Legal Commentary

Political Bargaining: I Want A Pony, But I'll Take That Pen

By Big Tent Democrat

Peter Griffin: First, I will return Joe's pool. In exchange, I demand access to it on alternate weekends.

Joe: No.
Peter: Accepted. I also demand to remain my own independent nation.
Mayor Adam West: Absolutely not.
Peter: How about you just give me your pen?
Mayor Adam West: You mean this cheap little pen we have millions of back at the office?
Peter: Yeah.
Mayor Adam West: No - Family Guy Petoria episode

Jon Cohn on the Peter Orszag School of Bargaining:

If it were merely a matter of economics, Orszag is saying, then it would make sense to extend only those tax cuts that benefit lower- and middle-income workers--and to do so temporarily, letting even those cuts lapse once the economy is stronger. But [. . .] Orszag thinks it would be worth giving Republicans an extension of those tax cuts, too, as long as the Republicans agree to keep all of the tax cuts temporary. It’s fair to ask whether such a deal could hold. [. . .] It’s also fair to ask whether, as a very recently departed member of the administration, Orszag should be making strategic proposals at odds with the White House bargaining position--which, as Sam Stein notes at Huffington Post, is to oppose any extension of tax cuts for the wealthy, even as a hold-your-nose kind of compromise.

Heh. You think Cohn? Maybe President Obama could announce the same position? Beyond that, the reality is the Bush Tax Cuts will expire if nothing is done. Dems need only propose middle class tax cuts. Let the GOP and the Blue Dogs vote against them. Let's put it this way, if Dems can not bargain from THIS position, the party should just fold.

Speaking for me only

Full post as published by TalkLeft on September 08, 2010 (boomark / email).