I'm a far left lefty. Mr. O has disappointed me on a number of occasions. I wanted a public option as a trojan horse for a single payer system. I wanted us out of Afghanistan. I wanted prosecution of Bush torture, not the systematic regularization of Bush imperial polices.
But I have to wonder, why all the rage over this deal? Why??
He got THIRTEEN MONTHS of extended unemployment benefits. That will be (1) a very solid stimulus to the economy, which is good for everyone looking for a job and (2) more security than the long term unemployed have seen in a while.
Similarly, the payroll tax holiday will be another several hundred billion dollars in short term stimulus for the economy. THIS ... IS ... VERY ... GOOD.
People are moaning about a 2 year extension of the tax cuts for higher earners. My response is: who cares?? Who really cares about the deficit besides crazy right wingers? Even then, they don't care, they just use it as an excuse to axe social programs. And, getting Republicans to agree with this makes them complicit in the Nazi/Socialist/Communist notion that OUR ECONOMY NEEDS SHORT TERM STIMULUS.
Now, I hate bankers. I hate hedge fund pirates. I sincerely think that they are destroying our country. But what matters more than taking away their money is GIVING money to people in the middle class. Stimulating our economy so recent grads and long term unemployed get JOBS.
This may not be close to enough stimulus, but this is much better than I though we would see. I thought Rs would deliberately starve the economy just to screw over Mr. O in 2012.
This is a TEMPORARY extension. Not a permanent one. If we need to pay off some rich people so that long term unemployed can put food on the table for another year, so be it.
Now, is there plenty not to like? Sure. First of all, not enough stimulus -- obviously. Tax cuts don't have a solid multiplier effect. No state aid.
Also, I don't like the estate tax compromise. I'd prefer it was closer to 70% than 35%.
And, I guess, if people think that the payroll tax holiday is a trojan horse to cut social security, I don't like that. But, I'm sorry, I don't see social security being cut any time soon. Ask Sharron Angle how politically feasible that is. Ask Marco Rubio why his rhetoric changed on the issue so quickly.
Please, please explain why this is such a bad deal? You think that hedge fund pirates would stop killing us if they had to pay 5% more taxes? Really?
I don't think so.
You care about the budget deficit? Really? Because I don't. I care about social spending. I care, in the short term, about any kind of effective stimulus spending so that PEOPLE CAN GET BACK TO WORK.
TELL ME WHY THIS IS SUCH A BAD THING, PLEASE!