Reich - Why Obama Isn't Fighting the Budget Battle

[Donnachaidh]

http://www.opednews.com/articles/Why-Obama-Isn-t-Fighting-t-by-Robert-Reich-110312-838.html

In the next week the action moves from
Wisconsin to Washington, where the deadline looms for a possible government shutdown over the federal budget. President Obama has to take a more direct and personal role in that budget battle -- both for the economy's sake and for the sake of his re-election. But will he? Don't count on it.

Worried congressional Democrats say the President needs to use his bully pulpit to counter defections in Democatic ranks, such as the ten Democrats and one allied Independent who on Wednesday voted against a Senate leadership plan to cut $6.2 billion from the federal budget over the rest of fiscal year 2011. They want Obama to grab the initiative and push a plan to eliminate tax breaks for oil companies and for companies that move manufacturing facilities out of the country, and a proposal for a surtax on millionaires.

Most importantly, they're worried the President's absence from the debate will result in Republicans winning large budget cuts for the remainder of the fiscal year -- large enough to imperil the fragile recovery.

But Obama won't actively fight the budget battle if the current White House view of how he wins in 2012 continues to prevail.

More at the link --

[defendandprotect]

1. Draft Bernie Sanders for President -- he can run on a Dem ticket -- two more years of this?

[Autumn]

2. Things are not the same as when Clinton fought for

re election. we do not have a strong recovery going on. IMO I just don't think Obama has it in him to fight for much of anything. Staying in the center and distancing himself will not help him.

[yourout]

3. +1....Name one thing that he did really fight for. Campaign like Tarzan.....lead like Jane.

[Donnachaidh]

4. playing it like this, leaving the middle class to twist in the wind

Should guarantee him a huge defeat. And much deserved at this point IMO.

[Johonny]

13. Clinton didn't cut taxes nor have two land wars going

I seriously c can't understand how that basic fact isn't obvious to Obama. It worked for Clinton because he didn't have the two biggest economic drains on our economy going, the pointless wars and the pointless tax cuts for the Rich. That Obama in 2008 seemed to get it, this Obama not so much. Who will the 2012 Obama be?

[tularetom]

5. As the article points out 2011 ain't 1994

and Obama is a fool for listening to all the Clinton administration retreads working for him.

THe republicans want the recovery to tank so they can hang the ongoing recession around Obama's neck.

I can see that and the President is a whole lot smarter than I am. Why can't he see it?

Momentum is on his side and he could change the whole direction of the discussion if he jumped in now on the side of the middle class.

Or he could continue to let himself be defined by the people who hate his guts and want to defeat him.

[msongs]

6. Obama doesn't "fight" for much of anything, he is not that kind of guy nt

[KG]

7. face it, he has no fight in him.

just another go-along-to-get-along politico kicking the can down the road...

[nashville_brook]

8. k and r

[Karmadillo]

9. He is fighting the budget battle. He's just not fighting it on our side.

nt

[pinkkillersheep]

10. I keep hoping there's some secret plan no one knows about...

...and at the last second Obama will jump out and be like, "Bwahaha! You fell into my carefully laid trap!" Alas, I'm losing that hope with each day that passes.

[Drahthaardogs]

11. WTF does it matter if you win

and do absolutely nothing with the spoils? Winning and then sitting by and letting the opposition eviscerate you and everything you stand for, in the hopes you can win again?

I would rather die on my feet than live a lifetime on my knees.

[Donnachaidh]

welcome to DU! love that quote! n/t

[Autumn]

16. Isn't that the truth. Great quote.

Welcome to DU.

[Warren Stupidity]

12. He has gone on the Bully Pulpit!

Obamas Focus on Antibullying Efforts

WASHINGTON — President Obama poked fun at his own big ears and funny name on Thursday, but all in the service of a serious subject as he and Michelle Obama opened a White House conference to spur antibullying efforts in schools and communities nationwide.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/11/us/politics/11obama.html

I re-give up again.

[Marr]

14. Not surprising, but interesting to hear it confirmed from a White House insider.

The Obama team is re-running their Clinton '94 script. They're so ridiculously out of touch that they don't look at anything beyond their own little political bubble. While the two political situation seem very similar, the world outside the bubble is vastly different from what it was in '95.

[fascisthunter]

15. he's just another politician doing what he deems safe

and THAT is why he shouldn't be a president.