With Republicans taking
the art of obstructionism to a new high (or is it low?), it seems to me that the President could make a statement along the lines of,
It's up to the House and Senate what legislation they pass during the remainder of the term, although I'm willing to help bring the sides together if it's helpful. But I can tell you this: The Republicans have chosen to lock down the legislative process unless we pass $70 billion dollars per year in tax cuts for the wealthiest five percent of Americans. My party wants to see aid for the unemployed, for working families, and to continue to work toward the reduction of nuclear weapons around the globe. They have their priorities and we have ours.
Here's my position: I'm not signing any legislation until I have on my desk bills that do the following: (Insert list here). If the Republicans insist on raising taxes on all Americans because they can't cut taxes for the wealthiest, if they insist upon harming working families in the name of cutting taxes for the rich, if they insist upon adding to our budget deficit and national debt to give $70 billion to those who need it the least, the price they will pay is this: The tax increases they scheduled back when Bush was President will come into effect and that Republican tax increase will affect every American. These are after all Republican tax increases, resulting from a law passed by President Bush and a Republican Congress.
The Republicans can work with their Democratic colleagues and try to reach a principled compromise. They can pass separate legislation that helps people other than the rich. Or they can continue to obstruct the legislative process and the tax increases they scheduled will harm everybody. I know there are enough principled Republicans that we can avoid gridlock and move forward in a bipartisan fashion. But I will not stand for the Republicans holding the nation hostage to extort $70 billion per year for a privileged few.
Like that'll happen, right?
Of course note. The Venn diagram between the interests the Democrats serve and the interests the Republicans serve has roughly a 96% overlap, with most issues that would primarily affect ordinary working people falling outside of both circles.
ReplyDelete