In theory, Obama could use the Chairmen's report as a foil.

[coti]

Drum up some populist support by attacking it.

He's had opportunities like this before, though, and not done much with them, so I wouldn't count on it.

[TexasObserver]

1. In theory, Obama could tell them they're out of their god damn minds.

The job of a commission is to say unpopular things the president doesn't want to say.

If his legacy is screwing up Social Security, that's a hell of a legacy, isn't it?

[FiveGoodMen]

5. His legacy won't be limited to screwing up Social Security

[TexasObserver]

7. It will be if he screws up Social Security.

A president is remembered mainly for the most significant things he does, good or bad.

Any Democrat who craters on Social Security and caves in to the very people who brought the country to its knees economically the past two years will have that as his legacy.

If he stands up to them and doesn't do it, he'll help his legacy.

[FiveGoodMen]

9. I think he'll also be remembered for expanding wars that we needed to get out of

For killing American citizens "because I said so!", for covering up Bush's war crimes, for the awful healthcare legislation, for bailing out Wall Street while letting Americans twist in the wind...

I think it'll be a lo-o-o-o-o-ng list.

[TexasObserver]

11. Yes, that will be part of his legacy, too.

[SidDithers]

2. K&R...nt

Sid

[theophilus]

3. Good theory. I'm afraid Obama doesn't subscribe to it, however. I hope I'm wrong. n/t

[Occam Bandage]

4. That's not in his blood. Obama is a pragmatist, not a populist.

He's about enacting sensible policy, not about making political hay. He won't blast the commission, because what the commission is saying is fundamentally correct: that deficit spending will require either modest correction now or drastic correction in the future.

[coti]

6. Their proposals are absolutely insane, though,

and totally not in line with the stated goal of reducing the deficit.

[Occam Bandage]

10. I wouldn't go so far as "insane." Unpopular, to be sure,

but the point of a commission is to say things the President can't. He's not going to attack them for doing their job.

I don't think this is the time to be worrying about the deficit, given the stagnated economy, but sooner or later we will have to start looking at who's going to pay more and who's going to get less. That said, I don't particularly like the commission's ideas. It's better to squeeze the wealthy than squeeze the poor.

[ibegurpard]

8. you're funny

[David__77]

12. It is HIS commission. He owns it. It's the albotross around his neck.

It's too late to undo the damage even from today's events, but a good start would be to abolish the commission tomorrow and unequivocally state that Social Security will not be cut while he is president.

[emulatorloo]

13. Let the actual report come out first, and then rip it to shreds.

[David__77]

14. There's absolutely no point in waiting.

Our opponents would not wait certainly. Why wait? It is obvious that anything coming from this commission will be a grievous attack on the citizens of this country. Obama should immediately disband this commission and declare that reduction in Social Security and Medicare benefits are off the table so long as he is president. Even that cannot undo the damage of appointing this commission, but it would be helpful.