From what I've read and heard, independent votes are very much in favor of "working together" and bipartisanship. That's what they want to see and despite their schizophrenic flip to the dark side in the last election, cooperation is what they're looking for going forward.
If this be true, could it not be that Obama/Pelosi have devised an old-fashioned game of good cop/bad cop? While Obama seeks common ground, continually offers compromise and conciliation, Pelosi and her gallant band of liberals come roaring through with giant progressive moves (think tax cuts only for the middle class). How do we know they aren't orchestrating this as an appeal to independent voters, the group they need most in 2012?
The Left is at this point almost screaming at Obama. He's a turncoat, he's in the fetal position, he's an appeaser. Really?
Yea, it sure does seem that way. No guts, no glory, but do you really think the White House is that stupid? Do you really think all this bizarre maneuvering is going on without communication between Obama, Reid, and Pelosi? A group of politicians who recently pulled off health care reform in the face of total, complete opposition-- not one vote from the Republicans-- hasn't suddenly lost their collective minds and gone Munich, in my opinion.
Keep your powder dry. Things are just getting started. For one thing, a party such as the Republicans which has painted itself into a corner through complete ideological purity has made itself very vulnerable. They worked hard for lower taxes during the Bush years and did it by increasing the deficit to the tune of $5 or so trillion dollars.
Now, they want more lower taxes, but also want to reduce the deficit-- all without increasing revenue in any way, shape or form. This position is abolutely brittle and it makes them subject to contradiction and disillusionment on the extreme right.
Should we be so foolish as to join them on the true left and cry "Uncle" already before the new Congress gets going, where the Republicans actually have to get off their asses and do something?
Again, I suggest, "Keep your powder dry." Things are probably not only going to get interesting, but also be very surprising.