Common sense and the will of the American majority prevail. The compromise will pass next week !

[RBInMaine]

Obama forced the R's to actually stop obstructing because they knew they had to with the tax bill compromise or they would be in the public toilet. Get past the ideological fog and think about it. The bill to ONLY extend middle class tax cuts is DEAD. DEAD DEAD DEAD. They tried, and the R's filibustered. So trying to resurrect something that is already dead is numb, dumb, and futile. Beating a very, very dead horse. Stick a fork in it. (It sucks, because I certainly wanted it to pass, but that's life. If we were in the Senate minority, we would be thanking heaven for those Senate rules.) So then Obama said ok, "You get no more than a two-year extension of the cuts for the rich and a temporary extension of the "death" tax. We get all the middle class cuts extended, plus many of the stimulus cuts extended, plus 13 more months of unemployment benefits (and now ALSO an array of clean energy tax incentive extensions). If you balk at this and continue to filibuster, you and I both know that you are fucking TOAST both NOW and in 2012. And by the way, we're going to fight like hell over this again in a year and as we go into the next election. So get ready."

What did the RePUKES actually get out of this? They got a very TEMPORARY extension of their sacred cow tax cuts for the wealthy and the estate tax. What did we get? A huge array of middle class/stimulus tax cut extensions, now including clean energy technology, AND a significant unemployment benefits extension, all of which the PUKES despise. We also FORCED them to quit their bullshit obstructing because they knew they had to.

Given the economic situation, this was a necessary move, a good move, and the right move. The very nation was founded on compromise, and governing means getting things actually DONE and not just bitching forever over ideological stone carvings. The economy needs this measure. People need to pay their bills and feed their kids. The unemployed need help. Uncertainty needs to be removed from our economic mix especially over these next two years.

The party extremes attacked Bill Clinton brutally in the very same way for being a relatively centrist leader. Guess what? He won two elections and today his presidential legacy enjoys a 62% public approval rating. Get past the ideological fog, look at the entire picture, remember your history and your middle school civics lessons, and support this bill. It is what is needed right NOW, it is what is POSSIBLE right now, and it is a reasonable deal. And again, don't forget, the fight over the unnecessary tax cuts for the rich are VERY TEMPORARY and we will fight over them again VERY soon. Obama has never been more spot on.

[Onlooker]

1. No, the Republicans got validated

Obama validates the Republican belief that tax cuts for the wealthy improve the economy and should the economy improve, Republicans will say, "See, we succeeded where the Democratic Congress failed." Obama should have stuck to his guns and forced the Republicans to either turn on the middle class (by not extending the Bush tax cuts for the middle class) or given up their tax cuts to the wealthy. If push came to shove, I think the Republicans would have had no choice but to cave, but Obama is just too weak and unprincipled to play tough with the right wing.

[RBInMaine]

4. Absolute bullshit. The R's would have NEVER budged, and Obama/Dems would have taken the hit because

the middle class and unemployment benefits would have expired on OUR watch. Again, you are another ideological extremist who needs to revisit your middle school history and civics lessons.

[Onlooker]

15. Of course they would have budged

Every time the Dems introduced legislation for middle class tax cuts and help for the unemployed, they would have budged. What choice would they have, with Obama saying, "We want the tax cuts for the middle class, but the Republicans refuse to do it unless we give tax cuts we can't afford to the very wealthy."

[denem]

34. They would have said - we need spending cuts too.

And rejected every one.

[mcar]

35. Umm, both of those were defeated last week by Rs

How can people have forgotten last week? Perhaps because a) the media barely reported it and b) people on this board are too busy blaming Obama for everything under the sun to pay attention. Both those bills were brought up for votes last week and weekend and were defeated.

Of course they didn't budge because they don't care about anything but defeating the president and getting the White House back. It's really sad to see some Democrats helping them.

[GOTV]

39. But Obama said the GOP did budge. I thought they made significant concessions. Then certainly ...

... they'd budge more if there was a fight.

[niceypoo]

40. They would have easily budged

Pelosi should send everyone home. Obama should have called their bluff, went home without an agreement, and let the GOP own the whole mess.

