One week ago, the President decided it was not the right time to fight.
"The President continues to believe that extending middle class tax cuts is the most important thing we can do for our economy right now and he applauds the House for passing a permanent extension. But, because Republicans have made it clear that they won't pass a middle class extension without also extending tax cuts for the wealthy, the President has asked Director Lew and Secretary Geithner to work with Congress to find a way forward. Those discussions started just yesterday and are continuing this afternoon. The talks are ongoing and productive, but any reports that we are near a deal in the tax cuts negotiations are inaccurate and premature."
Of course. It is time to get past politics. Why would this President attack people who "oppose" his agenda? That would not be post-partisan.
But when it is time to play hardball...the President knows how to turn on the burners. Too bad it was against his own party.
I am not willing to let that happen. I know there’s some people in my own party and in the other party who would rather prolong this battle, even if we can't reach a compromise. But I'm not willing to let working families across this country become collateral damage for political warfare here in Washington. And I'm not willing to let our economy slip backwards just as we're pulling ourselves out of this devastating recession.
I'm not willing to see 2 million Americans who stand to lose their unemployment insurance at the end of this month be put in a situation where they might lose their home or their car or suffer some additional economic catastrophe.
So, sympathetic as I am to those who prefer a fight over compromise, as much as the political wisdom may dictate fighting over solving problems, it would be the wrong thing to do. The American people didn’t send us here to wage symbolic battles or win symbolic victories. They would much rather have the comfort of knowing that when they open their first paycheck on January of 2011, it won’t be smaller than it was before, all because Washington decided they preferred to have a fight and failed to act.
If Republicans made such a charge, Democrats would be livid. Take a look at that again.
I'm not willing to let working families across this country become collateral damage for political warfare here in Washington.
Keep in mind, this is a Democratic President making his position crystal clear, even if it it means accusing his own party members of throwing their own constituents overboard. It is deja vu all over again. Just as occurred in the health insurance debate, it is liberals who just want to kill folks and simply have no conscience. Why do liberals hate America?
Funny how the President inevitably turns up the heat on the one group he knows will cave. Smart politically for the President. Too bad liberals/progressives enjoy personifying this song.
The President is a master at playing hardball. He just knows who he wants to play it with and who is least likely to punch back (they will run on tv and blogs to complain though). If you are not convinced of the President's political acumen, just wait until the final approach for the President's kamikaze mission begins at the State of the Union, when he declares entitlements must be tackled because of the increasing revenue gap (which of course he just recommended increasing by creating a payroll tax holiday).
The plan is working to perfection. You didn't think the deficit commission was created just for sh*ts and giggles did you?
Face it liberals, the President is just not that into you. It is time to end the denial.
(On a side note - That last comment bolded will be is campaign commercials in two years. And it will serve our Kamikaze President right.)