I’m incredibly busy right now, and will return to real blogging soon. In the meantime, a few short takes:
The tax “compromise” is wrong
A few days ago I wrote about why Democrats and President Obama should stand strong against Republicans’ push for tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires. Since then the only thing that’s changed is that the Obama Administration capitulated to Republican demands. I expect to have more to say about that once the dust settles, but for now I’ll say that President Obama was wrong on two counts—that this was the “only” deal possible and also in attacking the liberal and progressive base of the Democratic Party. Worse, the tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires won’t create one damn job, so it was all for nothing.
All I want for Christmas
Seen in multiple Tweets on Twitter today:
“All I want for Christmas this year is the 2008 version of Obama.”
Farewell, Elizabeth Edwards
I never met Elizabeth Edwards, who passed away today, but I admired her. She was graceful in her many battles—losing a teenaged son, battling breast cancer, her husband’s infidelity and then the return of the cancer that ultimately took her life. It was her fierce advocacy for principles—ones that I also hold—that made me admire her and now mourn her passing. She was the very definition of a real patriot—and a good human being.
2 comments:
The problem here is that unemployment insurance is about to expire and while, ideally, it might have been the right thing to stare down the GOP on these tax cuts, it would have led many thousands of unemployed people going without meals, or even shelter in the middle of winter. Personally, I think sacrificing those people to win a political battle shows misplaced priorities.
I haven't argued that the bill as it is shouldn't be passed, and precisely because of those unemployed people you mentioned. Republicans would never allow anything for ordinary Americans unless they got tax cuts for the rich and super-rich.
My point was simply that President Obama was wrong that capitulation to Republican demands was the only option at the time (though it is now), and he was dead wrong to attack liberals. If Obama doesn't like our criticism, then maybe he could try doing something we want for a change.
Having said all that, let me be clear about two other things: I blame Democrats for not dealing with this long before now when they had the majorities and could've used them to actually govern. Ultimately, this non-deal is NOT President Obama's fault because Congressional Democrats' cowardice and lake of a spine left this surrender as the only option left in this Congress. In the new Congress, Republicans can simply dictate policy which would be far, far worse for ordinary Americans.
But the real villain in this story is the Republican Party and its callous disregard for ordinary Americans combined with its fetish for advancing corporate special interests. The party is as cynical as it is ruthless and will let nothing stand in the way of advancing the interests of big corporations, millionaires and billionaires.
So, Republicans created this deal with the devil by holding mainstream America hostage. Democrats enabled it by not governing when they had the chance and President Obama merely presided over the inevitable.
And none of that would fit into a "short shot"! :-)
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