"Saying the House can't rubber stamp the Senate unless changes are made is a negotiating posture."

[Clio the Leo]

Dissenting View
Josh Marshall | January 21, 2010, 3:53PM

A TPM alum thinks things look brighter for reform than I'm letting on ...

TPM's coverage during the health care debate has been fantastic (Brian Beutler is really making his name right now), but I think the main page's coverage is overhyping the news in some key areas. Pelosi's statement today for example, was not anything particularly new: we already knew Senate bill was dead without changes, hence the parallel reconciliation idea floated by the unions. Saying the House can't rubber stamp the Senate unless changes are made is a negotiating posture, not declaring things dead or over. We have yet to see any mass defection from the "pass the senate plus reconciliation" option in the House, which is actually very encouraging for HC's chances, especially given that the most relevant players -- AFL-CIO and SEIU, Kent Conrad, Reid, Pelosi, Frank -- are theoretically on board for the idea.
Similarly with Howard Dean, he has to be evaluated from his negotiating position as well. Remember that Dean was the face of the "kill the bill" movement that argued the legislation should to go to reconciliation entirely even BEFORE Brown's election. That he interprets anything from Pelosi as a call for his previously stated cause shouldn't be a shock.

Newspapers have been making this mistake too in their headlines, especially parsing Obama's statements, to wildly oversell vague quotes as sweeping new pronouncements about new scaled-back bipartisan compromises. But the reality is that things have been shockingly calm in the last 24 hours given the circumstances. And for all the rage directed at Obama for his passivity, by changing the subject to a new Glass-Steagall, he (and John Edwards and Justice Roberts) have already ended the "health care death watch" in the 24/7 media and newspaper front pages, which is crucial to keeping skittish lawmakers from panicking. Health care is still in extreme danger, but its still critically important to be wary of early pronouncements of its death.

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2010/01/dissenting_view.php#more?ref=fpblg

[Jennicut]

1. "Health care death watch". LOL

Obama was smart to switch the subject.
Keep them coming, Clio. Great articles.

[Clio the Leo]

2. Well, like a lot of folks I would love for him....

... to get in front of the cameras and say "THE HOUSE BETTER PASS THE DARNED BILL NOW OR I'M TURNING INTO THE ROCK OBAMA!!!"

but a. that's not the man he is and b. I cant spend the first 365 days of his Presidency asking everyone else to trust his judgement and then NOT do it when I dont want to and c. well there is no "c" but yeah .....

[Clio the Leo]

3. lol, now I remember what C was....

(long day at work, I'm pooped)

C was that I understand it's insane to expect him to "crack down" on the progressives when he wasn't willing to crack down on the moderates and would be a bit rude of him to do so.

We've got a town hall tomorrow .... those are always fun.

[Jennicut]

4. Rock Obama!

Yeah, he needs to listen to the progressive's concerns and take them seriously too.

I had a long day too....playing Wii with my little girls! Hey, it is a tough job but someone has to watch them. Seriously, a 4 and 5 year old will wear you out.