None of these things should be a surprise. When I called Paul Krugman a political rookie compared to President Obama, he wasn't alone in underestimating President Obama's political acumen. Just as the Professional Left screamed and moaned, John Boehner claimed that he got 98% of what he wanted, a claim so stupid it was buoyed by Daily Kos' Markos Moulitsas later.The truth is that the Republicans lost the battle to "drown the government in a bathtub" back on August 1. The president took all their cards, and left them holding a whole bunch of teabags. And now that Congress' approval is at 12% and members are deathly afraid of being themselves thrown out of office if they are not seen as productive, the President brings the hammer down in the form of a veto threat.
Republicans were screaming for a specific plan from the president on jobs, and he gave them one. They were clamoring for a specific plan from him on deficit reduction, and he gave them that today. He threw a challenge: that he will always protect and defend the American middle class, students, poor and the elderly, and it would be the choice of the Republicans if they want to protect the same people or the tax welfare system for the superwealthy.
Do read the whole thing and arm yourself with those arguments. We're going to need them. President Obama really did lay the foundation for pantsing the GOP in the last six weeks, and he's continuing to build on it daily.
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