re: #233 Talking Point Detective

I’m confused. It was the Republican who said: “Give us what we want or we will hold off tax breaks for everyone.”

You can’t wish away that political reality. The question is, given that the GOP took that stance, what would be the way to respond that would, in reality, advance a progressive agenda?

Refusing to accept a compromise would have resulted in across-the-board tax increases. Republicans would have hammered Dems and Obama, by saying “See, just like we said, the Dems just want to tax and spend. Obama’s promises to not increase taxes for those earning less than $250,000 were lies.”

So you think backing down on your principles just to appease a few and the people supporting them is a good idea? hm. I would rather see the Republicans start claiming “tax and spend” and having it go down on record that the Republicans continued nothing but NO votes, held the country’s money hostage.

If you think that it was better just because people are just going to listen to what Republicans want to label people (ie. just to politics) then it would seem you have no core principles and anything goes… just as long as everyone will vote for it.

In the meantime, Obama’s compromise represents real financial relief for millions of unemployed, and more progressive movement on payroll taxes and inheritence taxes.

And in the end it will show that the Republicans got their way once again, or possibly that Obama is soft and did not stand on his principles… and what of the debt? It has not been payed for yet and what do you think the Republicans will be looking to go after next? Gutting social programs to pay for it will be their next move.

I see this as a loss for what could have been fought for and won. Republicans have done it many times… put pressure on Dems till they crack before something “expires” maybe its time Dems pull a page from the Republicans book. I don’t think the Republicans will want to go down in history as holding out on the taxes for millions of middle-class Americans just to get an unneeded break for the wealthiest 1-3 percent.