600 Cobb Place Lane NW. Kennesaw,
GA 30144
WHY: A one-time NAACP local chapter
president, Reverend Bryant became a conservative activist after his realization
that the entitlement mindset of the “progressive” black community is the
equivalent of trading one form of tyranny for another. In the documentary,
Reverend Bryant makes the argument that it’s time for a new “Underground
Railroad” movement to help liberate
all Americans from the contemporary form of a government-run plantation:
entitlements.
The documentary features interviews with a number of prominent
conservatives in the movement, including Glenn Beck, Deneen Borelli, the late
Andrew Breitbart, Stephen Broden, Herman Cain, Kevin Daniels, Tony Katz, Alveda
King, Star Parker, Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson, AlfonZo Rachel, Marvin Rogers, Erik
Rush, Sonja Schmidt, K. Carl Smith, Thomas Sowell, Mason Weaver, David Webb,
Congressman Allen West and Bill Whittle.
For more information on the Runaway Slave documentary, please visit www.runawayslavemovie.com.
To book interviews or for more information on the film and the event,
please contact:
Lori Heiselman 714-553-5181 [email protected]
About the film:
From the creators of Tea Party: The Documentary Film comes a new
documentary about freedom. Runaway Slave exposes the economic slavery of the
black community to the Progressive, big government policies of the U.S.
government. The film’s heroes are black conservatives who are
speaking out so that all Americans can truly be “free at last.”
The film’s central figure is Rev. C.L. Bryant, a self-professed “runaway
slave”. A former NAACP chapter president in Garland, TX, C.L. abandoned an
organization he felt was more about political posturing, and less about civil
rights. As a former Democratic Radical who escaped the bondage of Progressivism
and denounced the shackles of entitlements, he has committed himself to helping
others secure the blessings of liberty that are guaranteed by the Constitution
with his new found conservative values.
Rev. Bryant takes viewers on an historic journey across America that
traces the footsteps of runaway slaves who escaped along routes that became
known as the Underground Railroad to freedom. But in the film, he travels a
“new underground railroad” upon which Black Conservatives are speaking out
against big government policies which have established a “new plantation” where
“overseers” like the NAACP and so-called “civil rights” leaders keep the Black
community 95 percent beholden to one political party.
Citing statistics that demonstrate increasingly high rates of abortion,
crime, unemployment and
single parent households in the black community, the film features interviews
with politicians and everyday Americans including economist Thomas Sowell, Dr.
Alveda King, U.S. Representative Allen West, GOP Presidential Candidate Herman
Cain, activist Star Parker and many others.
Images from national events in
Washington, D.C. provide a shocking look into the mindset of the liberal left
as they seek to oppress black Americans every day. Its underlying theme asks the
questions:
What does the black community have to show for its 95% support of
the Democratic Party? Is it truly “free at last?”
PURSUIT OF A DREAM is the amazing Story of a Canadian Flying Legend. Vera Dowling is truly a Canadian Hero who spent her life serving others, first as a test pilot for the Royal Air Force in Great Britain during World War 11. After her arrival in Canada, Vera invested many years training pilots in Edmonton. Her years of flying to Northern Canada as a Missionary showing Oral Roberts Films were such a blessing for the Native Indians. Vera constantly spoke at many important functions and as often as possible in Churches including ours, over the years. I had the privilege of interviewing her for TV several times about 20 years ago. Warren Hathaway has done a masterful job writing this exciting book of the Legendary Vera Dowling. Some my articles about her can be found on our website: www.mswm.org. I encourage everyone to get a copy of 'Pursuit of a Dream' as soon as possible. - Pastor Max Solbrekken
Hello Max & Donna,
Just letting you know that Vera's book is now selling on Amazon.
We are getting
requests for it. George Reid, a pilot who knew Vera for many years bought
12 books. Also, I am selling her book at Gwen Shaw's World Conference of the
Handmaidens in St. Louis this week.
I trust the 30 copies
you received as a gift will bring in revenue for the ministry.
