The Bishop and the Butterfly: Murder, Politics, and the End of the Jazz Age
    jollyroger's picture

    Prez as pugilist: The Barack Shuffle, The Rope-a-Dope, The Lights-Out Left Hook

    Knowing that Prez is the greatest political counterpuncher in history, I have been sorting anxiously through the entrails of his (seemingly feckless) strategy for successful achievement of meaningful health care reform.

    I was looking for the rope-a-dope, and now I have found it.

    First, there was the Barack Shuffle—that was the preposterous proposition that the Baucus Committee would be the bi-partisan bill drafter of choice The fix: Baucus will never get a bill out, and in the process, Grassley & Co.show their collective asses.

    The rope-a-dope: Prez talks timid about public option; further emboldening the Repugnants who reliably punch themselves out like George Foreman in Kinshasa.. Lefties freak out, they reliably talk shit about Prez, call him punk.. The fix: Nancy P. guarantees House Bill with big balls will go to conference.

    The Lights-Out Left Hook: Create conditions such that only with the budget impact of the public option savings can the mandates of the Byrd Rule be met. Whereupon party survival, much less party discipline, brings to heel. the extra 2-3 Dem Senators needed to get to 50.

    I love it when a plan comes together…