Right Pulls Knife, Left Commits Hari-kiri

President Barack Obama (image left) has bent over so far backward in appeasing the right wing’s dream of attaining huge tax cuts for the wealthy that America  -- if not the president -- will pay a dreadful price.

Republicans may have pulled a knife on Democrats in the so-called “tax deal” or “compromise” on legislation giving millionaires and billionaires huge tax cuts, but Democrats will be committing hari-kiri if we succumb.

Putting America an additional $858 billion in the hole, of course, is the Republicans’ idea, not the president’s, but it is the president who will take the blame for the higher deficit in the short run. Most Democrats, of course, hoped to let the tax cuts to expire on Jan. 1 as President George W. Bush and Republicans in Congress had agreed.

President Obama’s “compromise” extends those cuts another two years (when Republicans would no doubt try to make them permanent.) Democrats have been urged to approve the legislation on grounds it will create jobs and be good for the economy. The legislation offers tax relief for all taxpayers, reduces Social Security taxes in 2011 and extends jobless benefits for many longterm unemployed.  

In time, despite the U.S. Senate’s 83 to 15 trial vote to approve the controversial tax bill, Republicans will feel the verdict of history. In the meantime they revel in their temporary achievement. At the time, many Democrats feigned content with the so-called compromise. Most believe the “compromise” to be neither wise nor fair, even, I’m sure, by many who voted it. Senate leader Harry Reid (image right) is among those who fell victim to the Republicans’ extortion and urged its approval.

President Obama tried to bolster support by calling upon former President Bill Clinton to fortify his effort to have the tax cuts approved by congress. Many Democrats, however, believe Obama caved in unnecessarily to the Republicans. He could have fought harder and longer.

Extension of the huge tax cuts for the wealthy is neither the best way to create jobs in America (they did nothing to create jobs in the 8 years of the Bush Administration) nor is the addition of more than $800 billion to the deficit necessary or wise. It is clear to Democrats that Republicans plan to use the deficit as an excuse to cut social benefits for the middle class including Social Security, Medicare and health care.

The president has stated that it’s the “nature of compromise, sacrificing something that each of us cares about.” While his statement is true there is a significant difference between “compromise” and “extortion.” Republicans have been saying – and voting – “no” ever since his election in 2008. Their insistence on giving exorbitant tax cuts to the millionaires and billionaires while the poor and middle class suffer in an era of declining wages and unemployment, is definitely not “compromise.” Republicans' refusal to approve any legislation unless and until the wealthy are granted outrageous tax cuts amounts to nothing less than legal extortion.

Unless President Obama reverses course, begins acting like a Democrat, and starts using his veto pen against the coming Republican onslaught against the middle class, he will lose one important vote in New York (mine.) I may be a lifelong Democrat, but I will not take part in the destruction of the American middle class.

Government Versus Corporations

                Corporations

Corporations are headed by boards of directors selected for one major purpose: They know how to make a profit, and nothing -- that is, “nothing” -- is more important. Corporations operate under the economic system called capitalism under which the United States generally operates in a significantly modified form.

Corporations hand pick a president, chief executive officer, vice presidents for every little thing, department heads, managers, supervisors, foremen, group leaders and anyone else they need to insure that the organization makes a profit and continues to keep the profit growing higher every quarter.

They hire workers to do their bidding, and they operate on one common philosophy: It’s my way or the highway! Unlike government, corporations have only “the market” and, to some extent, the stockholders, to keep them on the straight and narrow.

Corporations obtain huge sums of money from citizens (through sales, including government contracts) to operate their enterprise, but it’s called “profits,” not “taxes.” Some of that money is used for production (in corporations that actually produce something) but much of it goes for the large salaries required to keep the money coming in – and for often huge profits pocketed generally by its major stockholders (including the corporation’s leadership) and wealthy investors.

The legal obligation of the corporation is not to serve citizens (or even customers), rather its obligation is to do everything in its power to return a profit – the quicker and the larger the better – to its stockholders.

                                  Government


Government is run by those who are elected by its citizens to represent their interests. The president, the Senate and the House of Representatives all work in concert with the judiciary to provide for the needs of citizens.

In the United States that means that government operates under the restraints of the U.S. Constitution and its preamble…“ in order to form a more perfect Union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense,[1] promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity…”

Unlike corporations, government is run not for profit, but for the single purpose of serving its citizens.


Through its elected officials, government raises money through a wide variety of taxes. The money goes only for those expenses approved by the duly elected representatives of the people. Most generally these include such big ticket items as education, highways and the military as well as programs designed to insure the health and welfare of the American people such as Social Security and Medicare.

                                    Commentary


The common call of anti-government critics is for government to be run like a corporation. Aside from being impossible (the purpose of government is diametrically opposed to that of business,) it would be a travesty for any government to ignore the fundamental needs of its citizens.

Government critics always zero in on the issues of high taxes, inefficiency, overspending and so-called “giveaway” programs, such as welfare and social security. Because these same critics are rarely heard criticizing tax favoritism for corporations or the outrageous spending for unwarranted international adventurism it leads one to believe the critics are being circumspect. It appears to be their true objection that the tax money is going to the underprivileged and elderly, not simply that “taxes” are too high.

The bottom line is that business is business, government is government.

Business is not government. Government is not business.

If you sincerely criticize taxes as being too high, then criticize profits and executive salaries as being too high. If you criticize government officials are untrustworthy and corrupt, then criticize corporation titans as untrustworthy and corrupt.

If business is business, then fair is fair.