I think Obama's speech was very successful politically speaking. He scolded both far left and right

[Becky72]

In this country, either you like it or not, appealing to moderate independents is what most likely helps a President get high approval.

Bill Clinton and his strategy of appealing to the center worked very well for him judging by his final high 60's approval.

Similarly, Obama made clear that we cannot create a system from scratch (single payer) and that the right-wing is just telling lies. He stuck to what's possible and that is politically wise. He also added that the left and right should not "exaggerate the impact of the public option," thus effectively killing two birds with one stone.

Obama is a very intelligent politician. I have no doubts that his approval will grow moderately or significantly in the next few days.

[YOY]

1. Yeah...because a left of center solution would totally fuck things up...just like it has everywhere.

:sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm:

Sorry lady, just because the right is broken doesn't mean you get to redefine the right as "left", so-batshit-right-it's-scary as "right", and left as "far left wackos".

The political compass doesn't work that way.

[baldguy]

2. "Far left"? What far left?

I don't see anyone in Congress advocating for autonomous collectives to replace the health insurance industry.

[Doctor_J]

13. Whadya mean? Becky heard on Fox News that next week

the government will take over all means of production, all private property, and all of the money. Nancy Pelosi will be named "Secretary General Of The American People's Party", and Barney Frank her 1st Assistant.

[baldguy]

16. Actually, it's an anarcho-syndicalist commune.

We take it in turns to act as a sort of executive officer for the week. But all the decision of that officer have to be ratified at a special biweekly meeting by a simple majority in the case of purely internal affairs but by a two-thirds majority in the case of more important issues.

[ProSense]

3. "worked very well for him judging by his final high 60's approval." So it was about him

not health care reform?

[TransitJohn]

4. Except in this country

you say "moderate independents" and you mean Republicans.

[Webster Green]

5. Great. He can scold the far left and lose our fucking votes.

I'm about over it anyway. I'm almost ready to move to Mexico.

Take your moderate, centrist triangulation and shove it!

And, don't forget to keep your dumb-ass fucking powder dry. :puke:

[polichick]

6. imo he shouldn't have scolded the left - cheap shot. nt

[Bluenorthwest]

7. Our goal is high poll numbers on leaving office?

Not the passage of needed reforms? It is about the man, not the results? The center thing left Clinton popular, but also tainted to the end. His right wing flank ate him alive for sport, even as he sought their support. We got no health care reform, we got a GOP Congress and a Contract On America. But Bill was at 60, so that was the goal? Him, not us?

[Becky72]

8. It should be a goal, in order to avert a Republican take-over in 2012

What if Romney or Palin beats Obama in part because of Obama's low poll numbers? I don't think any of us wants that. By targetting those who matter the most electorally speaking, he scored a big win.

[frylock]

15. so you admit that it's all about getting re-elected?

good luck with that, especially with the way the party treats the "far left."

[salguine]

18. If we get fucked with a mandate that forces us to buy health insurance, then I don't

give a shit if the Republicans come back. The difference, for me, will then amount to so little that I don't see the point.

So yes, I said it. Tombstone me if you want, I don't give a shit anymore.

[depakid]

9. Funny how Republicans never feel the need to scold their base

Also funny is how they manage to get their legislation passed on issue after issue, even when it's profoundly unpopular....

[Marsala]

14. Even funnier how they've fallen out of power to the point of near irrelevance

The Republicans will never wield power again until they get away from their crazies (which will be tough, since they ARE the crazies now).

And don't say that the Republicans are influencing things now. They aren't. They're a minor sideshow. It's the conservaDems slowing things down.

[Zenlitened]

10. Unrec.

[TheKentuckian]

11. Why feel scolded when you are given context

The public option is a component of reform, not the reform in and of it's self. I think it is an absolutely crucial piece of the puzzle but I think it is certainly fair to say that the rest of the picture has been pretty much blown off and ignored by a lot of us. He needs to frame this correctly and that frame requires looking at the whole effort, not just the part we're most interested in.

Why is it so important for some to just pooh poo the regulatory components? I grant the regulation has little chance of working without the counterbalance of the public program but these pieces are supposed to work in concert.

There is nothing to feel brushed back about in the least.

[Doctor_J]

12. Becky, becky, becky

What the hell are you talking about? I am going to write this slowly. 47 million americans don't have health insurance. that is unacceptable. The for-profit health insurance companies are bankrupting America and Americans. That too is unacceptable. If the president tries to pander to the death profiteers, he will rightly be vilified by the left (who want Americans to be able to go to the doctor) and the right (becasue they're told by Fox "News" to hate him). Your reasoning is wrong on many levels

[ipaint]

17. Well that means he also

scolded the population of every industrialized nation in the world comparing them to right wing tea baggers.

The political middle in this country has overseen the dismantling of new deal policies, the shredding of every social safety net for the poor and working poor, deregulation of the financial industry and the off shoring of most decent paying manufacturing jobs.

That's some record to have behind you as you attempt to scold and disparage the "FAR LEFT".

[salguine]

19. Am I missing something, or does it seem like you think high approval ratings should be the

ultimate objective here? Are you crazy?

[mix]

20. "far left"? you're warped nt