Monday, December 17, 2012
After Tragedy, Partisanship May Cool a Bit
Obviously, there was much debate regarding gun control immediately following the tragedy that took place in Newtown, Connecticut this past Friday. However, this article suggests that gun control was not the only issue that this calamity caused Americans to reflect upon. It suggests that "the contest over taxes and spending" will also be affected. This event has forced Obama and Boehner, who are working together to form a compromise that would ideally be passed in Congress, as well as other politicians to put the issue of taxes and spending into perspective. Many politicians are suggesting that this catastrophe will soften the hearts of Obama and Boehner as they come to an agreement. In fact, reports indicated that Mr. Boehner had offered this past weekend for the first time to agree to a raise in the tax rate on high incomes and include an increase in the nation's debt limit if the president agreed reductions in entitlement programs in the long-term. It is difficult to deduce whether or not this step forward was due to the recent tragedy, but only time will tell if this sense of unity will last.
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I think if such a compromise will go through, it may have been expidited by sympathy for the Connecticut tragedy, but we can't honestly say that it wouldn't have occured anyways. I think we were going to see taxes raised on the upper class regardless, though this plan probably would only have been decided closer to the deadline.
ReplyDeleteI don't know to what extent the tragedy in Connecticut had an effect on the fiscal cliff, but regardless, I find the expedition of a solution pleasing. Hopefully we'll be further along than we were before.
ReplyDeleteCommunities and people tend to come together when tragedy occurs. Our nation also tends to come together, agree more, and place more trust in the government after a tragedy. This tragedy could help us end the fiscal cliff
ReplyDeleteIt is definitely good to see that the two sides are compromising, however, it should not take the result of a mass tragedy, as with Connecticut, to put issues into perspective.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Katie. It's nice to see people getting off of their high horse in politics and trying to reach a compromise. I, for one, find it sickening that it takes a school shooting like this to spark this compromise.
ReplyDeleteIt is nice to see signs of compromise in politics, but it is horrible that it takes this calamity for politicians to only start compromising. I hope this tragic event will kick some sense into politicians that they are not there to play for their interests, but for America as a whole, and must make some decisions that they do not agree necessarily, but that will be best for America.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to say that the entire reason for the agreement is due to this unfortunate event. It could easily be a coincidence, yet I still do agree that if it WAS due to the event, then it is awful that such an agreement needs a catalyst of an event such as the shooting in Newtown, Connecticut.
ReplyDeleteIt really is a shame that it takes such a tragedy to see some sort of compromise. Hopefully, politicians agree and will work towards banning together more. If only.
ReplyDeleteSara is right. Our country is known to come together in times of need and after a tragedy. It is sad that this is what it took but hopefully some good will come from this and our country's politician will be able to solve other problems.
ReplyDeleteI think it is great that a compromise was made and that a sense of unity was seen after the tragedy. Personally, I don't see how they can really be related and linked together but it did have an effect.
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