Chess or Checkers?

[denimgirly]

I understand the tax cut issue is going to be the next big issue which still baffles me why democrats didnt deal with this beforehand (or even right now before January) but what i dont understand is Obama's patent style of compromising before negotiations even begin. Everyone knows that extending these tax cuts will only hurt America more. If we are going to compromise then it will be to extend (temporarily) the middle-class tax cuts ONLY (ideally, let it all expire). But for god's sake, dont come out of the gates showing your hand and begging for scraps! It's embarrassing.

Use that bully pulpit and explain in simple terms weekly the reason the tax cuts must end (especially for the super-rich), and explain that if republicans attempt to pass a bill that extended these tax cuts for the rich, which would lead to an epic unrecoverable disaster, you would veto it without hesitation even if it had the tax-cuts for Middle-class americans in it. Show some backbone, for once! It's a threat to republicans and to congress that you mean business and that they shouldnt waste their time if they even want to mess with you. Right now republicans have no fear of Obama. If anything they think they can manipulate him to get what they want. Why should the negotiate. History has shown they never have to. A strong president would immediately advise congress to split the bill into two and vote on each but you will not sign a bill that includes a tax-cut for the rich in any shape or form. Period. When America understands the consequences to extending these tax cuts for the rich there is nothing the repubs can do.

And btw, if you boys want to understand why us girls dont like Nice Guys this is a good example why! Be a MAN!

A reminder of a true leader :

[Bitwit1234]

1. I may be wrong but I think it is because

nobody in congress wanted the tax cuts to expire. They were betwixt and between as to how to extend them and not make the public mad. Now they have a darn good excuse to vote to extend them.

[RBInMaine]

2. He has to be careful because NOT extending them for the middle class could hurt HIM and D's badly. &

He can't "order" the congress to do anything because they are a co-equal branch of government and THEY make the laws. He is playing this exactly right, and it is a win win for him. If the PUKES refuse to compromise even for a temporary extension of the tax cuts for the rich and block the bill just to hold out for permanent tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires, and if that is messaged the right way, THEY get the kick in the ass. If they do compromise, it will piss off the TeaBaggers and they'll have divisions from within. He is putting THEM in a fucking BIND on this. Triangulating the shit out of them. Just watch.

[dbonds]

3. I would think it is more like Tic Tac Toe - because it always ends in a tie

[BrklynLiberal]

4. ..then why do I feel like it is the repukes that always seem to come out winning??

Obama does give away everything before the negotiations even being. He did it on healthcare, and it appears that he is doing it on this tax cut extension as well. At least pretend to stand firm at the beginning....

Once again, into the breach...

[dbonds]

8. I should have worded it 'no one wins'

Because even if 'they' win, no one wins.

[BrklynLiberal]

10. True...

[alcibiades_mystery]

5. Tell us again how you really enjoyed the racist "Obama is the GOP's 'Boy'" post

:eyes:

Showing your colors a bit, I'd say.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=433&topic_id=508266

[countingbluecars]

6. "Be a MAN!"

Sounds like the "Man up" and "Put on your man pants" terminology used by the teabaggers. BTW, I like nice guys.

[great white snark]

9. +1

Lots of manhood questioning in this OP.

[dflprincess]

11. I like nice guys too

and real men are nice guys.

[Dr.Phool]

7. Keep him away from the poker table.

[FBaggins]

12. Why we didn't deal with it before the election.

The goal was to extend the tax cuts for all but the richest few... but they thought that the expiration date would give us leverage as it got closer. I think that they were also worried that it could end up being a drag on our chances in the election. If we threatened the republicans with letting all the cuts expire, we would be handing them the "tax increases!!!!" attack just before the election - AND would disillusion some democratic voters (apparently including yourself) who would be happy with letting them all expire if we worked for a compromise.

I'm pretty sure that the assumption was that we wouldn't do this poorly in the House elections and could then address it in the lame duck session without giving up too much.

What you won't see it "let them all expire". Whether you think it's the right idea or not, far too many of the democrats disagree with increasing taxes when the economy is this weak. The President appears to be one of those people.