Sensing victory on taxes, GOP moves goalposts of White House meeting

Check out this statement from Mitch McConnell's office about the postponement of the bipartisan meeting that had been scheduled for Thursday to discuss tax cuts:

Don Stewart, a spokesman for the Mr. McConnell, the Kentucky lawmaker, said in an email that there had never really been a firm date. “We’ll have a meeting so that we can discuss issues that Republicans have long said can be accomplished together,” his message said. “These include reducing spending, growing jobs through increased trade and increasing domestic energy. The Leader is encouraged that the President wants to discuss these areas of agreement.”

You see what's happening here? Republicans -- probably correctly -- believe Democrats have already caved on tax cuts, so they're moving the goal posts. Now they are defining bipartisanship as agreeing with them on GOP agenda items like decreasing spending and increased energy production (translation: more deepwater drilling).

Maybe the White House thought that folding their hand before sitting down at the table would make them look reasonable and bipartisan, and maybe they were right, but to the people they need to negotiate with, it just looked weak. And this is the predictable result: Republicans are taking their win, and moving the goalposts to try to accomplish the next item on their agenda.

The most infuriating thing here is that this is happening while Democrats still control Congress. You get elected to a two-year term, not a 22-month term. There'd be no shame in extending middle-class tax cuts during the lame duck session of Congress. If Republicans want to extend tax cuts on income over $250,000, let them do it next year.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/11/16/921152/-Sensing-victory-on-taxes,-GOP-moves-goalposts-of-White-House-meeting

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I just know I'd walk away a rich man.

:shrug:

Nobody on our side has "caved" as far as I know.

I would hope that, by the time this is over, everyone will be sick to death of the potty of no.

But there's not telling with the (R) loyalists. They're obedient zombies.

movie before - different name - different plot - same ending. Hope I'm wrong.

Let's be honest. What can you expect when mega rich supporters fund both the Democratic Party and the Republicans? This isn't the same Democratic Party that was known as the Party of average working Americans, when unions were its bread and butter.

Wall Street (they call themselves "philanthropists") most of whom enjoy keeping most of their huge stockpile of money to themselves, while using some to keep the Party and their pet politicians and causes well fed are not doing this just for kicks, they want influence. There is a basic conflict of interest that will not change until the Democratic Party unambiguously (I like that term because it means no wishy washy bull shit) supports working people and when the wealthy are not the major influence.

If the Democratic Party moves to Republican lite they will make a huge mistake, because all they'll have are rich boosters but no voters. The Party needs to move left, not right and differentiate itself and the hell with Wall Street.

Let them expire.

Why frame this as a victory for Mitch McConnell, who just caved on earmarks?

Nothing has happened. It's not clear Republicans even have room to compromise so why spin that they have the upper hand?

The tax cuts should be allowed to expire.

Durbin seems to believe they will

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it's highly likely that he's smarter than most of his critics.

:argh:

but the time has come to make the rubber hit the road.

While Republicans seem to bull their way back into power using mostly misinformation, I'm not seeing the Democrats taking a stance against Wall Street bankers who are at the heart of our problem, while they reap even more rewards. Why not?