Obama Capitulates to Republicans
"All Hat and No Cattle" -This might be the GOP's
favorite photo of Barack Obama.
Despite campaign pledges and President Obama opposing extending tax cuts for households earning over $250,000, another promise made was broken. At the same time, while supporting them for working Americans, he said doing so permanently is unaffordable. Unsurprisingly, a December 6 White House press release issued a "Statement by the President on Tax Cuts and Unemployment Benefits," saying:
While "disagree(ing)" with Republicans, he capitulated, arguing that "without a willingness to give on both sides, there's no reason to believe (the current) stalemate won't continue well into next year....I am not willing to let that happen....it would be the wrong thing to do."
"As a result, we have arrived at a framework for a bipartisan agreement." Everyone will get a tax cut on income, capital gains, dividends, and the Bush enacted federal estate tax that lapsed at the start of 2010, including the super-rich (who deserve higher, not lower taxes), Obama caving to Republicans and deep-pocketed donors who'd likely give less if they paid more.
In Obama-speak, we need to make "tough choices...to secure our future and our children's future and our grandchildren's future" by:
● permanent wars;
● greater super-rich enrichment;
● temporary populist benefit extensions; as well as
● class warfare coming through neoliberal austerity for working Americans, mainly middle class ones, targeted for elimination.
Neither Obama or congressional allies explained it or that both parties accelerated it in recent years.