This is Some Serious Chess Obama is Playing Here

[LAGC]

I must say, I've been quite critical of the President over his cabinet appointments, the "HCR" outcome, and the tax cuts for the rich. But with his gamble on letting the Senate repeal DADT, maybe it shows he is in this for the long-haul. Now if the tax cuts for the rich are really allowed to expire in 2 years, and we actually get a public option before the mandatory-private-insurance law goes into effect in 2014, I'll have to admit that Obama has mostly redeemed himself, and maybe these intermediary measures were justified.

In any case, I think the Democrats are in a much stronger position looking ahead toward 2012 than they were before. For even though the Dream Act failed to pass, the vote made it clear who the enemies of Hispanics are (Republicans) -- and with the new Republican House majority obstructing any immigration reform bill over the next two years, I'm sure Hispanic voters are going to be out in force in 2012. As long as Obama leaves Social Security alone and if the economy recovers even modestly by then, I think he's looking at a second term, if he wants it.

[Arctic Dave]

1. Wishful thinking, but, OK.

If it is true it sounds like he is just playing games with real peoples lives and that is pretty douche bagish.

[Enrique]

2. get a public option?

how would that happen?

[LAGC]

4. If progressive seize control of Congress in 2012.

I know, its wishful thinking, but I'm a tad more optimistic after yesterday.

[demwing]

10. By rebranding it as Medicare For All

and offering it as an alternative to the current system, which will be mandate-less.

[Exilednight]

12. This is what should of been done from the start. Instead of attempting to create a

whole new federal system and try selling it to the American people, which he did a very poor job of, he should of took the existing framework and expanded Medicare with a buy in for the public.

[demwing]

15. Agreed. No argument from me. Whole thing was botched.

Now what? Fix it!

[BrklynLiberal]

3. Some pretty big "IFs" there.

It will be most interesting to see what happens to the tax cuts for the rich and Social Security.
I wish I had reason to be more optimistic.

[Atticus]

20. "We'll all be drinkin' free Bubble-Up---

and eatin' that rainbow stew!"

http://www.cowboylyrics.com/lyrics/haggard-merle/rainbow-stew-512.html

[CakeGrrl]

5. Yes, he IS playing for the long term, and taking a lot of hits from

people who think and react for the short term.

[Exilednight]

13. If he was playing for the long term, then he

would of vetoed the tax bill. By signing the tax bill in its current form, he is looking for short term returns on a long term problem.

The same happened with HCR. He took some short term gains but at the expense of not addressing the long term problems. Sadly, not even his short term gains are paying off. We now have more people uninsured than ever before, and rates have risen faster than in past years, and the bill has nothing in it to prevent this from continually happening. Sure, more people are available for insurance, but availability does not equal fair access.

[begin_within]

6. Problem is Democrats play chess and Republicans play war. To kill.

[Schema Thing]

7. the only public options will be state initiated.

Hopefully that works so well that all states chose to do it, or people demand the federal gov. provide it.

But that's not on Obama's plate going forward, even if it wouldn't hurt his feelings one bit.

[northoftheborder]

8. Pessimist lives here. We'll never get a national public option.....

.....unless by some miracle we elect much more progressive members of Congress, as well as have PRACTICAL control of House & Senate. That is going to take many cycles of change. Beyond Obama. Maybe not in my lifetime.

[elleng]

9. Dems will have to see to it that informed Hispanic voters come out; hope it happens.

[Clio the Leo]

11. Give it a week....

.... you may not change your mind but folks will come up with something be "betrayed" over.

[Hawkowl]

17. Obama didn't betray me

It's just that his economic and foreign policy are virtually identical to W's. Tax cuts for the rich, bailouts for Wall Street, Free Trade with South Korea, continued subsidies for corporations that off shore jobs, continued support for oil and coal companies, escalation in Afghanistan. These are all fundamental policy differences I have with Obama. In my opinion these policy differences will keep unemployment near 10% and will ensure he is defeated by a rethuglican in 2012.

Nothing personal. It's just Obama and I have different values. I support policies and values not politicians.

[Clio the Leo]

21. Except they're not...

.... if Obama's foreign policy was like Bush's, we'd have invaded Yemen a year ago..... and he would have never made the speeches he made in Egypt, Turkey or the Prague. Bush did not give his first interview as President to al-Arabiya and he never recorded a Nowruz message to the people of Iran.

And that's just the tip of the "Obama's not like Bush" iceberg. This is the very type of hyperbole that causes problems for so many. Generally speaking, I think folks are often slow to read and quick to write and often completely misinformed of the matter at hand.

Again ... generally speaking. ;)

[Hawkowl]

14. Economy is not going to recover

Unemployment will still be near 10% and wages are still going to fall. Unemployment is absolutely everything. All the rest is window dressing. He is not making any real effort at getting employment up because he is delusional in believing in tax cuts and free trade and Offshoring is good. He is screwed and we will get another rethuglican in 2012.

[Uben]

16. If he gets that done, he's on Rushmore! nt

nt

[Ozymanithrax]

18. Some day we will know if it is Serious Chess or a Fool's Gambit...

Personally, I think it will fall somewhere in between. My crystal ball is broken.

[bvar22]

19. Obama IS Playing Chess.

Chess is a game where the Pawns are sacrificed to protect the Royalty.
.
.
.
.
Sucks when you are a pawn (member of the lower 98%).

[BlueIris]

22. It also sucks when one of the pawns is our PRESIDENT.

This is what kills me about the goddamn chess analogy. It is obvious to me at this point that he is not moving the pieces here. He is a piece. They are playing him (and us) not the other way around.

[ZombieHorde]

23. If you're right, I will be impressed. nt

[Cali_Democrat]

24. You need to come back down to reality, my friend.

You actually think the Bush tax cuts for the rich will be allowed to expire in 2 years? You think we're going to get a public option before 2014?

I know Obama wants these things, but the Congress will not allow them and Obama will not fight for them.

Sorry.