President Obama’s decision to compromise and cut a deal with the GOP on tax cuts makes perfect sense. Politically, he can now start to position himself for the 2012 race as the reasonable, bi-partisan leader that many Independent voters expected him to be.
In essence, this tax cut debate presented Obama with a choice: Did he want to be seen as a principled liberal that would fight to the partisan death, or did he want to be seen as more of a reasonable centrist?
He chose the latter and it will most likely help his re-election efforts in 2012.
Liberals are reaching for the Excedrin over President Obama’s tax cut move, but here’s what they either don’t understand or don’t care to understand: America is a center-right nation. The more the President digs in his heels with liberals on these issues, the more he alienates himself from key Independent voters.
Look, let’s be real here, okay? Why do you think health care reform turned into such a negative for this president? It was NOT because Sarah Palin talked about death panels or because the GOP spread false rumors about this wonderful health care plan.
The liberal Democrats can think that all they want, but they’re wrong. The main reason was because President Obama decided to push through a law that had NO bi-partisan support. You just can’t pass major social legislation like that without major fallout. Hence the midterm elections happened.
With his compromise on tax cuts, maybe President Obama is starting to get the message.
Unfortunately for him, it may have come way too late because the Tea Party movement has risen and conservatives are committed to defeating Obama in 2012.
The President’s only chance here is to win back those key Independents. It’s doable but tough considering the damage he did with his agenda in the first two years. He’s going to have to gain their trust back. No easy thing.