Uh-Oh

We were critical of President Obama in his first term for negotiating with himself, laying out a compromise position with the Rethuglicans, only to have them refuse to negotiate to extract further concessions.  There are reports that the budget that the President will present to Congress is reminiscent of that approach.

Cuts to Medicare and Social Security are apparently part of a "grand bargain" package that the President hopes to sell to Congress -- obstructionist Rethuglicans, and Dems wary of Rethug-inspired cuts to the social safety net.  That's a dangerous position, given the Rethugs' habit of taking what the Dems propose, offering nothing themselves, and then running as the party "saving Social Security and Medicare."  Just look at the lies about Obama's $700 billion cut to Medicare that they told in 2012.

This is the beginning of the process, but there a strange resemblance to tactics in his first term where he watered down legislation to please the Rethugs, to no avail.  Uh-oh.

UPDATE:  And it's to no avail this time around either.  Well played!

Cliff Diving

August 14, 2012:

"Number one, I guarantee you, flat guarantee you, there will be no changes in Social Security," Biden said, per a pool report. "I flat guarantee you." (our emphasis) -
"First Read," NBC News.

Yesterday:

"The White House says the president’s plan would cut spending by $1.22 trillion over 10 years, compared with $1.2 trillion in cuts from the Republicans’ initial offer. Of that, $800 billion is cuts to programs, and $122 billion comes from adopting a new measure of inflation that slows the growth of government benefits, especially Social Security. The White House is also counting on $290 billion in savings from lower interest costs on a reduced national debt." (our emphasis) - the New York Times, 12/17/12.

Negotiating with yourself again, eh, Mr. President? We thought you and the Democrats won in November on a platform to protect Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

Elections are supposed to have consequences, but not in a perverse way.