Smart Politics by Barack Obama: Middle-Class Tax Cuts Are Good for Democrats, the Economy
By John Aloysius Farrell, Thomas Jefferson Street blog
As I have reasoned here before, Barack Obama's now unofficially announced decision to put a popular middle-class tax cut in the upcoming economic stimulus package looks like smart politics.
He's keeping his campaign vow to cut taxes.
He's stimulating the economy.
He's using the tax cut as an offering to win Republican votes for the stimulus deal—or, if they turn him down, to appear to the country as a reasonable centrist bedeviled by GOP extremists.
He's making the package more appealing to conservative Democrats, whose ranks have swelled in the last two elections, and will have this to take home to their more moderate constituencies in the purple states and districts.
And by packaging the tax cut with other sweeteners in a time of fiscal crisis, Obama may avoid a months-long war (with the media ruthlessly keeping score) with GOP obstructionists over every obscure clause and comma of a stand-alone tax bill.
The key, of course, is to get it done quickly.
And I'm thinking that this puts the ladies from Maine—and maybe our old pals John McCain and Joe Lieberman—in mighty good bargaining positions.
- Read more by John Aloysius Farrell.
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- Read more about the economy.
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- Read more about the Obama transition.
- Read more about taxes.
Tags: Barack Obama | Obama transition
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Reader Comments
Smart Politics
What is your opinion about the new rule of Obama’s regarding this outsourcing tax? Can we expect a tax cut for the people who give their jobs for outsourcing?
Is there no limit?
To how much taxes can be cut?
As far back as I can remember--all the way to FDR--candidates for all offices have promised to cut taxes.
How can there be any more taxes left to cut?
Perhaps politicians have a different interpretation of what a cut is than the rest of us do?
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