Krugman: Does Obama Have the Balls to Take on the Right Wingers?

Thank you Mr. Nader.

 

There are significant differences in political, economic, and religious ideology, BUT when it comes to the lust for power and money, there are many similarities. They both have become unresponsive to input from their electorates which is creating a "throw the rascals out" cycle which will continue until they start listening. A majority of citizens were opposed to the "bail outs," but both parties ignored the public. Bush over reached with the war, Obama is overreaching with Cap and Trade and Healthcare. Stirring up a typically docile electorate is dangerous. Mark my word.

 

Republicans are really the bully Flats Flounder from that Spongebob episode?

 

I'm not saying that there shouldn't be townhalls or that dissenters shouldn't be allowed to protest. In fact in another thread I basically defended those protestors at townhalls. What I am saying is that there are times when you have to decide whether you really want to get legislation passed. The opposition to health care reform is pretty clear and Obama's opponents have already dubbed this as Obama's Waterloo. That should pretty much tell you that his opponents have no interest in seeing it passed and see defeat of health care reform as the key to defeating at Obama.

 

To a certain point that is true. Bipartisanship is a good idea in principle and I'm not against it but we have multiple parties for a reason and our system is an oppositional system. Both parties are there to win first and foremost and then to advance issues secondarily so its not surprising that they will use many of the same tactics particularly when they move from majority to minority.

 

I WON, in additionto the whitehouse, has control of both houses of congress, and a super majority in the senate. he can do what ever he pleases.

why doesn't he?

 

I think it needs to go through this process if it stands a chance of success. People need a chance to digest and accept it. Remember the story about the two bulls up on a hill above a field of cows. One wanted to run down....the other suggested they walk . It's still too early to run!

It's much bigger then 'bipartisanship' or DEM/GOP politics. He can't risk ticking off the various interests more than he has to.

Him mucho smart.

 

He's succeeded in passing everything he's pushed thus far, from what I can tell. Has there been a failure yet in regards to his legislative agenda?

I think you're confusing "going through the process" with "failure to get legislation passed".

 

I actually think this is his smartest move. THis way he's not attached to any specifics that might drag down the legislation. It's ugly to watch at this stage. But...when the time is right (sometime this term), he can package the best of what can reasonably be passed and accepted by the majority of the stakeholders.

Still too early to call the game.

 

I hope Obama just strong arms this through - I wish he was just going for a singlepayer system so we could get the destructive and sleazeball insurance companies on the extinction list, but this bill is better than nothing.

I don't particularly care what it does to his political reputation, or if it damages his chances of getting another term.

 

I don't think the votes are there. Sen. Lincoln has come out against the public option (the real sticking point for most Republicans). Sherrod Brown never has been fir a plan that's nearly as radical or as expensive as either going through now. With the reception he's had this past week, I'd bet on Obama losing Specter for this. It's well below 60 supporting it now, and getting close to a majority against.
It's looking more and more like the currently debated healthcare bills are dead. Either that, or a crisis will have to happen and crisis takeover like Bush did with the banks.

 

Now Conrad's against a public option.

http://www.jamestownsun.com/event/article/id/91608/

 

The frustrating aspect is seeing watered down bills passed (stimulus package) where there's no evidence of bipartisanship despite concessions being made to "moderate" Republicans or the now trendy "bluedog Centrists".

Months later, Republicans ratchet up its weaknesses and proclaim how the Democratic supermajority messed it up.

They'll do the latter anyways. Might as well give them something real to b**** about.

 

by my count that's still 56

that is if Kennedy is still alive by the vote

 

Listen to the Big Dog...

And that is what really, really scares Repubs.

 

He's also never encountered opposition like this. With what he promised you could say he's already had a legislative failure not getting a healthcare bill passed by the August break.

Obama's opponents largely went along with things like TARP and the stimulus package since those in some form or the other were already in the works during the previous Admin. Health care reform is Obama's first piece of legislation that is wholly done by his Admin..

 

He never promised to get a health care bill passed by August break. He did want each chamber to pass a bill, but the idea was to do reconciliation in the fall and pass the final bill by the end of the year. Nothing has changed there.

TARP was passed during the Bush administration - Obama had nothing to do with that. The stimulus package was entirely Obama's - it had nothing to do with the previous administration. The stimulus package didn't get a single GOP vote in the House and only 2 or 3 (the Maine senators), I believe, in the Senate, so I don't see how opponents largely went along with it. It took a lot of criticism during the process, but at the end of the day, Obama mostly got the bill he wanted.