Some Democrats are crowing about the fiscal cliff outcome, and criticizing Republican Speaker of the House John Boehner for not having control of his party. Yesterday, many bloggers and political pundits cast President Obama as the clear winner in the fiscal cliff showdown.
But as Obama signed the new tax bill into law yesterday morning, some Democrats are wondering if they really got what they wanted.
The deal that Obama and Democrats struck with the GOP in the Senate and the House does nothing to protect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid: programs progressives strongly support.
Virginia Congress member Jim Moran was one of the few Democrats who voted against the deal, arguing that it raises little revenue, and leaves about $3.9 trillion on the table that could have been used to pay down the deficit.
Worse, Moran said in an MSNBC interview, it locks the US into an unsustainable scenario. Raising revenue is imperative, he said. Soon, Moran said, the interest on the debt will be greater than the country’s capacity to invest in itself through education, research, and development — the true job creators.
This is occurring, he said, as the US faces increased global competition — bad news for US workers. Instead of improving our standard of living, wages in the US will continue to slide while household incomes in countries like China, India, and Brazil tick upward.
A Washington Post article checking the facts on what Obama and Democrats said they wanted and what they got from the deal raised similar questions. The Post points out an important and often overlooked concern: the Bush era tax cuts amounted to spending in a different way. The lost revenue was never replaced and the cuts were supposed to be temporary; now they’re permanent.
Conservatives may not be able to eliminate Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid through outright and transparent means. But the deal that’s just been signed could starve the programs of the funding they need to operate effectively. Different route, same result.
This article appears in Jan 2-8, 2013.
Regrettably, precious few of the political hacks who represent us actually have the guts to eliminate Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid—at least until these Ponzi schemes have brought about the country’s final financial ruin.
But that’s for another day. For now, kudos are in order for dear President Bush, who after a ferocious decade-long battle, actually had the Democrats BEGGING to make his tax policies permanent! Sorry, moonbats, but that’s pure political genius. Luvya Dubya!!!
Tim,
If you actually believe that conservatives really want to “eliminate Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid”, you are somewhat delusional! Paying for something is different from eliminating it. I have come to believe (sadly) that you intentionally distort truths for the sake of your “sensationalist” writing style! Your writings are quickly becoming so poisoned that reading them diminishes your paper’s credibility. Can you possibly take a time out?
All hail the OBAMA TAX HIKE! The Democrats got what they deserved: a tax hike on ‘the rich’ with Obama’s name on it as well as a hike in the paroll tax the middle class will pay, also credited to Obama. At Obama’s insistance the legislation was about getting his tax hike and almost no spending cuts. The public will expect the next legislation to deal with the debt and deficit through spending cuts since the tax hikes have been accomplished. This will be interesting to watch. Can Obama insist on another round of tax hikes on ‘the rich’? Not likely.