They say Independents will love the "compromise." I am disappointed.

[Honeycombe8]

I am an Independent who usually votes Democratic and fell in love with Obama in 2004. I contributed to his campaign, voted for him, and have by and large supported him up until this month.

I find it hard to believe that Independents will both love this tax "compromise" that Obama supposedly negotiated, AND love the leadership abilities of Obama enough to vote for him in 2012. But maybe most Independents are different from me.

All I can do is speak for myself: I am confused and disappointed. I don't know that I'll vote for Obama in 2012, although I can say that I will not likely vote for any challenger.

The pro-compromise people don't get it. I'm all for compromise. I've been flamed enough in this forum for supporting or understanding past compromises. Compromise is necessary in politics. The problem for me is not the so-called compromise; it's that he rolled over so fast, and it's not REALLY a compromise, IMO.

Obama made this deal so fast, behind closed doors. It didn't seem like a negotiation at all, but a Republican group telling Obama this is what we'll accept, and Obama saying, "Okay, if that's what you want." Obama didn't make any demands and fail to get them, as far as I know. The Republicans seem to have given Obama their Christmas list. Obama did not check the list twice.

To make matters worse, we now find out that many in the lower income level will actually have a tax INCREASE. What? How is that possible? From a Democratic Congress and President? And if I'm not mistaken, the Republicans got even MORE in the estate tax part of the bill than they expected.

To make matters even worse, none of this is paid for, adding to the tax bill I'll have to pay down the road...so that millionaires NOW will get tens of thousands of tax savings every year.

To put it mildly....I am disappointed. I think I made a mistake when I voted for Obama. He has been played like a fiddle by some real political pros.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

1. Politics Is About Choices

"To put it mildly....I am disappointed. I think I made a mistake when I voted for Obama. He has been played like a fiddle by some real political pros."

If you believe that then logic demands you believe President McCain would be more to your liking.

[Honeycombe8]

3. There was a primary before the final election. I voted in that primary & gave $ to Obama. nt

[DemocratSinceBirth]

5. It Wasn't Meant As An Insult . It Was A Statement Of Fact.

Life is about choices.

[Honeycombe8]

10. As was my response. Fact: There are choices long before the final choice. nt

[DemocratSinceBirth]

13. I Understand That. If You Support A Primary Challenge That Is Your Right

I will now make a subjective observation. A primary challenge is doomed to fail. You can bookmark this post of you like.

[laughingliberal]

27. Here's another fact: condescension is rarely persuasive. nt

[still_one]

4. When we are told this compromise will create jobs, they must really think the American people our

idiots. We have had the "bush" tax cuts for several years, and not only has unemployment gone up, but those who are not counted because they have been out of work for more than six months has gone up.

The results may have been the same if Hillary won, but I will tell you, I believe she would have at least fought and not caved in to "compromise" as easily as Obama has done

[DemocratSinceBirth]

8. Hillary Wasn't On The Ballot

John McCain and Barack Obama were. If you think "you made a mistake by voting for Obama" logic dictates you must believe McCain should have won. I am making an empirical observation and not a value judgment.

[Honeycombe8]

11. Yes, Virginia. Clinton was on the ballot at one point in time. nt

[DemocratSinceBirth]

17. When I Went To My Polling Place In November Of 08 I Don't Remember Seeing Her Name On The Ballot

I too voted for her but she has as much relevance to this discussion as the Cookie Monster.

[ruggerson]

19. yes, but you live in Florida

you probably voted for Pat Buchanan and don't even know it.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

20. I Voted For HRC In February And BHO In November

I just don't see her relevance to this conversation. We are where we are.

[ruggerson]

22. I was joking

Florida - butterfly ballot - 2000 - mistaken Buchanan votes in Palm Beach...

ANd, yes I remember that you voted for HRC and then Obama. :) And I don't think she has any relevance to this discussion either.

[still_one]

23. and I believe 99.9999% of the people on DU would vote for mccain, even without palin /nt

[polichick]

2. Good to know that not all indies are "mushy middle" followers. I agree that...

...this was not "compromise" and that closed-door dealing is not the way to go. Same thing happened with healthcare when the public option was traded away behind closed doors early on, as well as drug pricing and reimportation measures that could have made a huge difference in people's lives.

Like many others who worked hard for this prez, I no longer trust him or the administration to fight on behalf of middle-class Americans - or even to have their best interests at heart. This makes Obama's promise of transparency more important than ever.

[msongs]

6. who is "they" as in "they say..."? nt

[Honeycombe8]

12. The media. Who else? Are you watching the news? "They" are reporting that

Independents are liking the fact that Obama compromised, and that was Obama's goal.

[Dawgs]

7. This compromise will make this Democrat an Independent if passed.

:(

[polichick]

9. Me too - but not until after the primary, just in case we have a real choice. nt

[Greybnk48]

14. This one too, after 50 years identifying as Dem.

I'm not so much angry, as really sad. I'm not waiting for a dramatic liberal turn around this time (like I ALWAYS di with Clinton), because Obama has expressed such contempt for Liberals. How sad. Teddy would be horrified and would NEVER have endorsed him if this had been on the table.

[polichick]

18. I worked with Caroline Kennedy during the campaign and really wonder...

...what she's thinking now. She and her children were so hopeful back then - like everyone else in our Obama office.

[OHdem10]

15. These mythical Independents. Reality in this country we have

Republicans Democrats and a group called Independents.
Gallop official has explained in speeches on C-Span
many times. Independents are people who for whatever
reason do not want to participate in party politics.
Independents either Lean Democrat or Lean Republican
They can change their vote more easily than say a Dem
or Repub.

We keep hearing the Independents as if they are this
big group of like-minded people sitting in the middle.

After the election the official from Gallop was on
C-Span analyzing the election. He said the Democratic
Independents stayed home and did not vote.

The Republican Independents came out and voted.

The way the Media is presenting this raises my eyebrow.
Sounds like one big block who walked away from Obama.
There is a difference between all Independents doing
one thing and one-half Independents doing one thing
and one-half doing another.

Is this another narrative developed to influence the
people rather than a true reflection of what the people
think???????

[ruggerson]

16. Does this mean you're admitting error

for the times you castigated LGBT DU'ers for being angry with Obama? ;)

[DemocratSinceBirth]

21. People's Principles Are Fixed Until The Moment They Aren't

.

[KoKo]

24. Agree...Compromise is important...but doing a deal in the backroom in secret is not honest

compromise. And, what we are seeing could be the consequences of that deal is sickening. So sickening that Obama had to bring in a former President and give him his own Press Conference to sugar it up so Dems would swallow it.

[FrenchieCat]

28. It wasn't a "secret" nor done in a backroom....

Democrats and Republicans met with President Obama on Novembe 30th.
He didn't announce any deal until AFTER the senate bills failed.
Your talking points are not based on facts or evidence,
just what you've heard from those covering their own asses.

Here's my facts to back me up:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=388x25899

[JVS]

25. The Senate should adopt the buddy system and appoint someone to go to meetings with Obama.

Because these deals he makes behind closed doors are really not helping.

[Vinca]

26. The silence from the Republicans says it all.

Although I still wouldn't put it past them to all vote "no" just for the hell of it.

[boppers]

29. "Obama made this deal so fast, behind closed doors."

Two years.

FOR TWO YEARS THIS HAS BEEN DEBATED.

It was part of his platform in the primaries, it's been part of the debates the whole time.

If you haven't been paying attention, or watching the negotiations, well, you know who to blame.