The Progressive Option

[CC27]

kentuck Donating Member (1000+ posts)  Journal Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list    Sun Dec-12-10 01:28 PM
Original message
The Progressive Option
   
Democrats are split on the President's proposal to extend the Bush taxcuts. However, most agree that there is no good solution. It does not pass the smell test.

But, the progressives need to offer an alternative option to the President's proposal. At the present time, they control the White House, the Senate, and the House. They are not without the power to do something productive if they so desire. They don't have to go along with the Republican taxcuts for the rich.

The middle-class taxcuts seems to be the bargaining issue most Democrats are loathe to give up. But it is something that must be considered. We are living in a time they are calling the "Great Recession" and no one is asked to sacrifice. We'll continue on the same path and kick the can down the road.

Former Governor Howard Dean is right. On CBS's Face the Nation, he says that ""This is a short-term Washington fix... It does nothing about this biggest long-term threat to America, which is the deficit. I don't hear Republicans or Democrats talking about the deficit. There is no pain in this agreement. This is the easy way out for everybody, much as everybody is complaining, hooting and hollering, this is an inside-the-beltway fuss and somebody needs to do something about the long-term problems to this country. It is not in this bill." And he is right. And most Democrats know it.

What should be done?

Democrats do not want the middle-class to take the hit from losing the middle-class tax cuts. But it must be done. For the long-term benefit of our country and the middle-class, we must find a way to let these destructive Bush taxcuts expire. The White House knows this is a terrible plan. They simply have no more ideas. They want to protect the recovery, if there is one?

And they believe the economy will have recovered enough to let the taxcuts expire in two years. Of course, if the economy is better, the Republican argument will be that we cannot raise taxes at this time and threaten the recovery. We know that. It is a losing position from the get go.

What can we do?

We should let the middle-class taxcuts expire incrementally in a three-year period. That would be much less painful than going cold turkey. The taxcuts for the wealthy should be allowed to expire immediately. But that is not all that we should do.

The President has the bully pulpit and the ability to jawbone the ideas he wants the American people to hear, if he wants that to happen. He should use it. He should put pressure on employers to give back some of the profits they have made in the last few years to their employees. Many are sitting on huge mountains of cash, most gained from the productivity of their workers. They could easily make up what is lost in middle class taxcuts by giving long overdue raises to their employees.

This should be the progressive argument. We should put heat on employers and the wealthy to step up and sacrifice like all other Americans. Every employee in America should hear the President and the Democrats say these things. Employers do not like unhappy employees. We are not totally unarmed in this battle. We simply need to use the weapons at our disposal.

[/b]
Kentuck and the rest of the DUmp do not know went to quit on this topic. I don't get it.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x560927

[Ballygrl]

Do these people realize only 20% of the population consider themselves "Progressive" "Regressive"? and if questioned further the most radical of them would be single digits most likely?

[miskie]

I love the way the Democrats are all anti-deficit now, yet refuse to acknowledge the solution.

CUT WASTEFUL SPENDING.

Once seemingly endless unemployment benefits end, illegals are deported, and we move back to 'workfare' from welfare - the deficit will begin to shrink.

Also -
Government out of private business.
Government out of healthcare.
Government out of bailouts - both foreign and domestic.  

Doesn't take a rocket surgeon to figure this stuff out.

[AllosaursRus]

O'bwana is the worst! I could not believe he got up and started preaching deficit reduction after single handedly causing the worst deficits in American history!

After spending more money in two years than all our previous presidents combined, he starts lecturing us on how we all need to sacrifice! What a "prick"!

Look in the ****in' mirror you tax and spend POS!

[true_blood]

After spending more money in two years than all our previous presidents combined, he starts lecturing us on how we all need to sacrifice! What a "prick"!

Yeah, remember that line when he told people not to go out and gamble at Las Vegas? WTF?! Who does he think he is? He's not my president, that's for sure. I'll spend my money, how/when and if I want to.

[ColonialMarine0431]

The President has the bully pulpit and the ability to jawbone the ideas he wants the American people to hear, if he wants that to happen.

Gee. Last time I read the Constitution the Government and the President worked for me, not vice versa.

[jukin]

Please, PLEASE push through the biggest tax hike in American history as the last act of the 111th democrat congress.

Please call your democrat senators and representative. Tell them you are spitting mad and NO tax cuts. If we can squeak out two more weeks we could win one for the USA.  It is now up past $200 billion in additional pork from the senate. A two year extension on tax rates while jacking up cap[ital gains and estates versus having to pay an additional $160 billion in UE welfare and the new $200 billion plus in public spendin....bribes will just hammer a bunch of nails in our economic coffin.

1. There is no tax cut.
2. There is a huge amount of unfunded spending. My guess by the time it hits it will be closer to $500 billion than $300 billion.
3. Let the donks own the tax hike.

Call your donk legislatures and let them know how opposed you are to the tax cuts for the producers.