I like Obama also

[jpgray]

He's little worse than Clinton, if at all worse. Problem is, circumstances demanded a towering figure, one that would make a wart of all Clintons piled atop one another. Obama isn't that; but then, no one in the top echelon of our party is.

The triumph of GOP tactics is simple: hold necessary measures of the moment hostage to undermine liberal institutions that took decades to build. Our party can't wrap its collective head around this notion. We avoid a decisive struggle to meet present needs, but all the while the foundation of our strength is whittled away. The New Deal is like our veterans: praised, solemnly respected, beloved--and starving.

We are going to walk into a social security debate ~$600 billion deeper in the hole. This is $600 billion we will have enormous difficulty making up, unless we raise taxes or cut the social safety net to bits.

I like Obama. He's one of the ablest and smartest presidents we've had in a long time. His strategy, however, is so petty in its scope and traditional in its vision that it makes me want to claw my eyes out. These are not the Clinton years. We need someone "irresponsible" in the FDR mode. Desperately. All that said, he has my vote and my efforts in '12.

(note ~$600 billion is the price tag of the total package here, less UI extensions)

[BzaDem]

1. Duplicate

[BzaDem]

2. "We are going to walk into a social security debate ~$600 billion deeper in the hole."

At this point, what matters is not past debt, but actual future deficits. If Obama vetos an extension in 2012 (which would make sense, since in 2012 GDP will probably be growing at a higher rate, making the middle class tax cuts less necessary than they are today), he will immediately have that future revenue on the budget.

[laughingliberal]

3. We will see the SS debate before it comes time for these tax cuts for fat cats to expire.

The debate about cutting SS will occur during either the fight about raising the debt ceiling in April or during the fight about the 2012 budget next fall. Both will occur before the tax cuts are due to expire again.

[DrDan]

4. "fight"? - your use of that word twice caught my eye

[laughingliberal]

9. No doubt the Republicans plan a huge fight over raising the debt ceiling in April.

They will, once again, hold the nation hostage to extract 'deficit reduction' measures ie: cutting SS.

If they fail, at that point, the fight to cut SS will be held during the budget process later in the year.

But I'm assuming your point to be it's not a fight if no one on our side resists. I'll be surprised if we don't see another 'compromise' on the magnitude of the one we just saw.

[DrDan]

10. I agree - I would be surprised if that were not the outcome also

someone should take this current group a D's aside and explain the concept of "compromise".

[calimary]

11. Shit - they plan a huge fight over EVERYTHING.

Just HAVE to be fighting all the time! Kinda makes you wonder what they're made of that they have to be frickin' combative and mean and nasty like this all the time.

[jpgray]

5. And if unemployment is still high?

It could push 8% past 2014, by some estimates. How much better does a tax cut veto look then than it looks now?

[EstimatedProphet]

6. This. Specifically:

His strategy, however, is so petty in its scope and traditional in its vision that it makes me want to claw my eyes out.

No one among the dems seems to have realized that the rules have changed. It used to be that politicians were forced to compromise to get things done, because stalling the system just to score political points would get your ass kicked by the voters. It's no longer that way, because the repubs have developed a 24/7 brainwashing device, and through it co-opted the entire media. There's no longer a penalty to be paid for screwing the people over, because they'll never find out about it, and if they do, they'll be told that it's to their benefit.

[prolesunited]

7. or that it is the other guy

that screwed them. Truth seems irrelevant and television anchors routinely let the liars deceive the masses without pointing out any facts or evidence contrary to their statements.

[jpgray]

8. This is exactly right. (nt)