Where are the Dems

That was the complaint in a comment to a T&G article after the Senate had just approved Obama's Tax Bill "compromise". My response:

............

There are indeed Dems out there fighting this measure, among them Jim McGovern. - What, did you think you would get a full spectrum report here?

The stuff the Republicans and some of the talk show hosts are saying now is such outrageous nonsense that it boggles the mind, and the attacks on Obama's outrageous sellout from the right for not going far enough are predictable - and sickening.

First the issue was never ending the tax cuts for anyone. Even the House Demo plan would extend the whole tax cut for 98% of us - and extend the tax cut on their first $200,000 for the top 2% also! But you would think it was a move to crush the middle class to listen to Limbaugh!

Second, Obama's "compromise" gave the Republicans 200% of what they were asking for - by tossing in the cuts in the estate taxes that will benefit only the top 1/3 of 1%, and the cuts in the FICA tax they wanted, which would undermine Social Security and benefit mainly the higher-wage earners. The lowest-wage 50 million would actually see our taxes go up, compared to what we were getting from the stimulus bill credits we're losing.

Third the tax cuts are extended for 2 years, while the unemployment extensions are extended for 13 months! If the "official" unemployment is still at almost 10% next Christmas - and the real rate is still almost 20% - what will we have to bargain with the Republican House for another renewal of the extensions then, to keep what by then will be 6 million people from being thrown to the dogs?

Now the House Democrats, who swore they wouldn't allow a vote on the Obama-Republican plan, are talking about just taking the estate tax cuts out of their bill, to save the unemployment extensions that could have been won on a straight up or down vote without Obama's intervention!

We've been compromised and traded right into the corner. It's time for those Democrats who are really on our side to stand up to the bullies and fakirs and show some real courage and leadership!