Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Obama triangulates: Contraception out
After a news cycle of humiliation for the San Francisco Democrat, the contraception subsidy is out of the stimulus bill because Barack Obama says it is. That tells us three things. First, that the Obama administration is really smart and flexible and will not hurt itself to bail out even the Speaker of the House on an issue important to "progressives." Second, that President Obama understands that social conservatives are something of a sleeping dragon that he does not want to wake up. And, finally, that the GOP can make itself understood with targeted criticism and ridicule of specific spending, which regular readers know is my favorite strategy for Republicans to rebuild their shattered credibility.
13 Comments:
By 
smitty1e, at
Tue Jan 27, 09:05:00 AM:
If you Facebook, do check out:
Event: March on Washington, DC
"Are you a serious Conservative? We shall see..."
What: Rally
Host: The Conservative Coalition
Start Time: Saturday, May 30 at 9:00am
End Time: Saturday, May 30 at 5:00pm
Where: Washington Mall
To see more details and RSVP, follow the link below:
http://www.facebook.com/n/?event.php&eid=45954399669
By 
, at
Tue Jan 27, 11:18:00 AM:
I think we should make this about jobs, jobs and more jobs. Unemployment is coming and the effects will be devastating to our country. We can focus attention on card check, on the higher unemployment taxes coming that will reduce employment, the "pay equity" bill that, along with similar such bills, are aimed at rewarding lawyers at the cost of employers. We should talk about the expiration of the Bush tax cuts, something Pelosi has called non-negotiable and Obama's proposal to remove the cap on social security taxes, both items that will further damage employers. Maybe we should talk about the so-called bailout of state budgets, which is merely a way of prolonging government jobs at the cost of citizen jobs. The Congress, unchecked by Obama, is becoming a job killing machine.
By , at
Tue Jan 27, 01:33:00 PM:
And, while the post was about the economic stimulus debacle, please note that it's not just the Congress hurting the country. Obama is doing his share too.
By , at
Tue Jan 27, 01:45:00 PM:
You want an online, searchable version of the crap sandwich, errr Stimulus bill? The internet is the perfect medium!
By , at
Tue Jan 27, 01:49:00 PM:
Sorry about all the posts. My last comment is that searching on the word "billion" is a quick way to get to the meat of the bill.
By D.E. Cloutier, at
Tue Jan 27, 02:03:00 PM:
Here's some ammo for you, TH.
New York Post:
"President Obama's plan to set aside over $4 billion in his stimulus package for controversial community groups such as ACORN amounts to a 'payoff' in return for their support of Democrats last year, according to a leading Republican lawmaker."
Link:
http://www.nypost.com/seven/01272009/news/nationalnews/gop_leaders_oppose_stimulus_money_for_ac_152276.htm
By davod, at
Tue Jan 27, 02:04:00 PM:
They will find a way to put it back in. Much like the $4 billion for ACORN type groups was supposed to be out of the earlier package.
The Dems are laughing at us. They will lie and it doesn't matter.
By D.E. Cloutier, at
Tue Jan 27, 02:49:00 PM:
TH: "my favorite strategy"
You need to fight on all fronts. And you need to stop listening to what Obama says and start watching what he does. (It's also time for Republicans to read/reread Obama's bible, Saul Alinsky's "Rules for Radicals.")
I expect two things to happen before the next Presidential election:
1. Democratic legislation will push a lot of jobs into other countries.
2. Iran will get "the bomb."
Right now, in the conservative coalition, libertarian Republicans who understand the global economy need to take the lead. Social conservatives need to pipe down. Democrats know how to fight social conservatives and neoconservative hawks. But Democrats will have a difficult time against libertarian-Republican "outsiders" before long.
By davod, at
Tue Jan 27, 04:05:00 PM:
"Right now, in the conservative coalition, libertarian Republicans who understand the global economy need to take the lead. Social conservatives need to pipe down."
You are making exactly the wrong judgement. All Republicans, need to come together to fight for the correct package.
The biggest problem for the conservative economic agenda will come not from the hated social consersvaives and neoconservatives, but from the muddle headed (There is a beter, more polite term, but I cannot think of one) Republicans.
You know who I mean - The lets give Obama a chance Republicans.
Followed by the win-win group who don't realise the mid-point is so far o the left of Conservaives should be that any win-win is a win for the liberals.
The Social conservatives who think government should do more. The more liberal Senators from the North East States like Collins.
There are a lot of Republican politicians who will waiver at he site of big dollars coming to their area.
Oh. Why do you think Obama repudiated Pelosi's abortion money so quickly. Maybe some of the social conservative values cross party lines.
By D.E. Cloutier, at
Tue Jan 27, 04:51:00 PM:
This comment has been removed by the author.
By D.E. Cloutier, at
Tue Jan 27, 05:20:00 PM:
Why do you think Obama repudiated Pelosi's abortion money so quickly?"
It's an old strategy--compromise on the little stuff to get the big stuff. I watched community organizers do it a hundred times in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
By , at
Tue Jan 27, 07:35:00 PM:
Could it be that President Obama reads TigerHawk and agrees with yesterday's post re: we need more babies?
By , at
Fri Jan 30, 01:31:00 AM:
Fat good it did the Dems to join the Repugs in shitting on women. Cut the repugs loose, & if Obama's numbers stay high with moderates, Boehner's authority will begin to fracture; he's a rube from rural Ohio who doesn't even understand his own state anymore.
