The End Game: Saving Obama From Himself by Robert Kuttner

[Better Believe It]

The End Game: Saving Obama From Himself
by Robert Kuttner
Robert Kuttner is co-founder and co-editor of The American Prospect magazine, as well as a Distinguished Senior Fellow at the think tank Demos
July 17, 2011

The worst scenario would be for an outbreak of common sense and self-interest to overtake the extremism of the House Republican caucus. If the Republicans were to accept Obama's proffered deal, they would weaken Social Security and Medicare -- and put the Democrats' fingerprints on the deed -- depriving Democrats of their traditional defense of America's best loved social programs. They would also get a ten-year deficit-reduction agreement that is mostly program cuts. And they would get an austerity package that guarantees high unemployment as Obama heads into a difficult re-election. And a Democratic president is offering this deal!

The Republicans would also get to savor the spectacle of a badly divided Democratic Party, as the White House twists arms of unwilling House and Senate Democrats to vote for a right-wing package.

Obama and his advisers, weirdly, believe that his stance as "the only grownup in the room" who forces his own party to abandon its core principles for the sake of an austerity program will somehow win the gratitude of voters struggling with declining incomes and rising joblessness.

The unemployment may be stuck near ten percent, but good old Obama brokered a deal to balance the budget in 2021. So re-elect this man.

Read the full article at:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-kuttner/saving-obama-from-himself_b_901159.html

[yourout]

1. There really seems to be nothing he wont do to get a "Deal' done.

If he does not stand up and fight at some point the Pukes will continue to call his bluff.

[Ruby the Liberal]

2. He makes a very good point.

But the big disadvantage is the president's own penchant to be the Conciliator-in-Chief. When the opposition party has lost all sense of reason, a leader has a duty to say so, and not to keep splitting the difference.

Well stated.

[robinlynne]

3. Your reply should be an OP in and of itself. The second sentence specifically.

bumper sticker. sign on the street. Wish the other half of Du could understand that.

K&r to the OP as well.

[Faryn Balyncd]

4. The absolute truth. Thanks. (but I think he is being overly optimistic if he thinks the Republicans

...will stick to this position (and actually save Obama from mortally wounding SS & MC) as we see this get closer to August 2. If we are to save SS and MC, we are probably going to have to do it ourselves, and convince enough Democrats to reject an 11th hour "deal" which will invariably include cuts to SS and MC or a binding commission.


:hi: