Was I the only one who understood we were in a holding pattern for the last month?

[Clio the Leo]

The MSM has been saying all night, "health care had stalled!" .... I thought it was common knowledge we were taking a time out. The notion after the Mass election was that "the Dems are spending too much time on HCR and not enough time on jobs," so they focused on jobs and allowed HCR talk to die down for a bit.

Surely I wasn't the only one who understood this, right? I'm confused.

[tekisui]

1. Just so we're clear, this is the real deal now?

If the health care bill doesn't pass and we go back to jobs, you aren't going to say we were in a reverse holding pattern, are you?

[Clio the Leo]

2. lol .... REVERSE CHESS MASTA!!!!

Is this what you thought too?


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=433&topic_id=134053

and....

I think ALL of this recent Q&A and calls for bipartisanship is what I've ALWAYS expected it to be .... advance CYA for a reconciliation push. "We're TRYING! We really want to work with you guys! But NO! You keep trying to shut us down! So what choice do we have?"

In order to justify reconciliation to the independent voter, they have to first demonstrate that the GOP is obstructing. That's why you shift to jobs .... try to pass a populist jobs bill and if the GOP filibusters it, you make a HUGE deal about it to the voters demonstrating the game that the GOP is playing. This gives you political cushion to force HCR reform. ~ Me 2/4/10
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=433&topic_id=170404#170490

[tekisui]

4. When health care was dropped cold turkey,

I didn't think that was the end of it. I know the initial goal was to get it by the SOTU. When that didn't happen, it dropped off the face of the earth. But, I knew Obama and the Dems had too much invested in it to let it go. I was curious about how is would return.

It came back today. But, I just hope it isn't too late. In real life, no one I know even knew it was going on. As I said in another thread, I think this would have been a knock out blow last year. This year, it is not so certain. He is uber-invested now. If it doesn't pass, he won't be able to count on the Congressional Dems, and the American voters won't judge him as an effective leader.

He is all in. I hope the Senate has his back.

[sandnsea]

6. It did not drop off the face of the earth

It's stunning to me that you could think so. There has been continued discussion by Congress or the White House almost every day.

Do you really and truly think he means it when he keeps inviting Republicans to the table? He's not going to fold on the critical points. He's going to expose their inaccuracies and inconsistencies and embarrass them into agreeing with common sense legislation.

[tekisui]

7. That might work if republicans had any shame.

Or decency.

The exposing argument has been going on for some time. The republicans have been exposed time and again, for about a year now. When do the Dems cash in on the exposure?

Seriously. If this doesn't happen fast, it will get lost again.

[sandnsea]

8. We've moved forward every time

And when I say agree to common sense legislation, I don't mean this health care bill. I mean the long run. We'll have to do it to them several times.

But you're right, we do have to pass this health care bill and it needs to get done within 10 days.

[truedelphi]

3. And then should the polling experts show that the real average people out there

Are so mad about both health care and jobs, maybe we can go into a reverse -reverse holding pattern, and stall out on both those issues at once.

Wolf Blitzer had a really keen diagram the other day about how because we have all these troops inside Iraq and Afghanistan, the nation of Iran now poses a huge threat to those troops. Ater all, what happens if Iran gets the nuclear bomb and a missile capable of traveling a full one thusand miles!

So we could go for a war - not just one of these small skirmish thing-ees but a real honest to god Big War, and then Obama could be said to be strong on defense, while the concerns about health care and jobs would simply fade into the background.

[sandnsea]

5. No, you aren't the only one

I've been saying Obama was waiting for this meeting in order to expose the real face of the Republicans. It's done. Now we'll move on and the House will pass the Senate bill and we'll do whatever else is needed in reconciliation.

Frankly that's what I think he's been willing to let Republicans embarrass themselves for the entire year and that eventually they will figure out they have to stop acting like fools and approach government honestly. He passes what he can, which has been a TON, and then holds up the shiny object to attract all the heat and attention, and also reflect bad behavior.

I just think he's brilliant.