Obama and the Weak Potential Compromise

When I read this post over at Huffington Post showing that the White House is buckling to the whims of the GOP, and even before January, I was reminded of why President Obama lost the confidence of many of his supporters last week.  Following the elections, Republican leaders made it clear, repeatedly, that they have no intention whatsoever in compromising with the White House or Democrats, unless compromise means that the aforementioned groups adopt GOP policies wholesale.  Only in the GOP mind is that compromise.  Now with the announcement that the White House is considering to throw in the towel for maintaining middle class tax cuts, and throwing away an opportunity to force the GOP to speak their truth that they give only a fuck about the rich and wealthy, I can see why demoralized Obama supporters have gotten tired of defending him.

Obama and the Democrats have their problems (I am tired of repeating this refrain), but at least they are trying to help those in need in our society, those not lucky enough to have been born in the right families or lucky enough to be surviving comfortably in economic circumstances not seen since my grandmother was a young girl.  The current iteration of the GOP has eyes only their true god:  money.  If you don't have it, then fuck you.  If you cannot show them how to get more of it, then fuck you.  If you dare suggest that you help your fellow man, then fuck you too (isn't that just handing over money to the undeserving and the lazy?).

If Obama follows through with anything other than letting all of the cuts expire, or letting the cuts for those making above $250K expire, then he will find himself with both an angrier base, and an ungrateful opposition.  Moreover, Obama will put himself into position to have to argue about the prospect of raising taxes during the '12 elections, especially if he works out a stupid deal to extend all of the tax cuts for two years more. 

It will be really hard for me to support someone naive enough to walk into a trap like that.  Perhaps a re-reading of the tales of "Br'er Rabbit" might offer proper guidance for the President.