True Democrats don't work to slash Social Security. They don't. Not Ever.

[Hippo_Tron]

297. And subsequently tossed that report in the recycle bin, and we got sequester instead

If the President wanted a "grand bargain" on Social Security he's had ample time to do it. If he wanted it, it would be done, because it makes no sense to wait for a second term that you might not get.

But instead of the "grand bargain" that you've been predicting for years now, we got sequester, which well actually result in defense spending being cut. Why? Because the atmosphere in congress is so poisonous that they can't even agree to pass something that benefits an industry with highly paid lobbyists and a lot of PAC money. Kind of amazing, when you think about it.

No, this isn't 8 dimensional chess. A lot of things fell into place to make things happen the way they did, much of it beyond the White House's control.

But presidential commissions are a common means to kick an issue down the line that you don't want to address right away. In this case, the President wanted to address health care before having to address the deficit. Then when the commission report came out, health care was finished with. He could then take a substantive position on the issue, which is basically that his commission's report sucks.