The Fiscal Cliff Negotiations: Just Who Is Barack Obama?

Recent negotiations over the fiscal cliff, which seem to be faltering after initial signs of progress, raise a persistent question about Barack Obama:  has he any political principles?  After campaigning this fall to protect the poor and middle class, he agreed in fiscal cliff negotiations to changes to the income tax structure and Social Security that are more damaging to the poor and middle class than the prosperous segments of American society.  By accepting Republican demands for the Social Security inflation adjustment to be the Chained Consumer Price Index, Obama has effectively reduced inflation protection for Social Security recipients, military retirees and federal civilian retirees, the vast majority of whom are low or middle income.  At the same time, because the same inflation adjustment would be made to income tax brackets, the brackets would rise more slowly during inflationary times.  That would effectively result in heavier taxation across the board, a seemingly regressive result.  Additionally, Obama agreed to raise the threshold for higher tax brackets from his original position of $250,000 to $400,000.  To be cynical, this might be viewed as a gift to the upper middle class professionals who often are his supporters and contributors.  And to be more cynical, it can be observed that many lower income folks, especially older whites heavily reliant on Social Security and/or military pensions, tend to be Republican more often than Democrat.  Perhaps the President sees little to lose in imposing austerity on them.

One wonders if Obama, after four years of dealing with the Great Recession, understands even the basic structure of the U.S. economy.  Our economy is 70% consumption.  Money in the hands of the poor and middle class gets spent.  They don't have enough to save hardly a penny.  This spending stimulates the economy.  Money in the hands of the upper middle and upper classes is frequently saved, allowing the rich to get richer relative to other income categories.  By raising taxes on the poor and middle class while cutting benefits to Social Security recipients, and military and federal civilian retirees, the President is reducing consumption and its stimulative impact on the economy, while exacerbating the inequality in wealth distribution.  What policy sense does this make?

During his first term, Obama demonstrated time and time again at critical junctures that he is a clever politician and dealmaker much more than a leader.  He craftily co-opted his most serious Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, by making her secretary of state.  And he kept the liberal wing of the Democratic Party at bay by putting one of their number, Joe Biden, in the Vice President's residence.  But he has few loyal constituencies.  His one signal achievement, the Affordable Care Act, may transform life in America.  But transformational legislation doesn't necessarily bestow greatness on a President.  Lyndon Johnson's Great Society programs transformed America far more than anything Barack Obama has done or will do.  Indeed, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 enfranchised black and other disadvantaged Americans, paving the way for Obama to win the White House.  But Johnson has been denied the mantel of greatness.  While this is due in large part to his foreign policy catastrophe in Vietnam, it's also because Johnson, like Obama, was a consummate politician without any large loyal constituencies.  There's no one running around singing Johnson's praises.  Obama will always be remembered as the first nonwhite President, and there's a measure of greatness in that.  But John Kennedy was America's first non-Protestant President, and in 1960 that was an achievement not far from Obama's achievement in 2008.  Kennedy is remembered today for his charisma and charm.  But he doesn't rank among the great Presidents.  And, because Obama seems to value a deal more than principles or loyalty to constituents, neither will he.