Obama to GOP: I’m done negotiating with myself - me - It's about time!!!!!

[boston bean]

We’re seeing two things here. One is that the negotiations aren’t going well. When one side begins leaking the other side’s proposals, that’s typically a bad sign. The other is that Republicans are frustrated at the new Obama they’re facing: The Obama who refuses to negotiate with himself.

That’s what you’re really seeing in this “proposal.” Previously, Obama’s pattern had been to offer plans that roughly tracked where he thought the compromise should end up. The White House’s belief was that by being solicitous in their policy proposals, they would win goodwill on the other side, and even if they didn’t, the media would side with them, realizing they’d sought compromise and been rebuffed. They don’t believe that anymore.

Perhaps the key lesson the White House took from the last couple of years is this: Don’t negotiate with yourself. If Republicans want to cut Medicare, let them propose the cuts. If they want to raise revenue through tax reform, let them identify the deductions. If they want deeper cuts in discretionary spending, let them settle on a number. And, above all, if they don’t like the White House’s preferred policies, let them propose their own. That way, if the White House eventually does give in and agree to some of their demands, Republicans will feel like they got one over on the president. A compromise isn’t measured by what you offer, it’s measured by what the other side feels they made you concede.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2012/11/29/obama-to-gop-i-wont-negotiate-with-myself/

[Pholus]

1. I can't tell you how HAPPY I am with this!

Way to go Mr. President! Last time, it was simply depressing to watch every negotiation go from a STARTING position that already sucked cause it was 50% gifts to the haters and then got even worse from there.

Make the Thugs TELL the country what they want so they OWN it during the next election cycle.

I can't begin to say how GREAT this makes me feel!

[boston bean]

2. I agree

you could see it a mile away.

he would give and then they would want more.

We ended up with watered down policies.

And then they could just blame him for everything, because it WAS all his idea.

[pscot]

14. It's taken long enough

I hope it's real, but time will tell.

[TahitiNut]

3. Yet the GOP continues to play the "You propose & We dispose" game.

The constant whining (and media complicity) about how the Obama administration hasn't "offered something the Congressional Republicans can accept" is sheer insanity. Since when do these oligarchs think it's their "place" to sit on high and demand supplication?? Goddamn fucking arrogant turds!! The presumption of Ruling Class perquisites is fucking obscene.

It's time to "make them an offer they can't refuse" and let them awaken with severed elephant's heads in their beds!

[Cosmocat]

7. I pray we see a time in this country

when the media does not feel the need to kiss the republican's ass on EVERYTHING.

[Sheldon Cooper]

18. Yes, it is DAMN time to make them that offer.

[Justice]

4. Thank you for posting; excellent.

[byeya]

5. Yay! No more Hamlet: Arguing with yourself and losing.

[mwooldri]

6. Which is why I suspect Obama is taking it to the people.

I usually have BBC World Service on overnight to sleep to. I think Mr. Boehner was complaining about the President going on the road to try and persuade people to tell Congress to do the right thing, though the present House Speaker claimed it was a "victory lap".

Makes sense in my eyes. If He the Person cannot get through to this bone-headed House of Reps, then perhaps he get gin up some support from We the People to get the message through to them a little bit louder and clearer.

[Cosmocat]

8. Boehner is losing it

He really is an emotionally unstable person.

You can see that he is feeling the stress, and frankly, if the White House was really on the ball, they would put the pressure on him even more. The republicans in the House will not, they simply will in no way shape or form, or in any way at all, be reasonable. Might as well agitate them to make their buffoonery even more obvious.

[dotymed]

12. That is how FDR did it and it worked.

While the President isn't "all powerful", he does have his "bully pulpit" in which he can take his case directly to the people. Since the MSM is in bed with the rethugs, it does make this process harder. It would be unprecedented if our President had to actually purchase "air time" on tee vee to defend his policies, it may come down to that.
He is currently traveling to places to further his agenda, it is not reaching many people in other places unless it is heavily filtered by the MSM. That is not as efficient as an unfiltered national address directly to the citizens. If he were a rethug, every word and action would get immediate coverage.
He may possibly have to purchase time to reach the audience that needs to hear his objectives. That would be terrible especially considering that networks are required by law, to be an outlet for public services....what a nasty thing unregulated capitalism is.

[Stewland]

9. Way to Go

It's about time that Obama call them out. Watched Howard Dean on MSNBC and he thinks we will go over the fiscal cliff and that it will be the best outcome for Democrats. Lets make the Repukes the minority party in the House in2014 .

[geckosfeet]

10. Oh. The white house is treating the repuglycants like adults now?

Counting down until the first repuglycant temper tantrum.

Oh - and here it is right on schedule -

Republican aides are circulating their summary of the White House’s opening bid on the fiscal cliff. They’re circulating it because they believe it fleshes out Speaker John Boehner's complaint that "the White House has to get serious." Above all, they’re circulating it because the president isn't offering them anything in his opening bid.

Obama to GOP: I'm done negotiating with myself

Come on Boehner. Let's see what you got. What did you do for the whole election cycle - sit on your hands? You guys knew this was coming. Right? I mean you negotiated it last year.

