The Republicans have played the perfect game.

[mmonk]

They got a Democratic Party President to start implementing in earnest as a proposal, serious cuts to Medicare while they also get to blame imaginary socialism, liberalism, progressivism, and more importantly, the Democratic Party while advancing their agenda to do away with them.

[Rex]

1. It is like taking something you know to be wrong

and doing more wrong, just to rub it in the faces of the poor. Everyone knows the RWing lies about their favorite words/people they love to hate all day long...and Obama is one of them. Why he is empowering them even further is beyond me. Also, I still am not convinced this is anything more then trying to find a way to out posture the other guy. Sadly, the Repukes mean to hurt the country and will continue to one-up Obama...until there is nothing left to throw at them but the kitchen sink.

[mmonk]

3. This must be the time progressives stand up visually and vocally

enough to separate themselves from this. I doubt we can depend on our representatives (unless we tell them it's over with us if they give in).

[AlinPA]

2. The win for them will be on the "message", i.e., "they are trying to save the country

from a default but the Democrats are fighting it".

"Look everyone! They defeated our country saving bill in the Senate and the President wanted to veto it!!".

[HappyMe]

18. Exactly. Some way, some how they will

play/spin it to make themselves look good.

[TheWraith]

4. Everything you just said is wrong. Starting with these imaginary cuts to Medicare.

The Republicans really could not have played this worse, putting themselves on the wrong side of 75% public opinion on multiple issues.

[mmonk]

5. Raising the eligibility age is a cut.

[FreakinDJ]

6. Not the feeling I was getting on the News last night

lot of speculation this will become the DEMs strong point in 2012

[mmonk]

7. Obama isn't proposing this?

[FreakinDJ]

9. OK - I give up

lets all sing around the rosy just how terrible Obama is

Actually - I feel the DEM party has left the guy out on the cloths line to dry. When he took the Bully pulpit trying to close Corp Tax Loop Holes in 2009 / 2011 how many DEMs supported him with so much as a sound byte in the news

And since we have all seen Obama's slashing proposals on paper - meaning passed to the CBO we know exactly what they are going to be

And of course should Obama / DEMs lose this fight and the Repukes have the right to invoke commission after commission recommending CUTs - we know they couldn't possibly as bad as any thing Obama would propose.

BOTTOM LINE IS - 3 weeks ago the Majority of Voters couldn't care less about Debt/Deficit/Default or Social Programs - Now every elected official in Washington will have their feet held to the fire over them

[mmonk]

10. I'm not asking anyone to sing that.

I took a bit of reality and said the Republicans played the game well.

[FreakinDJ]

11. again - not what I was seeing last 2 days in News Cycle

media/public opinion noticeably turning against republicans

and even some resurrection of revenue increases vs: cuts

[mmonk]

12. I believe that is related to fear of default.

If a deal is struck, the attack on Medicare is there to use.

[FreakinDJ]

14. Acording to a lot of crashed House servers

its more of Obama taking to the "Prime Time Bully Pulpit" to get the average/independent voter off the side lines.

You can reiterate all the polling you want but until the emails and angry phone calls start hitting offices these guys are just playing to the base

[mmonk]

19. Again, you are looking at the public's reaction to the possibility

the debt ceiling will not be lifted and also, maybe political calculations. I'm dealing the reality of proposing raising the Medicare eligibility decision and all that comes from trying to say you support it after cutting it (or delaying people's ability to get on it).

[FreakinDJ]

25. HCR is all but dead right now

and everyone in Washington including the RATpubliCONs know that is the only way short of eliminating medicare altogether of controlling cost.

I just wish some one would call it like it is - The RATpubliCAN plan is the "I don't want to pay for Black People on Welfare" plan - then finally maybe we can enter into a honest conversation about social programs

[kenny blankenship]

8. It kind of helps that their main opponent was on their side to start off with.

It's like a game of football in which the Republicans get to start their drive from our 20 yard line, each and every time they get possession of the ball, unless we happen to fumble and turn it over even closer to our goal line.

If the rule books says that the Republicans are the only team with this advantage, which side is likely to score more points?

[amborin]

21. +1000

[Vinca]

13. I've come to the conclusion I must stop blaming the Republicans,

even though they're crazy, hateful, miserable people. They went into this knowing that their chances of getting the Democrats to cave - based on history - was about 99.99%. It's just a shame the rest of us have to be the victims in all of this.

[Marr]

15. They gave cover to a moderate Republican president. n/t

[kctim]

16. Yea, so perfect

that alot of my Republican friends are now talking about 'sitting out' the next election or voting third party. Have even heard a few say they might just give up caring because politicians only care about more and more government, not people.

Now where have we heard all that before?

[MadMaddie]

17. What has he implemented?

He may have put them on the table and thank goodness the Right Wings hate for President Obama made them vote against their own platform.

Harry Reid said that the big 3 would not be touched.

Until we see something in writing we should be careful about believing the "We heard it from....." people...."Some say..."...

[mmonk]

20. As a proposal. So either you are saying sources are wrong

or I am making things up when I'm only reacting.

[EFerrari]

22. Why have Nancy and Harry said the Big 3 will not be touched?

Do you think they are not being careful?

That isn't even the worst part, imo. The worst part is that the president tried to tell us that cutting government spending in a recession would put people back to work which is patently false.

[coalition_unwilling]

23. I beg to differ. It's not that Repukes have played the perfect game, it's

that Dems have snatched defeat from the jaws of victory on multiple occasions. In January of 2009, Repukes were consigned to a generation or more in the political wilderness. They did not play a 'perfect game' to resuscitate themselves. So why are they still in the game and seemingly winning? (Not to stretch out the sports metaphor too far.)

[mmonk]

24. But their recognition of the debt ceiling opportunity allowed for this moment.

They know they can continue to walk the President and New Democrats rightward to the point of exposing them.

[Festivito]

26. They get to do it by having too much money for the good of democracy, thrown at US.

Noblesse oblige

Noble obligation

has changed to

No nobility and no obligation