The President wants to "compromise" on the Bush taxcuts...

[kentuck]

In his speech this morning, he said we should start where we all agree: that middle-class taxcuts should be made permanent. He did not think we could afford the $700 billion dollar cost for the wealthiest.

So, we exempt the first $250K from any new taxes? Then we can compromise on the rate that millionaires should pay?

But the Repubs want the entire Bush taxcuts made permanent. Where can we compromise?

This is a very weak position for the President to start from, in my opinion. We may as well call it the Bush and Obama taxcuts? President Obama sounds like "Mr Conservative". Because this will effectively tear down government when we most need it.

We need taxes to pay for the government. To take them off the table the way the President suggests will only guarantee another 10 years just like the last ten years, as far as deficits go. But it will be much worse on the people because the politicians are now looking for programs to cut. Their aim is to cut spending - not raise taxes.

A more rational compromise would start from letting the disastrous Bush taxcuts expire. Then compromise on a level that our nation can afford that does not destroy our tax base. Do not offer to compromise on taxcuts on the millionaires and billionaires.

Are we looking at a new conservative Democratic Party?

[msongs]

1. another weak position from obama? totally predictable. aim low settle for less nt

[BootinUp]

2. In these economic times when government spending

in the form of tax cuts or government programs is essential to getting the economy moving (creating intertia in the positive direction)

AND

there is a huge inequality in incomes in this country


Obama is correct when he says "we all agree that tax cuts for the middle class should be permanent".

Starting anywhere else is irresponsible, not a liberal position, and not a smart political decision. The anti-trifecta if you will.

[kentuck]

3. That is the conservative wet dream.

Nobody will pay taxes and we will finally be able to drown government in a bathtub. No taxes = no government. No government = pain for everyone except the very wealthy.

[BootinUp]

5. You are incorrect friend. The battle here is to make tax policy

more progressive. And Obama is making the correct moves.

[kentuck]

6. How is this making the tax policy more progressive??

Sounds like it is making the Bush taxcuts permanent to me?

[BootinUp]

9. I don't know why this should need to be explained

if the higher income brackets are set to expire while the others are not the goal will be achieved assuming we hold our ground when the high income cuts expire in a year or two.

[kentuck]

10. Are we assuming the President and the Democrats will be in control?

in a couple of years?

Why wait for two years to "hold our ground"? Why not hold it now??

[BootinUp]

14. The more difficult political move both in terms of votes and

public opinion is to separate the middle income cuts from the higher income cuts.

In the future, to reverse the policy, the repukes will have to fight for cuts only for the upper income bracket.

[tularetom]

4. That's nothing new, he wants to compromise the law of gravity

And I can confidently predict that if he extend those tax cuts, the republicans will take credit for it and continue to deride Obama as a socialist commie liberal.

And the liberal media will pick up on it and the perception will become reality.

We're looking at a non existent Democratic party if they continue to compromise the principles that made them powerful and popular in the first place.

[Nite Owl]

7. In the end there probably would have

to be some give on tax cuts for the rich. We lost and even if we had kept the seats we had with the same people he didn't have the votes from the conservadems. He lost all political leverage, all ability to show that he felt they were wrong by giving in before any fight. Same old, same old. He hasn't learned one thing. This is one reason why he is considered a weak President and why we lost. People don't follow or listen to weak leaders.

[kentuck]

8. Democrats don't seem to understand...

that this is suicide for the Democratic Party. Without taxes to pay for the government we need, we all become Republicans.

[Nite Owl]

11. Why does that only seem obvious to us?

It seems that we can 'get it' and understand the consequences of what they do but these so called leaders just don't. For me it always comes back to the question of are they that dumb or complicit? It would seem the latter.
When the GOP is in the minority they make the decisions and when they are in the majority they make the decisions. We have too many Senators and Representatives with D's after their names who have no clue what a Democrat is supposed to be.

[jaxx]

13. No sale.

Nice 'death panel' language there....suicide and we all become republicans. The President said keep the middle class tax cuts. He did not say keep the tax cuts for the top 2%. That is nothing but playing games and putting words in his mouth.

[kentuck]

Here is the link:

He said we should start with something we all can agree on, the middle-class tax cuts. What else is left to compromise on?

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/11/06/weekly-address-priorities-taxes?utm_source=110510&utm_medium=image&utm_campaign=daily

[denimgirly]

12. Finally, many DUers are seeing that Wins based on Mass Compromises isnt a actually a Win

Anyone can win anything in congress if you give away the queen, or in case of Obama, giving everything that Republicans want and claim it is a victory for Democrats....i mean, wtf?!?

HCR was amass with compromises but its passage is hailed a win. It has some nice things but it has some horrible things. The biggest compromise, primarily because the WH insisted it be killed because of the back-room deal with Insurers, was the Public Option removal after knowing full well that 80%+ of the public (Dems and Repubs) wanted it.

And he wonders why his base has lost faith in him.

[countrydad58]

15. You are so right!

I have had a gut full of this administration! I am disabled,poor & getting poorer thanks or no thanks to this bunch of corpracrats! But as someone who has read DU from its inception & just recently started to do posts,the same diehards continue to support Obama & his RW policies, no matter what outrage they do! My question to them where is your tipping point?

[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

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[Baltoman991]

16. 80% wanted it?

May be true but nowhere near 80% of the Dems, let alone Dems and Republicans combined in Congress wanted it.

But then I suppose you knew that already and just come here day in and day out to take your daily frustrations out on Obama knowing full well that this isn't a monarchy.

Perhaps you could run for President one day and rule as a King. Wouldn't that be the greatest thing? :boring: :boring:

[ClarkUSA]

18. New York Times: Pres. Obama supports "extending only tax rates that apply to incomes below $250,000"

Source: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x512152

[SeattleGirl]

19. Shhhh,,,,

Don't confuse 'em with facts.

[kentuck]

20. Here is the link:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/11/06/weekly-address-priorities-taxes?utm_source=110510&utm_medium=image&utm_campaign=daily

Judge the assertiveness for yourself.

[impik]

21. I thought only the other side is full if ignorants. Oh well

In 2012 you'll get the president you deserve