Eugene Robinson of the Washington Post often has difficulties recognizing reality. For the last two years, he has told us of the great successes of the progressive wing of the Democrats and of the racism, xenophobia and homophobia of the evil conservatives like the Tea Party. Even when the facts did not support his contentions, he did not stop. The old saying is that "facts are stubborn things", but apparently not for Robinson. And November's election results have changed nothing it seems. In today's Post, Robinson is out with a column that begins like this:
"It's been not quite two months' time since Republicans won a sweeping midterm victory, and already they seem divided, embattled and -- not to mince words -- freaked out."
Ans what is Robinson's proof? He claims that the Republicans capitulated during the recent lame duck session of Congress. First and foremost, they gave Obama a better deal than they had to on taxes rather than waiting for the new Congress to arrive in January.
So let's get this straight. For the last three years, Obama and the Democrats have announced that they would raise taxes on those they call wealthy, namely anyone making over $250,000 per year (which just happens to include about half of small businesses in the country). Republican, on the other hand, said they wanted no tax increases on anyone in these bad times. A few weeks ago, Obama capitulated and agreed with the Republicans. Republicans also wanted the estate tax to be abolished rather than being reinstated at 55% with a $1,000,000 exemption; Democrats wanted the 55% rate and the one million dollar exemption. Obama and the Democrats have now agreed on a 35% rate with a $5,000,000 exemption. This will keep the estate tax from all but the wealthiest Americans. It is a clear Republican victory. For the last two years, Republicans have argued that the best way to help create jobs would be a payroll tax holiday. Democrats have wanted increased government spending, a methodology that faioled when they tried it in the Stimulus Bill. As part of the "compromise" that Robinson calls inadequate for Republicans, the Democrats agreed to a partial payroll tax holidy for the next year. Again, this is a clear vicotry for the Republicans. So what did Obama get? Unemployment benefits were extended for more Americans until 99 weeks. Robinson knows that there is no way that the Republicans would ever have blocked that. Obama also got some of his small tax incentives from the Stimulus Bill extended. I guess the best analogy is that Obama lost the Super Bowl, but he got a nice gift basket for attending.
A second big battle of the lame duck session came on spending. the Obamacrats tried to push through spending for the next year, something that they had failed to do for the preceeding months. The net result: the GOP forced the issue of spending levels to move to the next Congress when the conservatives will have the ability to stop exorbitant spending. Sounds like a GOP victory.
But Robinson says that the START Treaty was passed, and he is correct. But perhaps someone will tell me why the passage of a treaty with Russia is something that the GOP shold have stopped. Robinson assumes that by voting for the treaty, the GOP gave Obama a big victory that they should have wanted to deny him. That, of course, is Robinson's mentality that blocking a treaty for domestic political purposes makes sense for the country and the party. First of all, the GOP senators did what they thought best for the country; they were not looking for political gains. Robinson just does not understand this fact. Second, the START Treaty is a minor achievement. We no longer live in a Cold War world where the nuclear forces of the USSR threaten world peace.
But then what of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. It is here that Robinson makes his biggest mistake. Robinson calls this a defeat for the GOP. It is not. The new GOP is focused on jobs, spending and the economy. It has moved on from battling on social issues as one of its major components. Oh sure, the GOP will be more a pro-life than pro-choice group. There will be a more conservative outlook in Congress than that of the left wing Democrats. But, unlike the Democrats, the GOP is actually focused on the economy. The GOP is going to cut spending. The GOP is going to be pro-growth. The GOP is not interested in "spreading the wealth around".
The real truth is that Robinson is just so concerned about finding good news for Obama that he has tried to turn a better than expected lame duck session for the GOP into a victory for Obama. Two more years of this type of "victory" by Obama will see the election of a Republican in 2012. Of course, even if Obama loses the election in 2012, Robinson will find a way to spin it as a Democratic victory.
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