How tax cut revolt helps Obama: It's a page from Clinton playbook

[babsbunny]

How tax cut revolt helps Obama: It's a page from Clinton playbook

Perhaps President Obama's tax-cut deal with the GOP was astute, after all. While he angered liberals, he also won back some independent support – an example of Clintonian 'triangulation.'

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2010/1210/How-tax-cut-revolt-helps-Obama-It-s-a-page-from-Clinton-playbook

By Linda Feldmann, Staff writer / December 10, 2010
Washington

Former President Clinton’s impromptu press conference in the White House briefing room Friday – in which he announced his support of President Obama’s tax-cut deal with the Republicans – could not have put in sharper relief the new political landscape in Washington.

[pacalo]

1. "Unhappy liberals help to position Obama in the center" but Obama also

needs the liberals' energy & fund-raising to win re-election.

I keep thinking of what I've been hearing from various Democratic talking heads in regard to liberals' anger: "they have nowhere to go". True, but will we have the energy & the willingness to donate in 2012?

This article is singing the praises of the possibility that Obama will win over more Independents with this deal. And I question that Independents are embracing the notion of adding hundreds of billions of dollars to the deficit, endangering programs for the elderly, working class, & poor.

[stillwaiting]

4. I don't think he'll need our money. He'll get plenty thanks to Citizens United.

Meg Whitman in California proved that despite her massive financial advantage, sometimes that's just not enough.

A large part of why we lost such large numbers in the midterms is that a lot of the liberal, activist base had little to nothing to work with in fighting for and persuading others to vote Democratic. I guess we'll always have judicial appointments as a matter of last resort in our arguments.

My blue dog rep. Nye did not benefit from my advocating on his behalf. I disagreed with just about everything he did on the issues I cared about during his two years in Congress. I didn't like Nye. I still voted for Nye, but in the '08 elections I was responsible for getting Nye quite a lot of votes from independents and even some Republicans. Nye gave me (and many others like me) nothing to work with to argue on his behalf, and he lost.

[pacalo]

9. It was the article that mentioned Obama would need liberals' grassroots efforts to help

him get re-elected, that he would need our energy & fund-raising. Citizens United would more likely benefit the Republicans, since they look out for corporations' interests over Americans'.

Sorry about your lost efforts in getting Nye re-elected, but you should feel good about yourself for having tried. :)

[fasttense]

2. This article lacks a logical progression.

The first point he makes is that independents are looking at Obama again. Yet, he offers no evidence of this assertion.

The second point he makes is that tax cuts will help the economy. Yet, we basically have these same tax cuts in effect now, and they have been in effect for about 8 years, with minimal job creation as the result.

In the 2nd page this writer claims Obama does NOT need his base. Really? The lack of turn out of the base in the midterm seemed to have hurt a few Democrats, but it wont hurt Obama?

This writer makes assertions with out evidence. It sound mostly like spin to me.

[fasttense]

3. Deleted double post. n/t

[inna]

5. Linda Feldmann tries hard.

[Laelth]

6. Vomit. n/t

:puke:

-Laelth

[KharmaTrain]

7. Triangulation Meets Sister Soljah...

Leave it to the beltway stenographers to think there's a new "political dynamic" in the beltway. It's the same-old same-old and why this country is so scrweed up. The meme is that this is a center/right country and somehow Obama is a far left socialist. Unfortunately seems the White House has bought onto this bullshit and brought in the master in how to deal with it. Supposedly this is Obama showing them that he's his own man...he's no liberal...and that if he pisses both sides off then he must be doing something right.

This is supposed to be a move to appeal to the "moderates" and "independents"...problem with that is the definition. In '08 many rushpublicans were so embarassed with their corrupt party they started to claim they were "independents". With the boooosh stench gone and the corporate media flailing this administration from the get-go, these "independents" resorted to what they previously were...rushpublicans. And thus the meme that this country is "center/right"...and it looks like this administration is agreeing.

So this is Obama's moment to "show us"...he's no liberal...no progressive and if he has to give big tax breaks to the rich to do it, c'est la vie.

[Karmadillo]

8. At least Obama likes variety. Embracing one of the best Republican presidents ever instead

of his usual modus operandi of embracing the worst.

http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/09/14/clinton_maddow

Maddow: Well and what we end up with is what we ended up with in my opinion in the two terms of the Clinton administration which is that Bill Clinton was probably the best Republican president the country ever had if you look at the policies that he passed.