But by the same logic, O's administration did not have to to do much beyond ordinary stalling to let the Bush era tax cuts expire. Yet they chose to cut a deal to prolong them over the opposition of a big part of their own party. That is not compromise but capitulation cum collaboration - the Fifth Column if you will.
NO. Obama had a political problem and he solved wonderfully, living fully up to his reputation for intelligence and daring.
His OWN goal was to extend the tax cuts -- but to do so simply on his own initiative would have caused too much trouble within his own party. So he cleverly set up a situation in which he appeared to be "giving in" to Republican pressure. It worked.
Of course Obama knew everything that Wojtek or anyone on this list knows about the political situation. Of course he knew that if he wanted the tax cuts to expire it would be easy to do. So obviously he did not want them to expire.
It is bizarre to accuse Obama of unintelligence or lack of will.
Carrol