The Daily Dish: Obama: President; McConnell: Sucker

[dennis4868]

It's been fascinating to watch the left's emotional roller-coaster these past few weeks. It's also been fascinating to watch Obama out-run them, and to observe their responses to the final deal in the last 24 hours. Krugman has gone from "Let's Not Make A Deal" to "better than what I expected." The response from the far-right has also been illuminating. Drudge rushed to declare Obama's payroll tax cut as a Republican idea. Hinderaker below insists "Obama has admitted that the Republicans were right all along." Notice something about all of this? They all now realize that Obama has been a little shrewder than they took him to be.

Susbstantively, the Dish is in some ways horrified that the result of the last election - which was dominated by the view that deficits need to be controlled and that new stimulus is evil - turned out to be ... a new bipartisan stimulus package financed by borrowing! At the same time, it's clear that this also clears the stage for a two-year fight over long-term fiscal balance, distinct from the short-term need to recover from recession. And that is the best context for serious reform. If we reform the tax code, and cut entitlements and defense, we should do so for structural, long-term reasons, not in response to a particular crisis. That's the chance we now have, if Obama leads the way (as I suspect he will).

And notice that Obama has secured - with Republican backing - a big new stimulus that will almost certainly goose growth and lower unemployment as he moves toward re-election. If growth accelerates, none of the current political jockeying and Halperin-style hyper-ventilation will matter. Obama will benefit - thanks, in part, to Republican dogma. So here's something the liberal base can chew on if they need some grist: how cool is it that Mitch McConnell just made Barack Obama's re-election more likely? Bet you didn't see that one coming, did you?

More here...http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2010/12/obama-president-mcconnell-sucker.html

[Clio the Leo]

1. "Wah! I want him to lead! But I only want him to lead me in the way I want go go!"

[Beetwasher]

2. This Deal Is A Big Win For Obama, For The Middle Class And For The UE

Yes, the rich got a temporary extension on their tax cuts which blows, but there was significant trade off. That's politics. That's how the game is played and Obama comes out looking like the adult in the room and the defender of the middle class that he is.

[dennis4868]

3. but but but...

he didn't "fight." :sarcasm:

[soleft]

27. Neither do Samarai Masters

[GSLevel9]

7. it WON'T be temporary.

At that point it'll be a 12 year old tax POLICY and any increase will be railed against. PLUS the Dems won't have the POWER to let them expire in 2012.

2009-2010 was such a rare time in American politics, where a united Congress and Administration could have done NEARLY anything it desired. And what came out of it? A weak piece of HealthCare Inc. sponsored reform that will be disected next year? Or a massive draw-down of deployed soldiers (lol)? Or that weak-sauce Credit Card company legislation that allows them to continue in their usury? Cash for clunkers? Stimulus II?

lol...

He had the opportunity to work with the public and his allies and use that "honeymoon period" to shake up the system. And he served the public a steaming pile of FAILBURGER.

[dennis4868]

9. "a united Congress and Administration could have done NEARLY anything it desired"

Really? Ever hear of the senate fillubuster and the record amount of times the repubs have used it?

[GSLevel9]

13. 60 votes in Senate til Brown. nuff said.

[dennis4868]

15. Not true....

the conservative dems went along with the repubs on fillubusters.....that's why they are called DINOs.

[GSLevel9]

17. then they weren't sufficiently leaned on... nt

[dennis4868]

19. And you know that from what?

[GSLevel9]

21. from the way they voted. If they went against their party they weren't leaned on.

[dennis4868]

24. That's like saying...

if the Patriots did not win the game it means they didn't try....WTF?

[Name removed]

11. Deleted message

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[truthspeak]

4. The left are incapable of seeing the bigger chess strategy...

Brilliant breakdown.

[w4rma]

5. You mean the par t where the wealthy get a 2 year extention and everyone else 1 year?

Also the part where the economy will hurt everyone who isn't wealthy in 1 year and Obama will have no bargaining chips to extend UE again, then? No, the *left* gets strategy much better than the DLC saboteurs who support this do.

[GSLevel9]

8. btw...

After those 13 months... they'll be applying for Welfare.

[dennis4868]

12. And you know this from your crystall ball?

So who is going to win the super bowl in January?

[GSLevel9]

14. Patriots. Book it! nt

[dennis4868]

16. After last night...

you are probably right....Brady will get ring #4!

[GSLevel9]

18. damn he looked good.

it just doesn't matter what players they have on offense. They have an offensive machine and it doesn't matter if you swap the parts around.

[Phx_Dem]

6. K&R!

[Pisces]

10. So many Americans just want the cowboy " my way or the highway" type leader.

People have forgotten what governing should look like. We just want a win. One side losing and the other side cheering. The people most in need are winning on this one. I guess we will see where all
of the naysayers are on Jan 2013.

[derby378]

22. No, we just want a Democratic President to do what he promised

This "temporary" extension of the Bush tax cuts for the rich will turn permanent faster than you can say "Chamberlain." The one-year extension for everyone else? Not so much.

[mtnsnake]

20. Wow, talk about spinnerama. lol

[alterfurz]

25. exactly!

F5 tornadoes everywhere are envious!

[truthspeak]

23. Some of Obama "chess strategy" spelled out...

Recapture 2008 post-partisan image

Bring independents back

Be the "Adult" in Washington, while the kiddies bicker

Dispel all notions he's a "liberal socialist"

Rope-a-dope GOP into positions where they look bad (he could've easily done it this past week, but held off for down the line gain)

Its gonna be fun in 2011. lol

[budkin]

26. Bullshit. You can't put lipstick on a pig as we all know

[a kennedy]

28. kicking this for a reminder......