I just watched President Obama share his rationale for supporting the recent bi-partisan "compromise" on tax cuts. I'm pained by what I consider a show of weakness and lack of passion at this value-defining moment (aka "compromise").
I'd like to share my thoughts with the White House and Democratic Leadership, and have a draft message below. I'd love feedback from the KOS community before I send it. Am I missing something, or was this really a big blown opportunity? ...
Dear President Obama and Democratic Leadership,
I just watched your recently shared rationale for supporting the recent bi-partisan "compromise" on tax cuts. I agree with the President's bottom line contention here, and I too wouldn't want to "make the American people collateral damage to political in-fighting in Washington." But, 98% of the American public did NOT have to be in the line of fire here.
Democrats still have the majority in both houses of Congress. So, we could (and should) have gotten a bill that included an extension of unemployment benefits and an extension of tax cuts for 98% of the American public (and no extension of tax cuts for the richest 2%). And, we should have gotten this bill months before these items were set to expire. That would have provided time for the court of public opinion (backed by an impassioned bully pulpit) to hammer away at anyone who dared to stand in the way of it.
Where on earth was that fight!? Where was our President? Where were our Dem leaders? Where are the leaders who are fired up and ready to go in values-defining moments like this, not just elections? Without that leadership, we ended up settling for a weak compromise when we simply didn't have to settle.
The lack of impassioned fight for the American majority is what hurts the most here. This was a blown opportunity to stand up and fight for 98% of the American public. It was also a blown opportunity to expose those who'd sell out the majority to cater to the richest 2%.
I've been a huge (HUGE!) fan of President Obama for years, and I campaigned hard for him in 2008. I'm just so dismayed by the show of weakness and lack of passion at this value-defining moment (aka "compromise") that it takes the wind out of my sails to support the President.
I'll still likely support him, but the lack fired-up-and-ready-to-go-ness from across the board of Democratic leadership is smothering my own fire. I'm just not fired up to go out and work very hard for my President or the Democrats.
Deep inspiration of the Democratic base was a major part of our success in 2008! Lack of inspiration led to losses in 2010. Moments like this are inspiration killers.
With respect, and hopes for more fire sometime -- hopefully! -- soon.