As us on the left speculate/fume/worry/wait over the possibility of cut backs to the social safety net, and astroturfed-outrage endures on the right over the mere mention of raising taxes on the rich or closing loopholes on the rich, you really have to admit; President Barack Obama is looking taller and taller. It's not just because both progressives and conversatives are up in arms.
I have several friends who I also gauge as bellweathers, but one in particular almost always goes with the eventual-winner. Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Bush(who actually lost), Kerry, Obama... didn't like how health care was done, hates Congress no matter who is incharge... you get the idea. His opinion is pretty simple; that the President has shown a willingness to be the most responsible adult in the room. Some Republicans were open to a temporary-lifting of the debt ceiling in exchange for some cuts, but instead the President has outright insisted on viewing the short, medium, and long-term. The resistance to kick the can down the road(as is usually the goal in Washington) is admirable as is the determination to raise taxes(or "close loopholes", whatever the hell they want to call it) on those who can most afford it.
In terms of pure politics, the GOP is being crowded into a corner. Their ability to maintain order is becoming questionable as the GOP Establishment and the Tea Party appear more and more divergent from one another. The GOP Establishment understands the consequences of both a federal default and the consequences of being inflexible when the stakes for the country are so high. Unlike in 2009/2010, this is not a mid-term election cycle. The GOP is going to have to find a candidate to rally around as their nominee. They can't simply run against Obama or Pelosi or Reid. I amongst others are predicting a long slog of a primary that the GOP isn't used to; no longer can Republicans simply run against Barack Obama.
As the first half of 2011 gives way to the second half of 2011, and 2012 falls upon us, President Barack Obama appears to be gaining the edge again. As for the Democrats and Republicans in Congress, the contrast is quickly becoming tax-the-richest versus burden-the-rest. It's a contrast that could bring Congressional Democrats dividends in 2012.
Sadly, the majority of this deal is likely to be on cutting spending rather than raising taxes on the richest who have gotten all the breaks of the last decade. There probably won't be much of a choice on this, given Obama needs some Republicans to pass this, and those Republicans happen to be members of a party hijacked by a cult of greed and extremism.