Things More Important Than Politics

It would have been easy for us today to write about the tax cut and unemployment insurance deal. Lord knows, a million other publications online and offline will still be talking about that subject today and probably through the end of this week. We even had planned to write one more commentary on it ourselves for this edition.

Sometimes, however, there are things more important than politics.
So today, we just want take a moment and acknowledge the holidays - and death.

For some of the readers of this publication, the death of Elizabeth Edwards on Tuesday from metastasized breast cancer, came as somewhat of a shock. It wasn't as though the world hadn't known she had a terminal prognosis. She announced that she had cancer the day after the 2004 Elections, and dealt with its effects for much of the next six years.

What stuck with us today, and changed the tenor of our words to you, is that the family of Elizabeth Edwards are not the only people who are having a difficult time dealing the loss of a loved one this holiday.

The passing of grandparents and spouses, children and friends... from age, from disease, from accidents - and from war, continues to affect us. We've discovered that more than a few of the people we care about in our personal and professional circles seem to be having a tough time handling the death of a loved one at this time of year.

Dealing with the death of people we care about isn't ever an easy thing - especially during the holidays, when everyone is trying to be happy and peaceful. "Merry Christmas," or "Happy Hanukkah," we shout to one another, even if we don't feel much of the spirit in us, as if faking it will somehow spark us to believe again.

The magical trick is, that if we let it, that positivity, that hope that we feign for others, really can help us deal with our losses. Whether we celebrate Christmas or Hanukkah, Eid or Solstice, Kwanzaa, Boxing Day, or any other holiday, now more than ever we need to remember each other, and what this season is really about. It is a season of hope - something we think so many of those gone from us would tell us to focus upon, if they could.

Our hearts go out to the Edwards family, as they do to all of our readers who are dealing with the loss of of a friend or family member during this season. We think Ms. Edward's final message to the world is one well worth reading - and remembering - for all of us:

"You all know that I have been sustained throughout my life by three saving graces -- my family, my friends, and a faith in the power of resilience and hope. These graces have carried me through difficult times and they have brought more joy to the good times than I ever could have imagined. The days of our lives, for all of us, are numbered. We know that. And, yes, there are certainly times when we aren't able to muster as much strength and patience as we would like. It's called being human. But I have found that in the simple act of living with hope, and in the daily effort to have a positive impact in the world, the days I do have are made all the more meaningful and precious. And for that I am grateful. It isn't possible to put into words the love and gratitude I feel to everyone who has and continues to support and inspire me every day. To you I simply say: you know."

Please join us in a heartfelt farewell and blessing to a truly great lady.

More Games In Washington: But Is It "Let's Make A Deal"? Or Chess?

As we began gathering items for today's edition yesterday, there was a flurry of activity in Washington, as news leaked out. A short time later, those leaks were confirmed when President Obama announced that a deal between the White House and Congressional Republicans on extending the Bush Tax Cuts is nearly complete.

You can probably assume - and rightly so - based on Monday's commentary, that we're not entirely pleased with the results of those negotiations. It continues to seem like our politicians are playing political games with the futures of Americans while we can't afford to do anything but watch.

For what it's worth, the President outlined the deal Monday evening, and there are at least a few valuable things most pundits didn't see coming.

Yes, the Bush tax cuts, for ALL income levels, would be continued for another two years. As some GOP leaders telegraphed over the weekend, Republicans also finally caved on extending unemployment benefits for all jobless Americans, for an additional 13 months. Something almost no one saw as being added to this compromise is the inclusion of a two percent, one year payroll tax reduction, nearly identical to one that President Obama got passed in his 2009 stimulus bill.

Some other sops to both Republicans and Democrats have also been added to this tentative deal, including business investment deductions, as well as college, child, and income-dependent tax credits.

Persons from nearly every political faction can find consolation that their rivals are also unhappy. Liberals thought the President should fight Republicans harder. Progressives and old-fashioned fiscal conservatives bemoaned that this deal, like the Bush Tax Cuts before it, remain unpaid for. Far-right wing conservatives weren't happy because it looks like the unemployed will get some assistance after all. Even President Obama displayed a clear dislike for this compromise.

There appears to be at least a small glimmer of hope still alive, however, as President Obama in his announcement made it clear that these new tax cuts WILL expire in two years as part of major deficit reductions.

In two years - just in time for fiscal hypocrites in Washington to have to defend unaffordable tax cuts for the rich, in a Presidential election year, with an incumbent President.

There are those who've already said this may be President Obama's first move in the 2012 political election cycle. That could be, and if it is, we think it's the kind of wise move from him we've seen too little of these last two years.

For too many Americans, however, this economic gamesmanship is still a game that only the rich and corporate America can afford to play in the long term.

Cowards, Liars And Hypocrites: Kind Words For So-Called Leaders

After a weekend filled with chaperoning high-school kids and flipping burgers at a camp out to help the poor, as we come back to work this week, the actions of political leaders in Washington, DC are more of a cold slap in face to us than the current weather.

To say Republican leaders like Mitch McConnell are acting like anything other than hypocritical, whiney, spoiled babies is being needlessly kind to them.

To say President Obama and his administration have been incompetent in using their political playbook with Congressional Republicans is to say Husker Offensive Coordinator Shawn Watson is the Einstein of college football.

In short, the idiots and cowards are running the asylum in DC right now, especially on the topic of the expiring Bush Tax Cuts.

In case you weren't doing so over the weekend, we've kept up with the news, and are well aware of the now-admitted fact that twisted members of the Bush Administration set a political trap for the current occupant of the White House, by setting their tax cuts to disappear at the end of 2010. You may also have missed the votes in the Senate this weekend where Republican Senators voted firmly AGAINST tax cuts for all Americans - only because those cuts wouldn't have given wealthy Americans an even bigger tax break (which, as we've pointed our previously, they don't need).

What growing numbers of Americans haven't missed is the continual dueling claims by so-called political leaders on both sides.

On the Right, Republican leaders constantly claim they're more fiscally responsible. However, the most fiscally responsible thing to do regarding taxes would be to simply let the Bush Tax Cuts expire. America simply can't afford to lose $4 Trillion in revenue over the next decade. The second most fiscally responsible thing would be to agree to let the tax cuts for the rich expire - as $60 billion dollars could fill many of the other needs Republican leaders facetiously claim to care about. Still, McConnell and other Republicans continue to hold the entire government hostage with their hypocrisy, on everything from national and international security interests to help for the poor during the holidays. Until they get their pacifier of tax cuts for the rich, their fake wailing about fiscal conservatism is sadly sure to continue.

Likewise, President Obama has claimed for most of the last three years - even on the campaign trail - that we can not, in any way, allow the fiscally unsound tax cuts for the top 2% to continue. But now all signs point to him now agreeing to some sort of arrangement with Congressional Republicans where the rich will keep their unnecessary cushion, even temporarily. Regardless of what the White House is leaking, if past history is any measuring stick, the deal will likely come with NO hard guarantee by Republicans that unemployment benefit extensions (a provably better way to stimulate the economy) or even the Federal budget for next year will be passed.

We know what we're wishing for this holiday season, and we're also aware that we're not likely to get much - if any - of those things for ourselves or our country that we'd like to have. The least we figure we should be able to ask for from our elected officials is a bit more honesty.

Unfortunately this year, judging by the way our "leaders" are acting, we may just have a better shot at getting those toys we asked Santa for when we were kids.