Congrats to Obama on his re-election
E. Thomas McClanahanPresident Obama is due congratulations for his win Tuesday night — a shocker and a surprise to me and many others. He won’t have much time to savor it, though.
The lame-duck session looms along with the same old problems with the same old institutional deadlock. Not clear at this point where the give might come, but Simpson-Bowles might point to the key.
The concept that drew buy-in from many on both sides was: lower rates, in exchange for fewer loopholes and deductions. If Obama gives and allows a decrease in top marginal rate, that would be a loud signal that he’s serious about dealing.
One thing Romney never emphasized enough was his plan to limit total deductions an individual could take, which gets around the lose-lose fight over WHICH deductions to cut. People in general, and many in the media, never got this — and continued griping about his failure to provide details about which deductions he would cut.
But if you cap deductions with an absolute number or a percentage of income, you’re negotiating not about a raft of much-favored tax breaks, but over a single number. A realistic plan would have a very tight tax-break cap for upper-income earners.
That may be too much into the weeds for an election-night rumination, especially after Tuesday’s disaster. But our fiscal problems are getting worse and now that the election’s over we’re going to be hearing about Europe’s agonies again, a reminder that we’re on the same path, just farther back.
The autopsies over Romney’s loss will now commence. I’m not sure at this point what I can offer. I thought deep down he would win. He had a united party and a weakened opponent. It may have come down to the unfeeling-barbarian Bain narrative. If Romney connected, he connected late. Right now, things look pretty bleak for the country, from where I sit.
Hank Burns
6 months, 2 weeks agoThe 47% spoke loudly in this election, those who are on the dole want to remain on the dole. That’s a voting bloc that Romney recognized but could not overcome.
Mark Hastert
6 months, 2 weeks ago“The 47% spoke loudly” No, sorry he won the popular vote too!
I love the smell of recrimination in the morning!
Rae Thomas
6 months, 2 weeks agoAs long as the GOP maintains the view expressed by Hank Burns (and I just heard Bill O’Reilly express the same sentiment on FOX news, which I listen to for entertainment, which it is) they will never learn from their mistakes of the 2012 presidential election.
JR Beillenhouser
6 months, 2 weeks agoThe truth hurts Rae.
Steve Alleman
Kansas City
6 months, 2 weeks agoRepublicans should stay inside their bubble. Then Democrats and the new America will own the presidency for decades. Republicans are free to go the way of the Whigs.
Rae Thomas
6 months, 2 weeks agoThanks, JR and Steve, for validating my post.