Where I get off

According to the Washington Times this morning, the President is considering some deal-making in the interest of Legacy building over the next two years:

The Bush administration has sent signals since last month's elections that the president is prepared to accept some tax increases on upper-income families, worrying congressional Republicans and fiscal conservative watchdogs who say he will compromise with Democrats to win a legacy accomplishment.

Meanwhile, the House's top Republican on tax cuts, outgoing Ways and Means Committee Chairman Bill Thomas, warned last week that the White House has hinted that it will accept a tax increase on higher-income families in order to win accommodations from Democrats.

"I wish I were a bit more comfortable in listening to some of the noises that are currently being made," Mr. Thomas, California Republican, told the American Enterprise Institute, saying he is seeing signs that the administration may be "moving away from hard-fought policies to salvage what you thought you weren't going to get."

"Based upon some statements made by people in prominent positions who deal with money within the administration, comments about the individual top tax rate make me a little nervous," he said.

The White House-congressional split highlights a problem that Mr. Bush is likely to face for the next two years: the increasing division between Mr. Bush and his party as he works to find common ground with Democrats and Republicans work to hold the line on tax cuts and other gains they made on the Republican agenda.

Social Security could be the first test. Since November, Mr. Bush has said everything should be on the table in the effort to fix the program's finances -- a statement in sharp contrast to his declaration after the 2004 elections that "We will not raise payroll taxes to solve this problem."
Asked twice in recent weeks about the president's plans, White House press secretary Tony Snow wouldn't rule tax increases out.

Where do I start...

As one who has defended the President's policies in Iraq, his effort to deal with Social Security two years ago and both the SWIFT and NSA surveillance programs; as one who has endured name-calling, condescension and outright hostility for my trouble, this is infuriating.

I've defended Iraq because, despite the incompetent execution and poor judgments along the way, I thought the overall policy was right. Deep down I believe the President "gets it" when it comes to fighting Islamists in the WOT.

I certainly believed in 2001 that he "gets it" on tax policy, like many wishing he'd go even farther. But this is absurd.

After 5+ years of being called a sycophant, shill and apologist I've about had all I can take and now I see the man I've stuck out my neck--figuratively speaking--to defend potentially caving on a core conservative principal in search of a "legacy."

Well, sir...Iraq is your legacy whether you want it or not. You want a legacy, fix that and do it right while you still can.

As for this tax nonsense, if it goes down like this report suggests, I'm done. This is where I get off.