Maybe it was this:
So...instead of actually doing something real about "sky-high deficit spending" (like pulling out of Afghanistan and Iraq ahead of schedule), we get a symbolic gesture that will reduce federal spending by less than 0.05 percent.
And with that symbolic gesture we witness President Obama's unfortunate alter-ego, President Gimmick. President Gimmick isn't serious about solving any of our problems, he's only serious about demonstrating his desire to solve our problems.
We went from this:
The aide said it's already a winning message without a vote since Obama and Democrats have framed the debate as the Republicans being for the rich and Democrats wanting to help the middle class. Others have made similar arguments, but several lawmakers have said they think a vote is the only way to score a political victory. The senior aide doesn't think so.
"We have a winning message now, why muddy it up with a failed vote, because, of course, Republicans are going to block everything," the aide said.
To this:
House Democrats are actually planning to bring a middle class tax cut extension only to a vote this week. That's a pretty dramatic turnaround from the days right after the election when the White House was signaling that it would go along with an extension of the tax cuts for all income levels.
News doesn't happen in a vacuum. I think, unlike TPM apparently, that this is a dramatic turnaround from the fall and the White House has been looking for a way to achieve permanent tax cuts for a few months now. They finally got it; these tax cuts are what the vanquished blue dogs will run on in 2012 and the pay freeze will likely be another talking point. Along with the 700 billion to the deficit Republicans want to add to take care of the rich.
Blogs react, but I gotta say Fuck you to this President Gimmick crap. Great job creating the next right wing meme.
You're right slinkerwink, OUCH.
But we're probably smarting over this for different reasons.
The next two years are going to be incredibly political and IMO there are two ways to go; you support the president or you don't. Because given that the opposition owns a cable network and the village is hardwired for Republicans and Citizen's United has unleashed corporate power to an incredible degree if you attack the President, the administration from jump street over every damn thing you're just cutting him to pieces for the opposition.
It's what the progressive community did during the health care fight as we consumed ourselves rather than the enemy; and it's what it did during the stimulus fight. The last two years; Republicans have simply had to echo Democratic attacks and they successfully turned independents off of Democratic party (who the hell wants to be a part of a circular firing squad), depressed the base, and fired themselves up.
Great job Jed, starting that pattern up. Can't wait to see the President Gimmick tags and everything. Given, that inflation is zero and this was by your own accounts a symbolic act why the fuck would you attack your team in that way?
As fucked up as you may feel Obama is, he's the only game in town. Progressives hurt themselves when they tear him down; if anything the last election should have seared that into your head.