Posted on 12/17/2010 7:37:10 AM PST by Gipper08
The political junkie crowd says that those of us who oppose Obama's tax plan compromise on principle simply doesn't get politics. They say politics is the art of compromise and that being strategic is more important than being principled.Can one of them explain to me how this is a good deal politically then? First it let Obama off the mat. He himself said that his presidency is finished if he didn't get this deal.This compromise gives Obama momentum and improves his re-election chances. And if you think his caucus is fractured now just think about how it would have been after the new Congress negotiated a deal. This deal increases the deficit with this extension of unemployment benefits, pork, and subsidies for special interests.The fact that it's only for two years kind of defeats the purpose, doesn't it? It certainly lets the Democrats off the hook from taking the blame for their tax increase (the largest one in history) that would've gone into effect January 1.
The worst part of this deal is that it gave Harry Reid and Barack Obama the time to advance the rest of their agenda in the lame-duck session. Since the GOP agreed to this deal when they did, the Democrats had time to bring up "don't ask don't tell," the time to try to ratify the start treaty, and the time to try to pass the Dream Act amnesty. Harry Reid was feeling so confident about this deal that he even tried to slip a 2000 page on the base spending bill full of the worst pork imaginable right under our nose.All because the Republicans are wishy-washy on taxes and spending and apparently negotiating.
Even if it was inevitable that the Republicans agree to compromise they should have dragged out negotiations so that valuable time would be lost and the Democrats could not advance their big government, pro-amnesty,special interest, and pro-Russia agenda in a lame-duck. The GOP should have taken their sweet time and run out the clock and if the Democrats break to walk away from negotiations, let them. How would it look if the Democrats were trying to repeal don't ask don't tell and the dream act amnesty when the largest tax recent American history was about to take effect?There is a reason why taxes were the top agenda item for the Democrats in the lame-duck; politically, they could not move on to another item in their agenda until they got a deal on taxes.
Not only is this a horrible deal on principle, it is as bad a strategic move that I can think of in recent history.The GOP establishment who supported this deal is either lazy, ignorant or secretly wanted to help Obama.
The Lamo Duck voting shouldn’t happen.
Just send a resolution of continuance and let the new Congress deal with it.
Yes, the Republicans blew it. Again.
Everyone has principles. The question is, what type of principles does the individual have?
Oh yeah? Lets say nothing is done and the tax increases kick in. If feckless Obama holds his line and refuses to ok anything but a "middle class" tax cut, who do you think the Media is going to blame? Obama or the Republicans?
Fact is , his base would be happy with increased taxes across the board, so he'd have them behind him. And the American people? They wouldnt know exactly who to blame, but the Republican fat cats who wouldnt "compromise" with the President would be an excellent target.
Obama campaigned for three years on raising taxes on the rich and thats actually popular with a majority of the public. He was a cowardly idiot not to wait until the next Congress to “lower” taxes.
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