Reply #182: Obama continues all Bush tax cuts - NYTs & AmericaBlog

[nashville_brook]

http://www.americablog.com/2010/12/wash-post-obama-to-agree-to-continue.html

http://www.americablog.com/2010/12/wash-post-obama-to-agree-to-continue.html


White House officials and Congressional Republicans said Sunday they were closing in on a deal to temporarily continue the Bush-era tax cuts at all income levels, while bitterly frustrated Democratic Congressional leaders began exploring whether they would have the votes for such a package. In return, Republicans said they would probably agree to extend jobless aid for the long-term unemployed.

Probably? Why are we talking about giving them their tax cuts in exchange for a "probably"? Not to mention, you truly suck at messaging if the Republicans are able to make 'threatening to cut off the only lifeline for two million Americans and their families right before Christmas' a winning strategy:

In meetings with administration officials after the Senate votes, the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, and many other House and Senate Democrats voiced deep unhappiness at the prospect of extending all the tax cuts and also expressed their belief that the White House did not appear to be getting enough for such a big concession, officials said.

President Obama caving in a negotiation and not getting enough in return. Huh, imagine that.

White House officials, meanwhile, expressed hope of sealing a deal swiftly, perhaps by midweek, and clearing the Congressional calendar for a long list of other priorities that they aim to accomplish by the end of the year, including ratification of the New Start arms treaty with Russia and the repeal of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy for gay service members as part of a wider Pentagon policy bill.