WOW the WH has no idea of WHERE the compromise will be...

[nadinbrzezinski]

well negotiation against themselves, is now a daily occurrence. I want to know if they dropped the truth and Axelrod spoke too early... see Public Option, never on the table to begin with for real.

These guys are sucky at negotiations 101 and I cannot believe they are that stupid. At this point it has to be a purpose to this.

[villager]

1. the head/sand crowd has already unrecc'd, Nadin, but yes -- they're the "anti-negotiatiors"

...in that they've already caved before negotiations even begin...

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. People don't want to hear it

would not be prudent

[Angry Dragon]

2. It is a good thing that Obama never was a courtroom lawyer

[RKP5637]

4. Very good point IMO!!! n/t

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. NO this is not about being a court room lawyer

I think they are doing this on purpose...

[RKP5637]

10. I'm curious. What would be their purpose/agenda, how would that work ...

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. The counter revolution against the New Deal

it will not be ended by Republicans...

There are forces at play that have destroyed that liberal tradition and are well on their way.

The wrinkle on this is that the Empire is a shell, so perhaps when the Empire collapses, that is part of the effort to keep a functional, more or less, country.

Of course in the most cynical of moments it is us vs them... no matter what letter is behind a name.

[RKP5637]

18. Agree! IMO there is a common thread starting to run through many things that

I find quite disturbing. The liberal tradition has been significantly marginalized. Also agree on the empire being a shell. I find a considerable hollowness today and the weirdness of it all seems to grow each day.

[nadinbrzezinski]

20. On a whole different marker on that

Obama did not get all he wanted at the G-20... yes I pay attention to that more important crap, not just a ship at sea

:-)

And Obama definitely did not get all he wanted. Yes, indeed countries gave us the middle finger as it were.

[RKP5637]

27. Oh darn, and I thought the ship at sea was most important per MSM! By tonight it

was getting nauseating, I was getting seasick!

[nadinbrzezinski]

28. Well per MSM it was just an American effort

never mind the mighty Mexican Navy Tug Chihuahua... or the rest of the assets.

I wanted to poke them but they do this all the time...

I also mentioned how the "official" protection of the corporation has fallen apart on social media... and it was far more serious than they let out. Oh and per passengers, they did serve SPAM.

That was far more of an exercise in message control.

[Angry Dragon]

16. The point I was trying to make is that a courtroom lawyer

has a job to do. They start from the highest point
and work their way downward if need be.
They do not admit that their client is guilty
to begin the case and then hope they can get them off.
I know that does happen at times but not as a rule.

Obama talks a good game but I do not know if he
believes what he is saying. If he does not then he
has been lying to us for a long time.

[nadinbrzezinski]

21. I agree with your second paragraph fully

I suspect that if MONEY was in the way... as in what you need to do in a court, it would be a different person... sad, but I think all this kabuki theater is just that, theater to keep the masses entertained.

As I said yesterday, I will vote... but not enthusiastically... and it is pissing in the wind.

[MadHound]

3. At this point in time it would be best to just let it expire

Put a trillion of that savings towards a true jobs program and the rest towards the deficit. It would force the 'Pugs to deal with their own election rhetoric, jobs and cutting debt.

[eleny]

11. The infrastructure could use a shot in the arm for safety sake as well as jobs

[vi5]

6. That's what so many on here miss.....

..it's not the failures or what doesn't come to pass because of the political reality of the situation. It is the caving at the outset of any negotiations and pretty much raising flags and waving signs and practically sending hand written notes stating their intention and willingness to compromise that infuriates so many of us.

It's one thing to be a realist and keep expectations reasonable that you may not get the world. It's another altogether to shrug your shoulders and run screaming towards your adversaries yelling "What's the most that I can give up now to make this easier on myself????!?" which is what they seemingly do at every single turn.

But no, it's just so much easier for the apologists to chalk it up to far left loonies hating the president no matter what he does.

[nadinbrzezinski]

They also confuse anger for hate

I'd like to recommend to them to use Websters, but I don't think it will help.

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. They also confuse anger for hate

I'd like to recommend to them to use Websters, but I don't think it will help.

[Jackpine Radical]

23. Wow, that's for sure.

Disappointment= hate & wanting Obama to fail.
Disagreement =hate & wanting Obama to fail.
Disgust=hate & wanting Obama to fail.
Feeling betrayed=hate & wanting Obama to fail.
Criticism=hate & wanting Obama to fail.
Holding the Anointed One's feet to the fire=hate & wanting Obama to fail.

All I ever wanted was for him to succeed with liberal agenda. Or at least a recognizably Democratic agenda.

I knew from the primaries he was no liberal, but how was I to know that he was not even a Democrat?

[nadinbrzezinski]

25. A third way democrat

and what passes for socialism these days (listen to the right) was an Ike Conservative at one time.

My head hurts.

[Jackpine Radical]

29. You mean a Turd Way Democrat?

You know what grows on a turd. A turd blossom.

[Cassandra]

15. YES!

thank you.

[Angry Dragon]

19. If the left has that power then the president should step aside

and let the left run the country

[Jackpine Radical]

30. Failure in a righteous cause

is better than selling out for a nominal success.

Had they pushed liberal policies in the last 2 years, they might have failed in the short run (i.e. not gotten their legislation passed), but the public would have been in no doubt about what they stood for and who was blocking them. That would have made all the difference in the midterms.

[RKP5637]

31. Agree!!! If they had driven a stake in the ground and stood ground I think more

respect would have been garnered. It seems what we have now is a capitulation toward the right when conflict or anticipated conflict arises. People might not agree, but often others are respected for holding their ground with very clear intent.

[Marr]

9. We have one political/financial establishment, and it has one agenda.

They want more for themselves. Always more. They've looted and rigged our economy thoroughly, and now they've decided to loot your Social Security. It really doesn't matter which party their little suited servants are members of, they're all pushing for the same interests. Politics is just the noise they make while trying to convince you they disagree with each other.

They will take more and more until it becomes clear that taking more will mean *getting* less. That is, when people are so fed up that they'll break the machine and actually pose a real threat. Then they'll compromise, but not a second before.

[nadinbrzezinski]

13. There will come a time when the people will have to do this

but I have lost hope in my lifetime.

Of course we also live in a shell... and when shells collapse... it is impressive from the outside, dangerous when inside.

[Marr]

14. I'm not holding my breath.

Things would have to be a lot worse than they are now. I suspect a fair number of us would still be drinking the Kool-Aid long after the food ran out.

[nadinbrzezinski]

17. It always happens

and if the shell collapses... (and it will, the Empire is a shell)...I suspect that will be both a WTF moment, and the shock that may prove too much for some in ahem... leadership on both sides... and will lead to people getting off the damn couch. I fear not a second before though... I mean Dancing with the Stars is TONIGHT!

[skepticscott]

22. Sorry, but the whole notion

that Obama has some cunning plan behind every move that he makes just won't fly anymore (assuming it ever did). It's nothing but badly deluded wishful thinking at this point.

[TeaBagsAreForCups]

24. Bravo....

...regrettably.

[Jackpine Radical]

32. …unless it's a cunning plan

to deliver us into the clutches of our corporate overlords.

[opihimoimoi]

26. Infighting between Forces within.....deal, no deal, expire, no expire, wait, no wait etc

[JDPriestly]

33. They aren't sucky at negotiations. They are bought.

Watch the film, Inside Job and you will see that almost all of our politicians from both parties are simply bought. The word is "corruption."

[w4rma]

34. DLCers do not have our interests in mind. Who did Obama hire for his administration?

Noone but DLCers. Force Obama to fire them and replace them with non-corrupt people.