The situation is very fluid now, and the Gang of Six has come up with a plan that would destroy the possibility of progressive change for a decade or more and do much to make permanent the Great Class Stratification. I could never support its reduction of tax rates for the rich below the Bush tax cuts. Never. If this President and Dems actually enacted it, I would leave the Dems and join a third party alternative, likely the Green Party.
But I don't think that will happen. It's not time to panic.
I think the Gang of Six plan is DOA with House Rs (and Pelosi and many Senate Ds) That's my hope.
Steve Benen makes a good argument that the President's comments are to box in House Rs. Now I don't buy 13-dimensional chess, but every now and again, two or three dimensional chess does exist. And if I'm wrong, I'm gone.
The key point of Obama's remarks are this:
“So here’s where we stand. We have a Democratic President and administration that is prepared to sign a tough package that includes both spending cuts, modifications to Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare that would strengthen those systems and allow them to move forward, and would include a revenue component. We now have a bipartisan group of senators who agree with that balanced approach. And we’ve got the American people who agree with that balanced approach.”
Steve Benen: Obama Tries to Box In House GOP
Benen believes that Obama was not endorsing the specifics of the Gang of Six Plan, and I think he's right because Obama said that it is "broadly consistent" with his plan but that he has not seen all the details. Instead it was to box in Rs with a "balanced approach."
The point wasn’t to endorse the Gang of Six, per se, so much as to use the Gang of Six to make a larger point: the White House wants a balanced approach, a bipartisan group in the Senate wants a balanced approach, and the American mainstream wants a balanced approach. Now all we need is for the House majority to wake up and smell reality.
Steve Benen: Obama Tries to Box In House GOP
I hope he is setting up House Rs to take the blame if they default. It would destroy the R Party for a generation if House Rs send us back into a recession.
Let's take a breath and see how it plays out.
In the end, I think we get the McConnell bill and President Obama isolating extremist Rs with the public.
I don't think this President wants more tax cuts for the wealthy. I think there are principles beyond which he will not compromise. I may be wrong, and if I am, then I won't be around Dkos cause I'll be hanging with the Greens.
I fully expect to be around Dkos for a long time.