[phleshdef]

36. Unfortunately, the VOTERS validated them last month.

They spent the past 2 years voting against every popular, helpful measure that came up and they were reward for it with a landslide victory in the house.

Fuck toughness and principles when it stands in the way of getting people help. Its hollywood bullshit.

[rfranklin]

2. The Republicans got two potent weapons...

They now have the cry of "raising taxes" for the 2012 elections as the Bush tax cuts get set to expire. Then, even better , they have opened up Social Security to the same cry when the "tax holiday" gets set to expire. Then they will be able to say that Social Security is adding to the debt and this time they won't be making it up!

[RBInMaine]

6. No, they will try to hold out again for tax cuts for the rich and will lose on it.

[rfranklin]

22. with a majority in the House?

added by Blue Diog dems in the Senate. I think not.

[Name removed]

3. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[RBInMaine]

5. No, you see that those who understand reality and actual governing are out in full force.

[joeprogressive]

7. After Obama loses in 2012 and the tax cuts become permanent

who will you blame? Me for sitting out of the next election like all of my liberal friends said they are doing; and they mean it. (These were big time Obama supporters in 2008) Or will you blame yourself for enabling this president and congress every step of the way.

Also, quit repeating the lie about the American majority. What about the American majority that every single poll states is against tax cuts for the rich and the majority that state in every poll that they are against adding to the deficit?

The 2010 midterms were a shot across the bow. 2012 will be a massacre.

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[joeprogressive]

26. Selling out all of your principles led us to this point

That was the real idiocy; the squandering of an opportunity. Sorry, no third chances.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

12. You Can Bookmark My Post

If the economy still sucks Obama will lose. If the economy is seen as truly improving he will win.

Everything else is noise...

[fasttense]

21. Well, of course that is true.

And the tax give aways to the uber rich will guarantee a bad economy.

A study done a year ago followed tax rates on the uber rich. When tax rates were around 50% the economy was good. When tax rates on the uber rich were significantly below 50%, the economy was bad.

Despite what trickle down and free trader would like you to believe, letting the rich get richer is not an economic plan. It is merely capitulation to powerfully rich interests.

[joeprogressive]

28. Wrong, he has put himself in a no win situation.

If the economy improves, the republican led congress and the extended tax cuts to the rich will get credit although the recovery really started 6 months ago. It the economy tanks, they will continue to blame Obama. Obama had to differentiate the Democratic stance that tax cuts to the rich don't stimulate anything. He failed to do that so the electorate can be fooled into believing anything the loudest party tells them; and we all know who the loudest party is.

[BklnDem75]

14. Don't get it twisted

Idiots that sit out in a presidential election ARE the enablers.

[joeprogressive]

30. Fine, I'm the idiot but I still didn't catalyze this mess and I will not

continue to support it. At the end of the day, the people that didn't stand up to this president are at fault for this mess.

[4dsc]

8. I see you haven't listen to what Dean has been saying..

We would rather have a strong president who stands up to the republicans than have a weak one that caves into their every demand. This was a fight worth fighting.

[RBInMaine]

10. Hyperbolic nonsense. "Caved on every demand." What shameful foolishness.

[fasttense]

11. What is the purpose of postponing the fight?

By caving to the right wing extremists, the tax give away to the rich will come up again during the presidential elections. I understand that Obama wanted to do it before the midterms but Congress didn't have the guts. What makes him think they will have the guts in 2 years?

If he caves now, Obama is saying he has no problems with the tax give away to the rich. This tax give away will ensure the economy will continue to decline. American citizens will still be suffering. The tax give aways are still in affect and we don't have jobs now. Why does he think the American people will NOT blame him for the give away? What makes him think the RepubliCONS wont call it the Obama give away?

It sounds like he is just postponing an inevitable fight.

And oh by the way, you forget to mention the Social Security tax cut. Why are Social Security taxes now in play? Since when did Social Security tax cuts become an approved Democratic political issue? If this give away passes, Social Security taxes will continually be shredded and used as a political football. With less revenue coming in, Social Security will certainly become less stable. It's an underhanded method of destroying Social Security. The next offer Obama will make is to put those Social Security taxes into private accounts.

