If Obama believed this pious nonsense... Fortunately the president knows foolishness when he sees it

[bigtree]

from E.J. Dionne: http://host.madison.com/ct/news/opinion/column/ej_dionne/e-j-dionne-jr-obama-shouldn-t-back-down/article_8dcc55ca-2ab3-11e2-b908-0019bb2963f4.html


WASHINGTON — It is said after every election that the victors should put politics aside and work for the good of the country.

If President Obama believed this pious nonsense, he would put his second term in jeopardy. Asking politicians to ignore politics is like insisting that professional hockey players switch to basketball. In a system with national elections every two years — and in which the two parties are in relatively close balance — politics never disappears.

Fortunately, the president knows foolishness when he sees it. He has been toughened by four years of unremitting Republican opposition and has behind him both a large Electoral College victory and an advantage of about 3 million popular votes. The word “mandate” is overused — just ask George W. Bush. But Obama was absolutely clear during the campaign about his insistence that taxes on better-off Americans need to rise as part of any deal on the budget deficit and “fiscal cliff.”

And so did Obama gracefully but firmly challenge Republicans on Friday to extend the Bush-era tax cuts for the middle class immediately and then begin negotiations on HOW to raise taxes on the well-to-do. He was asking them to give up their leverage because he knows they don’t have much leverage to begin with. Meet the newly empowered Obama.


read more: http://host.madison.com/ct/news/opinion/column/ej_dionne/e-j-dionne-jr-obama-shouldn-t-back-down/article_8dcc55ca-2ab3-11e2-b908-0019bb2963f4.html


President Obama waves a pen at congressional republicans

[goclark]

1. That's my hero!

4 more years!

Sock it to um ...!

We are with you all the way!

[John2]

2. He

appears to have learned something. Boehner gave a half ass statement to co-operate. I say this is because he want to dictate the Terms. He holds out one hand and has a dagger with the other one behind his back.

Boehner has no mandate. If he wanted a mandate nationally, then he should have ran for President. He would have went to the same demise as Romney, because he is essentially dictating Romney's platform. It is the President who should set the terms on the issues they have in common. Coming out and saying you want raise taxes on the wealthy is a non starter.

As far as the noise coming from people like Grover Norquist, whom the media wants to empower, is all this is. He has delusions of grandeur, because the media has given him a public platform. Norquist should have no more power than the people that voted in this election. He probably voted for Romney too. He is owed nothing. This goes for those pundits too. And this comes from one they called the Far Left fringe. Just where the hell do they get off!

[Roland99]

3. Bill Kristol has already caved. Said taxes on the wealthy will not kill the economy

gee...ya think??

[Hutzpa]

4. Stick to your pens Mr President.

Just as they will stick to their guns so to speak.

[Ikonoklast]

6. That pen is a two-sided weapon.

Mr. Obama can veto Republican crapola with it, too, and I certainly hope that he doesn't refrain from doing so.

[chuckstevens]

5. Charlie Brown and Lucy

I think (hope) we will see a tougher president, who will use the bully pulpit to cow these nasty GOP thugs like McConnell and Boehner. In the first 2 years of his presidency, Barack Obama had the "political football" yanked away too many times by the Republicans to fall for their bull shit again.

[rock]

7. I didn't vote Democratic because

I wanted CONservative policies instituted!

[heaven05]

8. Now,

it's his turn! Hear me wannabe queen? It's his turn!!! Sorry had to turn up the volume, couldn't hear you.

[CanonRay]

9. Working for Democratic principles IS working for the good of the country

IMHO

[Doctor_J]

10. I sure hope so

If he says "fiscal cliff" or appoints Bowles SECTREZ, or leaves Siegelmann in prison, I will have doubts and this time around I will not stand for "reaching out"

[John2]

11. Bowles

is from North Carolina. I wouldn't trust any deal he puts out. Especially when you see what happened to UNC's football team. He needs to become a Republican with his slash cutting deals of programs.

Now look, they always rant about spending cuts as the Big mantra to start at. All we have been doing is cutting ever since Ronald Reagan. The only tax increases have been with President Clinton and the last two years of Bush Senior's term. President Clinton slashed the social net a lot.

Bush Jr did the same but he implemented huge tax cuts that has been in place up to now. President Obama failed to repeal them or balance anything out. He also cut the Government side because of pressure for this philosophy of streamlining Big Government. The only reason he had to spend more on the safety net is because cutting taxes did not work! I will repeat, It did not work! And when it didn't, here with go again talking about cutting more social programs instead of the wealthy who has gotten richer, paying their fair share! Even if We go off this supposedly the sky is falling, the wealthy should be made to live up to their responsibilities even if they threaten to move in the desert. That is fine with me, just leave the furniture and the clothes on your backs for back pay in taxes.

The middle class and poor, did not create this economy. Vice President Biden was correct. The middle class has been getting buried for the last ten years and the wealthy has been getting a free ride. These two Wars and Bush Tax cuts are all on their credit cards. And most people in Congress has also benefited. How much is Senator Fiensten worth now since her tenure in Congress? You also have Rendell calling for Business at the table. Well what happened to Unions Rendell or are you on the wealthiest payroll too?

[BlueCaliDem]

12. Only 13% of ALL voters, including Obama's want taxes raised on everyone.

Well, there are plenty of that 13% group here on DU (me included, unfortunately, but I've changed my mind!) who believe we should let all tax cuts expire this January.

From the article:

"The voters clearly heard what Obama was saying during the campaign. According to the media exit poll, only 35 percent of voters said taxes should not be increased. Fully 47 percent of all voters supported raising taxes on Americans earning $250,000 or more, including 66 percent of Obama’s voters. An additional 13 percent, of all voters and Obama’s, said taxes should go up for everyone."

So, to get out of the losing group, I opt that only incomes above and beyond $250,000 should see their taxes raised.

[JoeyT]

14. Yeah, but he can use that to his advantage as well.

Have someone a separate bill that would recreate the tax breaks for the middle class and start pushing it well ahead of the deadline. Then when all the tax breaks expire yell from the rooftops that Republicans raised middle class taxes so they could keep taxes low for the rich.

I think they're already doing it, actually.

[BlueCaliDem]

15. That would be an excellent strategy.

I think you're spot on.

[Skittles]

13. gawd he better not back down

I mean, seriously