[SkyPilot]

Obama is pivoting.

During the "Fiscal Cliff" negotiations, Obama was full of himself, and more arrogant than usual. Drunk on the thought of his re-election, he wanted to humiliate his opponents.

He moves the goal posts in every negotiation. He did so in 2011 and again in 2012. It is what is known as "Negotiating in Bad Faith."

The Sequester cuts are real, especially to the DoD, but they do nothing to stop the nation's real source of fiscal bloodletting: Entitlements.

Obama doesn't care about the military, but he does care about what all the Sequestration mayhem he created is now doing to him. As an ego maniac, he desperately cares about the rest of his Presidency and his legacy.

If he can pull of real tax and entitlement reform - the kind that will stop the fiscal Titanic we are all on as 3rd class passengers locked below decks, if he can really pull that off - he will be hailed as a "Historic President."

I don't think he can pull it off. The Liberals in Congress will howl.

But if he is serious, watch out.

Sens Graham, McCain, Collins, Corker, Coburn, and Ayotte will carry the proposal for the Republicans.

Sens Durbin, Baucus, Mikulski, and Warner will form the core of support that will have to win over the hard core Liberals in the Senate and the House.

This could be a big.

[SkyPilot]

The Obama effort is now aimed at determining whether he can break through to some senators and persuade some of them to lean his way.

"He believes that there are Republicans who - both those who have spoken publicly about it and others who have not - who support the general premise of balance," said White House spokesman Jay Carney.

An aide to Collins, a moderate, told Reuters that she spoke to Obama on Monday afternoon and they talked about "the need for a bipartisan agreement on several critical issues," such as how to rein in the $16.7 trillion U.S. debt and the sequestration cuts.

Collins "encouraged further discussions of a substantive nature," the aide said.

Coburn, who has been a member of a bipartisan deficit-reduction working group in the Senate, told reporters that he spoke to Obama on Monday, but he declined to provide details or even confirm whether the subject was deficit reduction.

Corker said in a short interview with Reuters that Obama called him on Saturday. "We had a conversation about fiscal issues," Corker said.

______________________________________________

Obama is definitely working the Republicans for support then.

I re-watched an interview with Speaker Boehner from 3 weeks ago. I believe he was being interviewed by a local reporter from his district in Ohio. Boehner indicted (then) that if they could get real Entitlement reform, all of "this" (meaning the constant crisis) would be "worth it in the end."

Perhaps the Republicans have changed the whole tone of argument. If they have, and Obama goes for the "Grand Bargain" - this would be historic.

Obama is not to be trusted - because he does move the goal posts. But Woodward called him on that, and Obama's people went nuts. I guess they didn't like being found out about their chief weapon.

To accomplish this, all Obama would have to do to begin with was lay out some somewhat vague goals - and then let Reid debate and pass something while the House works on their own bill. They could re-solve both bills at Conference while maintaining regular order.

Lot's of "ifs" here. Still early.

[dontreadthis]

as if he could be a real president

[norwaypinesavage]

Republicans have finally stumbled into a winning strategy: Do absolutely nothing. Obama is president, his party runs the Senate, let them write and pass bills. Then it's time to negotiate. Obama and Reid are so totally incompetent that absolutely nothing will happen, and they won't be able to blame the Republicans (though they will try).

[Graewoulf]

One weapon used by the Democrats in the battle for control of Public Opinion is their re-definition of words that capture the imagination of the Low Information Voter.

For example a “cut” in spending is a reduction in the projected rate of increase in spending, year to year.

“Investment” is giving away taxpayer dollars to porkbarrel donors.

Since all “entitlements” are funded by mandatory taxation of those who earn more than a politician determined minimum, we FReepers should call “entitlements” what they are: Welfare Taxes.

Thus, the main drivers of our tax burden based National Debt and Annual Deficit are as follows:

* Welfare Social Security Tax
* Welfare Medicare Tax
* Welfare Medicaid Tax
* Welfare Obama”care” Tax.

BTW, great charts!

[falcon99]

Oh come on. This is from Reuters and the Huff Post. They are going to write the most positive spin possible for this guy. Anyone who thinks that Obama is serious about negotiating anything is forgetting his actions over the last four and a half years.

[Road Glide]

“This could be a big...”

The only thing “big” that Obama’s goin’ for is gonna be your 401k...

[tumblindice]

Critters, anything important that he promises—get in writing & notarized.

[1010RD]

Obama is not pivoting, he's spinning in the wind.

The list of lawmakers Obama contacted include Republican Senators Bob Corker of Tennessee, Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, Rob Portman of Ohio and Susan Collins of Maine, according to either the senators or congressional aides. The White House declined to confirm the names.

The above is a lie. Obama personally called them? They'd take the call and the WH would confirm it. This is a media story for consumption by the simple-minded, meaning liberals and the lieberal press.

Obama is a community organizer from Cook County in the Land of Illusion. It's all about puffery and show and swaying the low-information voters to your cause. The tool is PR because that's all they have.

Look to Cook County and you'll see what you get: crony capitalism, a rich liberal class enjoying life, all the while "fixing" the poverty problem with by cementing poverty in place and the culmination is those same poor dementedly reelecting their masters. There is no bottom to human stupidity.

[csmusaret]

I am sorry but the Socialist megalomaniac in the Oval Office does not have the first clue how to improve the economy or help create an environment for job growth. He is ignorant of those subjects and woefully incompetent to be POTUS. He does not know his ass from a hole in the ground about either leadership or management yet he is convinced he is Mr Awesome! Why any sane person would waste five seconds listening to this proven failure is beyond me.

[Venturer]

Republican Senators Bob Corker of Tennessee, Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, Rob Portman of Ohio and Susan Collins of Maine

His secret agents and spies in the Republican party.
Surprised McCain and Graham weren’t on the list.

[House Atreides]

I think that Rush Limbaugh and his argument that Obama has been avoiding governing (in favor of perpetual “outsider” campaigning) has begun to have an effect. Rush has always succeeded in getting under Obama’s skin. I think that Rush is not only continuing to irritate Obama but that his avoiding governing theorem is gaining traction in the broader mainstream media of all things.

In recent days I’ve noticed photo-ops where Obama was pretending to govern. For example he had the press in to videotape a portion of a cabinet meeting where Obama was pretending to be engaged. I think that this latest “outreach” to some Republicans is simply further pretense of governing.

Obama’s game is being recognized finally. Keep it up Rush—you’re being effective!!