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UPDATE: I want to clarify that, while I think O'Donnell's analysis is overall spot-on, as I've said before, I don't think President Obama was bluffing on reforming medicare, medicaid and social security. He's been very consistent in saying this needs to be done. But he also knew that Republicans wouldn't support the kind of reforms he's talking about any more than they do tax increases. And as we've seen, he was right about that.
Lawrence is on Tivo, waiting to be watched. But I didn't need Lawrence yesterday to tell me that press conference was "outta the park." To read the headlines on so-called progressive blogs afterwards, you'd have thought President Obama gave away the candy store instead of stealing the ball, the ball game AND the outcome, all mid-way through the play.
ReplyDeletegood thing for so-called progressive blogs. that means i really don't have to tune into Faux to find out what the uninformed are thinking. ;-)
oh, and yes, there will be a second stimulus (funded by the elimination of the Bush tax cuts to the uber wealthy). to not have seen the outline of that from yesterday's press conference is to have missed the sneak preview of Season II, President Obama's Administration.
ReplyDeleteThose blog reactions are the classic illustration of the old saying about "missing the forest for the trees."
ReplyDeleteMo'nin', Ms. Pants
ReplyDeleteIt's 14 1/2 minuets well spent. And, in many respects, necessary in order that people come to understand some of how PBO operates. And, as you point out, operates rather consistently. It's there and clear for all who have eyes to see and ears to hear.
This needs to circulate, I believe. And...
I LOVE Kim Coles (she of "Blogging Whilst Brown" commentary) and, if you're not familiar with her, there should be clips of her on the You Tube.
The mutual back pats exchanged between you and Jasmine were really nice to see. It stands as a PERFECT example of the very thing you wrote the piece about.
Keep at it,please, Ms. Pants. Being intentional in this area is quite hard, but if more of us take these interpersonal risks, the payoff in possibility....
Perhaps, Ms. Pants, it would be more accurate to say that the President called the Republicans on their bluff. And, raised them. And, actually, as I've been reading, there are a number of print presentations that are concluding this point.
ReplyDeleteI agree...
He came in to transform and is very consistently, imo, and as is evidenced by legislation that has been passed, trying to do just that.
I would make one correction, which is that Obama always holds out a hope that the other negotiating party will see reason and join in a compromise. This belief or faith in the ability of the other party to shift, or of seeing a productive shift in one's own approach, is part of the community organizer's toolkit just as much as the ruthless aspect of taking somebody's crap ideas fully into the limelight of public negotiation where they must die like weak bacteria.
ReplyDeleteIt's the idea that in the end we all share a public space, and it actually serves as a place to change minds (even one's own) and make progress. In this approach of Obama's you truly see the definition of the audacity of hope.
Blackman and Michael
ReplyDeleteI agree 100% with both of your clarifications/additions.
Thank you!
P.S. THANKS, I really enjoy this site, and my true handle is Mikerayinberkeley but I made a little set-up mistake in Google accounts.
ReplyDeletedear Ms. Pants,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the pointer. I have been avoiding MSNBC lately.
OH,meant to add that one way to tax the rich is to require rich seniors to pay more into medicare.
ReplyDelete