Thu Nov 29, 2012, 08:52 PM

Obama to GOP: I’m done negotiating with myself

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2012/11/29/obama-to-gop-i-wont-negotiate-with-myself/

Obama to GOP: I’m done negotiating with myself

Posted by Ezra Klein on November 29, 2012 at 6:31 pm

Republican aides are circulating their summary of the White House’s opening bid on the fiscal cliff. They’re circulating it because they believe it fleshes out Speaker John Boehner’s complaint that “the White House has to get serious.” Above all, they’re circulating it because the president isn’t offering them anything in his opening bid.

snip//

We’re seeing two things here. One is that the negotiations aren’t going well. When one side begins leaking the other side’s proposals, that’s typically a bad sign. The other is that Republicans are frustrated at the new Obama they’re facing: The Obama who refuses to negotiate with himself.

That’s what you’re really seeing in this “proposal.” Previously, Obama’s pattern had been to offer plans that roughly tracked where he thought the compromise should end up. The White House’s belief was that by being solicitous in their policy proposals, they would win goodwill on the other side, and even if they didn’t, the media would side with them, realizing they’d sought compromise and been rebuffed. They don’t believe that anymore.

Perhaps the key lesson the White House took from the last couple of years is this: Don’t negotiate with yourself. If Republicans want to cut Medicare, let them propose the cuts. If they want to raise revenue through tax reform, let them identify the deductions. If they want deeper cuts in discretionary spending, let them settle on a number. And, above all, if they don’t like the White House’s preferred policies, let them propose their own. That way, if the White House eventually does give in and agree to some of their demands, Republicans will feel like they got one over on the president. A compromise isn’t measured by what you offer, it’s measured by what the other side feels they made you concede.

The GOP is right: This isn’t a serious proposal. But it’s not evidence that Obama isn’t serious. He’s very serious about not negotiating with himself, and his opening bid proves it. Now that they’ve leaked his initial offer, the next question is obvious: What’s their offer?

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53 replies	Author	Time	Post
Obama to GOP: I’m done negotiating with myself (Original post)	babylonsister	Nov 2012	OP
Aha. The New Obama = the once again elected 2nd term Obama. Deal with it.	libdem4life	Nov 2012	#1
Geithner put $400 billion in cuts to "health care spending" (Medicare) on the table.	xtraxritical	Nov 2012	#12
Thanks for the reminder, balloon intact. No one said he was a Liberal.	libdem4life	Nov 2012	#13
"Deal with it . . ."	GatorLarry	Nov 2012	#36
Was that where it came from ... who knew???? :)	libdem4life	Nov 2012	#41
Overindulging in Schadenfreude isn't a positive thing.	ballaratocker	Nov 2012	#48
AT LAST!	IDoMath	Nov 2012	#2
No shit	BainsBane	Nov 2012	#6
In the next day or two, Obama needs to make it clear	BlueStreak	Nov 2012	#20
Excellent post!	NYtoBush-Drop Dead	Nov 2012	#22
I hate being one of those people who bitches about what people should'a done, but	TalkingDog	Nov 2012	#39
Me, too but	IDoMath	Nov 2012	#40
This message was self-deleted by its author	AnotherMcIntosh	Nov 2012	#3
You are never happy, are ya. nt	babylonsister	Nov 2012	#5
This message was self-deleted by its author	AnotherMcIntosh	Nov 2012	#8
Obama may or may not do the right thing this time. He should do NOTHING until Jan 1. That makes	robinlynne	Nov 2012	#24
I like the way he is dealing with them at this point.	liberal N proud	Nov 2012	#4
I don't.	wtmusic	Nov 2012	#14
YES. No neogtiaitng before January 1st. Then negotiate.	robinlynne	Nov 2012	#25
Isn't that kind of what he is doing with this line: "I’m done negotiating with myself"	liberal N proud	Nov 2012	#30
Now is the time for Obama to attack	wtmusic	Nov 2012	#35
I disagree . . .	GatorLarry	Nov 2012	#37
What "name-calling with the Speaker of the House" are you talking about? Standing our/his	Vincardog	Nov 2012	#44
Learning is something Obama has always advocated. The GOP's masters love the stupid ones.	freshwest	Nov 2012	#7
The only way to deal with Republicans when there are too many chickens in the coop.	LiberalFighter	Nov 2012	#9
You cant negotiate with terrorists. Republicans are terrorists. nm	rhett o rick	Nov 2012	#10
ReTHUGs don't change.	silverweb	Nov 2012	#11
Please proceed Mr. President! n/t	sheshe2	Nov 2012	#19
:)	silverweb	Nov 2012	#28
+1	lunatica	Nov 2012	#32
+1	Faryn Balyncd	Nov 2012	#15
K&R nt	ProudProgressiveNow	Nov 2012	#16
Why did it take the White House four years to figure this out?	high density	Nov 2012	#17
Exactly. Anyone been to the Grand Basar in Istanbul?	wake.up.america	Nov 2012	#18
The dealer will knock on the back door and say... "I'll give you $___ for all of these rugs."	libdem4life	Nov 2012	#43
Because the administration first thought they were dealing with rational people.	Ikonoklast	Nov 2012	#23
K&R !	patrice	Nov 2012	#21
The only issue for me is, how much of the store is the president going to give away in the end?	MotherPetrie	Nov 2012	#26
Because of course, he's absolutely bound to "give away the store"	Scootaloo	Nov 2012	#29
What???	GatorLarry	Nov 2012	#38
Any solution HAS to involve both spending cuts and increased revenues. emPHAsis on the	Vincardog	Nov 2012	#45
Thank you Mr. President. nt	Tarheel_Dem	Nov 2012	#27
"If Republicans want to cut Medicare, let them propose the cuts."	lunatica	Nov 2012	#31
It's a Constitutional issue. Budgets originate in the House. Doesn't Boehner and the repugs	Pryderi	Nov 2012	#33
sycophantic bullshit/obamhype	tomp	Nov 2012	#34
Then you haven't been paying attention, or you're	babylonsister	Nov 2012	#46
your view, my view....	tomp	Dec 2012	#52
Correct me if I am wrong but Didn't Boehner get 90% of what he wanted last time these	Filibuster Harry	Nov 2012	#42
You call getting the credit rating of the US downgraded a win?	babylonsister	Nov 2012	#47
not me. That was not a win for our country but Speaker Boehner obviously thinks so.	Filibuster Harry	Dec 2012	#53
Fuck the Republicans	Vattel	Nov 2012	#49
No kidding.	Up2Late	Nov 2012	#50
If Republicans don't like this offer, make the next offer even less appetizing for them.	tclambert	Nov 2012	#51

