Obama Seeks to Make Amends With Unions, Democratic Activists Over Tax Deal

[Purveyor]

Dec. 17 (Bloomberg) -- President Barack Obama today will meet with union leaders to try to heal a relationship strained by his agreement to extend Bush-era tax cuts. Behind the scenes, the White House is waging a broader campaign among Democratic Party loyalists to undo damage over the deal.

The administration is making an “all hands on deck” effort to contact party activists angry over the accord, Jared Bernstein, Vice President Joseph Biden’s chief economic adviser, said before the U.S. House last night passed the $858 billion bill. Bernstein has made phone calls and held meetings with activists to defend a deal with Republicans that continues tax reductions for all Americans, including top earners.

“The president is trying to build consensus among labor leaders for his compromise tax policy” said Amy B. Dean, a former official with the AFL-CIO labor federation. The administration has “no problem reaching out to the labor movement when they need labor to be part of their electoral coalition. But they quickly forget that labor has a role to play in their governing coalition.”

Obama today will sign the bill, which extends for two years all Bush-era tax cuts. Before the House voted 277-148 for final passage, lawmakers defeated an amendment crafted by some Democrats to express displeasure with the legislation and especially a Republican-backed proposal to cut the estate tax.

‘Fight Harder’

The president may find union leaders hard to win over during today’s meeting. In a statement after the House vote, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said “this deal comes at a terrible price” and vowed to “redouble” efforts and “fight harder” on behalf of working people.

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http://noir.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601070&sid=a7kYHP2Bwqk4

[Vinnie From Indy]

1. The Obama Administration has dubbed this effort the "Lucy With The Football" strategy

The plan calls for Admin. officials to spread out and call on liberal and progressive leaders which collectively have been given the moniker "Charlie Brown" in the secret plan.

Cheers!

[Go2Peace]

8. That is the perception he will have to fight

It's going to be hard to believe he means it after he showed so much contempt for progressives

[bowens43]

2. I honestly hope that he is able to redeem himself. nt

[xchrom]

3. there is so much pathetic there -- oh well you knew kiss and make up time had to be coming. nt

[DeSwiss]

4. Grab your wallets.....

...because when these guys "reach out to their base" somehow the rich get richer and the base gets screwed.

[Jackpine Radical]

6. No, don't grab your wallets.

That'll just let the thieves know where you keep them.

[bbgrunt]

5. good luck with that. It's really hard to unring a bell of awakening.

[zipplewrath]

7. Don't you do this BEFORE you cut the deal?

Don't you reach out BEFORE you cut the deal, so they at least get to participate? This most likely will be another one of his "you just don't understand how brilliant I am" speaches if he isn't careful. Union leaders have been playing politics for a long time and don't really buy into what Obama is selling. Coming to them after the fact doesn't seem like a brilliant way to get them "on the team".