I Guess I Completely Misinterpreted PBO's Comments Just Now.....

[global1]

I'm hearing the talking heads on cable news say he was in a relaxed mood and joking and using his bully pulpit to push this over the goal line today.

I heard and saw a different PBO. To me it seemed like he was uncomfortable, backpedaling, somewhat embarrassed and apologetic. It was almost as like he knew he caved and that he wasn't happy with himself either. It just seemed like he was struggling for words on this and almost beaten.

I'm hearing and reading here that some feel that he's caved and some feel like he's won on these negotiations.

I'm feeling somewhat dejected as I don't like that we've pushed the threshold up to $400,000 or $450,000. This means that it will put more of the burden again on the middle class to make up the difference going forward. I'm hearing that the can will be kicked down the road again and that in the next 3 to 6 months we'll be right back to this same issue again with the debt ceiling.

Why is it that the Repugs always look to come out of things on top? They caused the financial problems that we have now (thank you for 8 years of G.W.Bush) - and I'm sure that we'll have both McConnell and Boehner taking victory laps after this is all said and done.

They should be hiding in shame for what they've put this country through - but they will claim victory. Why do I always feel beaten?

After this deal gets passed - and now I'm sure that we'll see an 11th hour 'hail mary pass' and this fiscal cliff will be history - we'll be hearing from all sides that they will be claiming that they won. We'll hear it from the Dems too - I'm sure. They will cling to some aspects of the deal that will say that they came out ahead.

The cable news talking heads will be telling us that if everyone comes out of this thinking that they won - that this was achieved through compromise and it must be a good deal.

I'm fatigued. We've been through all of this before and we'll be facing this again in a few months with the debt ceiling and we'll compromise again - but as this compromise on the fiscal cliff - it will look like we're taking a step ahead - but we as the middle class, the poor, the sick and disabled, the students - the working man and women - we'll be taking two steps back.

We re-elected PBO because he was saying all the right things. He won overwhelmingly. There was no need for such a compromise. The Repugs were on the ropes.

Again - they snatched victory from the jaws of defeat and I again feel outplayed.

And the rich tonight will be celebrating the New Year with Champagne and Caviar.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!

May old aquaintence be forgot - yeah - right!!!!!!

[phleshdef]

1. Wow. You are not very good at reading people at all.

He was totally comfortable. He was laughing and making jokes. He seemed pretty happy and confident. The talking heads are calling it right. You are in another world on this.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

2. WHAT is a PBO?

[global1]

6. President Barack Obama...nt

[phleshdef]

11. Its the acronymn for lead oxide!

[global1]

5. Sorry - But That's What I Heard And Saw....

and don't choose to believe what the talking heads and others are telling me to believe.

[phleshdef]

7. Yea, thats what you heard and saw while doing your best Hellen Keller impression.

[babylonsister]

9. He was even a wee bit snarky...

[narnian60]

10. I agree with ya, phleshdef!

[babylonsister]

3. Wrong!

Please read this, but I will reemphasize this part:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251269631

snip//

It looks like the president is set to get exactly what he wanted if this deal goes through. Actually, he would be getting more than many expected. If the president gets the extension of the tuition tax credit, the clean energy tax credit, an extension of unemployment benefits, and a tax hike on the top two percent, this will be a huge win for him.

If he had to bump the income threshold up to $400,000 to get all of this, it will be well worth it.

Remember that Republicans have sworn for years that they would never raise taxes on the wealthy. They based their entire run for the presidency in 2012 on a vow to not raise taxes on anyone. All of this will have gone up in smoke, plus they will have given the president a laundry of things that he wants.

[OldDem2012]

8. But, but, but....that can't possibly be correct because the HairOnFireDUers say it's not!! nt.

[CakeGrrl]

4. I think you misinterpreted.

Are some people so very invested about being right about their predictions that he's selling out seniors and the middle class that they want to see any sign that he's really going to do it?

[JoePhilly]

12. The fact that he has yet to cut SS is simply more proof of how evil his plan really is.

That's how I read it.

[Siwsan]

13. All a quest of perception, I guess. The minute he walked to the podium, I started to relax

I was struck by how relaxed he upbeat he was, when he started talking.

[Curmudgeoness]

14. When will you learn not to let pundits tell you what you just saw?

I am almost always amazed at the interpretations of speeches that I just watched. I trust my own gut feelings, not theirs. I have no idea what their agenda might be.

I, like you, do not feel great about this deal. I also wish that we would have gotten more. But I also know that there was going to be no resolution if we did not compromise on something. In every negotiation, all sides should be unhappy with the results and all sides should be able to have some sense of "winning". So, as long as we have a divided government, we will have to face the facts that we will not get everything we want.

[theoldman]

15. The $250 was just a starting point in negotiations.

He could have started at $100 but too many people are in that category. I think the $400/450 is where wealthy people are in todays income bracket. Lets wait until we know the complete agreement before we start to criticize.

[Kahuna]

18. Duh. You wouldn't think you'd have to explain that. What

serious negotiator starts with his bottom line???

[Tarheel_Dem]

16. The people who keep screaming that the president won overwhelmingly, conveniently forget that....

the makeup of Congress is basically unchanged. It was pointed out yesterday, that with the redrawn Congressional districts, there are about half a dozen competitive house seats. The conservative caucus has no absolutely no incentive to ever sign onto anything from this WH. Why would you, or any other rational human being, think the president would get everything he campaigned on? Divided government means just the opposite. The teabagger caucus never has to worry about being defeated by a Democrat, their only worry is a primary challenge, who will probably be harder right than they are.

Can I just say to people on this board..."Grow Up". Compromise is what adults do all the time. And if you've never had to compromise in your life, you're an extremely lucky person, and quite possibly a very lonely one. I sure hope you don't get paid to read body language.

[Lugnut]

17. Wow. That's not what I saw.

I saw a very jovial and honest PBO. The Repubs are crying because he told the truth about where the negotiations stand. Maybe I missed something.