In Christ,
Lois Hathaway
Below is an endorsement for the book:
“PURSUIT OF A DREAM by Warren
Hathaway is an explosive, compelling, often humorous, in-your-face account of
the exploits of Vera Dowling. This new
book recounts Dowling’s most memorable experiences, mishaps and adventures in
her illustrious aviation career. Readers will find themselves on the
edge of their seats as they join Dowling in the cockpit of many types of
aircraft and face certain death time and time again. Hathaway, through decades
of personal correspondence with Dowling, has written an entertaining and
exceptional account of one of Canada’s most celebrated aviation icons. PURSUIT OF ADREAM is a triumph—of perseverance, faith,
and the human spirit to adapt and overcome any obstacle. This new book by Warren
Hathaway will empower readers to follow their own dreams; PURSUIT OF A DREAM will leave you cheering.”—Wolfgang Carstens
Wolfgang Carstens: Distribution
PageMaster is fiercely independent, totally
Canadian, and committed to doing great work for good people!
Mike Huckabee, speaking on his Fox News show, said America doesn’t have a gun problem or crime problem but a “sin problem” and that while the Aurora movie massacre was a horrible incident that deserves the media coverage it's getting, other daily American tragedies such as mass abortion, suicides, and other murders should receive more attention.
Huckabee: ‘We Have a Sin Problem’
Sunday, 22 Jul 2012 06:04 PM
By Patrick Hobin
Mike Huckabee,
speaking on his Fox News show, said America doesn’t have a gun problem or crime
problem but a “sin problem” and that while the Aurora movie massacre was a
horrible incident that deserves the media coverage it's getting, other daily
American tragedies such as mass abortion, suicides, and other murders should
receive more attention.
The former Arkansas governor and presidential candidate said his Fox News segment that the shooting “is impossible to understand except that we live in a world where there is evil.”
“We simply don't know why any person would reach deep enough into the forces of darkness to decide to kill innocent people simply watching a movie,” Huckabee said, adding that he is refusing to name the killer because he is not interested in “helping him become a celebrity.”
Huckabee said killing a dozen people in a movie theater gets attention because it doesn’t happen every day “but one million innocent and unborn babies die in their mother's wombs each year by elective abortions and we pay scant attention to that.”
He cited the 6,500-plus troops lost in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and suicides in the U.S. as other examples of tragedies which do not generate as many headlines as a mass shooting.
“I'm not attempting to disparage the attention being given to the Aurora theatre shooting,” he noted. “We should all pray for the victim, their families and friends and offer our help for the physical and emotional recovery of the survivors. But the victim of a murder in a convenience store robbery or a wife who dies at the hands of a serial abuser is also precious life.”
“Ultimately,” Huckabee concluded, “We don't have a crime problem or a gun problem – or even a violence problem. What we have is a sin problem. And since we ordered God out of our schools and communities, the military and public conversations, you know, we really shouldn't act so surprised when all hell breaks loose.”
The former Arkansas governor and presidential candidate said his Fox News segment that the shooting “is impossible to understand except that we live in a world where there is evil.”
“We simply don't know why any person would reach deep enough into the forces of darkness to decide to kill innocent people simply watching a movie,” Huckabee said, adding that he is refusing to name the killer because he is not interested in “helping him become a celebrity.”
Huckabee said killing a dozen people in a movie theater gets attention because it doesn’t happen every day “but one million innocent and unborn babies die in their mother's wombs each year by elective abortions and we pay scant attention to that.”
He cited the 6,500-plus troops lost in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and suicides in the U.S. as other examples of tragedies which do not generate as many headlines as a mass shooting.
“I'm not attempting to disparage the attention being given to the Aurora theatre shooting,” he noted. “We should all pray for the victim, their families and friends and offer our help for the physical and emotional recovery of the survivors. But the victim of a murder in a convenience store robbery or a wife who dies at the hands of a serial abuser is also precious life.”
“Ultimately,” Huckabee concluded, “We don't have a crime problem or a gun problem – or even a violence problem. What we have is a sin problem. And since we ordered God out of our schools and communities, the military and public conversations, you know, we really shouldn't act so surprised when all hell breaks loose.”
© 2012 Newsmax. All rights reserved.
