Are Obama's progressive hints and Reid's capitulation all of a piece?

[grasswire]

Reid's capitulation on filibuster gives Obama cover to make any kind of progressive happy talk, both of them knowing that there's no chance for any movement forward in Senate and House.

So we must ask: was this coordinated? Obama's inaugural speech raised the hearts and hopes of many on the left. Then Reid's deal with the devils (a total reversal of his previous intentions) cemented any progressive legislation dead on arrival.

Is this strategy? Coordinated?

Or happenstance?

Has there been any comment from the WH on Reid's capitulation?

[lunatica]

1. Hahahahahahaaaaa!

That's a mighty stretch there pilgrim.

[MotherPetrie]

2. Sure makes you wonder, doesn't it?

[daleanime]

3. Don't care which way it went down....

already knew we would working against our "elected officials" in order to do anything.

[Tarheel_Dem]

4. YAY! More unfounded speculation, and bizarre conspiracy theories. We don't have enuf of 'em.

[grasswire]

8. When Democratic politicians start consistently acting in understandable and clear...

....ways that don't look like weakness, we Democrats will all be on the same page.

[southernyankeebelle]

5. Well I think we need to start asking when are we going to get more FDR dems. From

now on when the DNC calls and asks for money I am going to tell them if there isn't a FDR democrat running am not going to give them money..

[leftstreet]

6. Obama gets a 4 yr vacation, photographing unicorns n/t

[Lesmoderesstupides]

7. It is plausible it is not like either of them are very progressive or liberal

Besides Pres Obamas words rarely if ever are the same as his actions so your theory does hold water.

[Still Sensible]

9. Well, while the meek filibuster "reform" is incredibly disappointing

the current, gerrymandered make up of the House already cements a ceiling on the potential amount and speed of progressive legislation in the next couple years.

I don't think the President and Reid sat down and said "gee, here's a great plan to fuck liberals!"

In the near term, my disgust for the tepid deal Reid brokered with McConnell is because it doesn't do very much to open the floodgates and get the President's appointments expedited.

If Reid, for lack of votes, had to abandon the "speaking" filibuster, I certainly wanted the onus switched to the minority so that they would have to actually produce the 41 votes... instead, the onus remains on the majority to produce their 60. For the life of me, I can't understand why Reid couldn't/didn't at least do that.

[grasswire]

10. the answer lies in another thread

Reid played us all.

"Reformers in and out of the Senate believe that Reid tapped into their enthusiasm to advance his goal."

[phleshdef]

11. Next person that uses the words "capitulation", "cave" or "triangulation" should get cliche banned.

Reid didn't "capitulate". He just knows how to fucking count. When is DU and the progressive community as a whole going to attempt to get better at Senate math?

[Scurrilous]

14. ....

[grasswire]

15. you're right....he didn't capitulate

This reportedly was his plan from the get-go.

"Reformers in and out of the Senate believe that Reid tapped into their enthusiasm to advance his goal."

He played us.

[1StrongBlackMan]

16. Probably never ...

because in their/our living rooms, on our couches, in our basements, in our bedrooms, the solution always is, "All we gotta do is ...", because that's as far as it'll go - from their/our living rooms, on our couches, in our basements, in our bedrooms, onto the internet.

Whereas, in DC, the Statehouse, City Council Chambers, those capitulating, caving, triangulating folks, are not afforded that luxury, someboby actually has to do something with what they come up with, and not all of them are on your side.

[Taverner]

12. I doubt it, but let's check back in 2 years

[RedstDem]

13. i'm going with

yes...

or more precisely, duh!

[forestpath]

17. I don't think it matters.

After President Obama put SS cuts on the table in December, what he said about it and Medicare in his inaugural speech didn't get my hopes up.

So, I don't think he and Harry Reid needed to coordinate with each other because they already knew exactly where the other one already really stood anyway.