No. Most assuredly NOT a VAT. A one-time sales tax paid at point of final consumption.
This still seems like it’s more of a burden than a relief. Sales taxes are not the friend of the poor, as it takes a disproportionately larger amount of their income to pay the tax than for more well-off folks.
I still think Obama is screwing up politically, appearing ineffectual. But, as I posted in another thread, the following cites give a slightly different perspective.
First, Andrew Leonard at salon.com makes the case that the deal would only be worse if not passed now:
If Leonard’s reasoning in the article is correct, then the deal is pretty much a lock. Personally, I don’t like it, but since I think Obama pre-compromised (thanks for the terminology, Merijeek), perhaps it’s the best that can be expected at this point. However, Andrew Sullivan thinks that Obama suckered the Republicans:
“Obama’s ownership of this deal will help restore the sense that he is in command of events”
Sure, kinda like PeeWee Herman after he stops his bike, still standing- " I meant to do that".
Heh. Sullivan is full of shit.
There’s a reason people voted for Obama in 2008; a reason that resulted in a victory margin far more resounding than Bush’s elections. And he’s pissing it away.
Pissed it away.
I’m getting good and sick of his constant chiding of Democrats
I VOTED for a Democrat
and it seems all I got was
Another Stupid Republican.
He’s not chiding Democrats. He’s chiding people like you – a sub-set of Democrats who want to fight losing symbolic battles. And it’s not nearly as constant as it should rightly be, because he has to coddle your fragile ego otherwise you’ll do something stupid like not vote and let a Republican get elected because you can’t tell the difference between a pragmatist Democrat and Sarah Palin.
You Lie.
A battle isn’t symbolic when there’s hundreds of billions of dollars at stake.
You know that. You’re not stupid enough not to know that.
Therefore you are a liar.
Your presupposition that the battle is lost is also dishonest.
Nothing’s over until it is over.
Uh, those aren’t separate premises there big guy. If the battle is lost, any fight is symbolic. And plenty of political things are over before they’re over. Your attitude is precisely the one that is justifiably lampooned.
Ohh, you’re an Ivory tower style of liar.
Gotcha-ya!
Tell me all about how The American revolution was a symbolic battle for the Brits.
It migh be worth a laugh.
Or not.
I guess you actually might be stupid enough to believe your own bullshit.
Speaking of “Done deals” and battles that are over:
Obama strives to mollify party on tax-cut deal
That’s the Washington Times saying that, so you can take it as ‘personal gospel’.
Didn’t we used to have a contingent of tighty-righty scouts here, people who would go lurk at the rightarded sites and report back what kinds of conversations they were having? Bet there would be an interesting parallel, Trog Republicans beating up on Corporados over this. Anybody wanna volunteer? I’d do it, of course, but I am old and in delicate mental health.
Hey, he gave in to the fuckers. What a surprise. Unless future generations and the stability of the economy are the fuckers.
I always flick on right-wing talk radio during the drive home from work; the last couple of days, they’ve been incredibly pissed off about extending the unemployment benefits.
Yeah. But it’s about the only (fairly) positive piece I’ve seen. 
Maybe he’s petitioning for membership in the “we create reality” club?
Thus having moved—right on schedule—from Phase I (Getting Mine) to Phase II (Outrage that Someone Else Got Theirs).
I got a form letter from Joe Biden today telling me how the prez ‘reached across the aisle’ and got this good deal for the American worker. I guess their definition of compromise is to cave in completely. Sorry Joe: it just doesn’t spin, no matter how wildly you swing at it.
What do you think of Weiden in 2012? He looks kinda nerdy, but he has good ideas and is not afraid to stand up for them.
Same here. I also voted for him, and I consider that to have been a mistake now, even considering WHO would have been “one heartbeat away from the Presidency”.
I voted for the transparency thing, the don’t start more wars thig, the “hopey changey thing”, and the “health care thing” and fuzzy kittens and unicorns farting rainbows and puking puppies. Instead I got Bush Light" and a scolding? Hey B.O., have a nice hot steaming cup of Shut The Fuck Up.
The latest absurdity: Senate Republicans have blocked passage of medical care for 9/11 workers, saying:
Why not just pull the money out of your ass like you’re doing for the tax breaks, you hypocritical motherfuckers? Let’s see, $7B is about 1.5% of the $450B they’re willing to give away just to the wealthy tax recipients over the next two years. Of course, a lot of the rich folks are firefighters and cops, right?
I love how, in the liberal mind, taking less money away from people who earned it is precisely the same as a “give away” of money to “wealthy tax recipients.”
No. Argue all you like that wise governance is to tax those people more, but stop pretending that you’re doing anything other than taking more money away from people that earned it, not giving them money they didn’t earn.
But I’m not even that upset about it. Because, you see, I voted for Obama, and I think he’s doing the right thing. So I’m pretty happy.