Let God be True and every man a Liar. For what if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid: Yea, let be true and every man a liar." (Romans 3: 3,4) - Pastor Max Solbrekken
THE WORD OF GOD
ON DIVINE HEALING!
By Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.
For the past fifty years I have been privileged to witness God's power in action in miracles of Salvation, bringing divine healing for spirit, soul and body to people of all races, religions and cultures, as I have faithfully preached His Word to multitudes!
I have discovered that there is no power on earth or Hell itself that can withstand the awesome indestructible Holy Bible which is Almighty God's Written Word. Jesus Christ Who is the Living Word used the Holy Scriptures to defeat the Devil by uttering, "IT IS WRITTEN". (Matt.4:1-11)
The Holy Spirit declared: "For the Word of God is quick (alive) and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12)
The WORD OF GOD ministers to the entire man; spirit, soul (mind) and body. It brings conviction of sin, cleansing and healing to our inner man and outer man. The Word of God heals our spiritual, psychological and physical needs!
A preacher said to me: "I don't see any physical healing in that verse." I asked him what he saw. He said, "I see conviction for sin and healing for our spirit and soul." I answered: "How much sin is there in our bones and the marrow of our bones? There is no sin there, but there could be arthritis, cancer or some other disease. The Word of God ministers to that problem also."
He was amazed and said: "I have never seen that before." The Psalmist David knew. He stated: "He sent His Word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions." (Psalm 107: 20)
WE DARE NOT TRIFLE WITH GOD'S WORD!
We DARE NOT change God's Word to please our own agenda. We must allow His word to change us. The Holy Bible is like a mirror which shows us our sins,faults and failures. It is also like a cleansing stream that washes away our sin and shame. Jesus said: "Now ye are now clean through the Word I have spoken to you." (John 15:3)
St.Peter said:"Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the WORD OF GOD, which liveth and abideth forever." (1 Peter 1:23. Although Jesus' BLOOD cleanses us from all sins (1 John 1:7), we are born again by the Word of God and the Holy Spirit.
The Bible states: "Forever, O Lord, Thy Word is settled in Heaven." (Psalm 119:89); "...For Thou hast magnified Thy Word above thy Name." (Psalm 138:2)
THE BIBLE STATES:"Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation. For the Prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were MOVED BY THE HOLY GHOST." (2 Peter 1:20,21)
St.Peter warns:"But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false prophets among you, who privily shall bring in damnable HERESIES, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction." (2 Peter 2:1)
GOD WARNS:WE MUST OBEY!
"Ye shall not ADD unto the Word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you." (Duet.4:2)
"The Words of the Lord are pure words:as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt KEEP them O Lord, Thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever."(Psalm 12:6,7)
"Every Word of God is pure: He is a shield unto them that put their trust in Thee. ADD thou NOT unto His Words, lest He reprove thee, and thou be found a liar."(Proverbs 30:5,6)
Our Lord Jesus Christ said: "Heaven and earth shall pass away: but My Words shall NOT pass away." (Mark 13:31)
"For I testify unto every man that heareth the Words of the prophecy of this Book, if any man shall ADD unto these things, God shall ADD unto him the PLAGUES that are written in this Book: And if any man shall TAKE AWAY from the Words of the Book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the Book of Life, and out of the Holy City, and from the things which are written in this Book." (Rev.22:18,19)
JESUS warned all who trifle with His Word. It is very dangerous, indeed! The King James Version of the Bible preserves God's Word because it was translated using "formal equivalence". All other Bibles were translated using "dynamic equivalence" in which the translator is free to change words as long as he conveys the "idea".
Over the the last two thousand years, Satan the 'Enemy of God and man' has lured a cacophony of proud, evil and ignorant men to challenge, change or corrupt God's Word to fit their perverted lifestyles. They have failed miserably! Most of them have died in agony and are now in Hell awaiting the Great Day of Judgment and 'The Lake of Fire' together with the Great Deceiver, the False Prophet and the Antichrist!
There are more than 33,000 promises in God's Word. Here is a list of 23 that deal specifically with His promises to believers regarding Divine Healing.
This list was compiled in this order by Dr. P.C. Nelson in his book on Divine Healing.
