Though Ryan Christopher WISHES it could be his last post on tax cuts, I think we are in for a blowhole of new influx. The Senate vote today is at noon and the Senate tax cut bill is expected to win by an overwhelming margin. The debate will have to move to the House when this happens. It will be rushed to a vote before the year ends in order to keep all working Americans relieved of taxes and give most unemployed a fighting chance to succeed. Politico reports this morning that 20 house Republicans will be against this bill, which means only 60 of 255 Democrats are needed for the bill to pass. Not a lot. In addition, a new Washington Post-ABC News pollshows that 69 percent of Americans support the tax compromise. Some hardcore conservative and progressive liberal constituencies may be miffed at this compromise, which may make a few votes nay. However, this compromise is important to fueling the economy. Money has been blocked from circulating, companies are holding dollars rather than hiring, and the fragile upbeat of the economy could be muted without this help. The leadership knows this and will not turn down such a political gift; this bipartisan and constituent compromise.
Less summary, more opinion please.
ReplyDeleteI think the post brings about an opinion within the facts. Clearly Righteous Indignation agrees with President Obama and his compromise that leans more to the right than a lot of democrats would like to see it. You can tell that he does agree with the tax cut bill as being the best option that we can obtain right now by his choice of poll recognition. The Washington Post-ABC News Poll had the highest % of support for the compromise of all the polls. Take a look at a list of other polls including PEW research, Gallup Poll, and others here (http://www.pollingreport.com/budget.htm ). where I would have to agree that the result of most polls show that more Americans agree with the compromise than disagree, there is still not a majority. The ABC poll shows a majority support where most polls are just showing uncertainty.
ReplyDeleteThe President will now have to learn the art of governing in a two party environment. This could make him an effective leader and show the voters he has the ability to move us out of the funk. My issue with Mr President is not the tax compromise, but the timing. So much political capital was spent on health care which produced such a predictable negative response. All actions of this administration should have been focused on economic matters, not some law that MAY come into full existence in 2014. Had the economy been righted, health care would have been too. If the courts strike down this law then a large piece of his first two years would have been wasted. We should not have sacrificed so many Democrats in both houses for this law. So, with this tax bill, it shows me the On-The-Job-Training for this president has ended and the reality of bi-partisan governing has begun. And maybe his timing will get better.
ReplyDeleteJaime, I hope we are both correct in that bipartisan government can exist through such gestures, better timing, and a more experienced executive. Wise mentors I have come to trust have not considered bipartisanship a part of this compromise: they are jaded by the hyper-partisan atmosphere that has dominated the Hill for the past 10 years. To them, the thought of prolonged cooperation is absurd. Hopefully, we are on the brink of a new era. I believe the president has mostly identified the disconnect between his ideals and what is real. He is now choosing to lead practically. His timing may have been off, but he got some tough stuff done to match his campaign commitments; he lost political capital he could afford to lose. He now has the ability to prove his strength and test the market and sell what has passed over the next two years to win his chips back. He is still a popular figure, and may raise over $1 billion for his campaign (and he is bringing David Plouffe back to market his initiatives, finally). I don't expect Health Care reform to be repealed or zombied as the president will not sign any initiative that busts his centerpiece, at least 2012. I'm already hearing government ads on the radio about .gov sites that educate users on health and simple ways to lose weight. Such preemptive care programs are funded by the bill. By 2012 the people will loathe giving up the privileges they will have begun to receive.
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