So not everyone is happy about the tax cuts/UI extension compromise

[Ohio Joe]

I'm not either but I'm glad President Obama is doing what he has to so that I'll be able to pay rent and eat. Those of you that wish to condemn me for my opinion can do so, I don't give a shit. At least I will now be able to pay rent and eat.

[Skittles]

1. come on

you know damn well we all want the unemployed to get the extension - what we resent is the unemployed being used as a bartering tool for tax cuts for the obscenely rich - this is fucking embarrassing and mortifying

[Ohio Joe]

2. Blame the repugs for that, not President Obama

He is not the one being an obstructionist, he is doing what needs to be done for those of us that are in trouble right now.

[Skittles]

6. HE WAS PLAYED

[Ohio Joe]

15. I disagree

The repugs are to blame for this mess. The President did what he had to for those of us in trouble.

[Subdivisions]

18. He could helped those of you who are in trouble and we could have raised taxes on the rich. Instead,

the republicans kicked his ass all over DC.

[Ohio Joe]

21. and how would that have happened?

[BzaDem]

28. Simple. A magic wand is waved. What's the spell again? n/t

[donheld]

49. WE WAS PLAYED

[DemocratSinceBirth]

4. Yeah, But If Someone Kidnaped Granny I'd Pay Them The Money To Get Her Back

Didn't the Israelis release two hundred prisoners including a man who smashed a baby's head against the wall for some corpses.

You do what you gotta do...

[leftstreet]

3. What will you do in 13 months?

I'm glad for you, but you do realize there are many people already unemployed who won't benefit from this extension?

[Ohio Joe]

8. Yes, I do

I may be one of them, I'm not sure yet. Hopefully I will be working then though, I'll see. Still better some chance at a lifeline then none at all.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

11. I Think This Applies To The 99ers As Well

I need more info...But to throw an unemployed person to the wolves after twenty six months, as if these were normal times, shocks the conscience...

[Ruby the Liberal]

24. Actually, no, it doesn't

And I hope Joe isn't one of them or he will be sorely disappointed.

Estate tax waivers magically got added TODAY, but tier 5 (99ers) never made it to the table.

[Imajika]

46. No, it doesn't apply to the 99ers...

There is no help for them, and that group is growing.

[Monique1]

5. I'm happy for you

We may not like what Obama did - he did what he had to do with what he had to do.

[Ohio Joe]

17. Thank you :) - nt

[Angry Dragon]

7. I am glad for you

but it should have never come down to tax cuts for the rich and the people on the bottom eating.
Not your fault, but the president's

All I can say there better be jobs out there as soon as they sign that bill

[Ohio Joe]

10. I disagree

I see this as the fault of the repugs, not the President.

[Angry Dragon]

27. This is where you and I disagree respectably

I blame both the republicans and the spineless democrats

[Monique1]

12. And instead of complaining

we need to hold the Republics feet under the fire not Obama's.

[OHdem10]

9. After I saw the extent of what Obama got, out of Negotiation

I lay down my pitch fork.

Ohio Joe, my thoughts are with you and all who are out of
work. Yes, the President did what he had to do to protect
the working class.

[Monique1]

14. Keep asking the Republics

WHERE ARE THE JOBS?

[Subdivisions]

13. WE WANTED YOUR UI EXTENSION AND TO ALLOW TAX CUTS ON RICH TO EXPIRE! n/t

[Ohio Joe]

16. I DID TOO

Don't yell at me and don't blame the President. Blame who deserves it, the repug obstructionists.

[Subdivisions]

19. I do blame the President. And I won't forget it either. You vote for him in 2012. n/t

[Ohio Joe]

22. So give the details

What else could he have done with the repugs being obstructionist?

[Ruby the Liberal]

26. It is still 2010. WE HOLD BOTH HOUSES.

How difficult is that concept?

[Ohio Joe]

29. AND?

The repugs can and would have delayed trying to force UI and getting rid of the tax cuts for the rich. How would you have gone around that? Details please.

[Ruby the Liberal]

41. So let ALL the tax cuts expire and hang it around the Rs like a noose

let public outrage take over and let congress grow some balls in the next 2 weeks.

*OR* Trade 24 months of uber wealthy tax cuts and estate cuts for 13 months of unemployment (which as you noted, even you don't qualify for).

This is a BOGUS, BULLSHIT deal. If this congress had the stones, they could pass the UI benefit extension and tell the Republicans to challenge their decision in January.

