Cliffhanger
January 2, 2013 - by
We avoided the dreaded fiscal cliff, only to fall over the cliff of confusion.
I was stumped when two Democrats asked: Do we like the deal – or not?
Well, we’re told it will prevent a stock-market panic and double-dip recession. That’s good, right?
The Tea Party and House GOP Taliban are mad. That’s good, right?
President Obama won – again – on higher taxes for the richest Americans. (“Again,” because he won the election on the same argument.) That’s good, right?
But some Democrats say Obama gave up too much. Bad, right?
The deal makes the deficit worse because it keeps the Bush tax cuts in place and raises spending. Bad, right?
And now we have to face another cliff – over the debt ceiling – in a month or two. Bad, right?
To clear up the confusion, I looked at how the North Carolina congressional delegation voted.
Liberal Democrat Brad Miller voted no. But so did conservative Democrat Mike McIntyre. And so did Republicans Patrick McHenry, Walter Jones, Virginia Foxx and Renee Ellmers.
Democrats David Price, Mel Watt and Kay Hagan voted yes. So did Republicans Richard Burr and Howard Coble.
Now I’m really confused.
Cliffhanger
January 2, 2013/
We avoided the dreaded fiscal cliff, only to fall over the cliff of confusion.
I was stumped when two Democrats asked: Do we like the deal – or not?
Well, we’re told it will prevent a stock-market panic and double-dip recession. That’s good, right?
The Tea Party and House GOP Taliban are mad. That’s good, right?
President Obama won – again – on higher taxes for the richest Americans. (“Again,” because he won the election on the same argument.) That’s good, right?
But some Democrats say Obama gave up too much. Bad, right?
The deal makes the deficit worse because it keeps the Bush tax cuts in place and raises spending. Bad, right?
And now we have to face another cliff – over the debt ceiling – in a month or two. Bad, right?
To clear up the confusion, I looked at how the North Carolina congressional delegation voted.
Liberal Democrat Brad Miller voted no. But so did conservative Democrat Mike McIntyre. And so did Republicans Patrick McHenry, Walter Jones, Virginia Foxx and Renee Ellmers.
Democrats David Price, Mel Watt and Kay Hagan voted yes. So did Republicans Richard Burr and Howard Coble.
Now I’m really confused.