Am I Missing Something Here?

This whole tax cuts thing has got me up in arms.

Here's how I view the back and forth of Congress about the tax cuts, I was so peeved, I had to reach out to my friend Shawn (who is a political genius) just to make sure I was understanding everything correctly...

The GOP (who control NEITHER the House nor the Senate) stone walled Obama with a Filibuster. Basically they pinned Obama into a corner by arguing, arguing, arguing. Obama wanted to keep the tax cuts for everyone making less than 250K (which is about 95% of the country) but that wasn’t good enough for the GOP so they do what they do best – argue, argue, argue.

And here’s the problem from Obama’s point of view – tax cuts will end, for EVERYONE, by the end of the year. So arguing gets nothing done. The GOP knows this. They also know that “raising” taxes (letting the tax cuts expire) in the middle of a recession, when the American people need more money now more than ever, would be Presidential suicide. So they put Obama in a sensitive situation;

either…

• A - Argue until congress breaks for the holidays with no plan in place and let the tax cuts expire for everyone (keep in mind we would be going back to our original tax rates…which in some way is a hike in taxes…but all in all what we should’ve been paying all along) in the MIDDLE OF A RECESSION!!!



• B - Concede to the GOP demands and extend the tax cuts for everyone (wealthy and non-wealthy) for two years (they will expire during an election…hmmm the irony).

So it seems Obama was in a Prisoner’s Dilemma. He was damned if he do and damned if he don’t. And now certain members of the Democratic Party dislike how Obama conceded (compromised) with the Republicans. These people are idiots. The Republican plan was simple and brilliant at the same time:

1. Whine like a baby to get their wishes


2. Back Obama into a corner until he concedes


3. Watch from afar as the Democratic Party pick on Obama


4. Build on this internal strife on the next election


5. Use taxes and government spending as a cornerstone for the next election period


6. Overturn congress (and possibly the White House)


7. Rinse, lather, repeat…

Shawn agreed and added that Republicans clearly had the upper-hand here and Obama could only play this card. But there's an underlying issue here; when are we, as Americans, going to demand more of our politicians? We need a call to action. We need people that can get things DONE. Arguing solves nothing.

It's time we stop the bickering and remember what we are here for and that's to make America a better place, NOT play political strategist and stone wall the President (which in my mind is a political Coup d'etat).

The New York Times had an article about this today, you can read it here.