Left sees Tax Surrender, says Obama reelection bid now crippled
President Obama could be crippling his own reelection effort by making a deal with Republicans to extend all of the Bush-era tax cuts, Democratic strategists and liberal groups said Monday.
A two-year extension of tax rates ushered in by President George W. Bush nearly a decade ago, would ensure a resumption of today’s fiery debate in 2012, when Obama is expected to reapply for his job, strategists in both parties said.
It also is angering the left wing of the Democratic Party, which already has a long list of complaints about Obama.
“President Obama has shown a complete refusal to fight Republicans throughout his presidency even when the public is on his side — and millions of his former supporters are now growing disappointed and infuriated by this refusal to fight,” said Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee.
The PCCC on Monday afternoon circulated quotes from 2008 Obama campaign staffers who expressed disillusionment with the president for agreeing to extend tax cuts for the wealthy amid signs that the White House and Republicans were edging closer to a deal.
“Obama is demobilizing the troops and demoralizing the public right before he seeks reelection,” Green said.
The compromises by the White House have also disappointed liberals in the House and Senate, who have pushed Obama to take a tougher line with the GOP. Some liberals had said it would be better for Obama to allow all of the tax cuts to expire rather than cave to GOP demands and allow tax cuts for the wealthy to be extended.
Democratic strategists are disappointed that the President appears to be fighting the tax debate on terms dictated by Republicans, who have been able to frame a tax increase on any taxpayers as detrimental to a struggling economy. Friday’s unemployment report, showing a surprising jump in the jobless rate — to 9.8 percent — didn’t make matters easier for the White House.
“This is only a tough fight [now] because Americans have lost faith that President Obama is fighting for their economic futures,” said Jamal Simmons, a Democratic strategist and former official with the Clinton administration.
But Simmons and other Democrats believe a shift in the economy could help the president and Democrats argue for an end to the tax cuts in two years.
“I think most people feel like the economy is still really bad, and the idea of raising taxes on anyone right now does strike the average person as ‘This might not be a good idea,’ ” said Lara Brown, a political science professor at Villanova University. “But when people are making money, tax increases are just not as scary.”
Aware of the second round of fights facing him, Obama said in his late Monday statement that he will spend part of the next two years engaged in a conversation to try to convince people that the country cannot afford another extension of the high-end cuts.
By agreeing to a two-year extension of the cuts, Obama appears to be gambling that he — and the economy — will be in a better position to define the debate in 2012, when it could be more fruitful for Obama to sell a tax hike for the rich as part of an effort to lower the national debt.
“If by 2012 the president can convince voters of his commitment to helping them reclaim the American Dream, they’ll support denying tax cuts for the wealthy that put us $700 billion in more debt to China,” said Simmons.
Privately, both White House and Republican aides say they would love to have a fight over the high-end tax cuts as a central 2012 campaign issue.
ays — the GOP is more likely to be seen as the party of big money, big oil, big special interests, et cetera,” the strategist said. “So they would be in the position of again defending bonus tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires — not where you want to be message-wise in early primary states.”
(12-07-2010 08:03 PM)WMD Owl Wrote: “President Obama has shown a complete refusal to fight Republicans throughout his presidency even when the public is on his side — and millions of his former supporters are now growing disappointed and infuriated by this refusal to fight,” said Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee.
What planet is this guy living on? Obama has spent billions on his stimulus plan, caved in to unions, took over the auto industry, Obamacare, and on and on. He didn't just fight republicans, he jammed crap down their throats.
(12-07-2010 08:03 PM)WMD Owl Wrote: “President Obama has shown a complete refusal to fight Republicans throughout his presidency even when the public is on his side — and millions of his former supporters are now growing disappointed and infuriated by this refusal to fight,” said Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee.
What planet is this guy living on? Obama has spent billions on his stimulus plan, caved in to unions, took over the auto industry, Obamacare, and on and on. He didn't just fight republicans, he jammed crap down their throats.
