President Obama leaning toward the Tea Party agenda?

Op-Ed

President Obama is beginning to look like a republican who is only pretending to be a democrat. On Thursday, his departing democratic congressional majority passed an extension for the Bush tax cuts for the middle class only. Incoming Speaker of the House John Boehner called the Lame Duck Congress’ swan song, “chicken crap.” 

The republican mantra has been glued to an all-or-nothing tax cut policy, which includes extending tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires, despite a recent report on MSNBC's The Last Word that says less than 40% of the American people want to give the wealthiest segment of the population any more money.

The White House response to the only bit of backbone democrats have shown in recent days was to immediately cave in on their principles and offer republicans another compromise to ease the tax-burden of the wealthy.

President Obama did not appear to see the congressional move as a victory, even if only symbolic since the Senate is unlikely to pass the measure. Instead, the president now seems ready to favor of adding $700 billion to the deficit for top 2% tax breaks.

On his path to alienating as many democrats as possible, President Obama made a great stride on Thursday. His dwindling supporters must now be avoiding thoughts of which direction he will take after the republican majority seizes the House in January. Will he become Obama the Tea Party guy?