Response to babylonsister (Original post)

Thu Nov 29, 2012, 08:55 PM

libdem4life (1,783 posts)

Obama to GOP: I’m done negotiating with myself

1. Aha. The New Obama = the once again elected 2nd term Obama. Deal with it.

12. Geithner put $400 billion in cuts to "health care spending" (Medicare) on the table.

13. Thanks for the reminder, balloon intact. No one said he was a Liberal.

36. "Deal with it . . ."

41. Was that where it came from ... who knew???? :)

48. Overindulging in Schadenfreude isn't a positive thing.

2. AT LAST!

6. No shit

20. In the next day or two, Obama needs to make it clear

22. Excellent post!

39. I hate being one of those people who bitches about what people should'a done, but

40. Me, too but

5. You are never happy, are ya. nt

24. Obama may or may not do the right thing this time. He should do NOTHING until Jan 1. That makes

4. I like the way he is dealing with them at this point.

14. I don't.

25. YES. No neogtiaitng before January 1st. Then negotiate.

30. Isn't that kind of what he is doing with this line: "I’m done negotiating with myself"

35. Now is the time for Obama to attack

37. I disagree . . .

44. What "name-calling with the Speaker of the House" are you talking about? Standing our/his

7. Learning is something Obama has always advocated. The GOP's masters love the stupid ones.

9. The only way to deal with Republicans when there are too many chickens in the coop.

10. You cant negotiate with terrorists. Republicans are terrorists. nm

11. ReTHUGs don't change.

19. Please proceed Mr. President! n/t

28. :)

32. +1

15. +1

16. K&R nt

17. Why did it take the White House four years to figure this out?

18. Exactly. Anyone been to the Grand Basar in Istanbul?

43. The dealer will knock on the back door and say... "I'll give you $___ for all of these rugs."

23. Because the administration first thought they were dealing with rational people.

21. K&R !

26. The only issue for me is, how much of the store is the president going to give away in the end?

29. Because of course, he's absolutely bound to "give away the store"

38. What???

45. Any solution HAS to involve both spending cuts and increased revenues. emPHAsis on the

27. Thank you Mr. President. nt

31. "If Republicans want to cut Medicare, let them propose the cuts."

33. It's a Constitutional issue. Budgets originate in the House. Doesn't Boehner and the repugs

34. sycophantic bullshit/obamhype

46. Then you haven't been paying attention, or you're

52. your view, my view....

42. Correct me if I am wrong but Didn't Boehner get 90% of what he wanted last time these

47. You call getting the credit rating of the US downgraded a win?

53. not me. That was not a win for our country but Speaker Boehner obviously thinks so.

49. Fuck the Republicans

50. No kidding.

51. If Republicans don't like this offer, make the next offer even less appetizing for them.