1. The stimulus/bailout cluster started under Bush and McCain was 100% in support of it.
2. Caved to unions on what? They got stuck with a nice tax on their healthcare plans.
3. And? They've privatized it back with an IPO.
4. A complete embarrassment to what he proposed during the campaign; it's littered with all sorts of compromise garbage that make it useless and expensive
You guys are smoking something if you think Obama has jammed stuff down the GOP's throats. He accomplished nearly nothing with a huge majority. If Bush had that majority, he'd have completely reformed Social Security, banned gays, and who knows what else. Obama is a political pansy.
I think Obama may draw some primary opposition. Not sure how much it will amount to, but someone like Russ Feingold or Howard Dean could cause him some problems. And he might well lose against a guy like those two in Iowa and perhaps be pushed out of the race like LBJ was.
(This post was last modified: 12-08-2010 11:31 AM by CitrusUCF.)
(12-07-2010 08:03 PM)WMD Owl Wrote: “President Obama has shown a complete refusal to fight Republicans throughout his presidency even when the public is on his side — and millions of his former supporters are now growing disappointed and infuriated by this refusal to fight,” said Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee.
What planet is this guy living on? Obama has spent billions on his stimulus plan, caved in to unions, took over the auto industry, Obamacare, and on and on. He didn't just fight republicans, he jammed crap down their throats.
1. The stimulus/bailout cluster started under Bush and McCain was 100% in support of it.
2. Caved to unions on what? They got stuck with a nice tax on their healthcare plans.
3. And? They've privatized it back with an IPO.
4. A complete embarrassment to what he proposed during the campaign; it's littered with all sorts of compromise garbage that make it useless and expensive
You guys are smoking something if you think Obama has jammed stuff down the GOP's throats. He accomplished nearly nothing with a huge majority. If Bush had that majority, he'd have completely reformed Social Security, banned gays, and who knows what else. Obama is a political pansy.
I think Obama may draw some primary opposition. Not sure how much it will amount to, but someone like Russ Feingold or Howard Dean could cause him some problems. And he might well lose against a guy like those two in Iowa and perhaps be pushed out of the race like LBJ was.
(12-07-2010 09:23 PM)DrTorch Wrote: Who else would they support? Nader?
This isn't a big deal.
The more havoc and chaos for him (and maybe a primary challenger) the better.
That's a good point. If he gets replaced as the nominee (and people have been speculating about that for some time) it would alienate a big chunk of 12% of the population.
(12-07-2010 10:17 PM)smn1256 Wrote:
(12-07-2010 08:03 PM)WMD Owl Wrote: “President Obama has shown a complete refusal to fight Republicans throughout his presidency even when the public is on his side — and millions of his former supporters are now growing disappointed and infuriated by this refusal to fight,” said Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee.
What planet is this guy living on?
The left always eats themselves. They're always looking for someone else to loot.
(12-08-2010 12:12 PM)DrTorch Wrote: That's a good point. If he gets replaced as the nominee (and people have been speculating about that for some time) it would alienate a big chunk of 12% of the population.
I don't think it would ever get that far. If it was clear his reelection prospects were that bad, he'd simply announce he wasn't going to run.
That way he is a one termer by choice, who can, after some time, go out and rewrite his legacy as if he was better than he was.
(12-08-2010 11:30 AM)CitrusUCF Wrote: 1. The stimulus/bailout cluster started under Bush and McCain was 100% in support of it.
so? what does that prove to you? bush and mccain were frequently wrong, and this is a good example of it.
Quote:4. A complete embarrassment to what he proposed during the campaign; it's littered with all sorts of compromise garbage that make it useless and expensive
which leaves us to wonder why all 60 senate democrats and 219x258 house democrats signed off on this.
Quote:If Bush had that majority, he'd have completely reformed Social Security, banned gays, and who knows what else.
how would bush have 'banned gays'? what does that mean? you think he would have rounded them up and had them shot, or what?
Quote:Obama is a political pansy.
did you really and truly not get that until this year?