THE WORD OF GOD ON DIVINE HEALING!
1.
I am the Lord that healeth thee. Ex. 15:
23-26
2.
I will take sickness away from the midst of
thee. Ex.23: 24-25
3.
The Lord will take away from thee all
sickness. Deut. 7:12-15
4.
When he beheld the serpent of brass, he
lived. Nu.21: 7-9; Jn 3: 14-15
5. Obedient
blessed, disobedient cursed. Deut. 28:1-30; Nu.21: 4-10;
Ps.107:
17-21
6. Healing
in the WORD of God. Ps. 107: 20; Heb. 4: 12
7. Healing
provided for in Atonement. Is. 53: 4 as correctly translated by
Matt.
8: 17
8. Sin
comes upon people because of sin and is a curse Deut. 28:15-29
9. Christ
was made a CURSE to redeem us from the curse of the law.
Gal.
3: 13
10. Christ
HEALED ALL; hence it is God’s WILL to heal ALL. Matt.8:
16-17; “Healed all that were sick” to fulfill
prophecy. “I will, be thou
clean” (Mark 1: 41 ); “As many as touched Him were made whole.”
(Mark 6:
56 ); “Healing every sickness and every disease among the
people.” (Matt. 9: 53 ); “Great multitudes followed Him and He
healed them all.” (Matt.12: 15)
11. Jesus came to give life, abundant life,
whereas Satan seeks to oppress, steal and destroy. John 10: 10
12. Christ
came to heal ALL who were oppressed of the devil and destroy the works of the
devil. 1 John 3: 8; Heb 2: 14-15
13. Jesus LOOSED the woman whom Satan had bound
for 18 years. Luke 3: 16. He did not first enquire whether it was God’s will
for her to remain bound or whether it was for her spiritual good to remain
bound. He said: “She ought to be LOOSED”!
14. Healing is the children’s bread and they are
ENTITLED to it. Mark 7: 27 .
If we ask for bread, He will NOT give us a stone. Luke 11: 11
15. Jesus
applied to Himself the prophecy in Is. 61: 1-2 and demonstrated what it meant –
literal healing as well as spiritual blessing. Luke 4: 16-21.
16. The
miracles of JESUS proved His Divinity. Matt. 9: 28; Mark 2: 10; John 2: 11 ; 4: 46 -54; 10: 23 ; 14: 11 ;
15: 24 . This EVIDENCE is
as much needed now as then!
17. Christ
gave the 12 apostles power to heal the sick. Matt.10: 8. Likewise to the 70,
Luke 10: 9, 17, and finally to ALL BELIEVERS. Mark 16: 17-20.
18. A
specific command is given to the sick to call for the elders of the church, and
the elders are commanded to come, pray over him, anoint him with oil and lay
hands on him. James 5: 14; Mark 16:
18 .
19. Christ
has promised to raise up the sick as well as forgive his sins. James 5: 15
20. Believers
are commanded to pray for each other for healing. James 5: 16
21. Such
prayers avail much. James 5: 16-18
22. Forgiveness
and healing are placed side by side in the Word of God.
“Who forgiveth all thine iniqities; Who
healeth all thy diseases. (Ps.
103: 1-3); “Heal me, O’ Lord, and I shall be
healed. Save me and I
shall be saved, for Thou art my praise.” (Jer.
17: 14 ); “Thy sins be
forgiven thee.” (Mark 2: 5); “Arise and
take up thy bed and go into
thine
house.” (verse 11)
23. “What
therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder.” (Mark 10: 9)
Read again
James 5: 15: “And the prayer of faith shall SAVE (gr. sozo
meaning to forgive, heal, make well, protect and deliver) the sick, and the
Lord shall RAISE HIM, and if he hath committed sins, they shall be FORGIVEN
him.”
Friday, July 20, 2012
Two strong Ministries: David & Louise McCarthy. I would encourage everyone to hear David McCarthy when he ministers with the Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowship. His wife Louise McCarthy has a powerful testimony of deliverance from epilepsy. Go to www.mswm.org to read it. - Pastor Max Solbrekken
Hi Pastor Max....
