Even with tax cuts, GOP appears willing to shoot the hostage

[JohnWxy]

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/11/even_with_tax_cuts_republicans.html


By Adam Serwer
Adam Serwer is a staff writer at The American Prospect, where he writes http://www.prospect.org/csnc/blogs/adam_serwer">his own blog.


On 60 Minutes, President Obama indicated he'd be willing to compromise with Republicans by extending the tax cuts for the middle class permanently while possibly agreeing to a temporary extension of the cuts for the wealthy. House Republican Whip Eric Cantor, meanwhile, said Republicans would refuse the White House proposal to "decouple" the rates in such a manner.

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Republicans win if the Bush tax cuts get made permanent, and they win if the tax cuts expire. If its the former, Republicans get their preferred policy option. If it's the latter, they get to accuse Obama of raising taxes. The way the White House really loses politically is if the tax cuts simply expire, since even if the White House capitulates to Republicans on making all the tax cuts permanent the administration gets to claim they worked with Republicans to cut taxes.

But because Republicans win either way, they have no incentive to compromise, and can simply hold out for whatever they want. The more willing to negotiate the White House appears, the more likely Republicans are to move the goal posts. As with health-care reform, Republicans are left with the stronger negotiating position because they're willing to shoot the hostage. The deficit doesn't matter, and even preserving tax cuts for the wealthy comes second to the Republicans' primary goal, which is to destroy the president.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

1. If a majority of people don't want the upper-class tax cuts

why will they blame Obama for not allowing it to happen and for all of them to expire? Obama and the Dems can then helpfully point them in the direction of the Republicans and their refusal to support middle-class tax cuts at the expense of the upper class tax cuts (which they are refusing to compromise away).

[JuniperLea]

2. Career of Evil

I plot your rubric scarab, I steal your satellite
I want your wife to be my baby tonight
I choose to steal what you chose to show
And you know I will not apologize
Your mine for the taking
I'm making a career of evil

Pay me I'll be your surgeon, I'd like to pick your brains
Capture you, Inject you, leave you kneeling in the rain
I choose to steal what you chose to show
And you know I will not apologize
Your mine for the taking
I'm making a career of evil

I'd like your blue eyed horseshoe, I'd like your emerald horny toad
I'd like to do it to your daughter on a dirt road

And then I'd spend your ransom money, but still I'd keep your sheep
I'd peel the mask your wearing, and then rob you of your sleep
I choose to steal what you chose to show
And you know I will not apologize
Your mine for the taking
I'm making a career of evil

[NC_Nurse]

3. Most people want the tax cuts to expire. If the Repubs won't extend them for

The middle class it's their fault. I don't see people blaming Obama for that.

[EC]

4. Dick Armey and crowd have started a no lame-duck

legislation campaign including protests etc...the Dems can use that as cover to let the cuts expire...since the tea baggers wanted no lame-duck legislation then okay, we'll obliage...how's that for bipartisanship? Oh, not what you wanted? Well, boo-hoo, that's what you screamed you wanted...

[Sirveri]

5. I'd rather see the cuts all expire than give the ultra wealthy scum bags another break

Obama can pass his OWN round of tax cuts if that's what he really wants to do. I'd like to see an adjusted version of our 1970's rates, but that scares people.