Quote:I think Obama may draw some primary opposition. Not sure how much it will amount to, but someone like Russ Feingold or Howard Dean could cause him some problems. And he might well lose against a guy like those two in Iowa and perhaps be pushed out of the race like LBJ was.
same thing happened to truman in new hampshire. except instead of winning by a narrow margin like lyndon johnson, truman just flat out lost to a guy from tennessee. it was one of the most humiliating political defeats ever suffered by a sitting president.
the last 3 democrat presidents to have major primary challenges were carter/80, johnson/68 and truman/52. all 3 of those times, the repubs won the presidency in november. it's a long, long way to november2012, but i am starting to think that year will turn out the same way
(12-08-2010 12:12 PM)DrTorch Wrote: That's a good point. If he gets replaced as the nominee (and people have been speculating about that for some time) it would alienate a big chunk of 12% of the population.
I don't think it would ever get that far. If it was clear his reelection prospects were that bad, he'd simply announce he wasn't going to run.
That way he is a one termer by choice, who can, after some time, go out and rewrite his legacy as if he was better than he was.
Yeah, but some folks are gonna be "disenfranchised" by the whole thing.
(12-07-2010 08:03 PM)WMD Owl Wrote: “President Obama has shown a complete refusal to fight Republicans throughout his presidency even when the public is on his side — and millions of his former supporters are now growing disappointed and infuriated by this refusal to fight,” said Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee.
What planet is this guy living on? Obama has spent billions on his stimulus plan, caved in to unions, took over the auto industry, Obamacare, and on and on. He didn't just fight republicans, he jammed crap down their throats.
1. The stimulus/bailout cluster started under Bush and McCain was 100% in support of it.
2. Caved to unions on what? They got stuck with a nice tax on their healthcare plans.
3. And? They've privatized it back with an IPO.
4. A complete embarrassment to what he proposed during the campaign; it's littered with all sorts of compromise garbage that make it useless and expensive
You guys are smoking something if you think Obama has jammed stuff down the GOP's throats. He accomplished nearly nothing with a huge majority. If Bush had that majority, he'd have completely reformed Social Security, banned gays, and who knows what else. Obama is a political pansy.
I think Obama may draw some primary opposition. Not sure how much it will amount to, but someone like Russ Feingold or Howard Dean could cause him some problems. And he might well lose against a guy like those two in Iowa and perhaps be pushed out of the race like LBJ was.
what?
hyperbole
And the reason healthcare passed was because it was compromise bull**** to buy enough votes. LBJ, FDR, or someone else with a backbone would have used the initial public support for the plan and beat the hell out of the Blue Dogs and the GOP to push through the plan that Obama discussed during the campaign.
(12-07-2010 08:03 PM)WMD Owl Wrote: “President Obama has shown a complete refusal to fight Republicans throughout his presidency even when the public is on his side — and millions of his former supporters are now growing disappointed and infuriated by this refusal to fight,” said Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee.
What planet is this guy living on? Obama has spent billions on his stimulus plan, caved in to unions, took over the auto industry, Obamacare, and on and on. He didn't just fight republicans, he jammed crap down their throats.
1. The stimulus/bailout cluster started under Bush and McCain was 100% in support of it.
2. Caved to unions on what? They got stuck with a nice tax on their healthcare plans.
3. And? They've privatized it back with an IPO.
4. A complete embarrassment to what he proposed during the campaign; it's littered with all sorts of compromise garbage that make it useless and expensive
You guys are smoking something if you think Obama has jammed stuff down the GOP's throats. He accomplished nearly nothing with a huge majority. If Bush had that majority, he'd have completely reformed Social Security, banned gays, and who knows what else. Obama is a political pansy.
I think Obama may draw some primary opposition. Not sure how much it will amount to, but someone like Russ Feingold or Howard Dean could cause him some problems. And he might well lose against a guy like those two in Iowa and perhaps be pushed out of the race like LBJ was.
what?
hyperbole
And the reason healthcare passed was because it was compromise bull**** to buy enough votes. LBJ, FDR, or someone else with a backbone would have used the initial public support for the plan and beat the hell out of the Blue Dogs and the GOP to push through the plan that Obama discussed during the campaign.
yeah hyperbole, sure...
LBJ and FDR. that's who you're championing in a discussion about bloated Federal programs? Could you have picked two worse presidents for your argument?
