The Bush/Obama Tax Cuts For America's Richest Citizens

[SwampG8r]

totally sucks

[lonestarnot]

1. Don't rub it in. It isn't working.

[SwampG8r]

2. you dont think the bush/obama tax cuts are a bad thing?

the budget balances with those cuts gone
the wasted opportunity for america is tragic when tied to the bush/obama wars expenses

[ClarkUSA]

3. Obama extended the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy in exchange for an UI extension...

... among other things that benefitted hardworking middle-class families like mine.

Some people forget that because they are focused on screwing the rich out of some pocket change but the unemployed and the working middle-class sure appreciate that Pres. Obama didn't forget them.

[SwampG8r]

4. so they are a good thing?

[ClarkUSA]

5. Do you think an UI extension is "a good thing"?

[SwampG8r]

6. answer my question first then i will answer yours

[ClarkUSA]

7. I already did.

[SwampG8r]

10. so you said "yes"the bush/obama tax cuts for americas richest is a good thing?

[ClarkUSA]

16. See Reply #13.

[SwampG8r]

12. i say no you havent answered

you have dodged and equivicated but you have not answered yet
it is a simple yes or no
do you think the bush/obama tax cuts for americas richest is a good thing?

[ClarkUSA]

19. pnwmom speaks for me in reply #14.

[Javaman]

42. Okay,

this is what got me about the extension of the tax cuts for the rich and the compromise for continuing UI for the unemployeed...

http://thehill.com/blogs/on-the-money/801-economy/134443-unemployment-benefits-extension-in-tax-cut-deal-only-goes-so-far

While bipartisan tax legislation signed by President Obama on Friday reinstates unemployment benefits for about 1 million people, it doesn't provide any additional help for those who have exhausted all 99 weeks.

The $858 billion measure provides for an extension of federal unemployment benefits through the end of 2011 but only for those who have exhausted their 26 weeks of state jobless insurance or who are working their way through the federal tiers.

The White House, Democratic lawmakers and advocates for continuing federal unemployment benefits made the case for the extension through next year but didn't push for providing benefits beyond 99 weeks.

That could leave a growing number of so-called 99ers — about 10 percent of the unemployed — without benefits soon, especially those laid off during the height of unemployment claims that hit in early 2009.

-this did nothing to help the original 99ers. it was only for new people going on UI. This is why I had a real issue with the "compromise". So he caved to the repukes on concepts that his own plan to rejuvenate the economy wouldn't work. The 99ers got thrown over the side. The new folks on UI got the the deal, but actually not all that great a deal as well.

This is why I have been against the extension of the tax cuts.

The devil is in the details.

So the repukes got what they wanted, the 99ers got screwed and UI "extended benefits" were only for new people going on the UI rolls anyway.

And when their benefits run out then what?

I think Obama would have been in a much stronger position of letting the tax cuts expire. Since the 99ers were getting screwed out of money either way, let it happen. Let the new people on the rolls get their regular UI. Then when it comes time for those UI benefits to expire, then renegotiate.

[SwampG8r]

11. yes

ei extension is a good thing
allowing it to be ransomed for tax cuts is a bad thing
but if not ei then the admin and the dems and the gop would have found something else to tie into it to make apologists able to explain away the inconsistancies while giving the rich another pass at the trough

[ClarkUSA]

17. President Obama made the right decision. See Reply #13.

[pnwmom]

14. The unemployment benefit extension was a critically necessary thing

and yes, the compromise was worth it.

[PoliticAverse]

8. So you think letting the Bush tax cuts expire would constitute "screwing the rich".

Poor rich...

[SwampG8r]

9. yes it would be a dreadful screwing of the

rich if they had to actually pay their fair share of america's bills wouldn't it?

[pnwmom]

15. I think it would have been worse to screw the long term unemployed

than to hold off, for 2 more years, on raising taxes on the rich.

[SwampG8r]

18. in 2 years you start holding your breath

the "lame duckers" make me laugh
trying to rope people in again with a bunch of horsecrap inferences of things to come
he had a one party govt for 2 years anything undone was left undone intentionally
all you will get in 2 years is another 4 years of the same thing

[pnwmom]

29. He never had a filibuster proof majority, as you well know.

You can't not know that Lieberman was an Independent, voting mostly Republican, while we had 58 seats in the Senate, plus Sanders.

You're willing to sacrifice the long term unemployed to your need to screw the rich. That's pathetic.

[PoliticAverse]

33. Yes the meme - letting the Bush tax cuts expiring is about "screwing the rich".

Enjoy your crumbs.
Prepare for the austerity to come.

