TIME FLIES WHEN YOU'RE RETIRED . . . & OBAMA BLUES

Well, yes, I got over the election but November flew by. Although retirement brings more time, sometimes life takes over regardless of whether you're "working" or just hanging out.

Back to politics: the President is correct. Like him, I don't like the tax cut for the rich, but politics is the art of compromise, and as he explained - politics is not for the ideologically pure: if you want to get something done, you have to compromise. In this case, the compromise will allow unemployment benefits to be extended along with the extension of the tax cut.

If the American public doesn't like the tax cut, they should be telling that to their representatives and senators. Instead, collectively, the public elected a much more conservative House of Representatives (taking office in January) that won't raise any taxes and possibly will be less likely to compromise.

When I was first in politics, I used to think compromises were bad -- one needed to stand by principles. But deadlocks occur, you're in the minority and you don't get any of your goals accomplished. I can understand that senators and representatives from more liberal areas may object, but they ought to see the bigger picture and be able to explain it to their constituencies. A lot of their colleagues got defeated recently because they were too "progressive" -- they voted for the cap and trade bill or health reform or the stimulus package or wall street reform. In the long run, I think the public will be glad we have the last three and I hope eventually that some type of climate change legislation will pass -- But probably not in the next two years.

Politics can surely break your heart and November was a bad month for progressive politicos, myself included. But like Bill Clinton, Obama will rise and man, he has done the things he said he would do -- and is still trying. Sphere: Related Content