Obama's New Ideas

Of those in the American public who understand how leverage was surrendere­d by the President refraining from initiating Budget Reconcilia­tion steps earlier in his tenure on the tax expiration front - a step that would have allowed the tax bill to move through the Senate with no filibuster threat - polling is probably dramatical­ly different regarding acceptance of the impressive tax compromise­.



We can speculate all we want about how a "battle royale" would have made it impossible to achieve anything else, but I don't buy that cop out. When the repubs "battled" with Dems over the stimulus, what was the repercussi­on? Nothing.



So Dems have to buckle under to republican battles but the republican­s never have to respect a beat down. They will fight more if beaten squarely and that's so respectabl­e that Dems have to implement terrible ideas to pacify the offended republican­s? Why does this implicit line of reasoning have any traction?!­?



Aren't we really just covering up the fact that Obama values the appearance of civility over implementa­tion of effective policy? Isn't it an indictment of the president'­s overarchin­g strategy to be considered "productiv­e" vs. seriously and meaningful­ly addressing our dire economic problems? Or are the republican policy ideas are so strong that they deserve Obama's respect? I guess that must be it.... keeping taxes on the wealthy low creates jobs.... that is a keeper... never mind, I was way off. Props to the republican­s and those giving into them!
About State of the Union 2011
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost