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The Spectacle Blog
The Daily Beast’s Lloyd Grove reports on Office of Management and Budget director Peter Orszag’s latest effort in the administration’s ongoing project of incrementally undermining Obama’s campaign trail promise not to raise taxes on citizens making less than $250,000 a year. Orszag is now claiming that Obama’s promise was not a promise so much as a “stance” or “preference”:
This morning at a Manhattan breakfast sponsored by Thomson Reuters, White House Budget Director Peter Orszag threw that pledge out the window. Instead, he described Obama’s “read my lips, no new taxes” pledge as a “stance” and a “preference” that is subject to study by the president’s newly formed bipartisan Commission on Fiscal Responsibility.
“The president has been very clear about what he prefers,” Orszag said under questioning from Thomson Reuters’ Chrystia Freeland. “That was his stance during the campaign, and he still believes that’s the right course forward. But he has also been very clear that we shall let the commission go do its work.”
Orszag is right that the president has “been very clear” in the sense that he said the words “let me be clear” very frequently. But it was in connection with the categorical statement, frequently repeated, that his administration would not raise taxes on anyone making under $250,000 per year and that furthermore he would deliver net spending and tax cuts.
It is not believable that the deficit commission will exclude broad-based tax increases from their recommendations. Obama and company know this, obviously, so it would be nice if they simply owned up to their backsliding and ended this useless and embarrassing shell game. The fact that Obama made those outrageously unachievable campaign promises about what could deliver while cutting spending and taxes is far more offensive than the fact that he is now breaking them.
Pete| 5.12.10 @ 5:21PM
Hey, I can reuse my post from the cap n tax blog...this is too easy.
Surely, the mainstream media will be all over this story. I mean, come on, bald-faced lie #2248 in just over a year has to be the one where they come to their senses and do their jobs, right?
The Mocha Messiah is either dangerously incompetent or just lazy figuring he can get away with anything since he has the trusty ole race card (and media) in his back pocket.
Pingback| 5.12.10 @ 5:36PM
Twitter Trackbacks for The American Spectator : AmSpecBlog : OMB Director Orszag Wal links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
hmm_contrib| 5.12.10 @ 6:31PM
Hard to believe that race card ever works; it's not like anyone ever uses racial and color terms like the Mocha Messiah. (eyeroll)
"It is not believable that the deficit commission will exclude broad-based tax increases from their recommendations." Can't they just propose the taxes be raised on families that make over 250,000 a year? Aside from elected Republicans, who would this anger?
ds80| 5.12.10 @ 7:05PM
ooooo what a fashionable little class-warfare poster child you are.
50 richest members of Congress: 28 are Dems. So, I dunno ... why don't you answer the question: Aside from elected Democrats, who would this anger?
Pete| 5.12.10 @ 10:50PM
"color" terms? Are we no longer allowed to notice what color something is? If my food is green and fuzzy, should I eat it anyhow because not doing so would be admitting to seeing color? What is wrong with you people?
JeffT| 5.12.10 @ 6:40PM
I make considerably less than $250,000 a year, being retired, but I would be angry if the successful are punished for being so. hmmm_contrib and like minded folks need to consider who these people are. Many are small business owners. You know, the ones who provide jobs and health care. When they start giving up more of their money to the government, they might just decided they need less employees. They might just close the business. I think those people let go would also be angry. Class envy is so ugly.
duffy| 5.12.10 @ 6:52PM
isn't it: no new taxes under $250k ?
Pingback| 5.12.10 @ 10:47PM
Cortina Stroller Commercial and Review links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Pingback| 5.13.10 @ 10:18AM
6 month old puppy soils in house and wont soil outside? – Yahoo! UK & Ireland Answers links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Stan Redmond| 5.13.10 @ 12:08PM
Any one want to take a bet there will be no recomendations about eliminated or rolling back all the social welfare programs, including the monstrous health insurance bill? Past present or future?
But let's not fret about tax increases. They won't be called tax increases. They will be called clever terms like "Value Reformulation Stimulus." "Common Good readjustment" "Obama Capital Cost Change" Once only has to use trickery to market a terrible idea. Just look at Obama.
Yosemeti Sam| 5.13.10 @ 12:11PM
" OMB Director Orszag Walks Back Obama's No Tax Pledge ...."
Walk back?
How about slither back?
Oldefarte| 5.13.10 @ 3:21PM
In the words of Congressman Wilson [think]..........................YOU/HE ''''LIE'''''!!!!!