Obama and GOP Tax Cuts Deal – Progressives in Democrat Party Clearly Upset with President!

Obama moves to middle on Tax Cut Deal - photo European Press Agency via WSJ

From the AP: President Obama and the GOP have brokered a deal that included keeping all the Bush Tax cuts, plus additional tax cuts offered by the President for two years, with an extension of the unemployment benefits for over 2 million people in 26 states that expired this month. One has to give credit where credit is due, Obama and the GOP worked together, regardless of where one stands on the ideological scale of Democrat vis a vis Republican, the move by both camps to ensure the continued aid to the unemployed while taking the burden off businesses in order to begin hiring shows compromise is alive in D.C. In fact, the President offering to put more on the table for American’s working class in the form of a cut in the Social Security payroll deduction. Therefore, kudos to Obama for taking the steps necessary to at least, temporarily , move into the middle of the road, and to the GOP for meeting the President on common ground.

Not every member of the political class is excited about this “new deal”, with left wing Progressives clearly upset with the Presidents willingness to work for the people rather than the Progressive Party. NPR reports that Progressives within the Democrat Party are against any type of deal that takes away from their mantra “Tax the Rich”. Bernie Sanders of Vermont (who is a Socialist, not a Democrat) is threatening to filibuster while “Progressive Democrats in the House wrote a letter of opposition”. One Adam Green, who is with an organization called the “Progressive Change Committee, went blathering on about the President appearing “weak” in the wake of his coming to an agreement with the GOP. The latest round of “no’s” from Progressives who have held sway over the American public with the election of Pelosi and other hard-left Progressives in 2006. With this mini-tantrum, one can better understand the gap that exists between the Democrats and the Progressives, who should, in all fairness, should move to form their own political party, and leave the Democrat party to fend for themselves in the political arena. The problem with that scenario, Progressives do not do well unless they hide behind a brand as they are socialists who merely mask themselves as Democrats. Perhaps in the best case, those Unions would do best to join with the Progressives and do everyone in the U.S.A. a favor by taking up their actual “brand” instead of co-opting some other.

Progressives and Tea Party members differ in that the Tea Party, although most closely aligned with the Republican Party ideologically, does not pull any punches in warnings to both parties regarding the purity of the Constitution and fiscal responsibility. The Progressives on the other hand, speak for the Democrats, which, even if there were one Democrat left standing in the Senate or the House, that elected official should call them out, and tell them to shut up and speak for themselves. The formation of additional parties would serve the Republic in that these parties would offer more choices to the American people, and push the two older, dominant political parties to be a tad more honest.

Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of the “tax deal” package is the fact that it is not permanent, and is set to expire in 2012. This sets up an “us versus them” clear line in sand over economics between President Obama, who will campaign for reelection and growing field of Republican contenders. Progressives, for some unimaginable reason, believe the “tax the rich” mantra is a “winner” with the public, and while it may have appeared to work in the last election, it is a risk to believe it would work a second time. First, the last election was not necessarily about “taxing the rich” and some pie-eyed idea that the American public was welcoming Progressive (socialism) with open arms. What the more likely rise of the Party can be attributed to are those on the hard left and in the middle, afflicted with Bush Derangement Syndrome, voting in order to rid the nation of any Republican (including McCain). However, now as a consequence, they are experiencing buyers remorse. (The Progressives appear to have missed that development with the 2010 election.)

Should the tax cuts work, the economy begin to see a positive reversal, the job market improve, which is, historically, highly probable, then it would be a folly to campaign on “taxing the rich” who, any one of those GOP candidates would be able to say – “are providing the jobs American’s need”. They would have the proverbial proof in the pudding. Obama literally fell on the political sword for the American public in working with the GOP, and brought to light the reality of the Progressives as the “Party of No”. As Obama has clear Progressive leanings, the decision to meet in the middle to save the nation from ruin, puts him on the road to being less Carteresque. The tax cuts aside, there are myriad issues one can pick that still places the President in the ideological Progressive camp, and although one may agree to disagree on any of those points (legion), it is important for Conservatives to acknowledge that President Obama indeed broke rank and, as of this moment, should be applauded for the action. It will not diminish the fortunes of the GOP field of contenders for the Top Job in 2012 given the big picture.

One may call his move political expediency (saving one’s own hide), or what have you, however, regardless of motive, (which unless one is a mind-reader, there is no way to determine what the man is thinking), give him his due. One can also add courage to that list if one is a follower of the Beck school of thought, who has claimed that the President is in danger from “Progressives” within his own sphere that may attempt to physically harm Obama. Either or, today, the President deserves a pat on the back for stepping up.


Side note: Historically, one has to concede that Beck has a point as far as Progressives throughout history using any means possible to further Socialism, however, those murders, assassinations, concentration camps, etc., were part of the early to mid 20th century, pre-information age. One would hope, the consistent bungling of Progressives in the House and Senate, coupled with their current ability to hide nothing, (even state secrets from junior hackers who should retire to their mothers basements in Australia), would render any “plots” against the president (other than protests and strongly worded letters of condemnations and perhaps another wiki leak or two directly aimed at Obama instead of potential Progressive opposition in the form of current target, Hillary Clinton) useless.