[Ohio Joe]

42. That is not how it would play out

You should know full well that letting all of the tax cuts expire would be spun in the media as "the dems" let the tax cuts expire and nothing would be said of the repugs obstuctionism.

[Ruby the Liberal]

44. God forgive me for saying this

but the Cheney/Bush cabal would have found a way to get it done.

[Ohio Joe]

47. When you have the media behind you

Things can be much easier then when they are not behind you. Not to mention those douchebags had no isuue doing things without regard for the law.

[BzaDem]

30. HOLDING A SIMPLE MAJORITY IN THE SENATE MEANS SHIT. How difficult is that concept?

[Atticus]

37. The details of how to END the damn filibuster have been repeated on this site

numerous times. If you want to know how it is done, watch the Republicans when they get a majority but less than 60 seats in the Senate in 2012.

They don't defeat us with the filibuster. We allow them to defeat us. The Rules get changed any time a determined majority wants to get it done.

That is not difficult. It just takes courage and conviction. If you don't have at least a little of those, nothing "means shit".

[BzaDem]

38. There would not be 10 votes in the Senate to remove the filibuster.

There might be votes to make it more taxing on the minority, but I only know of 1 Senator who wants to end it entirely. Many liberal Senators would never vote for the nuclear option.

If Bush got rid of the filibuster like you claim, he would have had permanent tax cuts already, privatized Social Security, Immigration, ANWR, banning lawsuits against health insurance companies, etc. Yet they chose not to. They wouldn't have 10 votes to do it either.

[Atticus]

39. I didn't say the Democrats would do it---just that they could.

I do understand "nuance", but I also understand that things that "can't be done" often get done by people willing to take a punch, spit out a few teeth, smile, and go right back at them.

[one_voice]

20. I agree...

I'm happy for all those that will benefit (UI) from this. It's easy for us to play "what I would do" from the comfort of our own home. Too much we don't know. I can't imagine the weight of such decisions. If the repukes had their way, the tax breaks would continue and the folks whose UI ran out could go fuck themselves. I'm with the Prez on this.

My husband was out of work for over a year. He couldn't collect UI, I know how difficult it can be. I hope you find work soon!

[Angry Dragon]

23. It has reported that the people that have run out of

unemployment will not be included
just newly unemployed
nothing for the 99ers

[Ruby the Liberal]

25. Sure hope for your sake that you aren't a 99er.

Tier 5 wasn't part of the deal.

[Ohio Joe]

31. I am

So I will get squat but it changes nothing. The repugs caused this mess and President Obama did what he had to for those that need it.

[Ruby the Liberal]

34. Well, I hope you find work soon then, because that whole 'rent and eat' thing?

Sorry.

Estate tax extensions got added at the last minute. Tier 5? Not even on the table.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

36. What Kind Of Work Do You Do, Ohio Joe?

My girlfriend is a 9er. I hope she doesn't become a 99er. Good luck to you...

[Ohio Joe]

50. I'm in IT

I've done or can do(and been sending resumes for) programmer, QA, disaster recovery/business continuity, PM, DBA and a bunch of other similar positions.

[alcibiades_mystery]

32. Obama looked out for the working class

The so-called progressives looked out for their internet personas.

[LAGC]

33. Lower taxes on the rich = less jobs.

Why is that so hard to understand?

The higher the marginal tax rate is on the rich, the more likely they are to invest in tax-deductible enterprises like job creation.

When the tax rate is lower, they horde the money for themselves. Have we not learned anything from the past 10 years?

Wouldn't it have been better to not get the meager UI extension, and have more JOBS for people to work instead?

[ZombieHorde]

35. I am also glad you can pay rent and eat. If the Republicans had it there way, you would starve in

the streets.

[derby378]

40. I'm unemployed, and this capitulation does nothing to help me

It doesn't put me in a job or put any money in my pocket to pay the rent or buy food for the cats, let alone myself. What have I gained? Not a damn thing. What have we, on the other hand, lost? The very reason for electing a Democrat in 2008 in the first place.

[Ohio Joe]

43. So letting both all tax cuts expire and no more UI benefits would have looked better for dems?

I think not.

[nadinbrzezinski]

45. I don't condemn you

but he could have gotten this done in other ways. This is a phyrric victory, that is all.

[TheKentuckian]

48. I'm super glad for those who have been helped but remain angry that the extensions were purposefully

not tied to the unemployment rate because our elected officials wanted to play games and artificially lower the unemployment number by having folks fall off and to use as a bludgeon every few months for an election issue.

I'm also furious that nothing has been done for the millions and ever growing 99ers.