This is the same nonsense trotted out on every president, "we're all gonna die! WHY are you taking a break?!!??" Edit: presently I'm bitching at my whole damned industry, everyone is on holiday. "Out of Office AutoReply: subject"
Actually he was the one fighting for exactly what the majority wanted. No entitlement reform, no military reform, and higher taxes, but only on the rich, which wont solve anything. So once again we kicked the can down the road. All of a sudden we are going to hit a point 10 years from now when we are completely broken and we wake up and ask ourselves "How the hell did we ever let it get this bad." Thats the only way I see us changing anything, Its going to be a moment like when an alcoholic wakes up and realises they finally hit rock bottom. While i think Both Romney and Perry would make better presidents, both of them have proven themselves to be chameleons who are willing to do whatever is politically expedient in order to get elected, so i agree that we are most likely in for more of the same until 2016 no matter who wins in 2012.
Only the poor will be asking that question. Let's be real here, neither you nor I will be actually feeling any of that. But resuming the argument, no, Obama capitulated on tax increases.
Just because the deal which was done didnt include higher taxes on the rich it doesnt mean that Obama wasnt out there fighting for it and making speeches about it, and using it as a wedge issue. Once again it was cost benefit analysis on his part though. He would have rather gotten the debt ceiling pushed beyond 2012, then stand his ground.
Fair enough, that too is what the majority wanted. Some of us would just as soon see the whole debt ceiling law tossed; let the rate of inflation, interest rates, and bond yields inform our decisions.