Betrayal

I do not comment on politics lightly. I follow U.S. government process and politics fairly closely. I accept politics for what they are...a dirty business. 

The recent "compromise" over the touted Fiscal Cliff was a vast betrayal of those of us who voted for President Obama on the premise he would promote change. Vice President Biden was particularly instrumental in this sell-out of actual middle-class Americans. He convinced principled Democrats in the Senate to cave into this Republican fix for the wealthy and corporate power. 

I heard President Obama praising his own deal in a speech. He referred to it as a victory for middle-class Americans. This is a patent lie. He apparently is not very good at math, or perhaps he failed to qualify "middle class" by saying "upper middle class". Approximately 15% of U.S. households make over $100,000 a year. A small minority. Limiting tax increases to people who earn over $450,000 a year did absolutely nothing to improve the country's financial situation. 

The back-door area of the Cliff deal was even worse. Corporate tax loopholes and corporate welfare were delivered in record amounts by the grinning Republicans to their backers. For example, Federal subsidy for Puerto Rican rum production. In a time of rising alcohol abuse, the government will be subsidizing the liquor industry. This is truly toxic policy.

If President Obama and the Democrats in Congress had simply not voted for any Republican proposals, our country would be on the way to fiscal recovery with real reforms. However, instead of opting for change, the politicians in Washington decided to betray those Americans who were inspired in 2008 by Obama's promises of change.