Here It Comes

GOPers are probably now beginning to realize how much they really pissed off the President when they held the population of the United States and the world economy hostage over raising the debt ceiling.  Now that this immense danger has passed and there are none quite like it left, President Obama has put forth his own agenda aggressively and effectively, and is taking it to them.

First he proposed a brilliantly conceived jobs bill, and introduced its provisions with a brilliant speech watched by more than 31 million people.  "Pass this bill" was the refrain of the speech, and has been the refrain of his speeches around the country--shortly to be repeated in front of the broken bridge that spans John Banal's district with Senate minor McConjob's state.  At a time when all of 6% tell pollsters that Congress should be re-elected.

Only then did the President drop the other shoe: he proposed to pay for the job bill by restoring taxes on the very wealthy and closing tax loopholes that favored fossil fuel companies and corporate jetters.  Two quite popular ideas with the electorate. 

And then he doubled down on that.  Last week it became known that today (Monday) he would propose a tax on billionaires and millionaires according to "the Buffet Rule" as proposed by billionaire Warren (rather than thousandaire Jimmy)--that his tax rate should be the same as his middle class employees.   Again, this idea is favored by 81% of Americans polled.  It got Paul Ryan to confirm his typecasting:   "It adds further instability to our system, more uncertainty, and it punishes job creation and those people who create jobs," Rep. Paul Ryan, chairman of the Budget Committee, said on Fox News Sunday. "Class warfare may make for good politics but it makes for rotten economics."  Yes, another case of that sophisticated GOPer technique from the poster boy for the corporate rich's class war against everyone else, "That's what you are, what am I?"  And it is the very best economics to return money to the economy that's sitting in some billionaires vault.

If that wasn't enough, there is this stunner in this morning's New York Times story, reporting on what President Obama will propose today to the congressional debt commission.  He proposes a large cut in the deficit and debt, but this graph is the attention-getter:

"In laying out his proposal, aides said, Mr. Obama will expressly promise to veto any legislation that seeks to cut the deficit through spending cuts alone and does not include revenue increases in the form of tax increases on the wealthy."

The Times' immediate if duh conclusion:

"That veto threat will put the president on a direct collision course with the House speaker, John A. Boehner, who said last week that he would not support any legislation that included revenue increases in the form of higher taxes."

There are going to be those who say that President Obama learned his lesson during the debt ceiling crisis, that conciliation is futile, etc., as if he's a six year old just learning about the playground.  President Obama sacrificed some dignity in order to prevent grievous harm to millions of people, which would have resulted from failure to raise the debt ceiling.  Now the GOPers have less to threaten the country with--or the President.

This fight is not without its risks and its consequences.  But President Obama is taking positions that are both popular and clearly useful and crucial.  He gave them the chance to do their political dances but come around to be partners in governing.  They aren't interested.  Now he's gathering political strength with the American people so that they might prevail upon GOPer politicians to do the right thing.  If they don't, the reckoning will come.