Just additional information where to get the book "I Have Chosen Bezalel" by David P. McCarthy @ Holy Fire Publishing or your local Christian book & Music store.
Thanks....David McCarthy
We had a powerful move of God @ Gyro Park where I shared about the cross @ the FGBI annual BBQ outside meeting last Sunday.
I have had good responses on some of the (MSWM) pictures & testimonies I have on face book. They go to thousands of people
I will share them with you as I get more........Thanks...David
----- Original Message -----
From: [email protected]
Sent: Thursday, July 19, 2012 1:18 PM
Subject: My books....... Eternity of the Eternities.......I Have Chosen Bezalel
The best way to get info. on my latest book is go on the web....Great Canadian Authors, David P. McCarthy.....
I Have Chosen Bezalel, by David P. McCarthy (available through......Holy Fire Publishing or your local book & music store)
The Only Way Out: Repentance toward God, Faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21) and Obedience to the Holy Bible which is God's Word. What we need in our leaders is humility before God and bedrock faith in our Lord Jesus Christ because we cannot do it on our own. Our foolish pride has waylaid us and in our folly we have looked to the genius of man and discovered that we have fallen into a trap of our own making. We have set up our own gods made in our image and have lost our way. Malcolm Muggeridge, former Marxist, celebrated writer, broadcaster and actor who converted to Christ stated: "Christ is the only answer to an insane world, they need to understand that the trouble with the Western Civilization is not economic but mere good and evil. They are thinking they can make things work by politics, inventions, but man will never live on this planet without God." - Pastor Max Solbrekken
Former Clinton Adviser Erskine Bowles: ‘Fiscal Cliff’ May Be a $7
Trillion Disaster for US
Thursday, 12 Jul
2012 11:42 AM
By Forrest Jones
U.S. policymakers
will fail to deal with a sharp fiscal adjustment coming at the end of the year
and risk sending the country spiraling into a disastrous recession, says
Erskine Bowles, former chief of staff to President Bill Clinton.
At the end of the year, tax breaks, including the Bush-era tax cuts, expire, while automatic spending cuts kick in.
The combination of the two occurring at the same time, known as “the fiscal cliff,” could siphon $500 billion out of the economy next year alone and $7 trillion over a decade, according to some estimates.
Congress must act to adjust the timing or scope of the fiscal adjustments, but likely won't deal with tax and spending issues in an election year, says Bowles, co-chairman of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform with Alan K. Simpson, a former Republican senator from Wyoming.
"If I had to tell you the probability, I'd say the chances are we are going over the fiscal cliff. I hate to say it, but I think that's probably right," Bowles tells CNBC.
"We worked hard to try to get common sense to overrule politics, and that's a tough thing in Washington."
Many have predicted Congress won't address the fiscal cliff until next year after elections.
Then, the White House and Congress will likely work quickly to adjust tax hikes and spending cuts though retroactively from Jan. 1.
If they don't work fast, Bowles says, the country will slide back into a recession.
"If they don't turn around very quickly and fix it shortly thereafter, then I think it could be really a disaster for the country. It's $7 trillion worth of economic events. It will have an effect of 1.5 percent decline in GDP next year. That's enough to put us back into a recession," Bowles says.
"This is not only the most predictable economic crisis in history, it's the most avoidable if we just come together and put partisanship aside and pull together."
Calling deficits "a cancer" Bowles says the country must work to improve its fiscal health.
"If you take last year 100 percent of the revenue that came into the country, every nickel, every single dollar that came into the country last year was spent on our mandatory spending and interest on the debt," Bowles says.
"Mandatory spending is principally the entitlement programs — Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. What that means is every single dollar that we spent last year on these two wars, national defense, homeland security, education, infrastructure, high value-added research, every single dollar was borrowed and half of it was borrowed from foreign countries," Bowles adds.
"That is crazy. It's a formula for failure in any organization."
Simpson and Bowles made recommendations to narrow deficits through President Barack Obama and members of Congress refused to follow up on the proposals.
Now is not the time to blame, Simpson says, as the problem of too much spending is decades old.
"People will often say 'how did we get here?' It's easy how we got here. We were told to bring home the bacon for the last 70 years," Simpson says.
