by Amanda Raimer

Widener University American Government Student

Now that Obama has successfully won re-election his focus has become passing a budget and with no worries about trying to win another term he has set a hard line. He has said that we will reject any budget that does not raise the tax rates on income above $250,000. While it may seem that Obama is suffering from a subtle bout of “triumphalism” and is supercharged from winning the election, at the same time he admitted that there must be compromise and that the top tax rates may end up being lower than during the Clinton administration. The Republican Party has also stated that there needs to be a compromise from both sides. The problem is that both sides have a different idea about what a compromise would entail and how to reach it.

I think that even the process of admitting that there needs to be a compromise and both parties realizing that that they are going to have to give up parts of the budget that they feel strongly about shows that they have become more open to a reasonable compromise. Also, Obama’s deadline has also set a fire beneath Congress to get something settled before the start of the New Year. Obama has also admitted that while he is interested in trying to pass other policies on subjects such as immigration and climate change, he realizes that this will take time and the budget must be the focus at this point. While I’m not saying passing the budget has suddenly become a piece of cake, the more open attitudes of both parties along with the ultimatum set by Obama makes me think that a budget is much more likely to be passed this time around.