Arianna Talks Tax Cut Deal On 'Morning Joe' (VIDEO)

Arianna appeared on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" Monday to discuss the tax cut deal and its impending vote in the Senate.

Noting that the bill shows the president "capitulated" to Republican interests, she voiced concern about Obama's "pattern" of saying one thing and acting differently. "He proposed and accepted something he's been opposing for years," she said.

She compared the tax cut compromise with the White House's handling of financial reform, explaining that in both instances, Obama's message contradicted his behavior. With the financial reform package, she said, he "basically did a lot of what Wall Street wanted, and then went on to give a speech calling them 'fat cats' and attacking them...the rhetoric does not match the actions."

The main problem with the tax cut deal, Arianna continued, is its failure to address job creation. "The president has been saying for months now that jobs is the highest priority," she said. "And the whole debate has gone completely away from jobs. No one can tell you that this [deal] will substantially grow the economy or produce innovation."

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Comments

[bluecrewman]

01:22 PM on 12/18/2010

To the 2% ers: II suggest that you, who actually sincerely believe that the Prez capitulated should rise up and voluntarily assess yourselves income tax at the pre bush rates. The irs open for voluntary payments as well as the more common involuntary type. All you wealthy/ high earners of a compassionate civic mindset are free give up a deduction, repatriate some Cayman income, pay 55% on your estate (if you aren't already dead) or return your your next refund. What? no takers? I guess you really don't believe it is capitulation, then, or you would have done something to derail this giveaway. I guess you believe that our Government's only function is to simply keep you flourishing, entrenched in the lifestyle to which you have become accustomed.

[dfdougherty]

12:31 PM on 12/18/2010

Not only is Obama a lame duck the whole Democratic party is directionless. Why should anybody support the Democrats when they can vote Republican and get the real deal. Maybe its time for a viable third party that represents the working class to emerge?

[biznesschic]

11:25 AM on 12/18/2010

Ha! 69% of liberals disagree with you. Perhaps if your hiring practices reflected more of the face of the democratic party, you would not have gotten this so wrong.

[Reader2]

11:45 AM on 12/18/2010

citation please. Exactly what point do 69% of liberals supposedly disagree with this on?

[biznesschic]

12:17 PM on 12/18/2010

http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/poll-americans-overwhelmingly-support-obamagop-tax-cut-deal/

Just one of many, too numerous to post.

[stephenthechampion]

11:01 AM on 12/14/2010

I'm so torn with this, because the policy is dreadful, but the politics are so great, so quick. he looks like he listened to the will of the american people again, like he did in 08 going as liberal as he thought he could as quick as he could (a few mistakes but the view is he and Nancy Pelosi were on the exact same page) has gotten widely bipartisan support, and pulls out Bill Clinton for good measure. Very shrewd, very smart and lets not forget. what he promised, bipartisan. and he got it by hook or by crook.

[Reader2]

11:46 AM on 12/18/2010

How is it that policy doesn't matter anymore?

[Veets99]

10:26 AM on 12/14/2010

Joe Biden was sup post to be personally overseeing the rebuilding / shovel ready job creation. When was the last time we heard anything going on there. How much money is still sitting in limbo, waiting for us to put people to work.
Come on Joe, make something happen. We need it now.

[DEBSEUGENE]

08:51 AM on 12/14/2010

They need to widen the tax brackets for incomes over $1 million and go to 90% tax rates for the over $100MM income levels. We need a truly progressive income tax.

[gumbo1049]

08:17 AM on 12/14/2010

Hate to say this but Joe is EXACTLY RIGHT!!

[averagedave]

06:34 AM on 12/14/2010

Anyone that thought Obama was any different from the rest of the corporate lacky's running our government have gotten a rude awaking the last 2 years. When you really can't understand why our "leaders" act the way they do, go back to the old adage, FOLLOW THE MONEY!

[tcalger87]

05:51 AM on 12/14/2010

President Obama did accept something he has been "opposing for years" because conditions have changed. The election created a situation that called for the President to adapt to changing circumstances. Technically the bill does not grant tax cuts but retains tax rates for two years--an extension.

Ironic that so many progressives who have been complaining for two yrs that the Repubs are the party of "NO" now complain and critique the President's job performance, but offer no alternative plan. Politically, coming off a bad election, the President's best move is to agree to the bill and remove the taxes as an issur for two yrs.


