Sarah Palin harshly criticized the Obama-GOP tax compromise in an interview with ABC’s Robin Roberts, calling it a “lousy deal” and saying that lawmakers “can do better for the American public.”
“It is better to wait until they [the new Congress] are seated,” Palin argued, “and get a good deal for the American public than to accept what I think is a lousy deal, because it creates a temporary economy with even more uncertainty for businesses and it does increase taxes.”
Palin also condemned President Obama for his prior opposition to extending the tax cuts for those making $250,000 or more, noting that Obama had been “so adamant about not allowing the tax cut extension to take place for job creators.”
“He, you know, can term it compromise. I term it flip flop,” Palin said.
“I was thankful that he did,” she added, “but it’s still not good enough because our economy is … at a breaking point and we are on a path towards insolvency if we do not start incentivizing businesses to start producing more in our own country.”
Asked about a possible presidential run in 2012, Palin said she would not make her decision for months, calling the decision a “prayerful consideration” because of the “brutal” sacrifices public service requires.
“My consideration is for my family,” Palin said, “whether this would be good or not good for the family, whether it would be good or not good for the debate and the discourse in this country, and just trying to get the lay of the land and see who else is out there who would be willing to make those sacrifices.”
She also dismissed a recent ABC News/Washington Post poll that showed that 59 percent of Americans wouldn’t vote for her if in 2012 if she was for the Republican nominee and running against Obama.
“A poll number like that, it’s like, ‘Oh yeah, that doesn’t look really pretty today,’” Palin answered, “but a primary is months and months in the process, and there are thankfully many debates. And if I were to participate in that contested primary … I would be in it to win it.”
But if she does run, don’t expect to see Palin shedding any tears on the campaign trail.
Noting that she “respect[s] John Boehner because he has worn his feelings on his sleeve on things that are so important to him,” Palin said that she was willing to give the House Speaker-elect a “pass” on his public tearing-up displays. But she added that society had “a double standard” on crying politicians.
“I’m sure if I got up there,” Palin said, “and did a speech and I started breaking down and cried about how important it is to me that our children and our grandchildren are provided great opportunities, I’m sure that I would be knocked a little bit for that.”