[SwampG8r]

35. so when were the actual filibusters?

or were there just the "threat" of filibusters?
they have a thing called "calling the other guys bluff"
maybe we should try that one

[eomer]

40. He didn't need one; could have used the budget reconciliation process, which requires only 50 votes

in the Senate.

They could have made changes to Unemployment Insurance under a reconciliation bill with the votes of 49 Democrats plus Sanders.

They also could have raised taxes on the wealthy and increased taxes (or just eliminated some loopholes) on corporations under a reconciliation bill with just 49 Democrats plus Sanders. Or else just let the tax cuts expire.

They didn't do these things because they chose not to. There was nothing stopping them.

[PoliticAverse]

24. You really, really, really believe the tax cuts will expire in 2 years?... n/t

[pnwmom]

30. Yes, I do. But even if I'm wrong, we're no worse off.

We'll be in the same position in two years that we were then, with the tax rates about to expire. This last time we got something vital in exchange for extending them: the unemployment benefit extension. If we extend the tax rates again -- which I doubt -- it will only be as a part of another compromise.

[SwampG8r]

36. dear god ....read what you just wrote .....thats your plan?wait for the next screwing?

[pnwmom]

38. If we do nothing, the tax rates will automatically expire.

So why would you throw the unemployed to the wolves in your desire to screw the rich?

[SwampG8r]

39. were they not about to expire then?

wouldnt higher tax rates made it easier to find money for UI? higher tax rates would have paid a lot of bills but that doesnt help the narrative of crisis that is used to get people to do things that are against their own best interests

[pnwmom]

41. And how could we have extended unemployment benefits

with NO cooperation from the Rethugs? We only got that cooperation by agreeing to extend the tax breaks.

Your idea might make logical sense but it doesn't take political history into account. You seem to have a very short memory.

[ClarkUSA]

13. No, I think that those who decry Pres. Obama's compromise that extended UI seem more interested...

.... in screwing the rich than helping some of the poorest and most needy Americans: the long-term unemployed. They seem also unconcerned with the benefits which President Obama secured for the working middle-class, of which I am one. The payroll tax holiday and my middle-class tax cut will pay for two month's of what I consider a helluva mortgage. Multiply that by millions of American families and you've got a bigger stimulus plan than the official one that got passed because I am spending more because I feel less pinched.

I don't give a shit about denying the wealthy their tax cuts if it means the long-term unemployed will end up in the streets along with their families. I'm glad I have a president whose priorities are straight. He did what was politically unpopular in order to do the right thing by those who needed money the most. Anyone who doesn't approve of that is not fit to be a liberal IMO. BTW, UI is considered by most economists to be the most effective form of stimulus plan because almost all of it gets spent immediately.

[SwampG8r]

20. not buying it today sell it on down the street

[ClarkUSA]

21. I feel the same way re: the OP headline's demonization of Pres. Obama's humane compromise.

[SwampG8r]

22. thats the beauty of america

we are all allowed our own reality however fuzzily focused it may be

[Name removed]

27. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[PoliticAverse]

23. Obama's legacy "The Great Compromiser". n/t

[ClarkUSA]

25. What would you have done as President under those circumstances?

WTF is wrong with compromising for the greater good? The perfect truly is the enemy of the good.

Yeah, he should act more like Congressional Republicans and have tantrums when he doesn't get what he wants. :sarcasm:

[hfojvt]

26. what a sad commentary that is

big money is going into your pocket, so it's all good.

and that's gonna trickle down to help the poor.

[ClarkUSA]

28. That's quite a ludicrously false characterization of what I said.

Baghdad Bob, is that you? :rofl:

[Angry Dragon]

31. I am a long term unemployed and the deal he made was weak

If the tax cuts did what the republicans said they did then the unemployment should have ran as long as the tax cuts.
The republicans said the tax cuts would help create jobs.
The more jobs created the less unemployment, so that cost would go down and would be a benefit to this country.
Just look at all the jobs those tax cuts created!! So many it is hard to count them all.

You are correct that the unemployment does stimulate the economy more than the tax cuts.
How much money was the tax cut?? How much money was the unemployment??

And I will be a liberal whether you like it or not...............

[SwampG8r]

32. god bless you

and i hope that things start falling your way
where are you and what do you do and i will start watching here if you want

[Angry Dragon]

34. Thank you for your concern

However, I do not know if god and I are on speaking terms........:shrug:


I am in the far north

[SwampG8r]

37. well he never did actually talk to me

and as i have grown older mostly its just me ranting
im dowwn here in florida and its grim as all hell here unless you are a specialist of some kind