It seems to me that Obama's strategy for fiscal and other policy should be to work with Nancy Pelosi on Democratic priorities, and then peel off just enough Republicans to create a working majority. In the old days it probably wasn't so hard to find "moderate" Republicans for such an effort. It may take tougher measures to find persuadable ones in this environment.
My question: How many Republican House members were elected from districts that Obama either won or was very close? Those should be the prime targets, whether they see themselves as moderate or not. But surely some of them are business-oriented "blue chip" Republicans that don't want to see the economy go off a cliff, slope or other downward incline.
Another question: It seems to me that Republican presidents (Reagan perhaps and others) often worked with a House that had a majority of Democrats. The strategy was to start with the Republican minority and then entice just enough "Blue Dog" Democrats to be able to pass legislation. Anybody have good examples that might be a model for today ... suggesting that President Obama's best path is to work with Nancy Pelosi and the Democratic caucus in the House, and then draw in just enough "Blue Chip" Republicans to make a bare majority?
In sum: First, propose a plan that all Dems in the House will support. Then, tinker just enough to get 17 R's to sign on ... offering them pork or other enticements if necessary rather than major policy concessions ... so that we end up with a plan where the Dems get 90 percent of what they want and Repubs get 10 percent rather than the other way around!
If Obama keeps working with Boehner, the only deal that will pass will be one where the Republicans get 98 percent of what they want. And given the crazy Tea Partiers, it may be that even 100 percent won't be enough.