What Obama should have done in 2009

[So rightwing that I broke the Political Compass!]

One gets the impression that most of the posters in this thread didn't actually read/consider the article, but are merely regurgitating talking points... sigh.

As to the article I'm largely in agreement, and felt the same way in 2009. It was a massive selfnuking by the administration to not pass their tax cuts separately and first.

One wonders how a public option would have faired if they'd tried to pass it alone, perhaps in early 2010. Of course it didn't have enough support in the senate as part of Obamacare... but if Obama had made a major push for independently through a SOTU speech while enjoying a substantially higher approval rating, I think some blue dogs(and maybe even the Maine Senators) might have caved, given how popular the public option is in polls. Failing that I'm fairly sure a stand alone public option could have been forced through by the reconciliation process.

[So rightwing that I broke the Political Compass!]

Isn't Sean Trende just one of those Republican hacks on RCP who tries to use stats and mathematical prowess to hide his hackery? A somewhat classier, less enraging Jay Cost.

Care to explain what is so hackish about his suggestion?

[So rightwing that I broke the Political Compass!]

I recognized that in my initial post in this thread. It would have been a challenge for GOP members to vote against the tax cut or infrastructure pieces. It also would have cemented the tax cut in the public mind so when Obama remarked on it later the issue would resonate. As it was he could say it, but get little credit since it was buried in the larger stimulus.

I wonder if even a single Republican would have voted against the tax cuts? It'd be interesting to see the Democrats leveraging that into a campaign against, say, Jim DeMint.

[So rightwing that I broke the Political Compass!]

 They cannot write entitlement reforms.  They cannot do anything because they are completely hostage to their "groups".  All they can do is say "no no no!" to every new reform the Republicans propose.

One thing - the most important thing going away - that Obama has not even been talking about, much less "compromising" on, is entitlement reform. That is the major reason we are in irons. This is one issue where the POTUS must lead. He hasn't been.

I feel compelled to point out the inclusion of IPAB within Obamacare. It's not a reform in itself, but it does lay the groundwork for making reforms to Medicare politically possible, namely by sidelining congress. It's cost reduction proposals are implemented automatically, and can only be overturned by congress if a)congress proposes an alternative that contains Medicare cost by a comparable amount, or b)the senate can summon up 67 votes to veto the proposal.

Consider the fact that projected growth in Medicare's cost dwarfs all other deficit contributors combined. The IPAB is the single greatest coup that entitlement reform could have possibly enjoyed... congress can let cuts/reforms to Medicare pas simply through inaction(or political maneuvering so they fall a few votes short of the needed 67 senators), without being held responsible for the cuts by AARP and senior voters.

The Republican response to IPAB is to label it a "death panel". I have a hard time taking them seriously as the party of entitlement reform, considering that.