Let's Make A Deal
So Obama makes a deal on taxes and everyone jumps on him. There's still a question if there'll be enough agitation coming from both left and right to block the plan. (Doubtful.)
The deal gives concessions to both sides. No one seems to be arguing we shouldn't keep the Bush tax cuts at all, by the way. That's fine with me, but considering how nuts you see people get about some of the deal, they ignore the biggest "cost" by far, which is continuing the tax cuts for those making less than $250,000 a year. There seems to be more anger from the left, though I'm not sure why. They seem to believe they're giving up a lot more, but maybe they've gotten used to not giving the Republicans a place at the table. Didn't they notice what happened in the recent election?
Speaking of which, isn't the whole idea of a lame duck Congress sort of weird? Most of the time it doesn't mattter much, but when you have a sea-change election, it's like firing someone and then giving him two months to hang around the office and steal as many pens as he can.
While I can sort of see the Republicans trying to block it, figuring they'll be in a better situation next year, it seems a pretty frightening game of chicken for the Democrats. I suppose they're counting on the fact there's got to be some sort of deal soon, because if there isn't, starting January everyone in American will notice their smaller paychecks. Or are they so angry, they're willing to hurt themselves politically just to make sure that they can get a tax hike now? (Or do they think, though they're the majority, they can play the class warfare card and pin this on Republicans?)
I heard one Dem Representative saying this is the same Obama who gave in on the public option. I think this Dem learned the wrong lesson. If Obama hadn't given in (to members of his own party), he wouldn't have passed any health care bill. And if the Dems don't give in, I'd guess they'll end up with something they like even less.
I don't know if this represents a new Obama, but this is smart politics. Continuing the tax cuts is highly popular. (His petulant sniping at Republicans when he announced the deal dissipated some of the good will, but it's the deal that counts--his taunting of fellow Dems shouldn't hurt as much, since it helps show the public he's his own man and, despite what they claim, I don't think they have anywhere else to go.) Obama is triangulating, just like Clinton. But I don't know if he can do it as easily. First, personally it might be tougher. It may also be tougher to keep his party in line. (Clinton lost the Senate, not Obama. Not yet, anyway.) Then he's got some pretty cantankerous Republicans to deal with. Triangulating isn't just taking "middle" positions, it's also getting stuff done.
posted by LAGuy @ 12:13 AM
3 Comments:
The other party in power is what Obama needs. Now we get the reasonable guy who can work across the aisle.(whether it was his fault or not that he couldn't work with the minority Reps will be for history) His poll numbers will jump in the next few months with compromises and spats with the fringers on both sides.
Agree with Anon and the OP completely. When everyone said Barack Obama is really smart, I alsways agreed, but substituted shrewd for smart. He knew from day one that his best opportunity to accomplish as much of his objectives as possible would be during the first two years. In fact, he pushed harder than Clinton to accomplish his goals, though the window was narrower than he might have realized. There was no room for cap & trade, or card check, or tax increases, but he got a semblance of health care reform. Unless the courts gut it, we are probably stuck with HCR for a long time.
Now he will focus on re-election. He needs an economic recovery, and the appearance of working with both sides of the aisle. He's off to a good start - even before the new Congress arrives - very shrewd.
Agreed with OP, DG, and Anon, too. (Wow, it's just a lovefest in here today.)
I think it's a trivial amount of money @$130 billion for the two years
to trade for the stimulus measures that he wanted in exchange, so it's a good deal for Obama.
Or do they think, though they're the majority, they can play the class warfare card and pin this on Republicans?
Yes. That's why the House earlier this week passed two bills that gave the tax breaks to only those making less than $250k and $1MM, respectively -- just so they could be blocked by Senate Republicans. The Democratic plan was to hold the threat of blaming the tax "increase" on Republicans who are are at risk of seeming only interested in protecting, quite literally, millionaires and billionaires. The belief is that they would have blinked as the deadline approached because their message of "don't raise taxes on anyone during a recession" could be more and more easily countered with "and by anyone, they mean any millionaire or billionaire." I think it's a stupid tactic, and I'm glad he rejected it.
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