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Showing Original Post only (View all)Robert Reich: Why is the White House’s Council of Economic Advisers Helping the Republicans? [View all]
Why is the White Houses Council of Economic Advisers Helping the Republicans?
Monday, November 26, 2012
Why is the White House trying to scare average people about the consequences of the fiscal cliff?
If the Presidents strategy is to hold his ground and demand from Republicans tax increases on the wealthy, presumably his strongest bargaining position would be to allow the Bush tax cuts to expire on schedule come January causing taxes to rise automatically, especially on the wealthy.
So youd think part of that strategy would be reassure the rest of the public that the fiscal cliff isnt so bad or so steep, and that at the start of January Democrats will introduce in Congress a middle-class tax cut whose effect is to prevent taxes from rising for most people (thereby forcing Republicans to vote for a tax cut for the middle class or hold it hostage to a tax cut for the wealthy as well).
But today (Monday) the White Houses Council of Economic Advisers issued a report today warning that if Congress allows the Bush tax cuts to expire January 1 and the Alternative Minimum Tax to kick in, the middle class will face sharply-rising taxes. ................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://robertreich.org/post/36593702879
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Robert Reich: Why is the White House’s Council of Economic Advisers Helping the Republicans? [View all]
marmar
Nov 2012
OP
A "neoliberal"? I'm not sure that he ever described himself as a liberal, neoliberal or otherwise.
AnotherMcIntosh
Nov 2012
#32
I just don't appreciate the Obama thumping before anything has happened or been voted on
auto1969
Nov 2012
#45
The fix is in. That is my only conclusion after seeing David Plouffe last night. It's almost comical
forestpath
Nov 2012
#9
The ''willing suspension of disbelief'' may soon no longer be a production value.
Octafish
Nov 2012
#31
It's called leverage against the Republicans. If there's no deal, make them
geek tragedy
Nov 2012
#22
We Won! We should be leading the discussion, we should be making the decisions
RepublicansRZombies
Nov 2012
#30