Is it me, or is Obama as bad a "listener" about Social Security as Bush was about invading Iraq?

[Dragonfli]

37. I don't want to appear insulting, but if this is a wedge issue to go after GOP

voters who are retired or about to retire and he wants them to know that the GOP tea-nazis in the house are continuing to attempt to cut earned benefits, then his strategy is ill advised, counter productive and more than a little stupid.

His Strategy appears to be to propose these cuts himself and trick the GOP into not voting for cuts because he knows they hate taxes and tax increases would be part of the deal.

This strategy will not point out to the GOP retirees that the tea gopers want cuts (even tho I concede they do) but that HE does as HE is the one putting them on the table. It will show them instead that the house tea nazies hate taxes and will not vote to increase them, something GOP voters including those of retirement age agree with.

In addition, a problem is created by this strategy that would not be a problem If the President did not offer cuts to earned benefits as a Democrat. It will become a wedge issue that will work against HIM (and by extension our party). A wedge affecting BOTH party's retired or about to retire. They will see HIM offering cuts to their earned benefits, not the tea nozzles. Many of the NOW angry seniors in OUR party may even credit the GOP with stopping him from achieving these cuts by refusing the deal (they may not care why, that it is only to avoid tax increases, they will just be glad someone stopped it, that they were defended somehow), the GOP elderly will believe wholeheartedly that the GOP protected them almost unanimously.

This has no other possible outcome but to backfire against him and by extension against the Democratic party.

Unless, they call his bluff, then He will be known as a Democrat that achieved cuts to earned benefits with the help of bipartisan support and not just a Democrat that made the callous proposal.

That outcome may be slightly better politically but only because the GOP nuts don't get to act the heros that prevented cuts. It will still be a large net loss for the Democratic brand because it will cause a great deal of anger to be directed towards Obama and by extension the Democratic party by the elderly of both parties.

It is a really really bad strategy, that is why I do not think it is strategy, I think Obama's Ideology really sucks regarding entitlements, I think he really wants to cut them.