We've seen what they expect - they expect to be treated like royalty (see R$, miTT). If they are used to the President Obama "negotiating with himself" there will definitely be a learning curve here. And president Obama and his people have a decent opening hand.

READ: The White House's fiscal cliff proposal

Phase One

• Immediate increase in both top marginal rates, as well as capital gains and dividends: +$960 Billion


• Additional taxes: +$600 Billion


• 2009-level estate tax


• AMT and business tax extenders: -$236 Billion


• Payroll tax extension or alternative policy: -$110B


• Bonus depreciation extension

Spending/Extras

• $50 billion stimulus package in FY13


• Mass refi mortgage proposal


• Deferral of sequester


• Savings from non-entitlement mandatory programs


• Extension of unemployment insurance: $30 billion


• Medicare SGR Patch: $25 Billion


• Increase in the debt limit to avoid requiring Congress to vote to increase

Stage Two

• Tax reform consistent with $1.6 trillion tax increase


• Entitlement policies from President’s FY13 budget that could total $400 billion in savings

Comment from White House spokeswoman Amy Brundage:

"Right now, the only thing preventing us from reaching a deal that averts the fiscal cliff and avoids a tax hike on 98 percent of Americans is the refusal of Congressional Republicans to ask the very wealthiest individuals to pay higher tax rates. The President has already signed into law over $1 trillion in spending cuts and we remain willing to do tough things to compromise, and it's time for Republicans in Washington to join the chorus of other voices—from the business community to middle class Americans across the country—who support a balanced approach that asks more from the wealthiest Americans."

READ: The White House's fiscal cliff proposal

Nice start. Personally I would have also put defense budget cuts, removing the payroll savings deduction cap, lowering the retirement age and extending medicare to EVERYONE on the table.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

11. "They don’t believe that anymore."

Obama’s pattern had been to offer plans that roughly tracked where he thought the compromise should end up. The White House’s belief was that by being solicitous in their policy proposals, they would win goodwill on the other side, and even if they didn’t, the media would side with them, realizing they’d sought compromise and been rebuffed. They don’t believe that anymore.

FINALLY! It's exactly what the Professional Leftists have been calling out four years. Better late than never, I suppose...

[Segami]

13. Second Term. Its a Rethug Killer!!

[Andy Stanton]

15. The Rethugs have their backs to the wall

Come January 1 ALL the Bush tax cuts will expire. At this point the Rethugs have got to know that Obama won't give in to reauthorizing the tax cuts for the +$250,000 folks. So the Rethugs either agree with Obama's plan or allow all the tax cuts to expire, and the Rethugs know that, if the latter occurs, most people will blame the Rethugs.

In the end the Rethugs will cave.

[Rowdyboy]

16. Its long past time but I'm really glad they've finally been made to accept reality....

We're not dealing with rational people and can't expect any real help from the media.

[zipplewrath]

17. Shucks

I thought maybe the actually had a White House quote admitting that this is what they had done.

[1StrongBlackMan]

19. I'm Loving it. n/t

[Fearless]

20. IT'S ABOUT FUCKING TIME!

Now stick to it! Words are just words without actions!

[hifiguy]

21. At last the President has realized that you cannot

negotiate with people who possess the maturity of three-year-olds. Put the ball in their court, sir, and let them choke on it.

[El Shaman]

22. in other words let em show more of they @sses!!!

[Chemisse]

23. No more banging my head against the wall. Obama has learned a thing or two.

It should be a much improved four years to come.

[awoke_in_2003]

25. From the article...

"Previously, Obama’s pattern had been to offer plans that roughly tracked where he thought the compromise should end up."

That has been the problem with democrats for a long time. If they wanted public option they shouldn't have started debating there, they should have started at single payer. Maybe democrats are finally pulling their collective heads out of their asses.

[Deep13]

26. This new Obama guy seems like a real improvement over the previous Obama guy. nt

[calimary]

27. THANK GOD!!!

Above all else, WE VOTED FOR BACKBONE last month. Yes I'm SHOUTING!!! Maybe because a little bit of me figures that if I shout, somebody of influence somewhere might hear me. Yeah, I know, I know...

But I am SO glad to see this!!! I cannot tell you how hugely passages like the following constitute beautiful music to my ears:

"The other is that Republicans are frustrated at the new Obama they’re facing" - LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!!!!

FINALLY!!!!!! President Obama is such a smart man that I seriously expected him to have figured this out long before now! I prefer the "suck on THIS" response to whatever the bad guys come up with. Let THEM come crawling.

At EVERY moment we can, while it's still fresh, we ALL should be reminding these assholes at every possible moment - ELECTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES. And - uh - GOP, in case you haven't noticed, YOU LOST. Don't give me this shit about your "mandate" in the House of Reps. You LOST THERE, TOO. You're eight seats down, and WE are eight seats UP. Granted, you still have the majority, but it's not as much of one, and look where the momentum is. Which side gained ground EVERYWHERE? Wasn't YOU!