The 112th Congress lurched toward the end of its tumultuous first session Friday as the House passed a $1 trillion spending bill and sent it to the Senate for approval.
I am not sure why there is so much disappointment in President Obama. So far, what has he done in this process that is objectionable. Are we so bent on 'winning' the showdown, that we don't care about what happens at the showdown. Let's say we shut the government down and don't extend the payroll tax cut - is that what we want? The Republican house has no incentive to pass any bill with the Millionaire's surtax even if it means there is no extension of the payroll tax cut. I believe that the President has played his hand wonderfully, he just happens to been dealt a bad hand, if all those who are disappointed in his handling mobilize to take the congress and he still does nothing then we have something to be disappointed in. It very easy to sit in the peanut gallery with our high progressive ideals but that is not the reality that we live in. See this post. As a progressive, we are not in the majority and need to find common ground and yes compromise. This means that you give up something that you want because there is a greater good. (The payroll tax cut is the greater good over the millionaire surtax in the short term - 1 year) Again, any long term solution to a more progressive tax system must be dealt with through a change in the priorities of Americans. We are not there yet.
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