Obama knows what he's doing! Watch what Fineman says

[winter is coming]

35. At some level, whether or not it could pass now is irrelevant.

A Democratic president has signaled that it's okay to cut SS benefits, as if the folks on SS are living in luxury and really should tighten their belts for the good of the country. At the same time, cutting tax loopholes and other things that would affect the rich, who actually can afford to live in luxury is apparently unthinkable.

The Republicans are demanding so much that an "even" compromise (we give something, they give something) isn't a "fair" compromise (both sides have an equal amount of pain). If the Republicans yield, the well-off might have to give up a vacation home. If the Democrats yield, people will be hungry, cold, and possibly homeless -- and they're being told they should give up something that doesn't even contribute to the deficit.

Perhaps Obama's motives are being misunderstood, but he's making an extraordinarily bad job of this. He wants to negotiate, but negotiation works only when both sides are dealing in good faith. The Republicans aren't, and it's a waste to pretend that they are. Very few of them can be reasoned with. Offering up chained CPI as an initial position isn't a signal to them that it's time to compromise; it's a signal that they should demand more.