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The GOP is celebrating a huge victory.
For GOP, tax deal is win-win
By: David Freddoso 12/07/10 8:05 PM
Liberals are livid over the tax deal President Obama has cut with congressional Republicans. Obama only added more grist to their mill with his denunciation yesterday of those who prefer "the satisfaction of having a purist position" to "victories for the American people."
Obama is having a Harriet Miers moment, angering the crowd that would rather see minimum wage earners pay higher taxes than lose the opportunity to soak a single rich person. It's as if he's begging for Dennis Kucinich to challenge him.
On the Right, RedState's Erick Erickson hates the deal, which he says constitutes "subsidizing unemployment." Club for Growth President Chris Chocola gave it a stern condemnation: "This is bad policy, bad politics, and a bad deal for the American people."
But forgive me if I imagine them laughing -- just a bit -- on the inside.
What have Republicans given up in this deal? First, the deal extends for 13 months the 99-week unemployment benefits regime, instead of the 39 weeks that employers actually pay for.
If you're a conservative, this slightly irks you -- I mean, really, 99 weeks? But you also have bigger fish to fry than newly jobless people who have probably been contributing to the system for years.
Besides, put yourself in presumptive Speaker John Boehner's, R-Ohio, shoes. You've just won an election because 56 percent of Americans, according to exit polls, believe that "government is doing too many things better left to businesses and individuals." Your caucus has 83 freshmen, most of whom want to abolish the Departments of Education, Commerce, and Energy before lunch on their first day.
Do you really want your first vote on the House floor to be an extension of unemployment benefits? President Obama has just relieved Boehner of that headache. Hopefully, he will use his majority's political capital to cut spending on higher-priority items.
Read more at the Washington Examiner: For GOP, tax deal is win-win | Washington Examiner
For GOP, tax deal is win-win
By: David Freddoso 12/07/10 8:05 PM
Liberals are livid over the tax deal President Obama has cut with congressional Republicans. Obama only added more grist to their mill with his denunciation yesterday of those who prefer "the satisfaction of having a purist position" to "victories for the American people."
Obama is having a Harriet Miers moment, angering the crowd that would rather see minimum wage earners pay higher taxes than lose the opportunity to soak a single rich person. It's as if he's begging for Dennis Kucinich to challenge him.
On the Right, RedState's Erick Erickson hates the deal, which he says constitutes "subsidizing unemployment." Club for Growth President Chris Chocola gave it a stern condemnation: "This is bad policy, bad politics, and a bad deal for the American people."
But forgive me if I imagine them laughing -- just a bit -- on the inside.
What have Republicans given up in this deal? First, the deal extends for 13 months the 99-week unemployment benefits regime, instead of the 39 weeks that employers actually pay for.
If you're a conservative, this slightly irks you -- I mean, really, 99 weeks? But you also have bigger fish to fry than newly jobless people who have probably been contributing to the system for years.
Besides, put yourself in presumptive Speaker John Boehner's, R-Ohio, shoes. You've just won an election because 56 percent of Americans, according to exit polls, believe that "government is doing too many things better left to businesses and individuals." Your caucus has 83 freshmen, most of whom want to abolish the Departments of Education, Commerce, and Energy before lunch on their first day.
Do you really want your first vote on the House floor to be an extension of unemployment benefits? President Obama has just relieved Boehner of that headache. Hopefully, he will use his majority's political capital to cut spending on higher-priority items.
Read more at the Washington Examiner: For GOP, tax deal is win-win | Washington Examiner