(12-08-2010 11:30 AM)CitrusUCF Wrote: 1. The stimulus/bailout cluster started under Bush and McCain was 100% in support of it.
So was Obama, and he continued it and added to it.
Quote:2. Caved to unions on what? They got stuck with a nice tax on their healthcare plans.
So did we all. The Unions were given preferential treatment over bondholders in the GM bailout to the tune of billions of dollars. Bond holders are secured debtors, equity holders are not. Unions should have gotten next to nothing like the OTHER equity holders, instead, bondholders got next to nothing.
Quote:3. And? They've privatized it back with an IPO.
You don't understant the terminology. Stop before you hurt yourself. They still have the largest interest and appoint board members. Never before in the history of America.
Quote:4. A complete embarrassment to what he proposed during the campaign; it's littered with all sorts of compromise garbage that make it useless and expensive
Since the vote was basically party line, he has only his own people to blame. If he didn't get what he wanted, blame Pelosi and company. WHy would you compromise with people who didn't vote for your bill??
Quote:You guys are smoking something if you think Obama has jammed stuff down the GOP's throats. He accomplished nearly nothing with a huge majority. If Bush had that majority, he'd have completely reformed Social Security, banned gays, and who knows what else. Obama is a political pansy.
Reforming Social security would have been a GOOD thing. The rest of your comments are not worth responding to. It's not hyperbole, it's "candyman"
(This post was last modified: 12-08-2010 10:22 PM by Hambone10.)
12-08-2010 10:21 PM
SumOfAllFears
Grim Reaper of Misguided Liberal Souls
Posts: 18,182
Joined: Nov 2008
Reputation: 58
I Root For: America
Location:
(12-07-2010 08:03 PM)WMD Owl Wrote: “President Obama has shown a complete refusal to fight Republicans throughout his presidency even when the public is on his side — and millions of his former supporters are now growing disappointed and infuriated by this refusal to fight,” said Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee.
What planet is this guy living on? Obama has spent billions on his stimulus plan, caved in to unions, took over the auto industry, Obamacare, and on and on. He didn't just fight republicans, he jammed crap down their throats.
1. The stimulus/bailout cluster started under Bush and McCain was 100% in support of it.
2. Caved to unions on what? They got stuck with a nice tax on their healthcare plans.
3. And? They've privatized it back with an IPO.
4. A complete embarrassment to what he proposed during the campaign; it's littered with all sorts of compromise garbage that make it useless and expensive
You guys are smoking something if you think Obama has jammed stuff down the GOP's throats. He accomplished nearly nothing with a huge majority. If Bush had that majority, he'd have completely reformed Social Security, banned gays, and who knows what else. Obama is a political pansy.
I think Obama may draw some primary opposition. Not sure how much it will amount to, but someone like Russ Feingold or Howard Dean could cause him some problems. And he might well lose against a guy like those two in Iowa and perhaps be pushed out of the race like LBJ was.
what?
hyperbole
And the reason healthcare passed was because it was compromise bull**** to buy enough votes. LBJ, FDR, or someone else with a backbone would have used the initial public support for the plan and beat the hell out of the Blue Dogs and the GOP to push through the plan that Obama discussed during the campaign.
If that happened, instead of 66% of the people wanting ObamaCare repealed, it would be 85%. Saying Obama, Pelosi and Reid have no Backbone is rewriting history. Now if you said they had no brain, you'd be right.
(12-08-2010 11:30 AM)CitrusUCF Wrote: 2. Caved to unions on what? They got stuck with a nice tax on their healthcare plans.
How about taking all the money bond holders had, and all the stocks that long time worked like my father had earned in GM and handing it back to the Union? How about using 'bailout money' to do nothing but protect public employee union members jobs.
I think the Tax deal is the best thing Obama has done. The Democrats are completely out of touch with mainstream america with their attack the rich and business sector rhetoric. Most of the middle class invest in the stock market and most middle class families have between 1 and 5 million assets during retirement. If you invest in 401k you likely will have 5 million around age 70. Democrats have pandered to the bottom 20% of the social economic scale. They realized that many families in the middle class need 5 million to keep family businesses and homes to pass to hiers.
