The deal is more evidence the Obama Administration is resigned to allowing his presidency to be held hostage by Republicans and the corporate interests that fund them so that something can get done, even if this means risking perverse results.
President Obama plans to follow former President Bill Clinton's playbook--the same playbook that led him to sell out poor, working and middle class Americans when he was president. It will mean more economic mythology on deficits. It will mean more neoliberalism like free trade agreements (e.g. the South Korea Free Trade Agreement) aimed at using globalization to solve our nation's economic problems. It will mean more pro-business policies that come from the minds of executives on Wall Street with close ties to Obama. It will mean calls for "shared sacrifice" and austerity measures, despite evidence that Wall Street perpetrated a crime on America when it collectively contributed to the collapse of the economy in 2008. And, it means downsizing government and making cuts to programs like Social Security and Medicare.
Nothing is sacred. Indeed, it would not be a surprise to wake up and hear President Obama propose a plan for privatizing Social Security. That would effectively co-opt a lot of momentum in the Republican Party. It might go long way toward ensuring re-election in 2012. And, it could revitalize factions in this country, which adhere to Third Way corporate politics--the kind of politics that produces these larger-than-usual plans for political deception.
Now, what say you Obama supporters? People whom the Obama Administration still think will do the organizing necessary for his upcoming re-election, what is your breaking point? People who eventually will check the box necessary to give him the votes he needs to win re-election and continue his role as supreme servant to the rich, wealthy corporate class in this country, what do you suggest people in this country do?
Should we become bigger thorns in the side of the Democratic Party and position ourselves to be vindicated because we stood up and protested when Obama's toxic economic proposals for the future began to come down the pike or should we do something much more radical?
Democrats no longer have the courage or linguistic ability to argue the need for the rich to pay as much as every American who is struggling to survive. Will you tell vocal critics of Obama to shut up again this time or will you join the chorus of criticism that is growing each time Obama aims to demonstrate he's the best leader Wall Street could ever buy?
______________________________________________
Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) has indicated he will attempt to block the passage of this tax cuts compromise in the Senate. He explained why in his appearance on "The Ed Show" on MSNBC last night.
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
1
1
