Why should I trust Obama not to support extending the tax cuts for the wealthy in two years?

[cali]

Ending the tax cuts for the wealthy was a BIG part of Obama's platform. It was a promise. He broke it. And it's not the only one.

Both Obama and the leadership are responsible for not having dealt with this a year ago. The writing was on the wall regarding repuke gains in the House and Senate. And even if it hadn't been, prudence should have dictated that the bush tax cuts be dealt with right off the bat.

I can't take Obama at his word. It's not reliable coin.

[Lasher]

1. You shouldn't.

I don't.

[redirish28]

2. I don't and I am pissed that in two years my wife and I are going to

be paying more taxes especially if we are in the bracket we are currently in.

[ncteechur]

10. but you wouldn't be pissed now if they expire. This is bizarro DU.

[DailyGrind51]

3. or, make them permanent with the support of a Republican House!

[jefferson_dem]

5. which is the road that's virtually guaranteed if the current congress does nothing.

I'll never understand how people don't see that - policy options are not perfect now ... but they will be miserable come January.

[DailyGrind51]

19. At least, Obama could have vetoed THEIR legislation!

[jefferson_dem]

4. Actually, his more bold pledge was to NOT raise taxes on anyone earning less than $250k a year.

Of course, that would happen if Congress/POTUS do nothing. Policy debate aside, that would be political suicide for Obama and our party.

[cali]

6. yes it would be- NOW. but it didn't have to come to this

he damn fucking well could have led the dem congress. He did not.

[jefferson_dem]

7. We agree that it shouldn't have come to this...but it has (

So let's deal with the reality at hand rather than stand on some symbolic piece of principle while the ship goes down.

He encouraged Congress to act in September. Isn't it Pelosi et al.'s job to "lead Congress" anyway?

[ncteechur]

11. President Obama wanted this debate earlier, before the elections. House dems didn't want it.

They gambled on the fact that they would not lose the House. They lost. They are in a lame duck and have very little, if any, leverage left.

[Vinca]

8. If he agreed to the extension of tax cuts as a ploy to woo Indies back -

a scenario being played by the talking heads - he will have to promise to extend them when he runs for re-election. He might have painted himself into a corner. Will the Indies pound the pavement the way the sanctimonious purists did? Will a third party challenger take a chunk of the vote? He will probably regret this capitulation . . . er, deal.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

12. This Is The Problem As I See It

Most folks won't forgo a tax cut for the rich if it means they won't get one too...

[DemocratSinceBirth]

9. You Shouldn't

If you feel he has reneged on his promise you shouldn't support him if you believe that promise is of great importance to you. We can get into a discussion of how breaking a promise is or is not different than telling a lie. I think sometimes it is and sometimes it isn't. In the current instance I think it isn't.

[Still a Democrat]

13. All politicians will accept things they don't like in a bigger package

I'd be more leery of an ideologue that wouldn't bend on a deal that's 80-90% favorable in his view.

[Enrique]

14. you can trust that he WILL support another extension

he said "I will fight", but he did not say "I will veto". So he's leaving the door open for another cave-in, and there is no doubt that he will use it.

[mtnsnake]

15. If I had to bet, I'd bet that Bush's obscene tax cuts will be made permanent in 2 years

the thought of which disgusts me beyond words.

[dave29]

16. There was some other stuff going on when he got elected, you may have forgotten

ending the Bush tax cuts would not have flown, and he decided to push for getting the stimulus he could, and getting 30 million coverage and a whole host of other progressive legislation, as well as meeting his campaign pledge of ending the Iraq War. He tried to get Congress to take on the tax cuts just before the election (right time to do it), and they punted, because they were skerred of being defeated. That worked out well.

I see you are using the unreliable meme in your threads today -- in my estimation, he has met more of his campaign promises than a majority of Presidents past.

[Bluerthanblue]

17. +1

[democracy1st]

18. Meme.. Obama is using the tired RW meme of tax cuts,No one needs a tax cut right now.

[Imajika]

20. Obama WANTED to have this fight before the election...

Democrats in the House and Senate did not. Your House and Senate Democrat leadership skated out of town without dealing with this issue, which was, at least for a time, supposed to be the centerpiece of our 2010 campaign.

So now Obama is stuck. Political realities are what they are. The GOP takes over the House (with a large majority) in January, and Democrats will have a seriously reduced majority come next year. Think the deal is bad now? Wait till next year.

[ibegurpard]

21. you ABSOLUTELY should not

If you've had your eyes open the past two years you'd be crazy to.

[demwing]

22. THAT is the correct question.

End of Program

[Jakes Progress]

23. The first five words of the Headline are all that is needed.