I’d like to report that the story Obama announces compromise on extending tax cuts is a satirical piece that I made up myself.  Unfortunately it appears to be true.  The headline to this blog article that I made up myself also appears to be true. How will the President negotiate with Republicans after this decision? The Republicans don’t have to  wonder when the President will ever have the courage to take a stand.  He just announced that he never will.

The following are real quotes from the real article:

Obama insisted that it “would be a grave injustice to allow these” tax cuts to expire.

‘We cannot play politics,” Obama said.

I wonder what business Obama thinks he is in? He is a politician and all the members of Congress are politicians, but he doesn’t want to play politics.  Maybe that is the problem.  He shouldn’t be playing politics he should be doing a professional job of politics. If he doesn’t wake up, the Republicans will be playing politics on his head for the next two years.  He won’t have to worry about the four years after that.  Perhaps only a Republican would vote for him in 2012 since he has been so accommodating.  If things don’t start turning around, this Democrat won’t be voting for Obama in 2012.

I have called Senators Kerry and Brown urging them to vote no on any extensions of the tax cuts to the wealthy.  Perhaps the Congress can save Obama from himself.

A minority of 40% Republicans in the Senate gets their way every time against a majority of Democrats in the House and a Democratic President. If the parties were reversed so that the Republicans held the Presidency, the majority of the House and the majority of the Senate, you know that the Democrats would be even more feckless than when they are in the majority.  It looks like heads the Republicans win and tails the Democrats lose.

The problem with this situation is that all the citizens lose.  Even the marginally rich will rue the day that Obama gave in.  When the U.S. defaults on its debt because of the Bush tax cuts and the currency becomes worthless, only the most wealthy will have anything left with which to enjoy life.

I have just watched the first 4 minutes of Obama’s 9 minute press conference that is posted on C-Span.  The only people to whom it was apparent that the Republicans wouldn’t give in are those who are  unwilling to call their bluff.  If they know you won’t call them on it, then they might as well insist that everything has to be their way.  That’s what I would do when faced with such a weak opponent.  How far is Obama willing to let things deteriorate before he is willing to call their bluff?  I am sure the Republicans will keep pushing the envelope.  I am not sure there is a point where Obama will say, “Enough!” Obama wouldn’t be facing the problem he is now if he had been willing to stand up earlier. Every opportunity he misses makes his stance at the next line in the sand even less credible. I don’t know why he can’t see this.

How do you think our country’s foreign adversaries take the measure of the man when they look at his behavior against domestic opposition?

This kind of weakness might even be the cause for getting an elbow jammed in your mouth on the basketball court.