This "rebellion" stuff might help us let off some steam, but it's totally unproductive, and quite possibly counterproductive.
How has this become all about Obama? It's worth remembering that Obama asked Congressional Dems to pass middle class tax cuts before the election, but they balked because of nervousness about it within their own caucus. Those are the people, first and foremost, we should be pissed at. They are the ones who allowed Republicans to gain the upper hand in negotiations and force a crappy deal in order to salvage any hope for economic recovery.
This is about a lot more than whether Obama is "tough enough." This is more than political theatre. This is about doing as much as possible to help the economy. If all our other priorities are get anywhere, that must be the first and last priority between now and 2012.
While it may be true that Obama could have held out for a better deal, I do think he understands this, and that this is his prime motivation. We're all focused on the political debate, but while that's interesting and important in its way, what actually matters are the real world consequences. That's the essence of pragmatism, and that's what we voted for in 2008.
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