Unlimited Website Traffic: Wade Henderson, Esq.: Time to Put the National Interest Ahead of Ideology, Branding

Wade Henderson, Esq.: Time to Put the National Interest Ahead of Ideology, Branding HPFB.init();

HuffPost's QuickRead...ShareBox.ad = function (tag_id){if ($(tag_id) == undefined) return; if ($(tag_id).innerHTML != '') return;ad_spec = {"zone_info": "huffpost.politics","ord": 1356711180,"tile": 3,"width": 300,"height": 250,"el_id": tag_id + "_js","class_name": "ad_block ad_wide top","type": "iframe"}HuffPoUtil.WEDGJE.write(ad_spec, tag_id);};Loading... HuffPost's QuickRead...

Barack Obama iPhone app iPad app Android phone app Android tablet app More Log in Create Account Notifications Profile Settings Logout #topnav_margin_btm { margin:0 !important } December 28, 2012

Featuring fresh takes and real-time analysis from HuffPost's signature lineup of contributorsHot on the BlogGreta Van Susteren Trita Parsi Bill Moyers Rev. Al Sharpton HuffPost Social Reading

Some error occurred Login with Facebook to see what your friends are reading Enable Social Reading i

Settings Read Share Settings Learn More

Wade Henderson, Esq.President, Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights

GET UPDATES FROM Wade Henderson, Esq. Like 6 Time to Put the National Interest Ahead of Ideology, Branding Posted: 12/28/2012 9:51 am React

Important
Funny
Typical
Scary
Outrageous
Amazing
Innovative
Finally
Follow

Civil Rights , Barack Obama , Unemployment , Allen West , Republicans , National School Lunch Program , U.S. Economy , Debt Default , Fiscal Cliff , Food Stamps , Tax Cuts , Tim Huelskamp , Politics News
#news_entries #ad_sharebox_260x60 img {padding:0px;margin:0px} share this story Submit this storydigg reddit stumble

In a televised interview last week, Republican Rep. Tim Huelskamp of Kansas said that nothing the president offered in spending cuts could convince him to vote to raise income taxes, not even on the wealthiest Americans. Nothing, nada, zip.

In the same week, Republican Rep. Allen West of Florida explained why he opposed Speaker Boehner's "Plan B" to allow tax rates to increase on incomes above $1 million. "If you don't draw a contrast with the other side, who are you?" West asked.

Somewhere along the way, some House Republicans seemed to have confused ideology for common sense and branding for governing. And soon -- perhaps as early as next week -- we may all pay the price for their confusion.

According to the polls, the public has already decided that Republicans will bear the brunt of the blame if Congress and President Obama fail to reach an agreement to keep our economy from falling off the so-called "fiscal cliff" or defaulting on our debt.

Personally, I don't care which political party gets the blame. What I am concerned about -- and what every member of Congress should be concerned about -- is how we can avoid this completely unnecessary train wreck from happening in the first place.

Without a deal before year's end, our economy will run smack into an austerity headwind created by the combination of tax increases and deep spending cuts that will stifle the recovery and potentially ignite a global recession.

The pain will be especially hard for people living paycheck to paycheck in the higher taxes they would pay and the access they would lose to vital safety-net programs, and for the long-term unemployed, who would lose the unemployment insurance they need to make ends meet. In addition, nearly 300,000 children would be cut from the school lunch program and millions of Americans would lose access to food stamps.

This is an emergency for tens of millions of Americans, and fortunately, some Republicans have signaled that they're willing to accept a fair deal that balances spending cuts and tax increases. But too many House Republicans seem more concerned about their branding and maintaining an ideological purity against raising taxes.

President Obama has been clear that he wants to head off this disaster-in-the-making, but it requires bipartisan support to do so. Throughout the negotiations, the president has shown flexibility in ways that many of us who advocate for the poor and middle class are not happy about, like putting benefit cuts for Social Security recipients on the table.

But so far, even that extraordinary offer and the president's willingness to accept smaller tax increases hasn't been enough to entice House Republicans to reconsider their stubborn allegiance to tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans.

Time is running out, but it's not too late for Republicans to choose to put common sense and governing ahead of branding and ideology. That's the only way we'll be able to move past the cliff and move forward as a nation, together.

Follow Wade Henderson, Esq. on Twitter:www.twitter.com/civilrightsorg

FOLLOW POLITICS Like 200k Get Alerts Food Stamps Barack Obama Allen West Fiscal Cliff Read more from Huffington Post bloggers: Robert Reich Robert Reich: Why Is Washington Obsessing About the Deficit and Not Jobs and Wages? Earl Ofari Hutchinson Earl Ofari Hutchinson: Poor First to Barrel Over the Fiscal Cliff John R. Burbank John R. Burbank: Let's Go Over That Fiscal Cliff!

