Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

American politics/law. I don't understand!

OK, so I was reading an article about Obama and the Republicans, and came accross this passage:

"Just a day after President Barack Obama met with Republican leaders and came out talking of a new era of co-operation, Republican senators united around Mitch McConnell to sign a letter declaring they would pass no legislation without movement on extending the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy".

So, the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy are tax cuts for rich people, i.e. they pay less tax. The Republicans want to extend these tax cuts (i.e. not revert back to higher taxes for rich people).

As I understand it, 'movement' is making concessions on something to appease your opponents. So, surely, the Republicans would want to pass legislation (to extend tax cuts) without movement? The passage above says the opposite. Could anyone elucidate please?

Reply 1

Aj12

I think the Republicans are just following their stratergy of voting against everything and holding up every bill. Look at the Start treaty. America is really going to suffer.

Reply 2

gavinlee

Original post by Aj12

I think the Republicans are just following their stratergy of voting against everything and holding up every bill. Look at the Start treaty. America is really going to suffer.

That may be so, but that doesn't answer the question. In the passage that I quoted, they are refusing to pass legislation if it does not include compromises for the democrats. Why would the republicans insist on compromises for the democrats (if I've understood it correctly)?

Reply 3

sandys1000

Are they not insisting on compromises from the Democrats?

Who does understand American politics though?

Reply 4

member569366

I don't think the Republicans understand it themselves.

Reply 5

DorianGrayism

Original post by Aj12

I think the Republicans are just following their stratergy of voting against everything and holding up every bill. Look at the Start treaty. America is really going to suffer.

It's true, but to be honest, Obama is coming across as weak and ineffectual president at the same time.

He has managed to alienate his own base whilst trying to appease the Republicans that will never vote for him anyway.

Reply 6

DorianGrayism

Original post by gavinlee

I am not sure but I think this is what the problem is.

The Bush Cut Tax extensions affected most of America. That included the middle class.

Obama wanted the tax cuts extended to the middle class but not to the rich. However, if he allowed the bush tax cuts to expire, then the Middle Class would also be hit quite hard as a result.

Therefore , he made the decision that it would be better to allow the rich to have their tax cuts then to allow the Middle Class to carry the increased tax burden. He also got to extend the unemployment benefits which the Republicans would have been favour of cutting ( I think).

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 7

gavinlee

No, the Republicans "would pass no legislation without movement" meaning they would not pass legislation on maintaining tax cuts for the rich without compromising with the Democrats. This is contrary to what we might expect, we'd expect the Republicans to want to pass legislation on maintaining lower taxes for the rich without compromise.