Robert Reich tweets

[ProSense]

The Prez and Ds caved in, endangering the recovery and strengthening the right-wing bullies. A tactical win for Prez and strategic loss.

link

Tactical win?

What would Reich have considered a strategic win: a government shutdown?

[JDPriestly]

1. ProSense, have you read Matt Taibbi's Griftopia.

It explains why none of our so-called leaders cannot be trusted. This especially applies to Obama.

Really, if you read that post, you would understand that these cuts are simply the next step in the ongoing grift or scam that is impoverishing our country.

Obama is just another tool of the grifters.

[donheld]

2. The problem with a tweet

No details. I trust Mr Reich, but the devil's in the details. In this case I think I mean the real Devil aka Satan.

[Davis_X_Machina]

3. Quoth Mencken: "There is always an easy solution...

...to every human problem -- neat, plausible...and wrong."

[leftstreet]

4. It's that next-level chess move stuff

[The Magistrate]

5. Staged Properly, Ma'am, 'Shut-Down' Is The Winning Strategy

Like cash settlement in trade, battle must eventually be faced in conflict. If one's chief aim is to postpone it, the enemy will carry every vital point.

[avaistheone1]

8. Strongly agree.

:thumbsup:

[highplainsdem]

9. +1

[ProSense]

10. Then it begs the question

Why did so many Democrats work to ensure that this didn't happen?

Was there a possibility that it could have endangered the recovery and backfired on Democrats?

[The Magistrate]

14. If The Course Of Avoiding Battle Paid Well, Ma'am, Republicans Would Not Hold The House

And we would have a damned sight more than fifty-two seat still in the Senate.

Note the proviso 'staged properly': the President and all Party leadership would have to make sure, by incessant, relentless attack, Republicans were blamed for the act, and all consequences. But that really is their job....

[aquart]

18. "Endangered the recovery" LOL!

I love a good myth.

[sendero]

21. Amended.

.... to take recovery from "probably not" to "definitely not".

[avaistheone1]

6. I agree with Reich.

If the Republicans shut the government down, it would have damaged the Republicans badly.

Instead the Republicans called the Democrats bluff. Unfortunately the Republicans are WINNING!

[SidDithers]

23. I'll take the Republicans = Charlie Sheen analogy anytime...nt

Sid

[joshcryer]

7. I think that a tactical loss but stragetic win would be to let the Rs shut it down.

And point the finger at them like the assholes they are.

[Ramulux]

11. This is absolutely not a tactical win

[highplainsdem]

12. New tweet from Reich, minutes ago:

RBReich Robert Reich
The right held the U.S. govt hostage, and O paid most of the ransom -- inviting more hostage-taking. Next is raising debt ceiling.
2 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

[ProSense]

15. He's on a roll:

"R's big lie: Too much govt spending created Grt Recession, and cutting spending will get us out. O and Ds refuse to rebut the lie."

Some of this stuff is starting to sound more like taunting instead of actual criticism based on reality.

There are many Democrats countering the RW BS, but it's not all about talk, they have to pass bills too.

No amount of talk is going to change how House Republicans respond, and neither is taunting Democrats.

[highplainsdem]

13. Another from Reich:

RBReich Robert Reich
R's big lie: Too much govt spending created Grt Recession, and cutting spending will get us out. O and Ds refuse to rebut the lie.
1 minute ago Favorite Retweet Reply

[OHdem10]

17. He is accurate here. Obama and Democrats have never made

the case for the long ago stimulus bill. Instead
they let the RW Lie prevail. The RW Lie: The Stimulus
did not work. The stimulus worked, we just needed a
larger amount and a repeat.

If surveyed, people will repeat the Republican lie
because the case was never made as to the principles
how, what when why and who.

Nor was a careful explanation with force and energy
explaining how and why it worked.

[Kablooie]

16. But giving in to terrorists simply goads them into more extreme actions.

[Skidmore]

19. Everytime I hear this man, I want to scream.

Robert Reich was one of the people who pushed NAFTA during the Clinton administration. He helped get us on this downhill road. So he's seen the light, but it's a bit late.

[avaistheone1]

22. It's only too late if we keep going down the wrong path.

:kick:

[ncteechur]

20. Maybe Robert Reich should run for president since he has a lot to say from the cheap seats.

[ProSense]

24. Here is how the 1996 shutdown

ended

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

25. Aka - Pyrrhic Victory

[hfojvt]

26. It seems to me that Obama cannot win with some people

There's an awful lot of weeping and gnashing of teeth over some fairly insignificant cuts. Maybe the other side just kicked a field goal, but we seem to be wailing about it like the Obama defense just gave up six touchdowns.

I'm not a huge fan any more, but I don't think he did too badly here. In fact, he seems to have done much better than I expected. I full expected the Republicans to demand more pounds of flesh and not be satisfied with just 1/4 pound.

[leftstreet]

27. But the goal posts just got moved. Cuts are on the table now - it's just how much

You're lamenting the thoughts and feelings of a base that, just a blink ago, was thinking of Jobs Programs, "universal" healthcare, etc.

Shock victims tend to go through stages...

[hfojvt]

28. cuts have always been on the table

Obama the candidate promised to cut earmarks and waste. And cuts were bound to be on the table, especially after the November debacle and the December surrender. Myself, I was expecting to lose an arm, and am pleasantly surprised to see just a scratch.

[leftstreet]

29. Yes, you're right. "earmarks and waste" He did promise that n/t