NEITHER HISTORIC NOR HEROIC,By Louise Annarino,Jan.1,2012
The self-congratulatory exclamations of “historic compromise” in the Senate’s 89-8/House’s 257-167 (only 85 House Republicans -“aye”) vote to pass “The American Taxpayer Relief Act” which saves unemployment benefits, secures health care payments for doctors, increases taxes on earned income and taxes on investment income from capital gains above $400-450,00.00, eliminates the unfair alternative minimum tax on middle class families, provide tax cuts for students etc. leaves one breathless. This is not historic nor heroic. These changes have been awaiting action despite bipartisan support for a long time. These changes,like other actions recommended by President Obama, by appointments he seeks as the nation’s chief executive, are opposed because he is opposed. The vow of many Republicans to never compromise with this upstart president stood in the way of an agreement.
Vice President Biden,as other vice president before him, was called in by Senator McConnell to broker an agreement.So far as I can tell, he did not broker an agreement which the president had not already suggested. Nor did he call in Biden because he could not work with Sen. Harry Reid (D-NEV). He did so for more nefarious reeasons. He did so because of a lack of respect for a president he alleged failed to lead, could not understand how the economy works,and refused to cut deficits. None of Senator McConnell’s representations are true. President Obama has repeatedly stated his principle has always been to do things in a balanced way, including doing more to reduce the deficit.
It appears he enabled Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Representative John Boehner (R-OH) to reach an agreement, without appearing to reach an agreement with the president, without appearing to agree with his balanced approach and his view that government has a role to play in protecting programs the 98% need to help build a middle class. McConnell’s asking for Mr. Biden was a dodge he could sell. It undermined the president’s leadership, and his positional as well as personal power.
The disdain,even hate, which many in the 112th Congress have displayed toward our president would not have allowed a compromise with an African-American president;but, would allow one with a white vice-president.
This strategy was played out during the House discussion prior to the recorded vote in the House of Representatives. Time after time republicans stated that this agreement to concur in the Senate Amendments meant that everyone agreed that the focus ahead was on cuts to those entitlement programs which are the real cause of the nation’s deficit (i.e. social security,medicare,medicaid,Affordable Care Act);some even alluding to an agreed appreciation congress should not raise the debt ceiling. The message being developed is that this historic compromise presages accession to austerity legislation yet to be introduced. Charges that Obama policies created and increased rising deficits is completely false;yet we will hear it repeated as if an incontrovertible truth, despite every independent study,report,record to the contrary.
Senators Levin, Rangel and others addressed the Republican representatives’ misrepresentations of the the bill’s provisions, and pointed out that nothing within the bill would suggest an agreement to cut middle class support programs. The need of republicans congresspersons to save face is obvious, and the need to justify a break from the Republican Party 2013 Platform had to be satisfied; but with outright lies which create false expectations for future negotiations and compromise. This not only pathetic but harmful.
Well-heeled funders of primary and general political races are the writers of the Republican script. It is they who block sensible economic policies recommended by the Obama administration. It is not only racism which fuels such seemingly inane congressional behavior, but money and the power it carries. However, it is racism which greases the skids for the money to flow to congresspersons willing to block any government action which reduces their profit margins, increases their taxes, regulates their corporate behavior, and enables a strong middle class to challenge their control over the nation’s assets and wealth.
Be prepared for talking points which berate Obama for moving from $250,000 to $400,000, for not including sequestration or other cuts, for seeking to raise the debt ceiling, for refusing to agree with changing the CPI formula for social security and other entitlement program increases, and for a host of other “failures” of this bill. Every one of these arguments is insincere and totally irrelevant,certainly neither historic nor heroic. Their sole purpose is to deny Obama’s right to a victory lap as he signs this bill into law. And worse, to undermine his efforts to protect 98% of Americans from the privileges sought and expected by the other 2%. The game has not changed. Neither has president Obama. Nor should we.
President Obama graciously thanked both Republicans and Democrats.leaders of the House and Senate, and especially V.P. Joe Biden.He went on to discuss how unfortunate and costly it was that a lame duck congress could not agree to a broader plan. He agrees that medicare’s costs due to irising medical care needs and costs for an increasing elderly population must be addressed. Unstated is how this can be done without harming those who rely on medicare. He stated that he also refuses to have another argument with congress about raising the debt ceiling, and paying debts we have already incurred. “The deficit needs to be reduced in a way that is balanced…. (with) less drama, less brinkmanship”. He acknowledged the need to reduce the deficit;but not at the expense of failing to invest in research and development of our people and of our economic productivity, and protecting our country’s future.
annarino writes 