Robert Reich: Why Is Washington Obsessing About the Deficit and Not Jobs and Wages?

A month after the election Obama was on Bloomberg Television saying business leaders need "a deal on long-term deficit reduction" before they'll increase hiring. That's just not true. Before they'll increase hiring they need customers.

Earl Ofari Hutchinson: Poor First to Barrel Over the Fiscal Cliff

Obama's budget does not hammer the poor. The GOP's counter to it would. Obama's proposals as they now stand are the only ones that keep the poor from barreling over the fiscal cliff.

John R. Burbank: Let's Go Over That Fiscal Cliff!

Hurray for the Republicans! They saved us from defeat by defeating themselves. Now President Obama holds all the cards. He should just hold onto them. What about the fiscal cliff? Indeed, what about it? It is a fiction of rhetoric, foisted on the American people by Wall Street and inside-the-beltway elites.
More in Politics...

112th Congress Set To Become Most Unproductive...

Fiscal Cliff Talks: Obama To Meet With...

Congress Almost Certain To Blow Unemployment Deadline

Fiscal Cliff 2013: A Timeline Of America's...

Comments5Pending Comments5 View FAQ

Previewing Your Comment. This comment has not yet been posted You have exceeded your word limit by words. Please click the "Edit" button and shorten your comment.

Post Comment Edit Cancel

You can post to us this information Contact us

Click here to leave a comment.HuffPost High School welcomes a lively, thoughtful debate in the comment section. Keep in mind that the articles here are penned by young authors, so please keep criticism respectful, and help us to keep this a safe and supportive place for writers of all ages to contribute.Post Comment Preview Comment To reply to a Comment: Click "Reply" at the bottom of the comment; after being approved your comment will appear directly underneath the comment you replied to. Post Comment Preview Comment To reply to a Comment: Click "Reply" at the bottom of the comment; after being approved your comment will appear directly underneath the comment you replied to.

Share your Comment:

Post to Facebook. Post to Blogger. Post to Twitter. Post to WordPress. Post to TypePad. Post to Tumblr. Post to Yahoo! Blogger login: Blogger password: Select blog: refresh list Remember me: Wordpress host: Wordpress login: Wordpress password: Remember me: TypePad host: TypePad login: TypePad password: Select blog: refresh list Remember me: Tumblr login: Tumblr password: Remember me: Community Notice: We've made some changes to our badge program, including the addition
of our newest badge: Community Curator.

View All Recency | Popularity This user has chosen to opt out of the Badges program

RacerXe pluribus unum2640 Fans 17 minutes ago (10:33 AM)"If you don't draw a contrast with the other side, who are you?" West asked.

Answer: A rigid ideologue with no concern for his country. You're welcome.RacerX: "If you don't draw a contrast with the other side,http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/RacerX/national-interest-ahead-ideology_b_2372025_217182895.htmlHistory |Permalink |Share itThis comment has been down-ranked into oblivion. View comment You have not right to carry out this operation or Error this operation.

Loading comments…

Daniel Maddigan 2 Fans 28 minutes ago (10:22 AM)You don't get it. The tea party and their corporate backers want a catastrophe. They would love to force the federal government into extinction allowing the country to break up into individual states. Then they could play each state against the other. No more safety net, no more regulations, no more taxes.Daniel_Maddigan: You don't get it. The tea party and their corporatehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Daniel_Maddigan/national-interest-ahead-ideology_b_2372025_217180009.htmlHistory |Permalink |Share itThis comment has been down-ranked into oblivion. View comment You have not right to carry out this operation or Error this operation.

Loading comments…

HUFFPOST SUPER USERCSKAPMorlock or Eloi?801 Fans 43 minutes ago (10:07 AM)The Republican/Tea party has already made the decision that there is no damage to this country that would be too much if it means any compromise at all with their ideology.
They are still casting about trying to explain how they lost the White House as well as more Senate and House seats.
The Right Wing has been blaming the media, the sneaky Democrats and of course the darn ignorant voters and been proclaiming that “next time” they will get even more conservative and that then at last the voters will fall in line with their harsh ideology.CSKAP: The Republican/Tea party has already made the decision that therehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/CSKAP/national-interest-ahead-ideology_b_2372025_217175996.htmlHistory |Permalink |Share itThis comment has been down-ranked into oblivion. View comment You have not right to carry out this operation or Error this operation.

Loading comments…

Stan t Hughes 1 Fans 47 minutes ago (10:03 AM)I agree with you completely Mr. Henderson. Obama's class warfare program must stopStan_t__Hughes: I agree with you completely Mr. Henderson. Obama's class warfarehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Stan_t__Hughes/national-interest-ahead-ideology_b_2372025_217175141.htmlHistory |Permalink |Share itThis comment has been down-ranked into oblivion. View comment You have not right to carry out this operation or Error this operation.