The whole deal stinks. It's a plan meant to appease the uber rich and nothing more.

[RBInMaine]

13. Take a civics lesson, and remember there are kids that need to be fed. THAT is why you COMPROMISE.

[fasttense]

17. You didn't answer my questions. You simply insulted my intelligence

and ignored the question.

Why postpone the fight? Better to fight now and have a basic understanding of what will be coming down the road then to put off fighting. Why get the US deeper in the hole and make the uber rich even more powerful? In 2 years, the uber rich will be more rich and the fight will be harder.

And why put social security on the chopping block? It wasn't tied to the tax give away before.

It doesn't make sense. It's as if he is so afraid of a fight he is willing to do anything to avoid it.

[joeprogressive]

31. So don't fight for anything in fear of losing something. That strategy

will get you nowhere in life and will lead to failure and mediocrity.

[bvar22]

33. And passing along the bill to our children for this gift to the RICH....

...is Thinking of the Children?
We ARE running a deficit.
THIS money WILL have to be borrowed.
We WILL be paying interest.

Obama's plan passes this huge bill along to our children to PAY while his RICH friends get to spend our Children's money today!
:party:

[niceypoo]

41. Obama needs a civics lesson

Capitulator in chief

[DemocratSinceBirth]

16. But The New Congress Will Pass The Same Exact Bill Without The Goodies We Like

.

[fasttense]

18. Really? How do you know?

The RepubliCONS only own the House and the Dancing Supremes. The Democrats have given up the Senate and the veto pen of the Presidency too?

In 2 years from now these wealthy interests will be even more entrenched and more difficult to fight. Fight the fight now when we still own the House.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

20. I Play Chess

The Republicans want the president to veto the tax bill so the economy worsens if that's imaginable. A continued crappy economy is their wet dream

They will then make the continuing recession his running mate, as they did to us this November and waxed us. You can bookmark this post. If unemployment is still 9.8% in 012 Obama will be on the wrong side of the biggest electoral landslide since George McGovern and the Democratic Senate will be so small they can caucus in a Courtyard by Marriott...

[fasttense]

23. Why do you think NOT giving rich people more riches will tank the economy?n/t

[DemocratSinceBirth]

27. That's A Fair Question

Let me preface my remarks by saying a forty percent rate on the highest earners doesn't strike me as excessive.

There are a lot of goodies in the president's bill that will juice the economy like UI extension, payroll tax cuts, and the EITC. We would lose all those.

Also, there is so much fear and negativity about the economy and the direction of the nation that the bad sentiment created by everybody getting a tax increase and millions of the newly unemployed not getting benefits would choke what is a very fragile recovery.

Peoeple will feel poorer... The markets will sell off...We will get blamed...

[rfranklin]

25. sorry but these little nuggets will not improve the economy significantly...

And they are timed to expire so there is a letdown just as there has been after the "stimulus." Just in time for the election cycle.

There are no significant number of jobs being created. These little concessions will only help people survive. The corporations are hoarding cash and waiting for a Republican administration. I may be wrong and God will grant us a miracle but I doubt it.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

29. I Have Seen Estimates That The Components Of The Bill Would Add .05 to 1% To GDP Growth

But you are proving my point. The Republicans want the economy to falter and what better way than to increase everybody's taxes and eliminate unemployment insurance benefits, thus leaving everybody with less money to spend.

If I was a Republican I would want this bill to fail because for me the worse the better...

[quaker bill]

19. Well said, thanks

[jody]

24. Is "Common sense and the will of the American majority" an oxymoron? n/t

[joeprogressive]

32. The will of the American people voted in Rand Paul and

a bunch of knuckle dragging thugs. Was the American majority your savior then? What about the fact that the losses in the midterms were largely due to pissed off people like me sitting it out. Start listening to people like me and maybe you can actually accomplish something.

[displacedvermoter]

37. When we were in the Senate majority the rules screwed us.

And I thought common wisdom was that Clinton got off unscathed from attacks from the great unwashed because he was white or some other such claptrap. A little consistency, please.

Anyway, you are always spot on!

[donco6]

38. Temporary my ass.

They will be made permanent, and it will be Obama's legacy. Hip, hip, Hooray!