"Go get the highway, go get me some money, go raise this, do this and do this and you got re-elected by bringing home the bacon and now the pig is dead."
Bowles and Simpson were making their comments on CNBC alongside legendary investor Warren Buffett, who says he has faith in the country's leaders to do the right thing, though sooner would be better.
"I'm a huge bull on the country. This country works overtime, and we'll do the right thing in the end — we just shouldn't wait until the end. I still think that the luckiest person that has ever born in the world is the baby born in the United States," Buffett says
"I am a bull on America but I think we have to run it right."
Some say the fiscal cliff is affecting the economy today by fueling worries among businesses and increasing their reluctance to hire.
“The biggest fear at the moment is that Europe will unravel, but concern that policymakers may let the nation go over the fiscal cliff is mounting,” says Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody's Analytics, according to CNNMoney.
“The job market isn't going to kick into high gear until Europe's problems and our fiscal issues are [better] nailed down.”
At the end of the year, tax breaks, including the Bush-era tax cuts, expire, while automatic spending cuts kick in.
The combination of the two occurring at the same time, known as “the fiscal cliff,” could siphon $500 billion out of the economy next year alone and $7 trillion over a decade, according to some estimates.
Congress must act to adjust the timing or scope of the fiscal adjustments, but likely won't deal with tax and spending issues in an election year, says Bowles, co-chairman of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform with Alan K. Simpson, a former Republican senator from Wyoming.
"If I had to tell you the probability, I'd say the chances are we are going over the fiscal cliff. I hate to say it, but I think that's probably right," Bowles tells CNBC.
"We worked hard to try to get common sense to overrule politics, and that's a tough thing in Washington."
Many have predicted Congress won't address the fiscal cliff until next year after elections.
Then, the White House and Congress will likely work quickly to adjust tax hikes and spending cuts though retroactively from Jan. 1.
If they don't work fast, Bowles says, the country will slide back into a recession.
"If they don't turn around very quickly and fix it shortly thereafter, then I think it could be really a disaster for the country. It's $7 trillion worth of economic events. It will have an effect of 1.5 percent decline in GDP next year. That's enough to put us back into a recession," Bowles says.
"This is not only the most predictable economic crisis in history, it's the most avoidable if we just come together and put partisanship aside and pull together."
Calling deficits "a cancer" Bowles says the country must work to improve its fiscal health.
"If you take last year 100 percent of the revenue that came into the country, every nickel, every single dollar that came into the country last year was spent on our mandatory spending and interest on the debt," Bowles says.
"Mandatory spending is principally the entitlement programs — Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. What that means is every single dollar that we spent last year on these two wars, national defense, homeland security, education, infrastructure, high value-added research, every single dollar was borrowed and half of it was borrowed from foreign countries," Bowles adds.
"That is crazy. It's a formula for failure in any organization."
Simpson and Bowles made recommendations to narrow deficits through President Barack Obama and members of Congress refused to follow up on the proposals.
Now is not the time to blame, Simpson says, as the problem of too much spending is decades old.
"People will often say 'how did we get here?' It's easy how we got here. We were told to bring home the bacon for the last 70 years," Simpson says.
"Go get the highway, go get me some money, go raise this, do this and do this and you got re-elected by bringing home the bacon and now the pig is dead."
Bowles and Simpson were making their comments on CNBC alongside legendary investor Warren Buffett, who says he has faith in the country's leaders to do the right thing, though sooner would be better.
"I'm a huge bull on the country. This country works overtime, and we'll do the right thing in the end — we just shouldn't wait until the end. I still think that the luckiest person that has ever born in the world is the baby born in the United States," Buffett says
"I am a bull on America but I think we have to run it right."
Some say the fiscal cliff is affecting the economy today by fueling worries among businesses and increasing their reluctance to hire.
“The biggest fear at the moment is that Europe will unravel, but concern that policymakers may let the nation go over the fiscal cliff is mounting,” says Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody's Analytics, according to CNNMoney.
“The job market isn't going to kick into high gear until Europe's problems and our fiscal issues are [better] nailed down.”
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