Talking Points or Imperative

[onpatrol98]

I think the President wants the talking point of DADT a lot more than he wants a DADT victory, for this year at least. I think it's the same thing with immigration.

With health care, he wanted a bill and he got it. It may have seem watered down, but you knew he wanted it. I'm just not sure he cared what "it" was...as long as "it" passed. I get that sense for the financial bill. He wants "something" passed. Whatever that something is...it'll be championed as a victory. I think those were the front burner items for 2010 and he's ahead of schedule on the financial reform bill. Few people will know or understand the details of these bills.

He gets a lot more mileage out of highlighting the differences between republicans and democrats on immigration than he would from a swift vote. People have short memories. Not to mention, in the current economic climate, comprehensive immigration reform may not draw very much support from independents. Some unemployed people are becoming increasingly less empathetic on this issue. But, as a civil rights issue the Arizona bill is a great talking point for a constitutional professor and community organizer turned President.

We have a very shrewd president...with a very shrewd group of advisers. They're thinking about the next presidential election.

Our last president, I think, was basically out to lunch and the White House was being run by Dick Cheney.

As for DADT, there hasn't been a large outcry from the general public to eliminate it. It just doesn't poll as horribly as it used to. With each new generation, the animus level drops, with even young people in military wondering, "What's the point of trying to keep this policy?"

I think the President plans on fixing these things (immigration & DADT), but not one moment before they become politically expedient, not just when they are politically possible. All of these things were politically possible last year. DADT is politically possible, right now. The president drives the agenda. But, with a democratic congress just fighting to stay in office, I don't think they care one whit about these issues, right now. They're just great talking points.

Apparently, DADT isn't even a great talking point right now. The media isn't even asking about it (which is surprising after they were shut out of the loop at the last demonstration at the white house thanks to the park police ...the silence is deafening). And, if it had not been for Arizona's nutty law, congress would have worked quietly on that bill, but would not have considered it seriously until after the mid-term election.

I'd be surprised if it happens on this side of the 2010 elections. I could be wrong. I often am. They may start a subtle discussion of it. But, I'm not expecting action. Only rhetoric from all sides at this point.

Maybe these topics will become the rallying cry for the 2012 election...a way to infuse democratic support and get out the vote.

Education certainly won't be it. I don't know any group truly thrilled with developments on Race To The Top. Every President needs an issue to build on, to essentially run on. Perhaps he'll start working on these issue right after the 2010 election, with the intent of either 1) finishing them right before the 2012 election or 2) working on them up until the election and then making sure we know if we want these issues to pass, we'd better get out the vote and send him back in 2012.

The upside...hey, it could've been McCain in office and we'd be in a war with Iran by now and may have accidentally nuked ourselves.

Would any of you care to offer a timeline on when we'll get some legislation on immigration reform or DADT? Or, what's your opinion on how urgent you believe this matter is to our current elected democratic officials? I doubt we care what republicans think at the moment.