Reader Christine Stanley rightfully points out that the tax cuts the republican party demands are promises Obama made earlier this month. He said that 40 percent of the bailout plan would consist out of tax cuts. He broke with that promise during negotiations however probably because of opposition from fellow democrats.

We should also keep in mind that the so-called bipartisan negotiations consisted out Obama telling republicans they had to support his plan because he ‘won’ the elections. Republicans asked for quite some things but got literally nothing. Obama talked with republicans but gave them nothing to support the bill. It was and is a democratic bill. Republicans were told to sign it and that was the end of it.