A Welcome Sight ...
... but a little late.
Senate Democrats showed a little spine yesterday regarding extending the tax cuts to the wealthy, but as this article points out, it's probably too late to make a difference.
... after days of internal debate, and as liberal outside groups began stepping up advertising and outreach efforts nationwide, Democratic lawmakers returned Friday to a common-man narrative, trying to shake off the listlessness of their midterm election rout last month.
Their efforts came as the unemployment rate crept up to 9.8% and a presidential commission said dramatic action was needed to avoid a crisis of government debt. To contemplate $700 billion in tax breaks for wealthy people under such circumstances, Democrats said, should lead conservative activists who fueled the midterm election results to "take up pitchforks."
It was nice to see that the message was delivered by a group heavily weighted with the more conservative Dems: Dianne Feinstein, Claire McCaskill, Chuck Shumer, and Robert Menendez, but it would have been even nicer if this posture had been taken three months ago when it might have made a difference. Right now, the White House is "negotiating" with Republicans on the issue, which means the GOP is going to get what it wants: an extension of the tax cuts for the wealthy.
Still, it shows that the Democrats are learning some pretty important lessons, among them taking their positions directly to the American public in a forthright manner rather than sitting back and whining about the lack of votes. It may be too late this time around, but come January, it might be a tactic that will put a little pressure on Republicans and on the White House.
And that's what needs to happen if the Democrats are going to make a decent showing in 2012. It's also what needs to happen if the nation is going to be pulled out of its current morass.
Senate Democrats showed a little spine yesterday regarding extending the tax cuts to the wealthy, but as this article points out, it's probably too late to make a difference.
... after days of internal debate, and as liberal outside groups began stepping up advertising and outreach efforts nationwide, Democratic lawmakers returned Friday to a common-man narrative, trying to shake off the listlessness of their midterm election rout last month.
Their efforts came as the unemployment rate crept up to 9.8% and a presidential commission said dramatic action was needed to avoid a crisis of government debt. To contemplate $700 billion in tax breaks for wealthy people under such circumstances, Democrats said, should lead conservative activists who fueled the midterm election results to "take up pitchforks."
It was nice to see that the message was delivered by a group heavily weighted with the more conservative Dems: Dianne Feinstein, Claire McCaskill, Chuck Shumer, and Robert Menendez, but it would have been even nicer if this posture had been taken three months ago when it might have made a difference. Right now, the White House is "negotiating" with Republicans on the issue, which means the GOP is going to get what it wants: an extension of the tax cuts for the wealthy.
Still, it shows that the Democrats are learning some pretty important lessons, among them taking their positions directly to the American public in a forthright manner rather than sitting back and whining about the lack of votes. It may be too late this time around, but come January, it might be a tactic that will put a little pressure on Republicans and on the White House.
And that's what needs to happen if the Democrats are going to make a decent showing in 2012. It's also what needs to happen if the nation is going to be pulled out of its current morass.
Labels: 111th Congress, 112th Congress
posted by Diane at 3:00 AM
1 Comments:
Right now, the White House is "negotiating" with Republicans...
This is like a restaurant customer "negotiating" with a waiter. Except that at the Obama Cafe, Republicans never have to pay.
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