The Phony War

“Tax-cut deal has liberal Democrats fuming,” the Washington Post headline read. “Many Democrats deeply frustrated” wrote the New York Times. “Obama gets rolled,” the Daily Beast website lamented. Scanning the major dailies this morning, you’d think the entire Democratic Party – enraged over Obama's compromise with Republicans on extending the Bush-era tax rates – were at the gates of the White House with pitchforks and hanging rope. In reality, the aggrieved parties are liberal activists and the media’s “professional left.” Rank and file Dems are relieved that their taxes aren't going up. In short, it’s a Phony War. Obama coolly opted to stick with pragmatism. A partial deal (one that might be made whole later) is better than no deal at all. “Sympathetic as I am to those who prefer a fight over compromise, as much as the political wisdom may dictate fighting over solving problems, it would be the wrong thing to do,” Obama said. “The American people didn’t send us here to wage symbolic battles or win symbolic victories.” Correctamundo, Mr. President. Now, if only the whiners on the quixotic left could figure that out.