This is the Deal Obama Wanted
Posted at 10:15 a.m. on Jan. 2
Tim Duy argues that the criticism of President Obama’s negotiating abilities in the “fiscal cliff” talks misses the mark.
“I frequently see commentators saying that Obama is terrible at the bargaining table, but I can’t help thinking that he is getting pretty much what he wanted. Despite all the hate heaped upon him by the right, Obama just isn’t a progressive.”
“I also believe that the place he retreats to will be where he wanted to go in the first place… the next debate will again be an issue of how much austerity. And expect that Obama will allow the negotiations to drag out to the eleventh hour, thereby forcing both Republicans and Democrats to choke down a meal – some combination of tax hikes and entitlement cuts – they both find distasteful.”
