If we do not pull together on DU, we will fly apart.

[JonLP24]

349. Remember you're saying this in response

to criticizing bad deals. What is wrong with that?

The problem with Obama is he'll start a lot of negotiations with Republican goodies, especially income tax breaks for the wealthy. I can't remember the exact details--Obama called it the "grand bargain". It included investment into job, closing tax loopholes, and a payroll tax cut -- things aimed at building the middle class which I genuinely believes he tries to do. The deal was rejected because there was no heads up given on a deal--baffling reason if you ask me. Boehner said it was "tax-and-spend liberal goodies" It was actually tax cut & spending specifically on things that help (every President spends the money on something, what matters is what is it being spent on) us and the economy. Unless you call closing loopholes taxing.

I don't fault him for the deal and would have supported it even though it was a better deal for Republicans. A bigger problem was when the unemployment extension to it.

The reason why I mention is it included the payroll tax cut, for years marketed as something to help the middle class. It does by giving people more money to spend but only if it is temporary, too many payroll tax cuts will lead to social security being cut. However, when he let it simply expire Republicans went crazy calling it a "tax hike on the middle class" which is funny considering Grover Norquist went out of his way to say an expiration doesn't count as a tax hike because Republicans weren't fond of the idea to begin with but to be fair mainstream Democrats seem to love the payroll tax cut because it makes Republicans look like hypocrites. I really can't believe the political landmines that involve the payroll tax cut debate. Bernie Sander's formally mainstream but now fringe idea on social security is much more sensible.