Republicans Need to Read It and Weep: The Grand Bargain They Turned Down Last Year
Republicans Need to Read It and Weep: The Grand Bargain They Turned Down Last Year
By: Sarah Jones at Politicus USA
http://www.politicususa.com/republicans-read-weep-grand-bargain-turned-year.html
"SNIP.........................................
President Obama knows a mandate when he gets one. Hes not taking the Republicans obstruction laying down and now theyre going to pay. The President started off the Grand Bargain negotiations this time around by doubling the tax revenue he wants, from $800 billion to $1.6 trillion.
This might be a prudent time for Republicans to review the Grand Bargain they turned their noses up at in the summer of 2011, because chances are, theyre not going to see such broad offers anytime soon from this President.
Last year, Obama was willing to play loophole and tax deductions name games (aka: tax reform) with Republicans who signed a pledge not to raise taxes, while keeping the Bush tax cuts in place. Not so much this time around. The Bush tax cuts on the rich must go and Obama will not allow Republicans to hide letting them expire in fancy loophole language about tax reform.
The President is going to hold on till he gets tax increases on the wealthiest Americans, promising that the Bush tax cuts on the richest 2% will expire. The White House called this non-negotiable yesterday. The President has said over and over again that tax cuts for the middle class are something everyone agrees on, so theres no reason for them to be linked to tax cuts for the rich. In other words, Republicans need to stop holding tax cuts for the middle class hostage in order to protect the über rich.
........................................SNIP"