New York Times Editorial: Obama's tax cut deal is a win for Republicans and their obstructionism

[Better Believe It]

Editorial
The Tax Cut Endgame
December 6, 2010

President Obama’s deal with the Republicans to extend all the Bush-era income tax cuts is a win for the Republicans and their strategy of obstructionism and a disappointing retreat by the White House.

On a decidedly sour note, Mr. Obama also said he had agreed to cut estate taxes even more than in the last year of the Bush administration. That is not compromise. It is capitulation.

The tax cuts were not affordable when they were passed and are even less affordable now — with unpaid-for wars, with a weak economy crying out for recovery efforts, with the nation’s infrastructure and education system increasingly decrepit, and with retiring baby boomers inexorably driving up health costs and the budget deficit in the decades to come.

All of this only validates the Republican strategy of obstruction, and invites more. Senator Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader, has never wavered in his stance that all Bush tax cuts should be extended. Mr. McConnell and the Republicans will undoubtedly now push to make the cuts permanent.

Read the full editorial at:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/07/opinion/07tue1.html?ref=opinion

[Scurrilous]

1. K & R

Off to the greatest!!1!

[eleny]

2. A sad truth

[Rex]

3. Ugh.

The small vocal minority always wins, even if they lose. Amazing.

[leftstreet]

4. Ouch

[TwilightGardener]

5. Yep, it's a defeat. I think Obama realizes that.

[RufusTFirefly]

6. Noooo!!!! Pres. Obama has drawn a line in the sand!!!

Didn't the ultra-liberal New York Times recognize this??


(:sarcasm:)

[mr_liberal]

7. Thsi is all good for Obama

He does not need support from a liberal paper like the NY Times, he needs to get independents back.

I hope he sees something like this as a sign that he's doing the right thing. because he cant back down now to the left, he must continue this bipartisan moderate path.

Ill be curious to see what the polls show after this bill passes. and especially curious to see the reaction of independents.

[girl gone mad]

8. The polls favor the liberal position..

as usual.

[October]

9. Seriously?

[NeoConsSuck]

11. You lost me on...

NY Times is a liberal paper.

[City Lights]

12. LOL!

Thanks for a morning laugh!

[MadHound]

18. Umm, an overwhelming majority of people are in favor of raising taxes on the rich

That includes liberals, conservatives and moderates.

Much like the overwhelming support people have for the public option and repeal of DADT. Obama isn't going against the wishes of just liberals, he is going against the will of the entirety of the American public. That is never the right thing to do.

[pacalo]

10. Bi-partisanship is good when both parties are willing to do so in earnest.

When the Republicans call themselves "the party of NO" & their Senate leader publicly states that he wants to make Obama a one-term president, I can't reconcile why Obama wants to "reach across the aisle". I didn't vote in 2008 for Republican policies. Obama has executive powers to get around bad legislation; why embrace them as though he had no choice? I don't get it.

This article nails my frustration.

[Better Believe It]

15. Not always. The deregulation of Wall Street was a bi-partisan affair.

And so were the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan.

And NAFTA.

And the Defense of Marriage Act.

[donco6]

13. True k&R n/t

[TBF]

14. No kidding. nt

[Supersedeas]

16. Joe Skank and Meeka were trumpeting the Great Compromise as a Repuke victory as well

[Better Believe It]

17. One step forward, two steps back.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

19. "Senator Mitch McConnell...has never wavered in his stance.." - Unlike his alleged opponent.

[bvar22]

20. "That is not compromise. It is capitulation."

Exactly!

[mdmc]

21. ..