... is what the GOP will run on in 2012, if the Democrats persist with the current level of spine/brain-lessness.
We have all seen the chart showing the how the cost of the Bush tax cuts over the coming decade dwarfs all other contributors to the deficit.
We have all heard the lies that Social Security is running up the deficit, and we must [curtail benefits|raise the retirement age|make Grandma eat catfood].
While the GOP has never been able to put 2 and 2 together to get 4 (just ask Karl Rove), they do know how to lie through their teeth about the legislative record. Renewing the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy will play right into their hands.
First off, let's get the details out of the way. The GOP will allow a vote on renewing the whole tax cut package, and 2-3 of them (in the senate) will vote for it. It will become Obama's tax "giveaway" (or bailout, if they can make it stick).
With the effect of this on the budget, Alan Simpson (and the rest of his cohorts who will get their taxes cut) will nash his teeth about how Social Security simply must be cut to survive. Benefits will be cut for current or soon-to-be recipients, and the retirement age will be raised for others.
Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh will rant breathlessly about how Obama bailed out George Soros by stealing your hard-earned Social Security, and the frame will be set.
If anyone doubts this is how it will go down, then you haven't been paying attention over the last decade. This is how the Republicans operate.
But...
This time, Obama has expressed a clear preference for not renewing all of the tax cuts together. He is on the right side of this issue completely.
From my understanding of the process, it shouldn't be too hard to get his back on this one. The Democrats are holding the high ground, both ethically and legislatively. The Bush tax cuts will expire, and a new bill will be introduced for new tax cuts. At this point, if the bill contains a renewal of tax cuts for the wealthy, we simply need one Senator to filibuster, and 40 others to pledge not to vote to end it.
If we can't get that, we could get Obama to issue a veto threat over this, and we could get 34 Senators to pledge not to override his veto.
Perhaps I'm wrong about the mechanics of this, or perhaps it is simply too late. But if not, how do we go about whipping Senators for this? Is there an online tool, or do we just write down the responses we get here?
(I'm a bit of a novice at the organizing part, but this really seems like something that someone should do, and if not me, who?)
Inspiration:
http://www.oliverwillis.com/... [Just don't read the comments]
http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/...
Regarding that last, I really pray that all of this "disarray" in the house is just kabuki intended to keep the Republicans complacent. But I've seen far too many of these things go wrong to be complacent about that myself.