Surprise move on tax cuts by Obama

[GMScud]

Originally Posted by 12thMan

Again, when you say failed are you being literal or simply characterizing the left's knee jerk reaction to Obama moving to the center or not keeping some so called campaign promise? Just wondering.

Look, at the end of the day good policies make good politics. And to that end I feel the president has moved the needle slightly in his direction and has set up the tax debate, yet again, headed into the 2012 elections. There are lots of good incentives and tax breaks for small businesses as well as a good swath of middle America. Most economists have already revised their 2011 GDP estimates upward anywhere from 3.5% to 4.1%. I'm sorry, but that's not a failure in my opinion.

It will be fascinating to see the same Republicans who decry Obama's socialist ways and government spending re-litigate the Bush era tax breaks for the wealthy all over again in two years. Can you imagine, a full four years removed from George W. Bush, arguably the biggest failure in our lifetime, being gone from office and every leading Republican presidential candidate will have to make a coherent argument about Bush's failed economic policies and out of the other side of their mouth spout on and on about fiscal austerity and cutting the deficit. I think they dropped the ball by not forcing Obama to agree to a permanent extension. In that regard, Republicans failed and you can bet we haven't heard the last from Obama on this extension.

Now about Obama being a commie socialist...

So he made this compromise as a response to his consistently falling poll numbers with a distinct plan for using it as an arguing chip in the 2012 presidential campaign?