Rise Above: The Fiscal Cliff's Largest and Easiest Target

The Nation's pending financial reset known as the "Fiscal Cliff" is in the news daily, and while there is much talk about the political game of chess, there is very little being talked about in the form of solutions.  And, most unfortunately for American History, even talking about compromise (the very thing that created this Great Nation in the first place) has become taboo, an excuse for ridicule from one's own party or even worse, the other.  It cannot be looked at as a political black mark, it cannot be considered an act of traitorship (I may be creating words, and I'm okay with it) to engage in a process that is the very being of this  country.  That John Boehner has brushed aside Tom Cole's call to action to take a 98% deal is ludacris.

Obama has drawn a line in the sand at letting the Bush-era tax cuts expire for the top 2%.  While I completely undersatnd Boehner's stance that the "Top 2%" of income tax returns hardly denote the wealthiest Americans, as many Mom and Pop businesses would actually fall into this category and potentially pay higher taxes, these businesses also have the ability to manage their bottom lines to reach tax efficiency.  They can use their tax professional to make the system work for them when it changes.

Obama's line in the sand is frustrating and unfortunate at best, but given the way the Fiscal Cliff works, these negotiations are to his party's advantage.  If the US goes over the cliff, everyone's taxes go up, and Republicans are square to blame for not playing ball.  So why not start with the 98% deal?  Obama has also let it be known that he's open to further negotiation, but his sticking piece is the end of the tax cuts for the top 2%.  So why not work within that foundation?  Tom Cole is ready to do so, and it seemed for a moment that Lindsey Graham was, too.

It's time to stop pointing fingers.  It's time for Democrats to embrace folks like Tom Cole and their willingness to come to the bargaining table.  It's also time for Democrats to put forth an olive branch of compromise to folks like Tom Cole in good faith.  After all, once we begin bipartisan collaboration, don't we want to endorse and encourage it?

The politics of saying big things and yet nothing at all

Is anyone else pissed off by election season this go-around? Without a doubt, the last eight years have been really crappy for most all of us, and I'm pretty sure that everyone can agree that America isn't in the same position it was 10 years ago, when spirits were probably higher than they've ever been and everyone was in an SUV frenzy. Stocks were soaring and the American people were prospering. Uh oh, 'is he about to give a Democrat's pitch?' No, nor am I going to give a Republican one. I'm not a fan of partisan politics, I think they're counterproductive.

But this election's season is turning out like almost every other. Accusatory remarks and generalizations of platforms promising the People everything....from BOTH sides. Then listen to each opposing party's message and they're conveying that the other candidate is promising the OPPOSITE of what was said. How is this helpful?

I for one, would like some actually informative remarks. I did hear a solid statement from John McCain last night, however. He said that if elected president, he will double the dependednt child tax credit from $3,500 to $7,000. I know that people near and dear to me would benefit significantly from the implemententation of that plan. However, so as not to sound biased (because I'm not, I still haven't made up my mind how I'm voting yet), I was perplexed when the same candidate said that Barack Obama's plan was to raise taxes. I'm pretty sure that I heard Mr. Obama say that he wanted to cut taxes for 95% of all Americans. So I'm confused; are the Republican charges categorically false? Probably not, because nothing in politics ever is, but what are the taxes they believe he intends to raise? And on the flip side, what are the taxes he plans to cut? When you can throw out a number like 95% of the population, you'd better be able to explain that figure to me, otherwise I'm going to think you're just blowing smoke up my ass, which I'm not the biggest fan of.

Long story short and to summarize my point....unless these two candidates stop the BS and start talking issues and more specifically on how they plan to help the people and change the country, then McCain's campaign manager, Rick Davis, is correct in saying the election would be decided more by voters' views about the candidates' personalities than about issues.

And Mr. Obama, if you believe that your personality is really not why you think you're going to get elected into the oval office, then let's start putting some SERIOUS substance in your speeches and start talking to the American people about them, not John McCain. We don't know you so well, Mr. Obama, but we really would like to, honestly. Just be a true leader and explain to us what specific actions you are going to take in order to achieve the change you are promising. And I don't want to hear that you're going to cut taxes and spend money on programs without telling me how you plan to fund these programs. It's basic math; you can't take in less money and go out and spend more without going deeper into debt, which the average Ameircan is feeling pretty adverse to at this point, given the credit crunch and all.

Okay, end rant. Begin with the info gathering!