I'm back in the undecided column on the Tax Deal

[bluestateguy]

I was firmly opposed yesterday, but I have decided to reconsider.

I am rather worried about the kind of deal that we would get in January (not to mention bad PR) if we let the tax cuts expire and a GOP House then proceeds to draw up a bill of their own: no UI, no payroll tax cut, no Making Work Pay credit.

On the other hand, tax cuts for the rich just makes me sick. And I worry that this framework makes it hard to ever repeal them. But I am now taking a wait and see approach.

On a related note, I must say that I have found more support for this deal on DU than I had expected.

[FrenchieCat]

1. with no deal, taxes on the lower wage earners go from 10% to

15%! Plus there will be no Making work pay plus not payroll tax holiday.

They are who will suffer.

The rich.....they will still eat no matter what.

The middle class will have to stop spending, slowing our fragile economy to a halt,
and Obama will have broken his promise to 98% of Americans!

[quiller4]

3. I support the deal for all the reasons you mentioned

and the extension of unemployment, extension of education credits and the change to the AMT

[LAGC]

4. Why not make the Republicans go on record by voting against all that?

It remains to be seen whether anything else will get done during this lame-duck session or not anyway.

[rpannier]

8. Your position may be correct

I'm opposed to the deal because I think it will have a very negative effect on the overall economy because it will create a greater divide between the haves and the have-less.
That being said, I could be wrong. I have been a few times in my life.
I see your position and I won't discount it out of hand because reading the future is not my greatest strength (If it was, I'd have won the lottery 15-20 times already)
I stand opposed, I hope I'm wrong -- Never understood why people are more concerned with being correct about bad things that happen, "I told you it would fail!" than in hoping things work out for those most in need.

Again...Here's hoping your assessment is straight on and mine goes careening into a ditch.

[MannyGoldstein]

2. If we call the Republican's bluff, we'll win - and quickly

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x9718692

[slay]

10. +1

n/t

[badtoworse]

14. The Republican's have Obama by the short and curlies...

and they know it. If we tried what Clinton did, they would say, "Hey, we negotiated in good faith and cut a deal where everyone got something. We agreed a middle class tax cut and an UI extension, so this is your problem". The public would blame us for not being willing to compromise.

Sorry, but we don't have a winning hand on this issue and this is the best deal we're going to get. It will be much more difficult in January

[Rincewind]

5. On Countdown,

one of the guests (can't remember his name) pointed out the about 85% of the compromise tax cuts go to the poor and middle class. And, just a few days ago, the Senate voted on middle class only tax cuts (that the House has already passed), and the Democrats couldn't get the votes to break the republican filibuster, they couldn't even get all the Democrats to vote in favor of the bill. We expect the republicans to be in favor of the rich, and fuck everyone else, but we can't even get all the Democrats on our side.

[Hannah Bell]

15. poor people don't pay income taxes, basically. and all the supposed "middle-class"

breaks are available to the "rich" as well, so calling them "middle-class" breaks is not quite the reality.

[Bryn]

6. Tax Cuts for the Rich is a very bad idea

They don't need it. They will always want more, more and will never be satisfied. Next they will go for our Social Security and Medicare. Who is going to pay for the rich? Us!

[slay]

11. And who pays for their tax cuts? Eventually - WE DO!

do you think the rich deserve US to pay for their (through paying back whoever we borrow it from - China, the Saudis, etc) tax CUTS? FUCK NO! If anything Obama should have proposed RAISING taxes on the rich cause, hell, they can afford it - AND it would have given him a position from which to bargain from. BUT as usual he gave it to them for NOTHING. I can't fully express the disappointment and betrayal (and rage) I feel towards Mr. Obama.

Why doesn't Obama hammer home the impact that these Tax Cuts For Millionaires will have on the deficit which is all the Republicans whine about these days? Oh wait I know why - Obama is NOT on our side. He's on the side of the rich and powerful - while giving usually very good speeches that make us wonder - hrmmm maybe I was wrong, maybe Obama really is on our side.

He's not. This is a pattern with him and it's playing out like a fucking national nightmare! :grr: :mad:

[rpannier]

7. Wait 12 to 16 months and see what affect this has on the economy

That's when you'll know what a great or lousy deal it was.

[CakeGrrl]

9. Thanks for giving it some thought

Who knows, maybe logic will permeate the rabid anger over some time.

[lamp_shade]

12. It's good to hear from posters who actually LISTENED to what he had to say.

[NeoConsSuck]

13. Obama sold out the lower and middle class

He is a one-termer. The 2012 election is probably going to very close, and without strong support from the progressives who supported him in 2008, he'll definitely come up short.

I'm certainly not voting for him in the general election. He hasn't earned my vote.

[Shanti Mama]

16. thanks for reminding me of the other perspective

The man is smart and calculating and pragmatic. He probably had all this in mind.
I don't believe he's a corporate stool or evil. I just don't.