Another poster mentions that the bill may not create jobs. I agree, but if the tax cuts expire it is a recipe for destroying chances for economic growth and the unemployment rate will rise even higher.

The President improves, in the long run, his stature by signalling that he is putting national interest above party politics. He enhance his re-election chance. The left will run out of steam, the vast majority of them, as many of them have realized that the opportunity to bring the tax cuts up as an issue was during the campaign. It is absurd to complain about it now.

[reece2076]

08:05 AM on 12/14/2010

Good to see someone else gets it.

[JB-IN]

11:06 AM on 12/14/2010

As much as it irks me that the ONE thing, that being the extension of tax cuts for incomes >$250K, are extended until the presidential campaign season (when it'll be even harder to not extend) and that it alone HAS NOT created jobs for the last 9 years, and it should have NOT been compromised........... considering the other things he DID get that WILL help the economy and unemployed, I will say that this episode proves beyond doubt that Obama is willing to put the well-being of the American people ahead of any political gain from the left he may have gotten by standing firm against the GOP. "Country First" should be Obama's new campaign slogan.

[Reader2]

11:50 AM on 12/18/2010

He could have done better if he had wanted to. He could have started earlier and advocated for his position. Almost nobody in the bottom 98% of Americans was in favor of extending those tax breaks to the top 2%, and it was economically unsupportable. Even the Tea Party is against it. Yet he chose to cave in without a fight, and without letting the Dems in congress finish their fight.

[CoreyGens]

05:45 AM on 12/14/2010

Why do they think we will go out and spend it on things we don't need at the mall. I see more people saving a lot more because they feel it's going to get worse with the incoming Repubs on their way into the bill maker house. One thing corperation don't understand is that people will stop buying things they don't need on two counts, one; the prices are unreasonable and two; as a rebellion to the corporate world.

[renagade112]

04:29 AM on 12/14/2010

Oh... you mean he compromised??

[AdamKinBuffalo]

06:01 AM on 12/14/2010

No, he folded. His biggest mistake in this was not bringing it up and making it an issue before the election.

[AwShucks]

07:20 AM on 12/14/2010

You say potato, I say BS

[Ucan2]

12:03 PM on 12/14/2010

Blame senators, like your guy precious Feingold.

He along with Boxer, and Carl Levin went to the WH and pleaded with the President not to bring it up for a vote before the election.

[prudd]

03:58 AM on 12/14/2010

No one mentioned that this is yet another omnibus - the Dems got unemployment extensions and the Repubs got tax cut extensions. Why? Isn't that the most important point? Come on! I want good news!

[Reader2]

11:54 AM on 12/18/2010

Your simple world view doesn't quite cut it. Those tax cut extensions for the top 2% will cause us to add $800 billion to the deficit, and we have to borrow it from China. That's shameful.

[prudd]

03:25 PM on 12/18/2010

You miss my point. It's that the media only talked about the tax cut extension and didn't mention the unemployment.

[conservicide]

02:59 AM on 12/14/2010

Repuglies believe in trickle down economics.

[z-truth]

01:42 AM on 12/14/2010

Don't blame "Democrats".

"Real" Democrats have not held power since Reagen.

[reece2076]

01:30 AM on 12/14/2010

It may not create jobs but it will save some money for those who already have jobs.

The extension of the unemployment benefits will help out people who can't find work.

Politics is all about compromise. You need to give something to get something.

I personally think Obama did the right thing in this situation and he has solidified my support. Because even though this wasn't a popular decision, in my opinion it was the right thing to do for millions of people.

The alternative would have been to let taxes go up on the rich and middle class, and let unemployment benefits expire. Maybe then all the staunch Liberals would have applauded him, but millions of people would have suffered for his political victory. (I'm a moderate leaning liberal by the way)

Obama may have lost this battle but millions of Americans won.

[Snarkyone]

06:30 AM on 12/14/2010

They got a temporary fix to a permanent problem.

[Reader2]

11:55 AM on 12/18/2010

To believe that you have to believe that caving on the tax cuts for the top 2% was the only way to get unemployment extended. It wasn't.

[myrtle1909]

03:15 PM on 12/18/2010

No it wasn't but you have to fight in politics and Obama is not a fighter.