Obama to Tax Employee Health Benefits

[guido911]

So you're saying that working with Congress is a bad thing, while being an obstructionist is something to be desired?

Come on Nate. Of all the Obama supporters in this forum, you are normally the most rational. This is not about  obstructionism and you darned well now it. It's about keeping your word and taking principled positions on issues.

[nathanm]

Come on Nate. Of all the Obama supporters in this forum, you are normally the most rational. This is not about  obstructionism and you darned well now it. It's about keeping your word and taking principled positions on issues.

If the will of the people, expressed through Congress is to tax health benefits for all or a subset of employees, it is indeed obstructionism to veto it. Whether said obstructionism is better than the alternative is up to the individual to decide.

Sadly (IMO), Obama is much more inclined to compromise and work with people who don't share his point of view to allow both sides to get at least part of what they want than Bush was. He isn't the left wing crusader many on both the left and right tried to make him out to be during the campaign. If he does sign a bill that contains provisions he doesn't agree with, it's a continuation of that general policy.

We needed a left wing crusader to offset the damage done by the right wing crusader that previously held office, what we got was someone practiced in the art of compromise and weak in the art of ultimatum. I would prefer someone who held both sets of skills.