"If we did, would it really make any difference? Or is it just a political problem? "
What the House Republicans should do, but won’t, is pass a bill as quickly as possible that (1) accepts Obama’s formula that the “Bush-era tax cuts” be extended for those making less than $250,000/yr., with rates returning to the Clinton era rates for those making more, and (2) be otherwise absolutely, completely free of any other provision or stipulation, i.e. no trying to tie this tax increase to any other agenda, such as debt limits or spending targets. Just say yes, we accept the President’s leadership on this, and the results of the last election. At that point, the ball would be squarely in the Obamunists court to make legitimate proposals concerning spending, debt levels, and saving and re-structuring the big money programs, while at the same time the reality of Obamascare is kicking in as it’s provisions start to be fully implemented (i.e. rammed down our throats). The Republicans could laugh their way to the briar patch.
But, no, they will choose to fight to the death over an issue that the overwhelming majority of the American people disagree with them on and have no sympathy for. If they manage to rattle the markets and the general public to the same extent that they did over the debt ceiling crisis, so much the better. We might then not even have to wait for the 2014 mid-terms to sweep the Democrats back into control of the House, as the citizens start looking for recall provisions. Obama can spend the next two years beating them over the head with the tax breaks for millionaires line, while the Republicans appeal to people who don’t know any “job creators” to worry that these “job creators” will have to go back to paying the same rates that they were paying before the Republicans started not one, but two, losing, unpaid for, trillion dollar wars (dollar cost a loose estimate, it’s not worth looking up). And the Republicans will think that they can win that political argument because, well, they said the words “job creators”. Which, in my opinion, is not going to fly.
Just my two cents. |