Loading comments…

Bruce Strong 4 Fans 47 minutes ago (10:03 AM)Good old Ben came up with this "Fiscal Cliff" term, so what does it mean - absolutely nothing! Big deal if taxes go back to where they were before these stupid temporary tax cuts were voted into law by Congress. Who cares...? The Feds have to stop simulating our economy by printing money and Congress needs to balance the Federal budget, period end of story! Everyone has to pay their "fair share" and that means everyone, not just some of us.Bruce_Strong: Good old Ben came up with this "Fiscal Cliff" term,http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Bruce_Strong/national-interest-ahead-ideology_b_2372025_217174891.htmlHistory |Permalink |Share itThis comment has been down-ranked into oblivion. View comment You have not right to carry out this operation or Error this operation.

Loading comments… new comment(s) on this entry — Click to refresh

Loading comments… FOLLOW US

Connect with your friends Check out stories you might like,
and see what your friends are sharing!

Most Popular on HuffPost 974SnqaVaFR7RdkQFeUDZ066oaIm0ve3rTHdN86xEkvdN60fzw4KdPayX79ygDmA5b7sMr8tn9HQYCLGvJJzJBKXvM89EX8w5zRtVRtfgxF8j5Ab5gdJofjuIBcODju3vTa4DvTlKg0ht2YUjaElzHgb0CwpxIMWtHCfsLwzJ1ygPAnejlE23gWnJ6%2FZkO1a1 of 2

WATCH: The 9 Wildest Things Fox News Said In 2012
Like 8k

Jennifer Aniston Rocks Teeny Bikini In Mexico
Recommend 493

Push To Classify Westboro As Hate Group Takes White House By Storm
Recommend 34k

Teen Commits Suicide After Police Pressure Her To Drop Gang Rape Case, Marry Attacker
Recommend 9k

Retired Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf Dies At 78
Recommend 12k

Yoko Ono Says McCartney Mostly To Blame For Beatles Breakup
Like 1k

11 Movies That Are Better Than Their Books
Like 1k

'The Biggest Find In Rome Since The Forum Was Uncovered'
Like 8k

Matt Lauer Reportedly Getting Yelled At Over Ann Curry
Like 529 HuffPost ReportersmhTzVeuS0vjE6IwuZvebSALSlOySbmpUDWzi16qs7kRsISIbLR5GvydqqDdc72YH1 of 2

Jordan Schultz: Misty May Talks Life Without Volleyball --...
Comments (0)

Elise Foley: Rob Woodall: End Federal Gun Laws
Comments (0)

Peter S. Goodman: GOP Governors Deny The Poor Health...
Comments (1,303) Don't Miss HuffPost Bloggers1 of 5

Greta Van SusterenThe Washington Secret (or Is It Washington Lie?): Don’t Believe the 10-year Plans They Are Pedaling to You

Trita ParsiMore Than Just About Hagel

Bill MoyersThe Most Underreported News Story of 2012 Is...

Rev. Al Sharpton2012: The Year the Rich Couldn’t Buy

David BromwichChuck Hagel and the Trial-Balloon Method

Ted DansonChile Enacts Landmark Fishing Reforms, Protects All Seamounts

Michael MooreCelebrating the Prince of Peace in the Land of Guns

Sugar Ray LeonardImagine a World Without Diabetes

Cory BookerIt’s Time to Emphasize Pragmatic and Achievable Gun Law Reform

Dr. Peggy DrexlerHow to Stay Guilt-Free This Holiday Season Second Man Pushed to His Death on New York City Subway Platform

Burmese Democracy Icon’s Sweater Sells for $49,000

VIDEO: SpaceX’s Grasshopper Rocket Goes up 131 Feet — and Comes Back Down

Time - Politics TOP VIDEO PICKS1 of 5 Allen West: Obama Living In Fiscal 'Fantasy World'

Fiscal Cliff: Reid Blames Boehner 'Dictatorship'

Obama Back in Town, "Cliff" Clock Ticks

MOST DISCUSSED RIGHT NOW2RgnQXLokElFimSGDV8i8a43pip0bdKPiJKomeBLqmM3QvAVQ0trgKQA9zRBn5c91 of 2

112th Congress To Make History As Most Unproductive Since 1940s

McConnell: Obama To Meet With Congressional Leaders
HOT ON FACEBOOK2RgnQXLokElFimSGDV8i8TKPvBq8xPkmgYINREC4w8w%3DiJKomeBLqmM3QvAVQ0trgPTAYkCdRanfpr%2BnvSQA9QM%3DjpeKJKgSs0bJPlRX0pV4Fss35VaaM%2Fhsd5ArrOAf1yA%3DJbPsjsUjAI3Ar2tfvwfyaw%3D%3D1 of 3