You make some thoughtful points.
But also if he can get a deal on entitlements with Rs now when he doesn't have to worry about his base turning out to vote anymore he gets his cake and eat it, spend now and cut later. That is how I read it,
That is why I am worried about what the Rs in the house may do.
Spending now
Then Cut our SS and Medicare later (delayed)
Make O a success.
It may sound paranoid but Rs have a talent for failure.
So we were noticing the same things.
Yes, which is why I am hoping that Boehner is willing to stall or break things into smaller chunks.
Deal with the Fiscal Cliff this year. Delay everything else until next year.
By that time, the Petraus thing should have hit big-time and will go back and pull forward the other scandals with any luck.
If that happens, and if there is enough there, we're looking at Nixon in 1973 and that ends up consuming everything.
If I'm right and if we're lucky, that is.
The rats are already bailing out of that ship. They don't bail out unless there is a reason. I am hopeful. The look on Obama's face speaks volumes.