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All you have to do is watch McConnell and his smarmy minions barely able to contain their ecstatic collective glee, and the outrage and denunciations by his OWN PARTY to know it's a BAD deal.
Signaling early on that he was willing to extend the tax cuts for wealthy completely undermined the negotiation from the start and the strength he had with backing a majority of the American people, even
REPUBLICANS!
I'm just profoundly disappointed with Obama on this. I'm stunned on how much he gave away, how little he got, and could have gotten given the situation, if he REALLY negotiated, used the bully pulpit BEFORE the deal-making, and worked more closely with Democratic members.
Now that he's crafted this "abomination" behind closed doors, it doesn't seem so much about the deal any more, or the American people, or the economy, but his ego and the recurring theme that he feels like he's being under-appreciated by Dems for what he's done. Now resorting to bashing his own party.
What exactly IS the "long game"? Maybe i can see a remote possibility that if the economy improves, he will have gained a political edge to renegotiate the tax cuts later on, but the outlook is grim for that, and if it does improve, the republicans will claim it was BECAUSE of the tax cuts for the wealthy and don't mess with success. We know them well enough now that this is certain to be claimed and echoed throughout the airwaves.
THIS is the moment- He has the Public behind him, majorities in Congress, and core principles to uphold. You know the administration doesn't have the high ground on this deal because since rationally defending it hasn't worked, the WH is now using Bush-like urgent political theater threats on hiS OWN PARTY-" LOOK, if you don't take THIS deal, we could fall into a new recession." Sound familiar? "If we don't invade Iraq we could see a mushroom cloud" Why isn't he using this kind of threat on THE REPUBLICANS to get them to cave on their issues? How about a BETTER, more progressive deal that doesn't balloon the deficit to no positive short term economic effect by handing on a
silver platter huge tax breaks to the wealthy, a poor deal on the estate tax, and undermine social security?
Why not craft legislation that excludes small business from tax increases somehow? This was the ONLY credible Republican objection- SO- exclude SMALL business- or go with a higher limit as proposed by many Dems? THis would show up the Republicans for their true motives and constituents when they object- the wealthy and large corporations incorrectly lumped in with "small business'. PLAY THEM FOR CHRIST SAKES. They are TOTALLY VULNERABLE on this and NO PAIN was inflicted on them, CLEARLY. All I see is barely containable GLEE.
I WAS a strong Obama supporter up until now, even understood the compromises necessary to pass Health Care, proud of him for sticking with it and getting it done despite my reservations about giving up the public option. I can see the logic in getting what you can with something this complex and working later on to improve it- as with social security and medicare.
But this is different. Much more clear cut and simple. I'm disgusted with his strategy, secret negotiation, capitulation to republicans, self-delusion about how well he's helping the middle class, and dismissive,petulant behavior toward his own party and his supporters (what's left of them).
Compromise YES, Of course- but DON't GIVE away the STORE without a fight at least until the eleventh hour. Punting on 3rd down seems the perfect metaphor. His advisers should be fired, he should take a long look in the mirror, Listen and talk with his party leaders, not lecture them, and renegotiate this deal.
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