Obama should call Republicans' bluff: Embrace key GOP proposals -- and see if they play ball

[babylonsister]

http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2010/11/14/2010-11-14_bam_should_call_the_gops_bluff.html

Obama should call Republicans' bluff: Embrace key GOP proposals -- and see if they play ball

BY Steve Benen

Sunday, November 14th 2010, 4:00 AM
Lyons/Getty
snip//


The goal of the nation's leading Democrat endorsing GOP proposals would have less to do with magnanimity and more to do with throwing emboldened Republicans off-balance. It's easy for GOP attack dogs to snarl when Obama is pushing his own ideas; it's a challenge to their credibility when they start attacking Republican ideas.

To a very real extent, the White House has already taken some steps down this road, albeit subtly, and with limited success. Since his inauguration, the President has endorsed a series of Republican ideas - an independent deficit commission, an individual mandate in health care, trying terrorist suspects in U.S. civilian courts.

Each and every time, GOP leaders have cynically tacked away from their own policies after learning of Obama's support, and much of the public has conveniently forgotten that Republicans ever believed in the ideas in the first place.

That's all the more reason for the President to be explicit in pursuing the strategy. Let people know that, in several key areas, the White House isn't fighting Republican ideas, but, on the contrary, endorsing them, challenging their proponents to put up or shut up.

If even then John Boehner, Mitch McConnell and their cohorts announced that Obama's overtures weren't good enough, it would send a pretty clear signal to the country about who's willing to compromise, who's willing to listen to the other side and who's sincere about finding solutions to the nation's challenges.

Benen is a contributing writer to the Washington Monthly and the author of its "Political Animal" blog.

[LoZoccolo]

1. Now before anybody gets up in arms about this

remember that you think that Obama is the same as a Republican anyways! Don't let your head explode trying to believe that and getting mad about this at the same time!

Do you look like this -> :crazy:

[still_one]

2. We have had enough capitulation, it is time now to fight for Social Security, Medicare, jobs, and

getting us out of Iraq and Afghanistan, and of course real Health care, either adding a public option, or better yet, single payer for all.

At this stage what matters now is that we see what this crop of Democrats actually stand for, and to put it all on the line

[Proud Liberal Dem]

3. I'd say that he's been doing that since pretty much Day 1

Of course, most people think that's just him "caving" to the Republicans because he's a weak coward and deride anybody who dare suggests that he's "playing chess". :eyes:

And what has the Republican response been to ALL of his overtures? "Let's start over with a blank sheet (piece?) of paper!!!"

:eyes: :banghead:

[RaleighNCDUer]

4. And Benen thinks this is somehow a change to what we've been doing? nt

[Clio the Leo]

5. Now THAT would be fun! nt