If Obama truly believes his re-election turns on the passage of the "tax bill" (first link at bottom), then we have yet another example of Obama's completely inept political skills and perspective. First, if the "tax bill" did have widespread popularity throughout the country, then its failure would hardly be Obama's Waterloo (to borrow a deranged right-winger phrase from last year) since he has all the cover he needs: He tried to broker a compromise bill with the opposing party, but Congress (and he can blame members of both parties) shut him down.Second, and more importantly, the "tax bill" does not have widespread approval in the country. Members of the far left -- hell-bent on pushing their mindless and incessant agenda of "hate the rich" and stick-it-to-the-wealthy even if it means raising taxes in the middle of a terrible recession -- hate the "tax bill." Plenty of people on the right, and many Independents alike (including myself), oppose this bill because it represents "business as usual" in Washington with all of its pork, earmarks and excessive spending completely unrelated to the issue of whether the current income tax rates should be kept in place.
In short, the outcome of the "tax bill," a full two years before the 2012 election, likely has minimal (if any) impact on Obama's chances for re-election. The fact that Obama apparently thinks otherwise illustrates yet again how Obama the great campaigner does not translate to Obama the smart politician in office. He makes political blunders and miscalculations at every turn. And that fact may be the only hope that republicans have for winning the presidency in 2012 -- since Lord knows they won't be putting up a particularly strong candidate against Obama.
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/133909-obama-tells-lawmakers-not-passing-tax-deal-could-end-presidency-dem-says
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1TCwd8a780
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