dagblog - Comments for "Yes, some compromise will be necessary but Obama should not compromise on his priorities/agenda"

It was more a metaphorical

Jason Everett Miller — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 17:39:28 +0000

In reply to Yes, some compromise will be necessary but Obama should not compromise on his priorities/agenda

It was more a metaphorical "you" as I find your arguments quite persuasive on most fronts. I was a Yes We Can before I joined the party of No We Won't.

If Reid and Pelosi cannot

hrebendorf — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 04:44:11 +0000

In reply to Yes, some compromise will be necessary but Obama should not compromise on his priorities/agenda

If Reid and Pelosi cannot guarantee (and I suspect that is the case)...

Or WON'T guarantee it. I find it particularly telling that Nancy Pelosi IMMEDIATELY got out front on the health care issue, and tried to sabotage and subvert Obama's agenda by pushing for a far less comprehensive and far more limited plan. I hate her worthless, feckless guts. And I'm convinced that the primary reason Obama picked Rahm Emanuel is because he knew Pelosi was going to be a constant source of trouble and division within the party.

"Don't tell me we can't find

Logico — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 01:16:27 +0000

In reply to Yes, some compromise will be necessary but Obama should not compromise on his priorities/agenda

"Don't tell me we can't find enough money in our existing budget to accomplish all of our much-needed investment in this country."

I won't! And no "yes we can" believers will tell you that, either. Who ever accomplished anything with an "oh, we hit a challenge, so we can't do that now" attitude?

I'm sure all critical thinking Americans will confront the "lower your expectations" nonsense that is peddled by media pundits and others with a "yes we can," "who says we can't?" and "how else might we accomplish that?"

I'm sure when we were on our way to the moon, a million excuses could have been made for why we could not do it. Bill Gates was told nobody would ever want a computer in their home, too.

People can always find excuses not to meet challenges if that's what they are looking for, but the people of this country spoke loudly and clearly when they chose a leader who says "yes we can."

Not to mention simply

Jason Everett Miller — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 23:52:34 +0000

In reply to Yes, some compromise will be necessary but Obama should not compromise on his priorities/agenda

Not to mention simply spending the $4 trillion we already unload each year more effectively. Don't tell me we can't find enough money in our existing budget to accomplish all of our much-needed investment in this country.

P.S. In posting, I just saw

artappraiser — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 22:43:27 +0000

In reply to Yes, some compromise will be necessary but Obama should not compromise on his priorities/agenda

P.S. In posting, I just saw your title again, and it makes me want to add to my reply by saying "it's not his agenda anymore." And, matter of fact, Obama is a big believer in serving the majority's agenda, if he's ideological about anything, it's that.

He'll do anything he thinks

artappraiser — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 22:40:32 +0000

In reply to Yes, some compromise will be necessary but Obama should not compromise on his priorities/agenda

He'll do anything he thinks he has to to keep unemployment and bankruptcy type situations down, sell out any promises, anything. That will temper all his decisions. Anything else would be political suicide. He's only got 2 1/2 years or so before he has to run for re-election on his results and "it's the economy stupid." Long-term good will have to be sold out for short term gain. He starts running for re-election in two years, and the global financial collapse is the new 9/11.

Examples: I notice few in the blogosphere give much of a damn about what's going on in Iraq anymore, and I think if you could prove that it would benefit the current economy to stay there, the majority public would change their opinion about getting out pronto. Oh and that getting bin Laden thing, not if it costs too much money. The new enemies will be those countries who won't play along with Obama's Treasury Secretary. If a health care reform measure happens to involve temporary employment pain in that sector (i.e., temporary pain for eventual gain), the selling of it won't be started until the economy is healthier....

"...stampede among many

Logico — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 22:34:31 +0000

In reply to Yes, some compromise will be necessary but Obama should not compromise on his priorities/agenda

"...stampede among many liberal/Democratic leaning pundits and commentators in the blogosphere to urge Obama to compromise, lower expectations and otherwise "prepare" the electorate for less change..."

Great post, Oleeb. I sincerely hope Obama does everything in his power to ensure that nobody dumbs down the unprecedented potential of his presidency.

This overused pattern of media and various spokespersons raising the expectations of Americans to get something through, then immediately try to lower those expectations once they've got what they want, is getting old. Your quote above strikes me as a similar dynamic to the one we just witnessed with respect to the bailout. The pundits and anchors first were all on the same page, busy warning Americans that if the bailout to "save main street" didn't pass, they would not get their paychecks and the banks wouldn't make loans to your average Joe. Immediately after bailout passed, the pundits then began saying that it would take time and maybe more would be needed. No big surprise, but last I heard, the banks weren't lending to many and we've had many more job losses despite the bailout.

It is especially ironic that the bailout is now being held up as the reason people should lower their expectations as if there is only one way to do everything. Here's hoping the Obama administration finds creative ways to make great strides on the most pressing issues and to bring along the Democrats and some Republicans with him. After all, that's why they were elected.

If more funding is needed, an Obama administration could start by hiring a few hundred IRS workers to collect the estimated hundreds of billions in taxes owed by Americans who hide their money in offshore bank accounts to avoid paying their share of the taxes. I'm sure there are plenty of other ideas they could consider as well.

Totally agree with this

Jason Everett Miller — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 19:10:07 +0000

In reply to Yes, some compromise will be necessary but Obama should not compromise on his priorities/agenda

Totally agree with this sentiment.

Barack should pursue his priorities as outlined during the campaign and force moderates of both parties by hook and crook to support him. I think he understands that the main way to do that will be through mobilizing the American voter.

I don't think he needs to compromise on any of his four main priorities as they are all interconnected and are important to "liberals" and "conservatives" alike. I believe he will get it done by continuing to take his case to the grassroots. That is where all the momentum exists right now and can force Congress to act as well.

The "center" will be Barack's biggest asset as long as we don't go back to sleep.